Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Kew Orchid Festival 9th February - 3rd MarchMake time if you can, to visit this near month long, quite extraordinary festival of orchids and other exotics in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, starting next Saturday. Last year it was magical, intensely colourful, hugely imaginative and BIG! I don't doubt it will be bolder and brighter…
Continue reading ➞ Kew Orchid Festival 9th February – 3rd March
A touch of blue in the skies today and milder temperatures. I've been rummaging through my photograph albums for a photo-book project and made up a little 'Spring' gallery. I love the hellebores in the garden and lots of the bulbs are coming through in their pots (no flower yet) and there will be lots…
Rose, Lady Emma Hamilton (Austin). Another look forward, though in my defence, this rose is still blooming in the garden (I posted a picture a couple of weeks ago, flowering happily amongst the snowfall). The colours now have lost much of the the summer intensity of oranges, apricot and gold but to remind myself... The…
Continue reading ➞ Rose, Lady Emma Hamilton
Camellias at Chiswick House, West London. An extraordinary collection of camellias in the Duke of Devonshire's glasshouse at Chiswick House. Impressive just considering the flower power these plants exhibit and staggering considering their age, most dating to between 1830-1850.... many being the first plant introductions into the UK of their kind. Plan a trip soon.
A little early for magnolia blossom, although the flower buds are already plump and furry. Such a variety of form and flower, evergreen and deciduous. I have M. x loebneri Leonard Messel, an unnamed M. soulangeana and an apricot flowered form at home, the name of which escapes me (bought last year). All beautiful. Black…
Time to visit Chiswick House I think, their camellia collection in the glasshouse ought to be coming into flower. Built in the 1830's by the Duke of Devonshire, at a once world record beating 300' long, the recently renovated greenhouse houses a unique collection of camellias - all but one planted between 1830 and 1850.…
There are fireworks going off in the garden throughout all the other seasons while Winter can be altogether more restful. We know there is a lot of interest - evergreens, winter flower and scent - and we shouldn't forget trees and their bark in particular. Bone white birch (so many varieties - white stemmed -…
Hellebores are a group of plants usually grown in 'woodland' conditions in the UK, flowering from late winter through to mid-spring. The flowers are white, cream, pink, purple, or green, sometimes spotted, and are pendant or outward facing, saucer to cup shaped or tubular bells shaped! New varieties are becoming available such as Anna's Red…
One of my favourite crocuses, aptly named 'tricolor' for its distinct banding of golden yellow, white and lilac. A really silky sheen to the petals and long flowering. I shall have to look out their pot in my garden and give them pride of place for early next month. Crocus sieberi sublimis f. tricolor AGM
The Teddington Gardener 