Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Having just come back from a Yorkshire tour and visiting Malham Cove, where there is an excellent example of a limestone pavement, complete with clints and grykes au naturel, this garden spoke to me! One of the Conceptual Gardens, a category unique I think to the Hampton Court Flower Show, this jigsaw of polished limestone…
Continue reading ➞ Clints and Grykes
Garden for Joy, a garden created for QEF (Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for Disabled People) at the RHS Hampton Court flower Show, which finished yesterday. "Purple is the colour that appeals to QEF's disabled young residents and was chosen as our logo colour - the planting scheme revolves around purples e.g. salvias, eryngium and echinops mixed…
Continue reading ➞ Garden for Joy
A Gold Medal winning exhibition from David Austin at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, which finished yesterday. By far the most exuberant staging from any of the rose nurseries, dominating the Rose Marquee. If only there was a 'scent' button on your keyboard.. A comprehensive selection of their English Roses, displayed enclosed within a…
Continue reading ➞ David Austin Roses at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show
A look at the other rose nurseries exhibiting at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, which finished on Sunday. Mattocks, Fryers, Bill le Grice, Style Roses, Harkness, Peter Beales, Eastcroft Roses, Pococks.... The Historic Roses Group too, a member of which I now am. Hybrid Teas and Floribundas, in the main, with modern shrubs, some climbers…
Continue reading ➞ The Rose Marquee at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show
The Calla Lily, Zantedeschia The ghostly-white and deep purple-blacks of the Arum Lily retain their pre-eminence and they are glorious, but these cheery yellows and vibrant oranges take the plant out of the gothic (or goths) and into more upbeat company. Rich soils, moist, full sun with winter protection.
Lavender in the Floral Marquee at Hampton Court Flower Show. Lovely to see you today Lynne!
Lavender angustifolia Hidcote. A strong blue-purple to this compact lavender, one of the brightest saturated colours in the lavender range - especially when multiplied through lines and drifts - and a beautiful companion to roses (despite their differing cultural needs). A little benign neglect, nothing too rich in the compost or feeding regime, excellent drainage…
Continue reading ➞ Quintessentially English
Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple and Cordyline australis I know that the Cotinus coggygria is commonly known as the Smoke Bush and have always liked the cloud-like seed heads that fluff around the stems and later roll over the ground like ghostly tumbleweed, or aerial frogspawn. But looking out through the back bedroom window earlier this week,…
A David Austin rose of great beauty and exceptional fragrance. Enough to be getting on with here I think... (don't mention orange!)
The Teddington Gardener 