Last Post 840 days 20 hours ago
31 January 2011 20:35:25
Arum italicum ?????
I have put up some photos of the January plants in my garden. They are almost the same as last year, but I have added Arum italicum pictum and, what I think is, Arum italicum. If it is not please let me know.
23 January 2011 18:29:20
Altamont article in Country Life
As I wrote before the current issue of The Irish Garden is great. The advice in the first few pages is excellent, but it is difficult to get around to doing all the recommendations.
On page 5 the "Looking Good Now Flowers" commends Narcissus 'February Gold'; this and 'Tête à Tête' are my favourites. Today I looked at my Helleborus argutifolis, and noted it is beginning to flower. I used to have Primula 'Wanda' and Iris reticulata, but they disappeared years ago. Reading the Irish Garden reminds me of the many plants I lost over the years. Now I only keep those that are sufficiently tough to survive neglect.
Page 6 discusses Galanthus plicatus 'Wendy's Gold'. I used to try to grow and distinguish between different snowdrops, but I think the ordinary Galanthus nivalis is the best; its simplicity is part of its charm. But my snowdrops have not flowered yet. Also I do not think my Symphoricarpos looks great now.
Page 7 mentions Azara microphylla 'Variegata' and a rare white forsythia. I prefer the non-variegeated Azara and yellow forsythias. In fact daffodils should be yellow, not pink, and roses should not be black.
On page 8 cutting back hellebore leaves is recommended. This is a job I did this afternoon.
So the first 8 pages of the current issue of The Irish Garden have given me great interest, and the rest is as good.
The January 12 issue of Country Life has a very interesting article on Altamont. It gives great praise, richly deserved, to the late Corona North
22 January 2011 19:01:08
Iris unguicularis
The new Year has begun and I have submitted three photos,
Iris unguicularis (http://www.gardeningcentral.org/iris_unguicularis/iris_unguicularis.html),
sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/groundcover/sarcococca_hookeriana.html) and
Jasminum nudiflorum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasminum_nudiflorum).
I have compared these with last year's plants, and note by this time last year I had other plants submitted.
If you have time you might like to glance at these photos, which start off the new year in my garden.
21 January 2011 18:47:30
Peoples Park
One of my aims this year is to visit as many gardens and parks as I can. One of the first visited was the Peoples Park in the romantic, exotic and exciting city of Limerick. It is in the Georgian part of Limerick, where No 1 Pery Square is a beautifully restored Georgian house, which is now a hotel. No 2 Pery Square is a great example of an elegant Georgian House and garden.
You might like to look at the photos "Georgian Limerick".
14 January 2011 12:05:13
The current issue of The Irish Garden really is among the best ever. There is a particularly excellent article on page 51, by Guess-Who?
In it she talks about trees, and gives very sound ideas. In the long run it is better to plant small trees, as they establish better, have less problems with compacted root-balls and are less expensive. In fact trees grow rapidly. Trees that were seedlings some years ago are now very large.
I like weeping trees, but sometimes they are not practical. Some years ago a son and myself cut down a Betula pendula 'Tristis' and it nearly fell on our electricity cables, which would have been serious.
08 January 2011 19:53:40
Carol Klein
Did you see the excellent BBC gardening programme this evening with Carol Klein. I really enjoyed it and was amazed at her energy and her hard work. The programme reminded me how much work there is to do in the garden now.
As my son cut down some trees in his garden recently, I tried to tidy up after the snow, which brought down some branches. First I tackled the garden with the chain-saw, them I used the loppers, before using the hedge-trimmer, and finally I used the secateurs. Now I have all my winter garden rubbish to get rid of.
Both one of my sons and I share the cost of a trailer and bring the garden green waste to Ballyogan, near us.
But unfortunately we both got colds (or man-flu if you prefer).
Some time ago I read an article about easy care gardens for older people. Trees and shrubs sound the best option, but there may be less work in perennials.
Also today in the paper (IT) there was a great artricle about winter gardens to visit. It reminded me of the wonderful photos we have had here of St Stephen's Green and Cabinteeely Park (thanks Myrtle). But the Phoenix Park and the Botanic Gardens were not included, and there are lots of other local Parks (Herbert etc.) to visit.
Would you like to suggest gardens/parks you like in winter?
03 January 2011 21:07:16
Not mine unfortunately
I see the
snowdrop is the
Plant of the Day. Is it flowering for you yet? Mine have just appeared above ground.
01 January 2011 00:31:02
Happy new year to all.
I hope we have a great gardening year.