Month: July 2017

The weather has been really lovely this week and the plants are really responding quite well to it too. 

Some of my ‘zingy’ plants in the garden which are putting on a great show now. Long may it last! 

My garden is surrounded by tall trees at the back and a couple to the side. So as the garden is West facing and the sun travels around the garden, sometimes it makes the most beautiful shadows in the garden. 

So here are a few I took on Wednesday. Hope you like them:) 

We have had some nice days, here are a few pics.  First year to have a flowering Hydrangea Annabelle and love it!!!

I love the shade of yellow in this Leucanthemum, and isn’t it well named? I think it looks well with Viola ‘Dawn’ which is the bestest little viola in the world, flowering non-stop all summer.

The third shot shows the length of the border which is looking a million times better since taking out the bamboo in February.

I haven’t had much time for the garden recently. And today was no different. While I was in the vicinity of Santry Park, I went for a stroll towards the lake. I love this place, and to think it was only in the last few years that I discovered it was even there.

When I got home, it was too hot for gardening so I took a few photos instead and kept myself well-hydrated. Lovely to see my Hollyhock opening its first flower this year. And it’s well-supported by my Taxus baccata. No need for staking.

I repotted some Dutch Iris yesterday. I was wondering if it was worth growing on the ‘baby’ bulbs. Does anyone know if and when they are likely to flower?

The hosta is hole free for the first time. I have to admit to giving it regular doses of little blue pellets though.

The orange and yellow creation is made from things that are lookin good in the garden at the moment.

The dreaded invasive Japanese knotweed that has been written about in the media recently has come up in our lawn … yes, in our small enclosed suburban back garden. Unfortunately I didn’t recognise it at first, pulled some bits up and cut the grass, which of course only aided its spread.  So be warned, it’s in the Dublin area.

When it first appears its leaves are pointed and tinged slightly red; you could easily mistake it for something like a sucker from a cherry tree as the root is woody. If left to grow it develops bamboo-like hollow shoots which can eventually come up through tarmac, paving cracks and house foundations and it spreads rapidly even from the tiniest piece of root.  I’ve read up about it over the past few weeks and the only effective treatment seems to be a strong concentrate of glyphosate applied to the leaves to be taken down into the roots.  It may take several years to eradicate. There is plenty of information online and good advice on the RHS website. 

Treatment has started, the first two photos are ‘before’ and the third about ten days ‘after’.  I applied the weedkiller with a paintbrush, not spraying, and you can see where the grass around is dying so it is taking some effect already.  A lawn can be easily resown in due course; the problem I fear is that it has come from the large garden behind us, in which case it is under the borders as well (sigh!).  Wish me luck!

My daughter Ciara and her lovely husband Jesus brought me back some bulbs from Amsterdam. Last year my Tigridia produced a single flower and I was captivated by it. Imaging my delight this year! 

The flowers only last a day or so, but Oh! so Pretty!

Havent been out for a while. Various demands on time that could not be avoided nor would i wish to avoid them, Kept me out of garden, But went out recently and redid the stones I mentioned in my last journal and reset them and trimmed a philadelphus which gave me room to plant a lovely (Glanbia) Rhodo Yakushima? I put an answering one a few yards further on where I had enlarged the steps near the acer Ozakazuki, Im very pleased with the way that path has now become a nice feature.And it follows on nicely from the path created at the bottom of the Scrub, I also dug out three roses that I continually manage to strim when working, I put them in a safer place so hope they grow-there’s not a lot left of them but I took out a big rootball,

I also managed to paint my new obelisk-my last one! and its in place, Ian is to make me a little double gate for the scrub, I have Eileen’s bed fairly cleared and have put in nine lupins and two big rhodos so at least its looking cleaner,When I finally get my new phone Ill be able to upload, In the meantime Ill use some old pics if you dont mind, Tomorrow I want to clean a border or two and rake some of the old leaves in the Scrub to help define my new paths.

Monty Don had 850 people at his talk in the Arboretum!!! at 25 Euro a head. No I wasnt there, I can get a very fine Rhodo for 25 Euro and can watch Monty on TV every Friday, I think Ill christen it Monty’s Bush!

On Saturday last Elizabeth’s delightful garden was open in aid of the Marymount Hospice. We arrived at about three and the garden was full of supporters for this worthy cause. The garden looked amazing and it was a credit to Elizabeth for all the hard work she has done over the months. It had been Spring when I had last visited Elizabeth’s garden a few years ago and at that time it was covered with primulas both cultivated and native. So, it was such a surprise to see the garden change from it’s delicate spring colours to a fiery Summer palate.The collection of plants that Elizabeth grows is mind boggling and her hot borders for me stole the show. Red monarda, Berberis and crocosmia contrasted with yellow daylillies and rudbeckia and backed with foliage of a wonderful Senecio petasites and the stately seed head of her Ferula.

At the bottom of the garden is a cool woodland garden which is planted with a collection of trees. My favourite was Acer griseum, the Paper-bark maple with it’s beautiful peeling bark. Under the trees were many beautiful hydranges and other woodland plants. A little stream also meanders through Elizabeth’s garden which is planted with numerous ferns. A collection of succulents was displayed near a sitting out area and begonias were placed on a bench in a shadier part of the garden. 

At the end of our visit it was so nice to sit and chat with a cup of coffee and the delicious cakes that were provided by the many helpers on the day. Looking forward to the next Open Day.

To be quite honest Gladiolus was not one of my favourites!!!  Mainly because of the problem of staking them securely – now I’m finding myself going down first thing every morning to see what new colour has appeared.  Peter bought them in Lidl and sowed them in the veggie plot.  One of his favourites – made a support frame for them.  They make great cut flowers but can I take the scissors to them…………

oh yes, well and truely bitten too! 

That is bitten by acquiring Orchids!! Oh my what have I started. I’m not really a lover of the Orchid. I don’t see the beauty in them as much as outdoor flowers. 

But yesterday Liga put up a post on FB about some Orchids she purchased in Tesco for a whopping €6!!! These resemble little butterflies. I did think they were beautiful in the photo. 

Later I had to go to Tesco anyway and thought I’d take a look. Yes of course they were beautiful. My daughter, Linda, who recently moved out, loves orchids and has tried a few but they died. Liga said these are SO easy to grow and they thrive. I am useless with house plants, but thought, what the heck if they are that easy we will give it a try. 

I bought 4!!!! One for Linda and 3 for me lol. So with a little instruction from Liga we are off. Just need to find a place to put them now!! Wish me luck 😉 

This little plant was planted here when I first moved in. And to be honest every year I totally forget about it until it sends up these beautiful blue flowers. 

Yesterday was no different. After cutting back some plants that are becoming unruly, I uncovered this little beauty hiding beneath. It really is a little beauty. I think when it’s finished flowering I will move it to a place I know I will see it once it first flowers!! 

In January I set myself a challenge: to enjoy my garden with no new garden centre purchases. One important caveat, I allowed myself buy seeds or bulbs and anything required such as compost etc. 

So far I have easily stuck with the challenge apart from the purchase of one verbena bonariensis and one fuchsia. And I have enjoyed my garden more than ever!

Seed sowing is certainly addictive once you get going but more than anything I have enjoyed the little step back from the gardener-as-consumer end of things.

As an aside, I now have more white foxgloves, hollyhockas and mixed colours penstemons than I know what to do with! So if you are in the Cork area and would like any of these, please just say.

Evening everyone. A nasty day here overall, so here are a few photos to compensate in case it was the same wherever you are

R. makinoi is an extremely attractive, narrow leaved species Rhododendron and my first photo today shows it opening some new foliage. Quite delightful. The only drawback is that it can break easily from its roots, but it is well worth taking a chance on it.

The second photo is of inside one of the front walls and the third photo is of a section of the North-Eest garden. There are a nice few gems to be seen in each.

I have this amazing plant in one of the borders. It is tall, elegant and last year flowered amazingly. It’s not quite so vigorous this year but I thin it may not come into its own until next month. 

I suspect it may be Campanula Glomerata ‘Superba’ but the pink colour is putting me off a bit. The only tall pink campanula that Google is finding is a much paler pink than mine.

I have it beside Campanula Lactiflora ‘Prichards Variety’ which is pale bllue. The leaves of the pink plant are stiffer and a shiny green a bit darker than the blue one. In my database I have Rachel as the donor.

I;d really like to be able to identify this flower because it is such a striking one.

I have to admit that I am very much my own man when it comes to what I like, whether it is music, gardening etc, and like St Brendan when he was ploughing his lonely furrow through North, South, East and West, I go my own way most of the time. But it is always good to know when someone is giving good advice and a few weeks ago Scrubber remarked that a few Marigolds would be nice around the base of the fantastic R.bureavii, as he said the flower colour would go well with the underleaf indumentum. I am glad to say I followed his advice, and even though the photo doesn’t capture it properly, the combination works great, so thank you Scrubber and thanks to my Mam for getting them for me.

I planted my Lirodendron tulipflora a good few years ago as I have loved the tree since I saw it in a garden in France, and as it takes years to flower, I wanted it to flower in my lifetime. I bought the variegated form as the normal forms were all too large to fit in my car and I am so pleased with it as the foliage is a joy.

I am lucky that I am very successful with growing my Rhododendrons, as some of them can be fussy and tricky to grow, but one that has never taken off properly is R. fulgens. Hope springs eternal.

I started out today determined to do the dead-heading that I’ve been promising myself to do ages!

Well you know how it is – every time you pass by the dahlias with the “pointy” buds that need to come off, or you trip over the geraniums spilling out over the path you say “must do the dead-heading”.

Well today was the day! And did I enjoy it! I decided to concentrate on the front areas because the Buddlias were top of the list! I tidied the Buddha garden – took out the foxgloves that were gone over and did a judicious trim of some of the geraniums. I realised that this border has a pastel thing going on – the Thalictrums are mauve and white and the various geraniums are in blues and pinks. There are two Buddlias here – a white one and a stunning “pink” one – well its actually a kind of cerise but really beautiful. In tidying the geraniums I realised there was a need for something to carry on the show for the late summer. I had the perfect plant among the “plants in waiting” – It is a Sidalcea that I thought I’d lost that I potted up in the Spring. It is one that came from an old garden which went via my Dubliln garden to Elizabeth and then to me! It looks very like “Party Girl” and is a lovely deep shade that fits in well with the other plants in the border.

So what was I doing? Oh yes, Dead-heading wasn’t I? Well I did get back to it after that distraction and spend a happy few hours chopping and tidying – so almost all front areas are done and looking much better! 

I just love this little gem. It’s so delicate looking and the colours so vivid.  Got it in Lidl and I don’t think it was even a fiver. The lable says Passiflora caerulea. Is it a type of Passion flower ?  Somewhat like a Clematis.  It’s hardy and a climber up to four meters the label says, so I hope it likes living out of a big pot and be trained up a trellis. It only bloomed two evenings this week on Wedensday and Thursday for the first time and hasen’t appeared since. Glad I caught it with a photo.

Second pic shows one of my favorite Lillys, a couple only opened on Wedensday too but now their are loads.

As for the veggies, briming in toms now. Peas gave up (very poor this year) and the French and Runner beans have taken over.  Never had such plentiful and very large Cucumbers all others in the glasshouse progressing fine.

Keep you posted. cheers to all…..Ivor