The woodland is much the same as last month, I’ve not got any more new planting done as I’ve been concentrating on trying to get the borders weeded in the main garden. With all the rain we have had, at least we can see the weeds, they grow so tall so quickly and the benefit of the rain means that docks slide out beautifully with such a long root, very satisfying! Hopefully by next EOMV I will have completed planting up all the plants that are still standing in their pots! The new planting that I showed you last month has settled in nicely and I have only had to water a few times as we have had so much rain!
These are the plants still waiting to be planted, foxgloves, honesty, candelabra primulas, and astilbe. Yes, I will get them planted soon!
As well as the woodland, for the next few months I will also show you what has been happening in the bog garden. I must try and find a nicer name for this part of the garden, which should look pretty for the next 3 or 4 months. Everything is growing so well here with plenty of water at their feet, the plants are relishing the permanently moist soil.
The meconopsis at the back of the border where it isn’t quite so wet, are still flowering and there are still more buds to open.
The left hand end of the border has as much contrasting foliage as it has flowers.
My Zantedeschia aethiopica is flowering at last….
……and this flower is so huge, it must be at least 10 inches from front to back. I noticed when taking this photo that at least 2 more buds have formed, so this plant should flower for quite some time.
A lot of my candelabra seedlings have come up this peachy/salmon colour. I think maybe I’ll have to move this one as Hosta Strip Tease behind it hasn’t got enough room.
Forming a large clump now at the front of the border is P.candelabra Miller’s Crimson. This is one of the first to flower and the lower flowers are now forming fat pods full of seed, but do I need any more though!
The right hand end has more peach coloured primulas along with P. Postford White which were also grown from seed and a couple of Meconopsis. The Rhododendron on the right is one which my students gave me when I retired.
I thought all my seedlings were white and peach until these yellow ones opened up the other day.
Primula Inverewe starts off the rainbow of colour at the left hand side of the bog garden. This one reminds me of our holiday in Scotland a couple of years ago when we visited the garden at Inverewe.
Primula aurantiaca is spreading nicely, I will be able to split this one when it has finished flowering and give the hosta behind a bit more room.
Dark red Astilbe foliage on the left with various candelabra primulas, a blue Hosta and right at the back, where it isn’t so wet, the blue of Meconopsis Lingholm.
This grouping pleases me whenever I pass by, the lovely bronze foliage of the rodgersia with foliage of astilbe weaving through. Behind are the silver fronds of a Japanese fern and the yellow fronds of a Carex.
The border is looking quite colourful with all the primulas, I would imagine by next month it will be the astilbes which will be flowering.
When I first started planting this border, it seemed quite a daunting task, but two years later it is almost full, everything is growing so well with constant moisture, I’m so glad I ignored all the people who told me to drain this area!
First of all, let me apologise for the field of daisies, I can’t call it a lawn, but it has been so wet, we just can’t get the heavy mower on to cut it! This is the bog garden from the right hand end with foliage playing a large part along with all the flowers.
Another area which is beginning to go into flowery overdrive is the Bee and Butterfly border by the front drive.
Starting way back in January with snowdrops and hellebores, then masses of primroses, narcissus and crocus, this border has had flowers for any bee which has woken up early. Then came Peony Mlokosewitchii, followed by bluebells, foxgloves and red campion. Now there are Dutch and English iris, with Anthemis for the butterflies, this will flower from now until the frosts in autumn. Sisyrinchium, Alliums and Nectaroscordum have just started flowering and soon more peonies, campanulas and oriental Poppies will join in. There are four buddljas in this border and also Eupatorum which the butterflies love, with lots of Agapanthus and some knifophia for the bees.
There we have the parts of the garden that I find interesting at the moment, each morning I am out with a mug of tea to see what has opened overnight.
Thanks once again to Helen for hosting this End of Month View at www.patientgardener.wordpress.com, do pay her a visit to see what other gardener’s have been doing over the last month.
I just love all your Primulas Pauline, and so many gorgeous colours. I love the peach coloured one. I don’ t know Primula aurantiaca but I’ m going to look out for it, it’ s gorgeous. I like daisies on a lawn. Glad to see that I’ m not the only one with maids in waiting sitting waiting to be planted.
At the moment Chloris, it’s a question of cutting the daisies and not the grass! I always seem to have some plants waiting to be planted, as fast as some get a permanent home, others take their place. I always know where they are to go, it’s just a question of finding the time to plant them.
I’m thrilled at the lovely colours that are coming from my primula seeds, I can see that some of them are going to be in various shades of lilac, I certainly seem to have all the colours of a rainbow.
Lots of interest and colour ! And, lots of difficult plants doing very well. I have killed more Zantedeschia than I care to remember ! Meconopsis … well, I haven’t even tried ! All the primulas add so much varied colour. What a gorgeous month it is ! Like you, I can’t wait to get out and see what is newly flowering . I am a real anorak and list my roses as they open !
Jane, my heavy clay is just what Zantedeschia needs, thank goodness it’s good for something! The one in the bog garden is so huge compared to the others in different parts of the garden, maybe I ought to put them all together. Meconopsis can be a bit tricky, but the seeds come up like cress, it’s keeping them going that I find difficult sometimes.
I’m glad I’m not the only one out first thing in the morning, checking on my flowers!
The zantedeschia is an amazing plant! I have never seen one before. Is it hardy? It’s lovely to see so many woodland flowers and lovely foliage too. The primulas really are like a rainbow of colour throughout.
It’s hardy with me here in South Devon Cathy, maybe you might need to mulch it as I think your winters are colder than here. It also likes very damp soil or even to be grown in water, I think where it grows in the wild, it grows in ditches.
The primulas are opening in lovely pastel shades, this is the beauty of growing them from seed.
Your Primula are gorgeous Pauline. I love them and can’t wait until I have as many as you do. Primula envy here. I noticed that your P. Aurantiaca have the bronze coloured stems, as did mine last year, yet this year they don’t seem to have it.
Your bee and butterfly border is looking wonderful – I’ll bet it’s buzzing!
Yes Angie, the bee and butterfly border certainly is buzzing, but at the moment the plant that is absolutely covered with bees is a Cotoniaster horizontalis growing up the kitchen wall!
I wonder why your P aurantiaca has lost it’s bronze stems, seems very strange, but it is still a super plant.
The morning tour of inspection is my favourite time of the day. The weeding is really getting me down at the moment though, there is just so much of it. Your primulas are looking superb. I’ve never succeeded with meconopsis, even when I’ve bought established plants. I will crack it though, eventually, the blue is just fantastic.
I’m so glad to hear that there is someone else out there first thing in the morning, are you in pj’s and wellies too?! I have never known the weeding to be so bad, it must be all the rain that we had over the winter that has made every single weed seed sprout!
Quite a few of my Meconopsis didn’t appear this spring, I think I forgot to water them through the hot spell last summer which is when they really need moisture. The ones I have now were planted as seedlings last summer, I remembered to water them, thank goodness! I am still learning how to grow them, it is a steep learning curve! If you would like some fresh seed, please let me know.
Your bog garden is so beautiful with the primulas and other flowering plants. I also love the bronze rodgersia and astilbe combination you showed, as well as the left end of the border with the contrasting foliage. You are a real artist, combining colors and textures for wonderful effect. By the way, I like the field of daisies!
Hi Deb, the daisies are now gone, cut this afternoon, but not before I took some photos, it was almost like a fall of snow! I’m enjoying all the primula flowers opening up, there are so many different shades, all of them so pretty.
I had to laugh at the thought of all of us on our first tour of the day in our gardens, although mine is done with my after breakfast cup of coffee and usually fully clothed too 🙂 Of course I have to agree about your primulas – I have a tray of seedlings (great germination rate) of P Harlow Carr so will be intrigued to see what colours they are. The rodgersia and astilbe foliage is indeed a great combination and it’s lovely to see what your garden is doing, Pauline – thanks for sharing.
Cathy, I remember seeing all the primulas along the side of the stream at Harlow Carr when we were on our way to Scotland a couple of years ago, they were absolutely fantastic and such an inspiration! It will be interesting to see what the colour range is when yours start flowering, whatever they are, they will be beautiful.
Yes that first tour of the day is always so enjoyable Pauline but like Cathy I’m fully clothed and it’s coffee not tea. Living in a hollow off a busy main road has its disadvantages including lack of privacy especially earlier in the year 🙂 I’ve been enjoying weeding at the allotment this weekend and as you suggest dampness certainly makes it easier. I’m not surprised that the rodgersia planting pleases you – the shapes and colours fit together perfectly.
It seems Anna, that we are all out first thing in the morning with either a tea or coffee. At least now that the trees are in full leaf, I’m private once more!
At last we have had 2 or 3 days without any rain, so the grass is now cut and the daisies are gone for a few days. We have made great headway with the weeds in the last few days, the garden is beginning to look as it should once more!
Hi Pauline. Your garden never fails to amaze. I’ve always loved astilbe and your combination of rodgersia with the astilbe is perfect, then the bonus of the Japanese fern. Early morning is the best time to enjoy a peaceful moment in one’s garden I think. Susie
I agree Susie, morning is definitely the best time in the garden when everything is fresh, the birds are singing and I have a cup of tea in my hand!
The astilbe are so close to flowering and for the first time, the rodgersia is going to flower this year, I’ve waited about 5 years for this to happen!
You are such a clever gardener Pauline; utilizing all the various micro-climates within your garden to create so many visually different areas. I love them all and envy the bog garden; I’ve never lived anywhere that had a wet area.
Thank you so much Christina, but it’s all thanks to reading Beth Chatto’s books, especially the one that is about planting in damp soil! If I hadn’t read them I wouldn’t have known what to do with such a wet area. My last garden in the north west was on a sand dune, dig down a foot and it was pure sand, wonderful for your Mediterranean plants, but the garden was a steep learning curve when we came here!
the meconopsis is to die for, and I love the field of daisies.
The meconopsis are nearly over for this year now Catmint, I will have to wait for another 11 months to see them again! The field of daisies comes and goes, it depends on when my husband cuts the grass!
The primulas look great. I’m glad you did not drain this border and went with plants who appreciate the constant moisture, it really worked out. I have a similar spot but unfortunately by midsummer it dries out and becomes as dry a dusty as the rest of the beds, and the astilbe do not appreciate the change.
Frank, I’m really enjoying all the primulas and the other moisture loving plants, I really am so glad that we didn’t get it drained years ago when it was suggested. What a shame your boggy bit dries out in the summer, I can imagine your astilbe not liking it. Would a liner with holes in it help to retain the moisture, without the soil becoming sour?