Month: June 2017

The title may sound like one of those films from the seventies, but in reality it is my attempt to describe the garden after returning from two lovely weeks in Lagos in Portugal. I got the grass sorted yesterday, but the weeds and briars that seem to have grown at the rate of knots will be an ongoing challenge over the next week or so.

Hydrangeas are the dominant flowering force in the garden at the minute and what marvellous shrubs they are and the first two photos show the flowers of two of them. No names I’m afraid.

The beautiful Eucryphia lucida ‘ballerina’ is also in full bloom and what a classy lady she is.

We had good wi-fi in our apartment and it was nice to be able to read your journals while sitting on the balcony. I was disappointed to read that there was ongoing problems with the site and that some of the regular contributers are very disenchanted and tempted to stop contributing. I hope that doesn’t happen as I will stay to the bitter end as I am not on Facebook and refuse to do so. 

There was a fabulous Magnolia grandiflora on the grounds of the complex and wouldn’t I love if I could grow one. I should have brought back some of the heat with me and that would give it half a chance.

This garden was really the icing on the cake on our gardens-friends-and-family holiday. We both love Geoff Hamilton – no better man for brightening up a wet weekend in February than one of his DVD series. The individual gardens were so full of inspiration, and each was beautifully situated among borders and plantings that complemented and enhanced each other, so that the gardens borrowed from the borders and vice versa. It was a literal masterpiece.

Bodnant, RHS Harlow Carr and Wisley are all magnificent as showcases, but Barnsdale is a gardener’s garden, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener looking for new ideas.  We spent a very happy hour in a sunny pub garden down the road that night with paper and pen, sketching plans and pick-n-mixing ideas. There is inspiration for everybody. I just wish it had been a garden.ie outing! The cafe is good too. If you want to go to the UK and see gardens, don’t miss it. 

gardening has been put a bit on the back burner the past week . My daughter Aoibhe had to have the plate removed from her arm that she broke in January . The arm has healed brilliantly but a bone infection developed so she’s in Tallaght Hospital since last Friday . Suffice to say we know the motorway and hospital really well now …. Hopefully Saturday is release date .

Some snaps of the leaky wellies , Cucumbers doing well in greenhouse and a small plot I left go wild intentionally in veg garden .

 I think this eryngium is called big blue but not sure anyway I bought it about two or three years ago and it flowered lovely year one.Last year no flowers but I noticed loads of small seedlings. This year I have five or six lovely large plants delighted with this self seeder. I particularly like it planted with blue halcon  hosta.

 Photos are not great but at least they are the right way up !! Was tempted to give up on garden.ie but I have learned so much from this site and made some great friends since I joined in 2008 so I reckon that is worth persevering for. 

What a horrible wind that blew here all day. Northerly I think, cold and dispiriting. It was cold and I could not get enthusiast at all in the garden.

On a positive note, here are a few dahlias flowering in the garden at the moment.

Of the two purchased in Dundrum I forget one the nice lady named already! The shorter  is a Sea Holly or Eryngium but the taller one I have no idea . They do compliment each other and are a lovely shade of Blue / Purple. 

Isnt it very hard to feel motivated when you pull up the blind to a very dark, dismal morning!! It could easily be Winter here this morning!! 

Didn’t get anything done in the garden yesterday as by the time I could go out it was raining. So I ended up inside doing stuff instead. 

But I did treat myself to a new garden bench. Something I’ve promised myself for a while. Yes it’s lovely to sit on the patio but also nice to be able to sit in other areas of the garden. Delighted with it. Just need a nice day now!!

Two Dahlia looking good despite the rain. 

First one is Dahlia ‘Nuit d’Ete’…..a beautiful dark dahlia. Looking great with the raindrops. 

The second one is Dahlia ‘Mr. Optimist’. This I got from PeterW and so pleased with it. Peter was so generous and gave me two different dahlia, the other being D.Mambo, another stunner I really like them both.  Plus some rain drops to add to the mix. 

Let’s hope the weekend improves. 

I bought this Hydrangea a couple of months ago because I fell in love with the soft cuddly leaves!! Yes madness I know! I love the colour of the leaves too.  I was not expecting flowers this year as it is quite a small young plant but two flower buds have appeared. I think it is more valued for its big leaves than the flowers. Time will tell.

Evenimg all and a lovely evening it is, if a little cool. The garden has the proverbial forty shades of green at the minute, with newer foliage often a lighter shade than the older and of course there is such variety in Rhodo foliage as well. The flowering season for Rhodos is almost over, bar a couple of repeat flowerings in some that have already flowered, but one that has yet to flower this year is the very late, R. polar bear and that will flower in the coming weeks with beautifully scented, large white flowers. Keep an eye out for it.

The second and third photos are of a couple more Hydrangeas, they are H. nikko blue and one I call Bridget’s Hydrangea, called after my late grandmother as it came from a cutting in her garden.