Rain keeps getting forecast, but it seems to miss us most of the time, we can see the rain clouds over Dartmoor, but they hardly ever reach our village! The garden is looking a bit dry in places, but we are holding back on watering because once we start, the plants will expect it. Hydrangeas and Rhododendrons are still looking just about ok, these are usually the first ones to show a lack of water.
Acer palmatum Shindeshojo
My new little Acer (yes, this does get watered once a week as it is new!) now has a variety of coloured foliage. Most of the leaves have now turned green, or are in the process of turning green, but all the new growth is still coming through red. This little tree has certainly grown since I planted it.
Zantedeschia aethiopica
In the bog garden, the leaves of the Zantedeschia are still looking beautiful, thanks to there being water low down, the primulas next to it are looking a bit stressed, but they will have to cope.
Rhododendron yakushimanum
Some of the silvery covering on this rhododendrons leaves has started to come off, but they still form a nice contrast to the arching foliage of the hemerocallis next to it.
Cotinus and Euonymus
I have a feeling that I show this combination each time, but they do look so well together.
Stipa gigantea and Pittosporum
The waftiness (is there such a word?) of Stipa gigantea contrasts with the solid shape of Pittosporum Irene Patterson. This Stipa is fairly new so is nowhere near as large as the one we have in the dead oak bed, but I planted it near the house so we can see it when it has the sun shining through it, it looks just like a giant sparkler!
Fennel and Hydrangea
Not a very good photo, but the Fennel on the left put itself next to the Hydrangea under the kitchen window. It was allowed to stay as its featheriness? contrasts with the large leaves of the Hydrangea next to it.
Hosta sieboldii.
More contrasts are formed with the huge leaves of the hosta contrasting with the hydrangea on one side and the small leaves of the winter jasmine on the other. This grouping is by the front door.
Yucca on the alpine scree.
I know there are a few flowers in this photo, but what catches my eye each time I look in this direction, is the variegated yucca. To me it stands out like an exclamation mark as the foliage is so different to everything around it.
Hosta Halcyon and Astilbe.
Another Hosta, this time H.Halcyon contrasting with astilbe, fern and iris foliage at the right hand end of the bog garden.
Verbascum.
A Verbascum arrived from nowhere a few years ago and is allowed to stay because even before it flowers, the foliage fills a nice space in the Sunset border.
Geranium.
Oh no, not Autumn tints already! This colouring is on a new Geranium Brookside, but I’m not ready for Autumn yet, that comes in September!
Many thanks go to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for holding this meme each month, do please pay her a visit and see foliage from round the world that is keeping interest in our gardens.
Hi Pauline, your garden ist still looking good, but I know, we both need rain, quick and much.
It is very hot. Stipa gigantea is a wonderful gras, I have it too. Next year I will plant more plants for dry soil.
Sigrun
Thanks Sigrun, it’s at times like this that I am so thankful of our heavy clay soil! I think Stipa gigantea is my all time favourite grass, it is so beautiful with the sun shining through it, that is why we wanted one near to the house, so we could see it all the time.
Despite the lack of rain, the garden is as fetching as usual. I especially like your Stipa, it reminds me of the thing-a-ma-jig on top of a fascinator.
It’s at times like this that I’m glad of our heavy clay soil Marian! We had some rain this morning, it lasted for all of 2 minutes! That’a a good description for the Stipa flower head, you’re so right!
I realise that your posts haven’t been arriving in my ‘inbox’ for a while, I’ll sign up again to make sure I don’t miss any. I thought perhaps you were away on holiday. I wasn’t disappointed with when I read your post, I knew you’d have lots of lovely combinations, and there’s nothing wrong with showing them every month if they are good, it let’s us know how long a plant is really good for. The Stipa is a show stopper and even though mine doesn’t look so good by this time of year I am still considering putting in another one, like you I’d like one I can see from the terrace. Thank you for sharing all your gorgeous foliage and I hope it rains for you soon.
I suggested in one of my posts that people should subscribe again if they weren’t receiving my posts, but obviously you didn’t see that one Christina! Our children had to re subscribe and everything is fine for them now.
We had a tiny bit of rain this morning, just a couple of minutes, no more! The heavy clay that we have means that the soil holds onto the water that it has for a long time, which is good for the plants, but with so many huge trees, they are sucking up every available drop.
I’ve been so pleased with the 2nd Stipa that I planted, it will take its time getting to the same size as the other, but it is so beautiful when the sun shines through it.
Despite the lack of rain your garden is looking very good Pauline. I love the new grass, worth adding an extra one you can see more easily. Our gardens are completely opposite right now and I can’t believe you are considering autumn already. I just want a summer!
Believe me Angie, I don’t want Autumn yet, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the red leaf on the Geranium! You have been having so much rain, we certainly could do with some of it here. I’m thinking of cutting the Pittosporum smaller so that the Stipa can be seen better and then it can arch over properly, swaying in the breeze.
Do hope the rains come your way soon. The clay soil has worked magic apparently. Everything looks great. I thought you were showing elephant ears, but when I looked up Zantedeschia aethiopica I see it is calla lily. Beautiful.
Hopefully Susie, we will have rain tomorrow night, we’ll just have to wait and see if it misses us or not! The Zantedeschia is a plant for boggy areas, they like a lot of water round their roots, I have it in the bog garden.
I agree that Stipa gigantea is gorgeous. I keep trying to think where I would have room. I wonder if it would grow round the side – is it fussy at all about poor, dry soil, lots of wind and not much sun? Trouble is I wouldn’t see it there unless I walked round the house. Your hostas look amazing and your white hydrangea looks so good with the fennel.
Both my Stipa giganteas are planted in full sun Annette, they come originally from Spain. My soil is improved heavy clay, but I think really they would like a better drained soil than I can give them, although they seem perfectly happy with what we have here.
Most of the hostas are rather big plants now, they certainly like the soil we have!
The clay soils do work their magic in times like this (if only the opposite were true in winter!) The garden is looking absolutely lovely, even if there has been no decent rain to speak of. I love the hostas, I have such difficulty getting them to look as good as yours : when the weather is to their liking, the snails & slugs destroy them and when it is dry I have to water them, and the snails & slugs also destroy them!
The stipa looks very lovely with the pittosporum in the background, it is such a calming, fuzzy pairing 🙂
I never thought I would be happy with our clay soil, but I am at the moment Matt. I agree though with your comment about winter, when we just can’t get onto the garden to work, it is so squelchy. We have lots of slugs and snails too but we also have blackbirds, thrushes, hedgehogs, frogs and toads that eat them all!
It’s like that with the rain here too – but we had a sprinkling yesterday which was refreshing if nothing else. Love the size of your hostas!
I think our request for rain is going to be answered soon Cathy, if not tonight, then at the weekend. The hostas have been planted for a long time now and are getting quite huge, the slugs and snails don’t seem to like the ones with really thick leathery leaves.
Your foliage is looking lovely despite your lack of rain. Mine is beginning to get really stressed now but we are promised rain tomorrow.
I love Stipa gigantea, I have a couple now,but I would love lots more. A wonderful plant, specially when the sun dances on it.
Thanks Chloris, as you say we are promised rain, it should have started at 4pm here, but so far nothing! Hopefully it will be raining tomorrow and the garden will be a lot happier.
The sun shining through the Stipa is so beautiful, that’s why I wanted one I could see from the house. The breeze blowing through the stems makes them sway beautifully, a really super plant.
Well if you didn’t get rain today Pauline you were very unlucky indeed! It has been non-stop. The garden is hanging its head a bit now but hopefully tomorrow it will pick up again. I really must try some of those leathery leaved hostas.
Yes Jessica, we had a day of really heavy rain, it was wonderful! The water butts are now full once more and after a quick look this morning, the garden looks a lot happier. More rain is forecast for Sunday, so the garden and I will be really happy then!
Today we should be getting about 50-60 mm, and it is also very much needed.
But everything looks great in your garden as always. Ecpecially your hostas. I also have a great yellow verbascum, that came out of nowhere. It can stay, as it looks beautiful.
What a coincidence Gitte, that we both had a yellow Verbascum that came from nowhere! They are beautiful and very welcome to stay. We had our much needed rain yesterday and the garden looks so much better already, more rain is supposed to come on Sunday, so I can’t complain any more!
that verbascum is wonderful. I had one once too that suddenly appeared but after a couple of years it disappeared – I think they are biennials. Glad to hear you got the rain you’ve been hanging out for, Pauline … I also don’t like to water plants in case they get spoiled and get to expect it. Although we’re having a cold and rainy winter and they’re all looking happy but of course especially the weeds.
The Verbascum has been here for a few years now Catmint, goodness knows where it came from, but it is very welcome. Are you not having any of the snow that I keep hearing about? I keep attacking the weeds here as I don’t want them taking every drop of water that I want for the plants, why do weeds survive so well?!
I can’t imagine seeing too much of the stipa, it’s a beautiful plant. It might possibly be hardy here but only a few places carry it. I don’t know why it’s so uncommon!
Please no more mention of autumn, I have weeks and weeks to go 🙂
It really is a beautiful plant Frank, I think my favourite grass. I think it originates in Spain, I’ve just looked it up in my encyclopedia and according to them it isn’t fully hardy, but it has survived quite a few frosts of -7C
I’m not ready for autumn yet, don’t worry, I was just so surprised to see a red leaf on the geranium!
Despite the lack of rain, your garden continues to look lush and happy. Oh my, that stipia in the sun set my heart beating a little faster! Gorgeous!
We have now had an enormous amount of rain Peter, since I wrote that we needed some on the 22nd! More showers for this week too, so I think the garden must be very happy at the moment! The second Stipa that I planted, catches the sun, no matter what time of day it is, and looks so gorgeous with the light coming through it.