Month: February 2016
I loved Johnstown’s selection of air plants back in January. But I decided to buy all the ingredients separately as the arrangements were very expensive. There are many plants that can be used as airplants, Tillandsia being one which I think this is. Bought the plant, adhesive and reindeer moss. Gretta kindly gave me the shell for the base. The shell in the arrangement isn’t glued down, nor is the moss. So they can easily be changed around.
Put them all together today, just for something different.
I featured this unusual Helebore a couple of years ago and had lots of heloful suggestions explaining how the one plant insists on producing completely different flowers – well this year they are back again better than ever so I’v etried to capture them with the camera – whatever the cause I really love them!
Ain’t they pretty?
Last October I wrote a journal entitled ‘Very Last Pot’ and I think it was the last one I planted up with bulbs for the spring. Today with the heat from the sun the crocus have opened and the daffodils are well above the soil level, so should carry on the display well into late spring.The daffodils I planted were Narcissus ‘Lemon Sailboat’ and with a name like that you would have to buy them. The tulips, which were the first layer planted, were Tulip ‘Carnaval de Nice’, a white tulip with red flaming. I am hoping these pair of pots will give plenty of colour over the coming weeks.
The snowdrops are at their best this week and who cannot be thrilled by the sight of them. I took a few photos this afternoon of them and they look so beautiful in the sunshine.
Edgeworthia chrysanta has started to open its sweetly scented flowers and in a couple of weeks will be in its full glory and i will feature it properly then. I promised Scrubber i would feature it so today is just to an appetite whetter (is that even a word).
It’s getting closer and closer to the main Rhodo flowering season and i am showing two examples of a couple of hybrid Rhodos which are reliable bloomers and are ready and waiting for their day in the sun. R.horizon monarch will have splendid yellow trusses and R.taurus with its very attractive red buds will have equally splendid red trusses.
As many of you know, I’ve been spending most of this winter in the Art Room. It has been a great way to keep me occupied when the knee was bad, and the weather miserable. But I find I’m spendng a little bit more time out in the garden each day now, and less with the brushes. Such a delight to witness new growth once again. Tree peony is budding, which I think is one of my favourite things at this time of year. Also the new growth on Sedums.
The Spring Border is coming into its own now with Crocuses, Muscari, Sedums, N. Tete-a-tetes, and N. ‘Jetfire’ lighting everywhere up. Last years Osteospermum is still flowering and Kaffir lilies are throwing out a few more flowers.
Steve (and Wee Davey) have yet to build my raised bed for the Blueberries, but I think time is getting on and I may leave transplanting them until after fruiting now as I don’t want to knock back any flowers that may be on their way. But if there’s anyone out there who thinks it’s ok to transplant now, please say so. Otherwise I’ll have to put plans on hold for my Acid Quadrant for another year.
Great brightness yesterday. Wasn’t properly dark until after 6 o’clock. Ah, that’s a definite incentive to spend more time outside. And maybe Steve can join me at the weekend with the lawnmower. ‘Tis like a jungle out there. Have a nice weekend, everyone.
Had a good hour in the garden this afternoon, cut back all the epimedium leaves and was glad I didnt wait any longer as the flower buds are already coming up. I have another clump to do in the back but they will have to wait for another day.
Did a big cut back on a Cistus shrub, Im in my element when I have the secateurs in my hand so hope I havnt scalped it too much 🙂 I also tidied up old stems etc and it really inproved the bed.
I have a couple of clumps of agapanthus and have always left the flower stems on for as long as they last. A lot of them broke during the storms but these few are still looking good so I will keep them for a while yet.
I see my Eucomis Sparkling Burgundy starting to show, love them!
What a joy it is to see these out and they are just shinning bright on these dull days. These have clumped up wel now around the garden. One big clump in a pot another out the front and one more clump in the ground out in the back garden thats also coming into flower. They really are one of the best daffs around.
Last photo is just a photo I took of the forst on my car the other morning, didn’t last long tho.
I finally fulfilled a long standing wish today and got to see Scrubber’s (Peter) wonderful garden with the Snowdrops in bloom.
Arriving just before midday, Gracedieu Lass were already there so it was time for a cuppa and a catch up chat. We headed off to visit a garden of a friend of Peters not far away. I’ll let the photos tell there own story.
After lovely lunch provided by Anna and lots of more chat and laughs, we headed out to the garden. I’m guessing it’s three years since I first visited the Scrub and that was in the summer. My real wish came through today seeing this wonderful Garden at this time of the year.
The amount of work Peter has done since I was first there is a credit to this wonderful man who has a fantastic eye for dealing with Nature in a fantastic natural way. I can think of nobody else who could expose, twist, turn a rock and leave it looking as if it was always there. His eye for detail is classic, the way objects are placed around the Scrub could so easily be over done, but not Peter, he hits the mark just perfectly.
What a start to the garden visits for 2016.
Peter, Anna, Paddy and Mary thank you for adding to a great day.
Peter, your garden is credit to you. Keep doing what your do, because your doing a super super job.
We (Mary, Fran and I) were with Peter and Anna today and had a wonderful time. Although we left home in miserable weather we were delighted to find it dry when we reached the garden.
We also visited another garden and will put up photos in a few mintues.
Otherwise, I will let the photos talk for themselves and you will see what a wonderful day we had.
Paddy – deputising for Gracedieu Lass at the moment.
On way way to Carlow yesterday. Thankfully not by two much, just as far as Johnstown Garden Centre that is. LOL
I had seen an advert for Yucca aloifolia Purpurea on their site recently and wanted to have a closer look. As soon as I saw it, decision was made and home it came with me.
It has super foliage colour which increases with the cold of winter. Growing to about 1m it is perfect for the decking. So now, to see which pot it’ll go into, that could take a little time.
Paddy and I have had a great weekend visiting snowdrop gardens and all of them created by gardeners who have over the years divided their snowdrops to have a wonderful displays at this time of year. The dedication of these gardeners is something that should be praised and appreciated by us all. Today is a lovely day to get out and visit a snowdrop garden or park near you. The sun has them open this morning and the season is moving on.
Fran and Paddy’s albums of Peter’s garden are a lot better than mine, so I will just upload three photos on the journal.
With the last couple of days being dry, I decided I would cut the grass in the back garden before it starts raining again and it instantly made everything look better in the garden and gave me a nice boost to to start getting more done. I started off with some weeding but then had to bring the car to the NCT for it’s re-test which it passed by the way. So straight after that myself, April and Andrew headed off to see Elizabeth as she was only around the corner really and as ever on arrival we recieved a very warm welcome from Elizabeth, Meg and Masie. Enjoyed some tea and cakes and of course a lovely chat. Afterwards we did a quick walk around the garden and I think andrew enjoyed it more than the rest of us running around everywhere he could.
Back home then and got back out in the garden and did more tidying and weeding and also planted some things in waiting. Lastly did a small bit more power washing and then finished up about 6.30. Very happy with how the day went and I can finally see a turn in the garden.
Photos from Elizabeths, I only took a couple.
I have two large planters at the hall door where my two ‘twisty’ box trees reside. And also I have some Gazania planted around the base just to give them some colour during the Summer time.
Yesterday when I was going by, I noticed one lone snowdrop growing up,through the Gazania!!! How very odd!!! Now how did that get there?
Do they actually self seed? At no time did I ever plant any in there, but there are some planted in the flower bed to the left of this planter. But surely those little bulbs didn’t actually jump up into the pot!! Or did they???
It was a lovely surprise but have no idea how it got there, do you?!
Ok, I’m seriously fed up looking out at my jungle. The grass hasn’t been cut since early October so you can imagine. It’s so long that the brickwork around the Alpine Circle has even been obliterated. Steve bought a big strimmer in Aldi last year. I can’t use it even though it comes with a harness. I can just about lift it off the ground. So that’s a job now that is only for Steve. Not my fault! 🙂
However, today, yes, I got out there with the kitchen scissors and trimmed all around the Alpine Circle. The grass may still be unsightly. But seeing the brickwork makes the garden look a bit more tamed.
What a gorgeous day it was today. Got my bits and pieces done this morning, and the rest. Then straight out to ‘make hay while the sun shines’. And it sure did shine. Had a great time weeding, tidying, and cutting back a few more brownies.
After what seems like weeks and weeks of non stop rain we finally had a dry day with the sun out and it was therapeutic. Of course it now will be frosty for a few nights which brings its own challenges.
I have Rhododendron fulgens in the garden since late 2010. It is an early flowering, slow growing species and this year for the first time it has produced a flower bud. Happy days indeed, but frosty nights can turn happy days to sad days in the blink of a hard frost. In the first photo you can see a trace of red at the top of the bud and in the second photo you can see my effort to protect it.
The last photo shows one of the lovely flowers of C.rubescens major, one of the japonica Camellias.
It was great giving the greenhouse a good airing today. Although I held back on watering as temperatures are to dip below zero tonight. My Rhodochiton, this being its third year and in the greenhouse for the winter, is still flowering.
Last year when I replanted my Primrose 5-steps area to make way for the last pond, I decided to let what was left here to chance. About 5 different ones flowering now, and a few Kennedy ones on their way. But my favourite, and one I didn’t want to lose, is P. ‘Dawn Ansell’. At least, I THINK it’s ‘Dawn Ansell’.
Such a glorious day yesterday. I just love these cold, sunny mornings.
Mr Postman dropped off a little envelope for me Yesterday. I ordered seeds from Plants World seeds. I saw in another garden magazine these beautiful tall white spires. They are called Epilobium angustifolium Album, a mouthful, or ‘Rosebay Willowherb’ , absolutely stunning plant. So tall and elegant. So I ordered some seed. Also Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’ a lovely blue poppy. And I got free seeds of ‘Ligularia ‘ Desdemon
I planted these up and hopefully they will be successful.
I also bought some Dahlia in Lidl, while passing!!! A lovely orange one called D ‘Noordwijks Glorie’ and these Pom Pom ones which I’ve never had before call D. Ball MiX
These also got potted up along with my other dahlias I have had stored over Winter. So a lovely couple of hours in the greenhouse. Pure bliss.
A couple more Hellebore flowers for you this evening, the first one i nearly missed as i have it in a very sheltered spot in the north west garden.
The third photo is of a bud from my Enkianthus campanulatus, a shrub of which i am very fond.
I only had a few minutes today to myself, so I went out to the garden to take a few photos!
My ‘non’ fruiting plum tree, which produced plums last year!, which was in the garden when we came, is looking lovely at the moment in full bloom.
Also the Silver Birch, still bare, were looking stunning in the sunshine and blue skies.
I just love this backdrop to the garden! Its great when you can get this view for free!
I was in Powerscourt Gardens today and there were lots of Spring Flowers to be seen.
I am putting up an album with some of them.
Rachel was kind enough to give me a present of this plant when she call to see us last spring. I am delight that it has grown into such a lovely plant. I know that a good few members are growing it and it has become very popular. I love the soft leaves, they are so tactile. The flower colour is very bright, but what you want at this time of year. I have kept it in the glasshouse over the winter and have just put it out in among other spring pots in the last few days. I do put a pot over the top of the plant to protect it during the frosty nights.
What a lovely name, and as I look at the lower drive and also the edges of the conifer bed, it just so lovely to see these pure white flowers finally making a real impact. I noticed today they are also doing remarkably well in the “woodland area” . The small clumps of S. Arnott are multiplying very well indeed. This is a real cracker in the Galanthus world.
The other snowdrops I have in the thousands are nivalis and the double: G. plena, but the ines in the pictures are “specials” that I have bought from gardens.
I am showing you 3 different snowdrops: G. S. Arnott, G. Merlin and G. Scharlockii.
I have already extolled the virtues of S.Arnott above,
G. Merlin is quite tall, perhaps 30% taller than nivalis and the deep green markings on the inner sepals are very striking, but quite hard to see these until the flower really opens up in the sunshine. Sadly, as the days progress, the heavy flowers heads fall over!
G. Scharlockii is a wee cutie. I got this one from Bobby Gordon of Portglenone, whom the Galanthophiles will know. He just loves its 2 cute little bunny ears sticking up behind the flower. You can see these on the left-hand flower. Its the outer covering of the flower and is it called a spathe? Very slow to bulk up. That is 9 yrs now and only 3 flowers.
These past few days of wonderful weather have allowed me with the help of my French “woofers” to get most of the back garden into order. Sometimes looking at the result of a hard days weeding the spectacle of the newly cleared border or bed may be less than inspiring – but for me it gives me a real feeling of satisfaction. These cleared beds will very soon be filled as the perennials wake up to the sunshine and the whole Spring and Summer seasons kick into gear.
Alas the second Woofer leaves on Friday so it will be just me for the next while however having so much of the clearing tidying, shredding and mulching done means that I can get on with things at my own pace. The wheelbarrow is still out of bounds so that puts a definite limit to my antics!
And tomorrow is set to be fine again! Three days in a row! i could get used to this!
My lovely sister-in-law was over with me on Tuesday. She travels a lot and recently was in South Africa. As she knows I love all things to do with gardening and flowers etc, she kindly brought me back these wonderful seeds. She too is big into the gardening so it was great to be able to walk around the garden with her and have a great conversation about all things green.
And of course I gave her lots of seedlings to take home. I just love sharing what I have.
i havent had time yet to do anything with them but there are lots of instructions step by step on what to do!! Let’s hope something happens. I was also told that if any do grow I need to share those too lol
Watch this space!!
