Tag Archives: Top Ten

Top Ten for March.

28 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Gardening, Our Garden@19, Photography, Plantlife

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Weather lore says: “March, in like a lion out like a lamb.”

March is a month of transition, a much used word of late. In a gardening context I think emergence is a more suitable label. The garden and plants are emerging from winter into spring.

It was traditionally the month for planting spring crops, mainly spring barley, when the  March winds would help to dry out the soil as it was cultivated in preparation for the drill. Warm April showers would follow to help germinate the seed.

Joining in with Chloris at the Blooming Garden  and the other bloggers posting their top ten flowers of the month, I decided to post pictures of emerging flower buds and leaves,( There is a theme emerging here!)

These pictures were taken during the month – we haven’t recently had snow.

Forever the optimist, here are my ten ‘potential’ flowers to brighten the spring garden.

 

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Tulip ‘Red Riding Hood’.

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Allium Kartaviense

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Fritillaria ‘William Rex’, already producing its distinctive smell!

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Hyachinth ‘Blue Pearl’.

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Camassia leichtlinii ‘Sacajawea’

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Camellia

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Magnolia ‘Stella’

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Paeonia Lactiflora ‘Duchesse de Nemours’.

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Rhododendron Yakushimanum ‘Grumpy’

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Hydrangea.

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Even the Head Gardener emerges occasionally!

Please visit Chloris and see what she and all the other bloggers have posted as their Top Ten.

What is emerging in your garden?

Ten February Favourite Blooms.

19 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in Gardening, Our Garden@19, Photography, Plantlife

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Chloris at The Blooming Garden encourages us garden bloggers to venture out into the garden in all winds and weathers to take pictures of our favourite ten blooms each month. My ten include the inevitable Snowdrops, of which I have the grand total of three varieties,  (Chloris is the one to visit to enjoy a Galanthus feast), the common Nivalis, its double and the third which I think is Galanthus S. Arnott. This is also Hellebore season, with the orientalis adding their charm and colour to the February garden.

I am very impressed with the Hamamelis in the oriental garden, it has been flowering since December.  I do have a degree of admiration for the variegated ‘Laurel’, which at this time of year lightens up the rear of the oriental garden. It was a rescue, ‘no name’, plant when we were living in our previous house. I could not decide where to plant it therefore it remained in a pot until we developed the garden here. I do like to see an underdog succeed!

This is the beginning of the Crocus season, there are more still to flower in the garden. ‘Gypsy Girl’ is I think a bit special with its brown stripes, it is in pots along with an unknown Iris Reticulata. A favourite Iris this time of year is ‘ Katherine Hodgkin’, I have had it in the garden since Carol Klein sang its praises during a lecture at Pershore College.

In the White and Green garden there is a nod to the seventies when we all grew Conifers and Heathers. The Erica Carnea ‘Whitehall’ thrives due to it not requiring ericaceous soil, it sits below the fragrant flowering Winter Honeysuckle.

A special plant for me is the Lunaria Annua ‘Rosemary Verey’, its dark leaves providing a contrast to the snowdrops. I purchased one plant four years ago and have saved seed each year to raise plants for the garden and to sell at our open days. It has also self sown around the garden, coming true each time even though we have two other varieties here. Rosemary Verey was the first garden designer to influence me, from visiting her garden, at Barnsley, Gloucestershire, experiencing the style of planting within the borders and the pottager. Then through her books, with the plan of her Chelsea garden in 1992 inspiring the original layout of what I now call the blue border. (It has changed somewhat since 2005).

While Christmas now seems a while ago the flowering Hippeastrum was a gift to Irene from a friend. We were very impressed with its three blooms.

I think its a varigated Laural .
Hamamelis Moll Pallida (Witch Hazel)
Galanthus ‘Flore Pleno’
Galanthus ’S Arnott’
Iris ‘Katherine Hodgkin’
Crocus ‘Gipsy Girl’
Iris reticulata
Hippeastrum
Hippeastrum
Crocus with a Fuchsia in the old cast iron boiler.
Erica carnea ‘Whitehall’
Lonicera fragrantissima
Helleborus orientalis
Lunaria annua ‘Rosemary Verey’ with Galanthus nivalis

These are my ten favourites for February, please visit Chloris to see what she and other bloggers have chosen. Do you have a favourite February flower?

Ten Top for November.

26 Sunday Nov 2017

Posted by in Gardening, Our Garden@19, Photography, Wildlife

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I am joining Chloris and her many followers in posting my Top Ten for November, please visit The Blooming Garden to see what their Top Ten are.

Number one, the seed heads of the Lunaria, which provides a silvery shine in the low November sunlight. This plant provides interest through out the whole year, from the young leaves with their maroon spots, the dark purple flowers and now the seed heads.

Lunaria annua ‘Rosemary Verey’

…growing in front is a young Cotinus, we lost a mature one a few years ago, therefore we are looking forward to this one developing and flowering in the future.

Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’.

These two ‘Grasses’ make a striking feature at the end of the pebble river in the Oriental Garden. I originally saw this plant combination when visiting The Bressingham Gardens, Nr Diss, Norfolk.

Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, hakone grass and Opheapogon Nigrescens, black mondo grass.

This Viburnum, in the White and Green Garden, is one of the earliest flowering shrubs in the garden. It flowers from early autumn through to late spring, and looks particularly good when there is a blue sky behind it.

Viburnum f ‘candidissimum’

Anna from the The Greentapestry was recently singing the praises of this rose, mentioning that it flowers from July to November.

Rosa ‘The Fairy’

Here it is in the Iris bed on the south side of the house…

Rosa ‘The Fairy’

…along with ‘ ‘Geoff Hamilton’, I am hoping this bud will open.

Rosa ‘Geoff Hamilton’

I will always have Viola’s in the garden, whether it’s the diminutive ‘Heartsease’ which I  grow from seed, (it does also self seed), or ones purchased from garden centres to provide colour through out winter.

Viola ‘Heartsease’

We were given two Clivia three years ago, one flowered the first year, none the next year and one, (yippie!) so far this year.

Clivia.

I am not sure if Number ten qualifies for a November favourite, although it is one of mine and it is in the garden. The first sighting, today, of the female Blackcap on the bird feeders. I always like to see the arrival of this aggressive little bird, she always arrives before the male and tries to defend the feeders from all comers. the down side is that it heralds the arrival of winter weather, ‘Up North’ which will eventually make its way here. 

This is a picture from 2014, they are quite nervous and therefore difficult to photograph. You can see more ‘Birdie” pictures by clicking the Wildlife Category.

That is my Top Ten in Our Garden@ 19, for November, I wonder what will be around for December?

 

 

 

Top Ten for October.

27 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in Gardening, Our Garden@19, Plantlife

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Choosing my Top Ten flowers in Our garden@19 is difficult at any time of year, however one for October has to be the Michaelmas Daisy. (Aster/ Symphyotrichum.)

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Symphyotrichum n.a ‘Harringtons Pink’.

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Symphyotrichum n.a ‘ Barrs Violet’.

This white one appeared in the garden two years ago. I think it may have come in with another plant. It is a runner (ie.invasive) by the appearance of its roots, I was unsure whether to keep it, until it flowers then, when it does, I relent.

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I like the way it blends in beautifully with number two, the Acer griseum, ( I know its not a flower, I hope Chloris approves*, See below) with its peeling cinnamon like bark…

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Acer griseum

…along with the Molina ‘Karl Foerster’. The Grasses make a lovely contribution to the October garden, therefore they are my number three.

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Molinia ‘Karl Foerster’

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Molinia ‘Karl Foerster’

 

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Calamagrostis brachytricha

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Calamagrostis x a. ‘ Karl Foerster ‘ and Miscanthus sinensis

Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ has been a feature in this garden ever since I first saw it in Bob Brown’s, Cotswold Flowers, display beds. It stands at the back of the border, stiff and upright without the need for support.

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Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’.

In the White and Green garden the amazingly reliable Iceberg rose is still flowering…

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Rose Climbing Iceberg.

…along with a late planted Sweet Pea that has decided to climb up the Taxus bac. Fastigiata.

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Sweet Pea ‘Memorial Flight’

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Sweet Pea ‘Memorial Flight’.

Sedum do not seem to do very well in Our Garden@19 so this one is very welcome.

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Sedum Herbstfreud.

The Crab Apple ‘Golden Hornet’ is in its second period of glory*, blossom being the first. it is growing alongside the raised bed containing ‘THE’ Dahlia for me ‘David Howard’.

Malus ‘Golden Hornet’.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ and Dahlia ‘David Howard’.
Dahlia ‘David Howard’.

The arch is covered with the ornamental vine ‘Spetchley Red’ through which…

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Vitis ‘Spetchley red’.

…you can stroll to the banana bench and sit, to take in all the autumn colours in Our Garden@19.

IMG_2661I am joining in with Chloris * and other bloggers posting our Top Ten for October. Please visit them using the link to see their selection.