Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
The kousa dogwood - - a most elegant dogwood, but often lost in the landscape shadow of Cornus florida. For many parts of the country however (referring to the US), C kousa is probably a better choice. In youth the habit is stiffly upright, almost vase-shaped, but with age it becomes rounded to broad-spreading, with…
Continue reading ➞ More strange fruit… Cornus kousa ‘John Slocock’
An apple variety curiously called Winter Banana Hailing from Indiana, USA and introduced in the 1870s - an large sweet apple, with alleged banana flavour (that was distinctly missing from the example I scrumped!) A creamy yellow, pink flushed skin might contribute a little to its naming, perhaps - late ripening, a touch of frost…
Continue reading ➞ Winter Banana
We've been here before, the double borders created by Piet Oudolf at Wisley, combining perennials with grasses, wave after wave - and the equally dramatic planting around the lake, concentric arcs of repeated blocks, catching the low autumn sun. The Piet Oudolf Borders pre-date the Glasshouse and are relatively mature now, evolving along their considerable…
Continue reading ➞ Piet Oudolf & Tom Stuart-Smith at Wisley
Another outing for this article, originally posted in August, but even more timely now... Locally, the RHS Taste of Autumn Show is on at Wisley from the 16th to 20th October - for more information, follow the link - http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Wisley/What-s-on/Taste-of-Autumn An apple a day... 'Tis the season, almost, of mellow fruitfulness and home-grown fruit has…
A little more to look forward too, as border grasses take on their golden garb and become the main attraction. These pictures are from the RHS Gardens at Wisley, featuring the double Piet Oudolf Borders running between the orchards and the lake. A few more weeks and the show will be at its zenith -…
Continue reading ➞ Grasses take centre stage…
Just a few things to look forward to this month, on show at RHS Wisley and, perhaps, in a garden near you!
A tree...this really is a beautiful specimen - at RHS Wisley, in the area behind the Bowes Lyon Rose Garden, that, earlier in the season, would be carpeted with spring flowering crocus. Gorgeous elongated leaves, with a twist, and in a Joseph's Coat of autumn colour. With colchicums at the base, the Autumn crocus. Symmetry.…
Continue reading ➞ Tetradium glabrifolium var glaucum. So there!
Tricyrtis macropoda (of the lily family) The Toad Lilies, so-called because of their spotted flowers, are sound perennials, preferring a soil that does not dry out, and containing a good stint of humus. They do well in the north, but the cooler the district the more sun should be available to them, to hasten their…
Japanese maples, come Autumn time, can give some of the most exciting displays as their leaves turn to bonfire shades. Many make excellent trees for the smaller garden and many are happy in containers too. They prefer a little dappled shade - a more open site if they are kept well watered but not the…
Continue reading ➞ Japanese Maples – planning for some garden fireworks
The Teddington Gardener 