Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Lonicera x brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet' Bright the flowers of this honeysuckle may be, and unusual for all that too, but not scarlet. In common with many of these orange-red honeysuckles, there is very little scent but the eye catching display, from July through to September, makes up for being invisible, olfactory-wise. While it is not,…
Continue reading ➞ Very Nearly Scarlet
I'm reprising three earlier posts, now that bulbs are arriving in garden centres and nurseries - tulips and narcissus, hyacinth, crocus and all manner of buried treasure. Tulips won't mind being planted later in this year, even into November, though the choice will become more limited as stocks go down. Buy now and keep them…
Continue reading ➞ The Bold and the Beautiful – Tulipmania
Lady Emma Hamilton - a David Austin rose with stunning colour and dark foliage This remains my favourite English Rose - dramatic colour to both the flower and foliage and a fantastic, zesty fragrance - lemons and melons and Sauternes. An intoxicating package.
Alstroemeria Indian Summer For more than a touch of the exotic, this hardy Alstroemeria hits all the right notes. Vibrant colours, strong markings, dark foliage. Magnificent. Alstroemerias with more than just flowers seem to be demanding more attention these days. There were a number in the recent RHS trial and two variegated varieties, ‘Phoenix’ and…
Continue reading ➞ Tiger Tiger
Dan Pearson, writing in the Observer today, can't be wrong! Orange all the way... http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/18/choosing-orange-flowers-for-the-garden
Bright orange crocosmia Fire Jumper, with a flash of blue from clematis Daniel Deronda Now while you might not see these two plants side by side, what with one being a climber, both colours sing with their association, creating a little more electricity than either of these sparky plants do on their own. Something to…
Continue reading ➞ Orange & Blue
Helenium Sahin's Early Flowerer in the foreground, Phlox paniculata Otley Choice behind... Now here is a combination that sings (it might even shriek, just a little bit) but late summer colour in the herbaceous border is often strong, nearly always bright and usually planted with contrast in mind. These two long flowering plants are really…
Continue reading ➞ Pink & Orange – Be Brave!
Huge flowerheads of Kniphofia Prince Igor, towering over the roses and mixed herbaceous planting in the Bowes Lyon Rose Garden at RHS Wisley. Now I know kniphofia and I have had a mini-affair recently - with Mango Popsicle specifically - but this - THIS - this is a significant presence in the border, a very…
Continue reading ➞ Kniphofia Prince Igor
Summer Song with Agapanthus Northern Star Orange and blue, again, though this time the star attraction is another David Austin rose, Summer Song. A rangy plant with arching growth and flowers of a strong burnt orange colour, reminiscent, they say, of a tropical sunset. Sigh.
The Teddington Gardener 