Jude the Obscure One of David Austin's finest I think, Jude the Obscure has a beautiful form, subtle colouring and a zesty scent of citrus and exotic fruits (in the style of Lady Emma Hamilton - have I mentioned that she's my favourite? Referencing Bruce Forsyth!) The flash of pink is from Gertrude Jekyll, no…
Heaven is a rose nursery…
A selection of roses from the Pococks Rose Nursery in Hampshire I drove down to Pococks Rose Nursery near Romsey in Hampshire earlier this week and spent a very happy hour (and two) immersed in their collection of beautiful and extraordinarily perfumed roses, some of which are included in this gallery. The Hybrid Teas and…
Continue reading ➞ Heaven is a rose nursery…
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Chocolate Fancy
Hot Chocolate, Novelty Rose of the Year 2006 A cluster-flowered, floribunda rose with a quite unique colouring that is very difficult to capture - I know, I've photographed this rose dozens of times and this is the first time I have made a decent stab of it! Growing to 3'/90cm tall and a little less…
Continue reading ➞ Chocolate Fancy
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Sometimes you have to wonder…
Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea What a remarkable piece of floral construction - I've remarked on this before when I photographed the smaller yellow cousin, Passiflora citrina - though this one is absolutely not a manageable houseplant. A twining climber, it has vigorous if a little straggly growth, benefitting from being grown up or through something…
Continue reading ➞ Sometimes you have to wonder…
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Bringing the tropics to TW11
Hibiscus Hamabo A medium-sized deciduous shrub, bearing these striking mallow flowers from late summer into autumn. Position in full sun, in a sheltered site and it will grow up to 1.5m tall and through. Holding a prized Award of Garden Merit from the RHS - The Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) helps…
Continue reading ➞ Bringing the tropics to TW11
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Antiques Roadshow…
Viola F1 'Antique Shades' The following is from the Seedaholics website I have recommended before and is more complete than I could possibly be. Plants are on sale now in garden centres and nurseries, though seeds might be the way to go next year.... Some unbelievably coloured violas have come on the market in recent…
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Summer Cocktail
Echinacea Summer Cocktail I'm really rather looking forward to the changes in colour this new, short-ish coneflower promises - this very attractive, sunny yellow, taking on salmon-rose colours as they mature.... Position: full sun Soil: most soils, except very dry or boggy Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to September Hardiness: fully hardy A…
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An English Rose… and another…
A whole lot of David Austin - not much writing, but plenty of pictures for this Friday night. Grace David Austin rose, Grace, with distinctive quilled petals. One of the shorter bush roses and also excellent in a container. Princess Anne A rose of exceptional health, immune to powdery mildew and blackspot and flowering in…
Continue reading ➞ An English Rose… and another…
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Life after the petunias….
Viola Beacon Blue - just one from a myriad choice of violas and larger flowered pansies Large-flowered Cyclamen, bringing colour to autumn and winter containers September next week it is, and the nights are drawing in. Containers full of summer colour - lobelias, petunias, marigolds, begonias and all that - might be looking a little…
Continue reading ➞ Life after the petunias….
The Teddington Gardener 