Month: November 2015
The noise levels yesterday morning in the garden was so loud. High up in the Silver Birch there is a Magpie nest.
Now maybe the excitement of Halloween been over did it, but the tree beside our garden wall , near our bedroom window was just full of young Magpies. We counted almost 20 of them at one time. But the noise they made was unreal. They were flying from one tree to another and it was almost like a competition of who could be the loudest.
It was a great sight to see!!
Sometimes when I look out my bedroom window I forget that I live in the middle of the city. I just love the trees that surround the garden. It’s so picturesque and beautiful and especially at this time when the colours are going over and the sun shines through them.
We really feel blessed to have found this place and now call it home 🙂
I have been in Dublin a couple of times in the last couple of weeks as my wife was having laser eye surgery done in the Mater, so from now on we have our very own hawkeye. The downside is that she will notice even more weeds.
While i was waiting for her i took the opportunity to take a trip to the Botanic gardens. I hadn’t been there in a while and i enjoyed my stroll around. I particularly enjoyed seeing the vireya and not so hardy Rhododendrons in the houses. It would be lovely to be able to grow tham but c’est la vie. I must say that some of the larger species in the open ground were not in great shape and could certainly do with some tlc.
We also gave a flying visit to Johnstown garden centre in Kildare for a cuppa and a scone and a quick walk around the plant area. I was very impressed with two Rhodos that they had in stock. One was a selection of the species R.yakushimanum called koichiro wada and the other was a form of the species R.makinoi. Both are wonderful plants and would be a fantastic addition to any garden that has the soil for them. Mind you, they weren’t cheap at 35 euro each. I didn’t purchase as i have both species in my collection and anyway i will have to pay for my Glendoick order so that is enough outlay on plants for a while.
On to some photos. The first one is my aforementioned R.makinoi to give you an idea what it looks like.
The second two photos are of indoor plans which is most unusual for me. The first one is Rhododendron simsii, a tender Rhodo that my wife got from her mother for last mothers day. I am very happy with it.
The third photo is of a climber that flowers nearly all year. For the life of me i can’t remember its name but it will come to me. It has lovely shiny foliage as well.
After quite a foggy night, a heavy dew was left on the garden. This cordyline looked better than in the photo with the dew on cobwebs. Another great day.
Dead-heading is still going on a bit in the garden. Osteospermums have done great this year and looking as good now as when I planted them summer last year. It remains to be seen whether or not they’ll survive another winter.
Three roses are still flowering – ‘Tequila Sunrise’, ‘Arthur Bell’ and lastly a beautiful red rose that didn’t realise it was a climber until I fed it for the first time this year. It just took off from then on.
My camera has been repaired yet again and I took some pictures of the season in the garden.
The colours have gone past their best but it is still a delight. The dry, warm weather is very unseasonal and makes the garden a special pleasure. just contemplate having breakfast outside in November – then do it!
The Liquidamber is beautiful and the holly is in full berry. I have already taken a sackful of cuttings, berried cuttings, and put them away for Christmas.
There is one holly, a german, Ilex Harpune, that has the small pointed leaves with small red berries hidden among them. It is exquisite. I saved a sprig especially for the top of the pudding.
With the mild weather I do not expect the birds to strip the berries just yet. But it is as well to have some put by.
I have just discovered a crocosmia “vulcan” among the roses. It is still in flower and is a beautiful orange colour with long lasting flowers. Among pink roses it is a great splash of colour.
The major chore now is gathering the leaves. They are untidy as always but if you stay on top of the job it will not become too much. The ash have fully shed. Now the chestnut, the sycamore, the birch, the poplar and the beech come down. Last of all will be the Alnus which will hold the leaves until the end of December. The lawnmower cannot really be put away until they have been gathered.
And then the new year!
I’d be the first to admit that i am not the greatest expert as regards poets and poems but i remember seeing this poem used in a gardening by the month book and i thought it appropriate or inappropriate as the case may be.
November by Thomas Hood.
No sun, no moon, no morn, no noon,
No dawn, no dusk, no proper time of day,
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member,
No shade, no sign, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November.
This benign spell of weather so late in the year is a real tonic and the plants seem to be enjoying it as well. R.bureavii, which has to be one of the finest foliage plants, is looking as splendid as ever.
We used to have a lot of Dahlias in the garden in the early years but i got lazy about taking them up and storing them so they gradually disappeared. In the last couple of years we have added some more to the garden and the second photo shows the flowers of one of them with R.calophytum in the background.
The third photo also combines flowers with a Rhodo, this time it is sedum flowers surrounding R.orbiculare and i love the combination. Aren’t the leaves of the Rhodo very attractive.
Before the colours of this lovely autumn disappear, here are a few shots from the garden today.
Witch hazel and Acer are still looking good and even the dying leaves of Smilicina are still hanging on to some of their colour.
We’ve all been delighted to see so many of our plants flowering well into autumn this year with the lovely weather we had in October. Here are a few more pics from this morning in the garden.
Anthemis ‘E C Buxton’, a great doer, always flowers well into November here.
Sweet peas … and there are more buds coming.
Clematis ‘Miss Bateman’, just a few flowers and quickly eaten but still very welcome.
This shrub came with me from my old garden.
I love the glossy leaves on it. Last year I accidentally stood on part of it and a whole chunk broke off and I thought that was the end if it. But it kept on growing and in fact it has grown so much stronger and healthier. What came off was covered with spotted leaves so obviously something wasn’t right and it was time to get rid of it.
Yesterday I notice lots of little buds forming on it. Think that might be a bit late for November but then everything is upside down with this great weather. It always gives a lovely display of pinkish white flowers. But if I’m honest I find the leaves are even more attractive and they last all year round too
Here is another great shrub for any garden. Its evergreen and at this time of year it is forming it’s little flower heads. These remind me of Christmas decorations when fully open. Absolutely stunning. This is one plant that can’t be left alone with little or no maintenance on it.
I love the Sedum in front of it, the green glossy leaves of the Fatsia really show off the rich Crimson colour of the Sedum.
When planting, I tend to overdo it a bit and end up with overcrowding in places. So then when it comes to clearing away or just tidying up a border I find some real gems that I had forgotten about or which were hidden by others.
And this Hydrangea is one of those. Im not a lover of Hydrangea really if I’m honest. I have two out the front garden, ‘just there’ to fill in I suppose. They don’t get much attention from me.
Now this one was obviously just ‘stuck ‘ in this bed at the Gazebo to be ‘out of the way’. Well yesterday I couldn’t help admiring the beautiful flower heads on it. So much nicer than the ones I have out the front. It’s a real baby pink and small clusters of flowers make up the head. This one I’m definitely going to keep there. What I thought was particularly nice was the Cosmos floating over it but the colours really worked. Now how did that happen!!!
In the absence of any Waterford cherubs, three burly Clare lads will do very nicely, thanks. I’d been afraid that it was one of Those Jobs that get half-done then sit around for years waiting to get finished. But no, yesterday the lads texted to say they were on their way and half an hour later the big rocks were lifted up, rolled along and heaved into position. Now we can plant the stone circle and get the gravel. And then the pool and the rose arch and the front garden is FINISHED. It’s taught us a lesson about biting off more than we can chew, for sure. I’m very immobile at the moment and we’ll have to think very hard before we do any more major creative stuff. But great to have that done.
I was struck today of how beautiful the Ajuja leaves are with the primrose equally as attractive in the centre.
I have probably said it many times but i’ll say it again, i love buds and the red buds of R.williamsianum are delightful. The orbicular leaves are also very attractive and similar but smaller than R.orbiculare which i showed yesterday.
I also had to show my Mahonia in full flower and it is magnificent.
Who wouldn’t have a garden.
I think the Cistus heard me saying that I might take it out as it didn’t do that well this year, and decided it had better make a bit of effort, and then the Ceanothus thought it should get it on the act!
Sedum spectabile ‘Brilliant’ is a lovely sedum which doesn’t flop as much as the more common one S. ‘Autumn Joy’. It has tiny little flower heads in a lovely delicate pink. Puts on a lovely show. Also can be propagated so easily I generally break off a stem and stick it in a pot and hey presto more plants 🙂
The scent from Erysimum ‘Red Jep’ is just amazing and the colours are so deep. And it flowers for ages too. These plants just seem to go on for ever and ever.
It’s been wonderful to have so much colour in the garden so late – and even flowers right out of season, like the limnanthes. Great for the bees and butterflies, which were still active up until the fog and rain. But I think they’re all on borrowed time now.
The hazel wood around us is looking very twiggy and I’m very frustrated not to be able to gather up the leaves. Still back to the osteo and the muscle therapist next week so I should be back to it soon, and it’s not a bad time to be laid up, we got lots done before I had to stop.
The advice often given when planting Rhododendrons and all trees and shrubs is to to plant with one eye on posterity and you won’t go far wrong, I try to give my species Rhodos space to develop and this evening i am showing photos of three of them which i have for a few years at this stage.
R.barbatum is the first one i am showing, this is a splendid species in every way and it has flowered for the past couple of years for me and i hope Rachels one will flower for her next year. That will surely warrant a video.
The second one is R.oreodoxa var fargesii, it looks like this may flower next spring for me. It is very attractive looking.
The last one i am featuring this evening is R.wardii ludlow & sherriff, i have had a couple of trusses on this the last couple of years but it has a load of buds for next year. I have seen photos of this species in full flower and it is an awesome sight. The foliage is really attractive as well.
Well our hedging plants finally arrived yesterday and we got them planted before dark..very impressed with Annaveigh plants from Cashel Co Tipperary ..they delivered when they said they would and the plants were excellent quality ……. I am adding a few photos …..we miscalcuated so we have a few too many but they will not go to waste I have plans..dont tell Graham … 🙂 so now we can say the hedge project is finished!! …wish I could say same for all the other projects we have on the go …not to worry they will get finished some day
I just love the colors of this small tree at this time of year
Just back from celebrating the little princess’s 4th birthday in Barcelona …. warm and sunny …. and no rain!!!!
Does everyone do what i do when they’ve been away? I got home after dark last night so this morning even before breakfast I had to do a lap around the garden! I’m a bit shocked at the amount of leaves waiting to be lifted but I am delighted to see that there are still quite a few flowers doing their stuff – although I’m going to have my work cut out to get the place sorted – lots of cutting back and tidying is called for!
But for today its a day to celebrate the late bloomers!
I’m a bit concerned that my wonderful giant Ricinus have flowers but don’t seem to be setting seeds …..
And there were enough raspberries to make a couple more pots of jam!
Is this the beginning or the end of the gardening year? I am posting some images of the last of the autumn leaves and the beginning of the new year with Iris unguicularis (stylosa).
Well the day started out very wet and miserable, but by lunchtime the sun came out and a breeze got up, and it was a glorious afternoon.
While I’ve been taking it easy over the last few days, Alan’s planted the heathers and trees in the stone circle, which is designated my parents’ garden as they loved the Burren so much.
But though I did a few light bits this morning, by coffee time all was ready for the Mypex and we were expecting a delivery of purple slate chips. As my ever-practical hubby pointed out, it’s better to do the daft stuff before I see the osteopath than after, and the few days rest had eased the worst anyway. Just as we got the Mypex down, along came the stone lorry and it was out with the rake and broom.
We’re delighted with the result, though I’m very cross that I broke the top of one of the small conifers as I was cutting the Mypex. I’ll have to trim the other to match.
Now the clouds are piling up again and it’s time for a cuppa and a chocolate biscuit, feeling very pleased with ourselves.
Well, what with the distraction of my paintings recently I have done very little outdoors. But I’m getting cabin fever now and am ready to put the oils away for a while come Monday morning.
Another rose is giving a further bit of joy at the moment. It’s a climber called ‘Schoolgirl’ and so pretty.
Today after cutting down and clearing the flower bed that I have my Amicia zygomeris planted in, I decided to protect it by covering it with straw. I hope this will keep it safe over the winter months if the weather gets very cold. I got the plant this time last year when a friend of mine was selling his house and returning to England. The poor man died eight days after arriving in England so I would be sorry to loose it. Last year I kept the roots potted up in the glasshouse and it was planted out in April/May. It has been flowering over the last two months and has looked so pretty. I hope I have not done the wrong thing wrapping it in straw, will just have to hope for the best. My friend never gave it any protection, but it was growing in a very sheltered position.
