Sunday, August 19, 2012

The height of summer

 Not much work has been done in the garden this year, owing to our pre-occupation with the extension.  We have managed a bit of weeding in the main flower beds, but sadly none in the overgrown veg patch.  The flower beds are blooming, and those plants which haven't keeled over due to the absence of any staking are looking quite respectable.
Dahlia Twinings After Eight
Rosa Open Arms
Echinacea Purpurea in amongst the yet-to-flower Cosmos
Campanula Glomerata

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The joy of scaffolding

Sunnyside is undergoing a growth spurt.  The bricks are up, next stage is timber and tile hanging.  So we have scaffolding, which is affording us an unusual view of the garden.  Hopefully one day soon we will be able to take pics from this elevation out of the attic room window.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Roses galore!

The garden is blooming with lupins, roses, paeonies, poppies and many many more.  Some of the plants in here are still very immature, so there will be lots more to come next year.  I'm very pleased with New Dawn, climbing all over the outside loo.  It has done brilliantly considering it was only planted last year.  I had about three years to decide which rose to plant here, and I'm glad to say the research paid off - the blooms are exquisite and they have a lovely delicate scent. More of New Dawn below. 
New Dawn
New Dawn
Louise Odier
After giving one of my monstrous lupins the chelsea chop, Louise Odier has been given space to breath, and is rewarding us with its gratitude.  Beautiful "old rose" fragrance.   

Compassion
I was once advised that if you only have one rose in your garden, make it Compassion.  I can see why - this is a real show stopper.  This rose is bold and brassy and I love it. 
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This rose was grown from a cutting from the one peering over the fence from next door at Mum and Dads.  Beautiful small blooms starting off apricot and turning white.  Beautiful and lovely scent.
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This was grown from a cutting from one actually growing in Mum and Dads garden.  No idea what it is, similar to New Dawn but slightly smaller blooms with fewer petals.

Still to flower is Paul's Himalayan Musk, but you will have to wait for next year to see it as it looks like it might flower on old growth, and I only planted it in the autumn.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

The roses are out!

The roses are beginning to flower - so much excitement!  New Dawn here has scrambled up the side of the outbside loo and is budding and blooming all over.  More rose pictures to follow shortly, if they don't all get blown away in this wind.  And our dear Jenny, the most beautiful rose of all.

Friday, June 8, 2012

More blooms

Paeonia lactiflora "Sorbet"

Astrantia "buckland"

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Luscious lupins


Can you believe, these lupins were grown from seed just last year?  They are monstrous.  But strangely only on the east facing side of the outbuilding.  On the other side they are tiny.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Tulips

The tulips look spectacular, and well worth the hours spent last autumn planting them.  White triumphator here bordering the grass path through the pergola
Apricot Impression, a giant darwin tulip, in it's final flush
And finally, Ballade, a beautifully romantic pink tulip with white edging.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Beginning to bloom

The tulips and dafodils planted in the autumn are beginning to show their pretty heads, as are the anemones planted according to Monty Don's instructions (scattered onto scarified ground and covered with compost). Leucojums and helebores have been out for some weeks now.  The rest of the garden is still looking quite bare, but last year's

perenials are starting to fill out in the borders and this year's purchases are begining to show signs of life.  It is a garden is full of promise, and expectations are running high for a good show this summer.


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Garden plans

This is the latest garden plan.  It has changed many times and will probably change many more in the months and years to come.  The latest additions are the hedges and pleached limes, inspired by Monty Don's talk in December, and a meadow and crossed path inspired by Sarah Raven from her current programme, Bees, Butterflies and Blooms.

Greenhouse envy

I am coveting a Green-bug greenhouse.  It would be perfect at Sunnyside, and a huge improvement on the ramshackle ones we inherited, which incidentally need to be dismantled this year if we are to make a start on the other half of our garden...  Now could be the time?

Clearing nettles and brambles

This weekend Mab has been clearing our massive pile of logs which he brought here three years ago.  At the time I said "it will take us three years to get through that lot", to which Mab replied, "no it won't, you'd be surprised how quickly we'll get through it".  I'm saying nothing more, but I'm very glad to be reaquainted with the large patch of ground in the centre of the garden that has been hidden from view for the last three years.  I have spent the weekend clearing brambles, nettles and bindweed from here and the woodland garden with my azada.  This is the sort of thing you just can't do with a spade.  I love this tool and would be totally lost in the garden without it.