The border which has been christened the “sunset border” is flowering beautifully at the moment with pink, yellow, blue, orange, purple and white flowers and foliage, all the colours found in a sunset.
Clematis montana is joining in with the display, this one has climbed a huge oak tree before cascading down like a waterfall.
The flowers of this rhodo open up pink with a hint of yellow.
The main plants at the moment are the rhododendrons which were here before we arrived, so sometimes I refer to this area as the rhododendron bed.
Usually when we have a period without rain , in the summer, yes, it does happen sometimes, we have had to water ( fling a bucket of water over) the camellias and rhododendrons so that they don’t abort their flower buds for the following year.
Last year there certainly wasn’t a problem, we had such a wet August, no watering was needed at all. This year all the rhodos and camellias were absolutely covered in flower buds and the rhodos are now just starting to open.
Clematis montana.
These huge buds turn into….
….this, a different rhodo, a deeper pink.
One that I planted in the same area, called Schnee Kroner. Eventually it will be all white, so I think this translates as Snow Crown or maybe Crown of snow.
The forget me nots in the border contrast beautifully with the pink flowers.
Bluebells, Cowslips and Welsh poppies are also seeding around the bed.
Meconopsis cambrica, the Welsh Poppy.
Behinfd the rhodos are lots of bluebells.
Bluebells and ferns, a lovely combination.
I sprinkle the seed each year trying to increase my drift.
Love that gorgeous blue!
Viburnum plicatum Maresii is starting to flower on the left and you can see through to the bog garden with the ferns in the centre, that will be the next area to be tidied before all the candelabra primulas start flowering.
The sunset border is now living up to its name and will continue through the summer, but I think it is at its best at the moment while the shrubs are in flower as well as bulbs and perennials.
We had a shower of rain last night which has freshened everything up, I think a nice day for gardening will follow!
The sunset border is looking spectacular!
Thank you Peter, it is coming together at last.
This is the time for this border to really shine, I think, it looks wonderful. That shot of the pink Rhodie flowers with the blue forget-me-nots is so simple, but sensational.
I can’t really ake much credit for it Alison as the rhododendron was planted by the previous people and the forget me nots put themselves there, but thank you anyway!
So nice to see the English bluebells happily spreading around and drifting more and more each year. They give such a nice blue shimmer to the bed.
Your garden is so full of spring right now with all the blooms. I can’t imagine you have any weeds, it’s just packed with the good stuff!
I agree Frank with your thoughts on English bluebells, they really prefer a more sandy soil than mine, but I’m happy with the slow rate of spread. I had to laugh when you said that you don’t think I have any weeds, I’m just careful where I point the camera!
Your border is a delight! I love the Rhododendrons with Jacobs Ladder and Virginia Bluebells. Also the Bluebells and Ferns. Your Welsh poppies are similar to our Celandine Poppies.
Thanks Jason! All the plants seem to complement each other in this border, they all go so well together.
It must be even lovelier seeing it in person, Pauline – and it is thanks to you that I now give my rhododendrons a dollop of water too if we have had no rain for a while
Glad to know that I have been of some help Cathy. I now know that I should have been watering more in the summer, last July/August was so wet here, I’m not giving them enough for a good display.