Doomed, but not for long!

I had the wonderful idea of ordering some lovely plants the other day, for my new area. In the past there hasn’t been any problem, you click the button, pay by debit or credit card, sit back , wait 48 hrs, and there they are, being delivered by a friendly van driver.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 22 Comments

All Change.

When a plant dies, it makes a planting opportunity or that is what I tell myself! I’ve been thinking for some time what to plant in the area we now have which was occupied by a Cotoneaster shrub.

Dead Cotoneaster.

Dead Cotoneaster.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

End of month review – November.

Where have the days gone, November passed so quickly and I don’t seem to have done very much in the garden. We have had so much rain that it hasn’t been possible to do much, I still have bulbs waiting to be planted, today seems a good day, it’s dry so far but rain is due later. I have started my wander in the front garden and then follow my usual route clockwise round the garden.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Jack Frost has been visiting.

Over last weekend, we had our first frost of the winter. It was rather a shock to the system, having got used to the very mild weather that we had been having, the wind changed direction from the south to the north and what a difference it made. We woke up to find everything edged with a crisp coating of frost. I didn’t want to walk on the lawn, but managed to take a few photos from the paths round the house.

Not variegated ivy, just ivy with an edging of frost.

Not variegated ivy, just ivy with an edging of frost.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 32 Comments

GBFD Foliage for November.

Sorry I’m late, due to circumstances beyond my control, but here is my offering for Foliage Day in November, which was written last Saturday.

It’s a question of dodging the showers or rather, the downpours and the gales, to take a few photos for Foliage Day, so there are not as many this time. The temperatures have plummeted to just plus 5C during the day which is a lot lower than the plus 16C that we have had for weeks now. Most of the leaves on the deciduous trees have now dropped, but still the oaks are hanging onto their leaves. Leaf sweeping is just about keeping up with what has been deposited on lawns and paths, the beds will have to wait, they might get done, they might not.

Bergenia by the front door.

Bergenia by the front door.

Following my usual route round the garden, starting with the front drive, the Bergenia are looking solid against the Winter Jasmine.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Looking Good. Friday 20th November.

Having looked all round the garden for something that isn’t looking rain battered and wind burnt, without success, I decided to come in and photograph the plants that are in the conservatory at the moment.

Conservatory flowers.

Conservatory flowers.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Decreasing numbers. GBBD November.

Halfway through November and it is very clear that we don’t have as many flowers this month, I think the flowers have decided that winter will soon be with us. We have had a very mild November so far, with just one cold day last week. The wind is from the south west  bringing warm air up from the south Atlantic, this is confusing us as well as the plants! However, wandering round the garden I can find a few spots of colour.

Rosa,The Dark Lady

Rosa,The Dark Lady

Most of the roses still have flowers blooming.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Looking Good. Friday 13th November.

I was amazed to find that Iris unguicularis Walter Butt had started flowering at the end of October. The first year it was planted here, it flowered in December, last year it flowered in November, but this year it was flowering on the 25th October.

Iris u. Walter Butt.

Iris unguicularis Walter Butt.

This photo was taken in October, we were obviously having a shower at the time.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Acers Looking good.

I don’t know if the leaves will still be on my Acers for Foliage Day on the 22nd of the month, so I thought that maybe I ought to photograph them for Friday’s Looking Good meme hosted by Gillian at Country Garden UK.

Acer Sango Kaku.

Acer Sango Kaku.

All summer the leaves are green, but gradually they change to a buttery yellow before they eventually fall.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Last Garden Visit of the year.

Last Saturday the weather was absolutely wonderful, bright blue sky and lovely sunshine, so we made the most of it and went to The Garden House , Buckland Monachorum on Dartmoor, just 10 miles from Plymouth. The sun was surprisingly hot for the end of October, so coats weren’t needed nor umbrellas as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! We usually try to get to see a garden which is known for its autumn tints and I knew this garden had an Acer glade, say no more!

Buckland Monachorum

The car park at The Garden House.

Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments