Month: November 2015
My mother used to have these as house-plants, and I got one as a cutting probably about 35 years ago and have been renewing them by cuttings ever since. Sometimes I stick the parent down somewhere outside and see what happens. this year I put this down in the wildest part of the back garden and it’s flowering away merrily for quite a while. Meanwhile the offspring are doing their thing indoors.
doing well,a very heavy prunning has done them the world of good.
What a woeful day. Actually, what a woeful WEEKEND. Didn’t even get out for a photo at all. So I’m posting something to remind us of the summer, however bad it may have been.
The Echium proved no match for this morning’s wind and the normally trusty tie of old tights, which had kept it upright since last year, failed to hold it.
It flattened a few perennials as it fell, though fortunately missed the young yew tree by a whisker. It would have died off soon in any case but a sad way to go.
of the nature strip for the patch.
The beans have sprouted well and it will be interesting how they overwinter. Seedaholic beans which suggested winter sowing. Ive kept some in reserve! The winter onions I haven’t done before either . Sure Iam five months ahead already …
on a slight annoying note I have discovered my hens enjoy freshly planted winter Pansies, knew I was getting a nice new aroma from my boiled eggs lately.
I know i am biased and i know some of you aren’t as enamoured with Rhodos as i am but there are some plants that should be in every garden and Rhododendron yakushimanum is one such plant.
This is the parent species of the very popular yak hybrids and even though many of those hybrids are very fine, i would still grow the parent species in preference to them. For those people who can’t grow Rhodos in the open ground, it is suitable for a container as it is slow growing and fairly compact but of course it will look its best in the ground. The leaf shape is very appealing as is the silvery indumentum on top and the fawn coloured indumentum underneath. After a few years it flowers fairly freely and those flowers are white in colour in impressive full trusses.
I have seen a fine form of this called koichiro wada for sale in Johnstown garden centre so it may be available in other good garden centres as well.
Can you believe my Cosmos, grown from seed and flowering since early Summer, are still flowering away despite the strong winds and rain. Yesterday was a lovely day and at one stage I had a few minutes to go out to the garden. I deadheaded the Cosmos and there are lots more buds appearing. These are a definite for any garden. But having them in November is just brilliant.
The colours in the garden have really changed dramatically. Almost gone now are all the lovely pinks, yellows, purples only to be replaced by browns, orange, and less attractive hues.
The garden is almost asleep and looking a bit untidy too. Can’t get a chance to get out to clear up those leaves just yet so everywhere is looking sad. Good thing is there is new growth underneath all this debris. I’ve noticed some buds peeping through the soil. And even the Lupins are starting to throw up new foliage. So all is not lost. Spring will be here before we know it. Although we are being spoils rotten with this mild weather. I hope Jan/Feb won’t hit us for six!!! Fingers crossed.
My two Passifloras are still in full flower. Well, the blue one isn’t mine. But my neighbours that’s trailing over our wall. The other one is Passiflora caerulea ‘Constance Elliott’, which has now developed nice seed pods.
Im sure there are many gardens this morning bearing the brunt of ‘Abigail’. I hope yours isn’t one of them.
Looking back on some photos, it’s lovely to see the bright sunny days of Summer and all the colour in the garden. Then when Autumn tries to nudge in, the colours change and everything is winding down. Then Winter is here and all the colour is almost gone.
Still some nice textures in the garden though and the birds just love all these seed heads that are left behind.
These pictures show my long border at the patio doors and how it has transformed since early Summer. I love seeing these changes and amazed how it has changed so much.
Here are the succulents i have asked about if they are hardy so i could plant outside?
Here are more succulents i have asked about if they are hardy so i could plant outside?
These trees sprung up in the back garden and at the side of the house. I allowed them to continue to grow for some time. Then as the branches were formed, I continued to prune them ever year usually early in Novemeber. I did this recently using secateurs and loppers. There were a few branches that seemed to defy me. Remember the first week of November, with temperatures above normal for the time of the year. it was enjoyable doing this work. On Tuesday 10th, it seemed that three branches were too much for me even though the temperature was so good. It seemed that I would have to leave it at that. However the following day, I introduced a pruning saw and eventually cut away what was left. Two of the branches were seven feet long. Now no more of this this season.
A few other things too, but lots of yellow, Bidens,Coreopsis and Choisya Suncance, Jasmine nudiflorum and Argyranthemum all shining in spite of the wind and rain.
Tied up with other issues at the moment and a feeling of enough gardening for a while led me to ignore the garden of late. A dry spell this morning was the push I needed to make a start on the leaves. Once I started I was in my element once again.
Really enjoyed the few hours in the garden.
We really have been blessed with this weather up until later this week. It has been so mild. Yesterday it was 15C, so mild for mid November.
Still some growth in the garden although one or two now under cover. I will try to lift my Dahlia today if I can and take them in as frost forecast for the coming days.
I am surprised to see my Alstromeira ‘rock and roll’ still putting on a great show. This has been amazing all Summer long. It has just flowers and flowered
More buds are opening now on my Amazonian lilies. Didn’t expect to see anything else on these at this time of the year.
Even the Leucanthemum is flowering it’s socks off.
Still a great display for now.
doing really well so far.
Rhodo,s seem to be responding along with the Camellias to the addition of Sulpur,still not real about this.
Hard to think we can still have some colour in the garden in mid November. Yesterday was such a lovely day albeit windy and chilly but the sun was out.
Noticed this Amazonian lily has opened at last while I was on my way last night to close the greenhouse.
Also still putting on a show are these Dianthus. Planted these up about August with the little ladies and they are just a lovely sight to come out to on the steps of the garden.
Apologies at the quality of the photos but it was nearly dark by the time I noticed these 😉
were originally going to be all green King Parrot pics just had to be included.
Pretty hot day here 32*C & getting hotter,trust your weather is being abit kinder to you all.
…………our borders were lush and colourful. It wasn’t that long ago but with the rain and wind it’s hard to imagine how beautiful it was until you see the photos again
We have had a very mild October and November…..so far……. Before we know it Christmas will be over and we are off again with January…..my favourite time of the year. Already I see some shoots pushing up through the ground and in the pots. Tulips, daffs and snowdrops…..all waiting for the big push.
The garden is looking a bit dishevelled at the minute with all the wind and rain but it has worked so well over the past few months that I can’t really complain. Just need to get out there and do some tidying and still lift those dahlia!!!!
Have a good day whatever you do 🙂
This was really the first moment since last friday when it’s stopped raining and blowing long enough for a walk round the garden – we’ve made the most of the bad spell and got on with some long-verdue decorating.
The leaves have mostly gone now, and I’m beginning to itch to tidy. But I won’t because the first goldfinch was down among the seedheads this morning so the birds can pick over the spent plants until the New Year.
Still it’s surprising how much is still in flower despite the storms. ‘The President’ still has a few small flowers and even buds outside my window, and all over the garden there are little flashes of colour. It’s very cheering, especially as the first bulbs are peeking up.
This Rhodo species took a turn for the worse a couple of years ago but recovered well last year and continues to thrive. I am very fond of it as it has really lovely foliage.
It hasn’t bloomed yet and some books say that the flower colour, which is a shade of purple, is an acquired taste. I will just have to wait a few years before we can pass judgement.
I have it underplanted with the delightful yellow flowered dwarf, R.wren.
This day last year our Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ was in full flower but today plenty of buds but only one attempting to flower. Margaret, (Hosta) uploaded a photo on FB of her one in full flower a few weeks ago. These are very strange plants in relation to the month in which they flower.
Bought this Aeonium tabuliforme (also known as ‘Dinner Plate’ Aeonium) at Bloom 2014. It’s monocarpic so the trick with it is not to let it flower. I bought it for its swirling leaves. I think it’s beautiful. As I had forgotten to turn it occasionally while in the greenhouse during the summer, it had grown lop-sided. I decided to place a couple of pine cones that I had to hand underneath it yesterday just before I had a lovely garden visitor, Terry (aka Sumjak50) who came bearing some really lovely plants. Thank you so much, Terry.
