The undergardener planned a lovely day out for my birthday yesterday, in Dorset. We took a bit longer getting to our favourite fish restaurant in West Bay, Dorset, due to the main road being closed, which meant a long diversion, but made it eventually. West Bay is where the recent TV series Broadchurch was filmed with its spectacular red sandstone cliffs.
West Bay scallops.
My starter was West Bay hand dived scallops on a pea puree -absolutely delicious! Food miles travelled, about 200yds!
The Rhododendron bed, or the Sunset Bed, is in urgent need of a makeover, so I’m making this the subject of my End of Month Review. Plants have been seeding around and the end result has become rather a jumble. I have been buying a few plants recently that are meant for this area, but first, before they can be planted, the muddle of seedlings has to go, along with all the weeds that are there at the moment. The soil will then need improving with our own compost and then eventually will be mulched with our own leafmould.
Rhododendron.
This Rhododendron is the first to go, it was moved about 10 years ago and has never really established itself and hardly grown at all. Compared to the other Rhodos next to it, it looks positively unhappy! If plants aren’t performing, then I’m afraid they have to go!
In just a few days since G.B.Foliage Day, the Rogersia which was just showing a couple of tiny leaves, has grown so much already.
Rogersia.
And it has put out so many new leaves. I think the colouring and the texture is so beautiful, I wish they could stay like this for the summer, but they will all turn green.
Skip the next bit if you don’t like beetles! Lately I have been hunting red Lily Beetles, I am finding so many each day on my lilies and squashing them underfoot. However I found so many on my snakes head fritillary seed heads, as well as on the lilies.
Just a few of the red lily beetles.
They are known to attack the snakeshead fritillaries, so hoping to reduce the numbers next year, I collected them in a pot. This should hopefully reduce their numbers, I’m afraid at least 30 were all squashed under my welly boot! At least the ones that were copulating died happy!
Rhododendron with ponticum shoot.
If any of you have rhododendrons with two different coloured flowers on the same bush, then it is time to take action. Obviously this rhododendron has been grafted onto the root stock of Rhododendron ponticum, the wild rhododendron, which will eventually take over if not stopped. It is spreading far and wide in this country and doesn’t allow anything else to grow in the vicinity . I usually follow the stem back to the trunk and pull downwards, removing the purple flower stem. If you cut it, it can sprout again, pulling it is usually the only way to get rid of it. I had 3 stems to pull away on this bush, hopefully they won’t return.
First rose.
My first rose which is flowering on the pergola. The roses on the pergola didn’t get pruned this year, as we just ran out of time with being out every day at the hospital. By the time we could prune them, they were already covered in buds. This has made them flower earlier this year than normal, I think we will just have to enjoy them and make sure we prune them, probably in November this year.
Clematis Lasurstern
Climbing up the side of the conservatory is a clematis which we inherited with the house. I think it is Clematis Lasurstern. The opening buds are quite beautiful.
Clematis Lasurstern
And the open flowers are just as beautiful. This is the first flower on my large flowered clematis and this tells me that spring is rapidly giving way to summer!
Baby blackbird
Having food out all the time on the bird table means that there is always lots of movement outside the back door. We knew the blackbirds had hatched their chicks when Mr.Blackbird started filling his beak with mealworms and flying to a spot in the border with dense cover from the shrubs. The other day this baby blackbird came with its father, obviously hoping it would feed him, but no, he had to feed himself as father flew away, back to the shrubs with his mouthful. Maybe another chick in the border or has Mrs. laid more eggs already? Moving round the garden , we can hear hundreds of chicks begging for food from their parents, soon they will all be coming to the bird table, I’d better get more food in so that I’m ready for the influx!
Acer Osakazuki seeds.
Acer palmatum Osakazuki seeds are very evident on my little tree. I planted a few a couple of years ago and now have two little trees in pots.
Seedlings of Acer Osakazuki
One has new growth which is very red to start with, the other has new growth which is just plain green. As we have so many seeds this year, I think I will plant some more and see what we get.
Seedling of Acer Osakazuki
This seedling shows the most promise, it just depends on how much colour it gets in the autumn.
Rhododendron Fantastica.
Rhododendron Fantastica, in the woodland, is looking better this year than any other year since it was planted. There are so many flower heads this year, we must have remembered to water it during periods of drought last summer!
White Aquilegia in the woodland.
Just into the woodland is a lovely clump of white Aquilegia which I must save seed from, to spread around in there. There is lots of red campion and cow parsley here at the moment, that have jumped in from the road the other side of the hedge. These will be allowed to flower, but not go to seed as I don’t need any more!
The pond.
Serious work is needed in the pond, I wonder if I’ll be given any waders for my birthday?! I need them as I don’t relish getting in, in a pair of shorts and some old shoes any more!!
Chives.
I don’t know how my chives are surviving. They started off up in the bed where the forget me nots now are, but a few years ago they seeded down below into the cracks in the paving. Each winter that area is quite often flooded, for days at a time, how can they survive under water, when we are told to plant them in well drained soil?! The original bulbs in the flowerbed have all died!
Polystichum setiferum Divisilobum
The new growth on this fern, Polystichum setiferum Divisilobum, looks just like an octopus , well I think so anyway!
English Iris and Buff tailed bumble bee.
The group of English Iris are in flower in the front border. This Buff tailed Bumble bee was certainly enjoying itself, visiting every flower.
Buff tailed Bumble bee.
Eventually it’s tail was even more buff coloured, as each flower it visited deposited its pale coloured pollen on it’s bottom!
View across the circular lawn.
This is my favourite view of the garden at the moment, with me standing by the border next to the field, looking across the bed round the dead oak with the Stipa gigantea, just starting to push up it’s beautiful flower panicles. Beyond is the circular lawn with the bog garden in the distance. The clematis cascading down out of the oak tree will soon come to the end of its flowering for this year, I’ll just have to wait 11 months for it to put on a repeat performance!
That is the end of my photographic oddments, a thoroughly mixed bag I think you will agree.
Normally we stay at home when it’s a Bank Holiday, as the roads can get so busy down here in Devon at holiday time and driving isn’t a pleasure any more. However, today we found that a garden was open for the National Garden Scheme and it wasn’t too far away, so off we went. Round the north side of Dartmoor, we followed the yellow signs and soon found the garden called Andrew’s Corner.
Garden house, Andrew’s corner.
In the side garden was the first of a few garden buildings, with my friend Aktinidia kolomicta in the corner. This must be how it grows when not clipped round a window!
Bug hotel.
We soon came upon a bug hotel, tucked into a corner. I would think that little bugs etc. would be nice and cosy in here.
Sculpture with Claytonia.
I felt very much at home in this garden with its sculptures and familiar plants. This young lady is kneeling in a sea of Claytonia, which I have in the woodland.
Sculpture with bluebells.
This little person found some bluebells to dance round.
Rhododendron and pond.
There were lots of rhododendrons and azaleas. Also there were lots of acers, so the garden would be worth visiting in the autumn for autumn tints. The garden is open in the autumn with the proceeds going to Little Bridge House, the hospice for children in the SW of England.
Meconopsis.
There were quite a few Meconopsis scattered round the different beds, they were all so beautiful, but we thought that they would have made a better impact if they had all been together. Even so, they have more than I do, this year only one of mine survived the winter and that one is nowhere near flowering yet.
Pond.
The garden was very sheltered with lots of very tall trees acting as shelter belts round the garden. Being on the northern edge of Dartmoor they must have very strong winds especially in the winter and without the shelter of the trees, the shrubs would suffer dreadfully.
Bluebells with Welsh Poppy.
There were lots of bluebells and Meconopsis Cambria everywhere, it all seemed so familiar.
More bluebells.
Very relaxed planting.
Dartmoor.
The vegetable garden is at the bottom of the slope and just over the fence is Dartmoor which can be very bleak and wet at certain times of the year, but when the weather is behaving itself, it is a wonderful place to be.
Timber!
This was a massive tree, I wonder what I could have carved out of it?! It would have been nice to carve something in situ, before the final cut was made, it would then have had Dartmoor as a backdrop.
Resting place.
Thank goodness there were lots of seats dotted round the garden, my muscles were protesting at the uneven ground so I was very grateful for a sit down.
Magnolia Wilsonii
There were also quite a few Magnolia trees, this one is wilsonii, the flowers are rather beautiful don’t you think?
Sunny glade
The flowers sparkled in the sunny glades, but all the time we were wandering round, there was the most beautiful perfume from the deciduous azaleas.
Sorbaria sorbifolia sem.
I spotted this lovely little shrub and thought the foliage was fascinating. I showed my photo to Andrew who identified it for me. It is a dwarf shrub and this one was only about 3 ft high, I’m sure I could squeeze one in somewhere!
Maple leaves.
I also showed Andrew this photo as the leaves looked like ivy, but red ivy?! They were suckers from one of the large Maple trees, the suckers, when I looked, were coming up everywhere, I think I’ll pass on this one.
Rhodohypoxis.
There were quite a few alpine troughs near the house, this one for Rhodohypoxis,
Alpines.
and this one with a collection of mixed alpines.
Near the pond.
We enjoyed a lovely cup of tea before we left, and also the most scrumptious piece of Lemon Drizzle Cake, a garden visit wouldn’t be the same without refreshments!
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I hope we will remember to go back in the autumn to see the autumn tints, which must be fantastic as they have so many beautiful acers.
It’s not just that we have wonderfully coloured flowers everywhere in May, the foliage isn’t bad either! Everywhere is still looking so fresh and the leaves are every bit as good as the flowers in some cases. Quite a few weeds have crept into the photos, but my last post explains why there hasn’t been time to eradicate them!
Candelabra Primula
The foliage of the candelabra primulas in the bog garden, is almost like a lettuce! At this time of year they are so fresh and plumped up with all the rain we have had over the past couple of weeks.
Rogersia.
I love the early foliage of the Rogersia in the bog. It looks so metallic with a bronze/copper colour to the leaves when they first appear, they eventually go green unfortunately, I wish they would stay like this.
Astilbe and lemon balm.
Astilbe foliage a bit further along the border is contrasting nicely with the lemon balm behind it. The lemon balm has put itself there without any help from me – do I let it stay or do I weed it out, as it seeds everywhere round the garden?
Hosta Snowden.
All the hostas are now unfurling their beautiful leaves, this one is Hosta Snowden. It is surrounded by primulas but I can see a buttercup has sneaked into the photo! One day I will have everywhere weeded!
Hostas and ferns.
Astible, ferns and hostas go so well together. This is further along in the bog, the other side of the little path which cuts through the rhododendron bed to make weeding easier. The hosta in front is H. Halcyon and the fern is my favourite Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Hosta, heuchera and stipa.
Moving round to the bed round the alpine scree, there is Heuchera Marmalade, Hosta Devon Blue and what was Stipa arundinacea but is now I believe, Anemiathele lessioniana!
Horse Chestnut
In the woodland is the new growth on an old stump of Horse Chestnut, at the moment it looks very pretty, but if I want the stump to die, I will have to remove them all. A shame I know, but I really don’t need yet another Horse Chestnut tree!
Heuchera in the woodland.
Heuchera Key Lime Pie is looking very bright in the woodland with its new foliage, it is in front of what was Dicentra spectabilis but now I think Lamprocapnmos spectabilis.
Actinidia kolomikta
Climbing the wall of the house is Actinidia kolomikta and its leaves are now showing their different colours, with leaves like these you wouldn’t think the plant would need flowers, but it has tiny white ones which hang down under the leaves.
Actinidia kolomikta
The best view of it though, is from the balcony where you can see it from on top.
Acanthus mollis.
Acanthus mollis didn’t die down in the winter so the leaves are still looking beautiful. I have to keep an eye on this as it is taking over the area just by the pond, a firm hand will be needed.
Japanese painted fern and golden grass.
In the bog garden Athyrium niponicum Pictum is contrasting with a golden sedge.
Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Matteuccia struthiopteris is catching the morning light at the end of the bog garden.
Hosta, asilbe and Lysimachia.
A hosta given by a friend with Astilbes either side and one stem of Lysimachia punctata Fireworks. This stem and roots will be removed , the Lysimachia is a thug, it puts out runners and comes up 20 or 30 ft away!
Lysimachia punctata Firecracker
This is the original plant, contrasting with the Euonymus behind it, I just wish it were better behaved, it relishes my heavy clay soil! The ones in the background have been pulled out, but how long will it be before they pop up again!
Solomon’s seal,Hart’s tongue fern and Epimedium.
This little group always pleases me, but I think a bit of editing is needed. This is the path through the rhrododendron bed and in some places it is getting difficult to walk through to do the weeding.
Brunnera with Hemerocallis foliage
In the bed round the scree, Brunnera Jack Frost is sheltering under the arching leaves of Hemerocallis.
Heuchera and two different ferns
Just behind the scree, in the shade of Prunus Kojo-no-mai, is a Heuchera Vienna with the fern Athyrium nipponicum pictum either side, then at the front is Athyrium Frizelliae, the tatting fern. Yes, I can see the dandelion leaf too, it will be dealt with!
Cotinus
Catching the setting sunlight in the back garden is a Cotinus bush.
Cardoon
I’m so glad I managed to rescue my Cardoon which was being swamped by the hedge behind it, the leaves now make a real statement in this border by the field. The foliage is a bit messy by the time it flowers, I have read that by cutting off the flower spikes, the foliage should stay looking nice, but can I bring myself to cut the huge thistle heads off, I don’t know, I might just try it this year and see what happens!
Acer palmatum Shindeshojo
I couldn’t finish a foliage day without including my new Acer palmatum Shindeshojo. The spring colour is as it is now, it then turns green for the summer and then to red/orange for the autumn. I haven’t planted it yet but have just the space for it where it will fit nicely with the planting around it.
Bog garden.
I will finish with a view of the bog garden, there are just a few flowers so far, but there is also plenty of interest from the different foliage. Just as the woodland was the first part of the garden that I went to each day from Jan to April, this is where I will be heading first, for the next few months.
Thanks to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for encouraging us to value the foliage in our gardens and for hosting this meme each month. Please pay her a visit to see more interesting foliage around the world.
Or, we can go out whenever we like! For the last eight weeks the undergardener and I, have been going to the hospital in Exeter every day for radio therapy treatment for his prostate cancer. Last Friday was his last session, thank goodness, we now just have to wait 8 weeks to see the Oncologist to make sure that everything is ok once more. Hormone therapy will continue for another 3 yrs.
Looking through the rhododendron bed to the back garden.
Only the essentials in the garden and house have been done, so it will be good to get out into the garden once more and have a good session clearing the weeds. Blogging has had to take a back seat I’m afraid, I am way behind with reading your posts and leaving comments, but I have tried to write a few posts so that it wasn’t obvious that we weren’t at home.
Looking back the other way through to the circular lawn with the bog garden.
My children have been telling me for a while, that some people who have announced to the world through their blogs, Twitter or Facebook that they are away on holiday, are finding that if they have been burgled while away, their insurance companies are now refusing to pay out. Obviously we didn’t want this to happen to us, hence trying to keep the blog as near to the norm as possible, but I now have a lot of catching up to do. I don’t for one moment think that burglars are interested in my gardening blog, but you never can tell, better to be safe than sorry.
The view from the scree across the back lawn to the archway into the woodland.
It will be so good not to have to struggle every day (except weekends) to find a parking space at the hospital. Oncology patients are given a free parking permit so at least we didn’t have to pay (£2.50), but could hardly ever find a space in the oncology car park, sometimes having to go round and round in the main carpark before spotting a space.
View of back garden with Dicentra
The department itself is a wonderfully cheerful place with everyone laughing and joking about their various bits and pieces receiving treatment, you wouldn’t think any of them were seriously ill!
View across the circular lawn.
Some of you may remember that 4 weeks ago I wrote a post called “Playing Truant”, I’m sure you thought we were playing truant from the garden. We were actually playing truant from the hospital, the undergardener was given a rest day half way through his treatment, to go out and enjoy himself, which we certainly did. I think we ought to celebrate the end of his treatment sometime don’t you?!
May is the time when the garden goes into overdrive, everything seems to want to bloom at the same time, I just wish I could press a pause button and slow everything down a bit. Rhododendrons and Azaleas are now flowering with the wonderful perfume of the deciduous azaleas wafting around the garden.
Rhododendron Fantastica
This Rhodo is flowering in the woodland and we can see it from the house. This is a very reliable one, flowering every year with just the occasional bucket of water when we have a drought, yes we do sometimes have droughts !
Rhododendron luteum
Deciduous Rhododendron luteum is in the bed round the dead oak and has the most delightful perfume. This is still a fairly young bush, so is only small at the moment, but in 10 yrs time the perfume should be amazing!
Rhododendron Persil
Next to it in the dead oak bed is another deciduous azalea, R. Persil. This too has the same beautiful perfume as its neighbour and they both have wonderful autumn tints too, they both certainly earn their space.
Rhododendron bed
The rhododendron bed opposite the back door, has quite a few R. shrubs, but it was such a long time ago that I planted it, I have forgotten this ones name! In spite of that, it always puts on a good show at this time of year and is always the first one in this bed to flower, the others will follow soon.
Rhododendron Curlew
Going to the other extreme is evergreen R. Curlew. This one is tiny, at the moment only about 6 inches tall, it will eventually get to 1 foot tall! I think I should maybe move it to be with its friends across the lawn, at the moment it is in the bed which wraps round the alpine scree and gets forgotten where it is.
Evergreen Azalea
The evergreen azalea in the back garden draws the eye wherever you are. This one was here before we were, so no name I’m afraid.
Viburnum plicatum Maresii with R. Homebush
Also in the bed round the dead oak (I really must find a name for this bed!) is Viburnum plicatum Maresii which holds its flowers along horizontal branches and looks so pretty. In front, but not quite in flower yet is the pink of deciduous Azalea Homebush which, when open , has the most beautiful perfume.
Weigela Victoria ?
I have a feeling that this Weigela is called Victoria but can’t find it in my encyclopedia, can anyone help please? Anyway, it has purple leaves which form a nice background to the pink/purple flowers.
Choysia ternata
Choysia ternata is flowering away in the corner of the back garden. This shrubs always seems to have two seasons of flowers as it repeats towards the end of the summer. May is certainly the month for flowering shrubs!
The bog garden awakes!
The bog garden is now waking up ready to display all its candelabra primulas, astilbes, hostas, ferns and other bog plants.
Candelabra primula
Once all the candelabra primulas get into flowering mode, this area should be a rainbow of colour, so far there are just a few flowering.
Candelabra primulas
I planted all the primulas as a rainbow, with their colours in the right order. I think nature has been at work and mixed them up!
Camassias
These Camassias are in the front border by the drive, but I think they might be happier in the drier end of the bog garden, must make a note to move them.
Clematis montana
I photographed my Clematis montana too soon when I did my recent post about it. It now has far more flowers open and is looking like a pale pink waterfall cascading down the oak tree.
I think May is such a wonderful month as far as flowers go, climbers, shrubs, bulbs and perennials are flowering with more and more coming each day. Thanks must go to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for encouraging us to record our flowers on the 15th of each month. Do pay her a visit to see flowers from around the world.
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It was the under gardener’s birthday last week and we went to Cornwall for the day looking for steam trains. After having a ride behind one we made our way to the Plume of Feathers Inn where we had a wonderful lunch. We then just happened to be in the area and stopped at the Duchy of Cornwall’s Nursery! For those outside the UK, Prince Charles is the Duke of Cornwall and profits from the nursery go to his charities.
Rhododendron
There were some lovely plants for sale, lots of these rather expensive large rhododendrons,
Rhododendron
No, these were too heavy to jump into the boot of the car!
Duchy of Cornwall nursery
Some of these did though.
Alpine plants
Everywhere was very neat and tidy and the nursery has changed a lot since we last visited, with a new shop and restaurant to tempt you to part with more money!
My choice
These are the ones that came home with me, I really mustn’t leave them sitting in their pots, I must start planting!
Slow worm
When we got home I had a wander round the garden, as one does, and when coming back out of the woodland I thought I saw a twig on the grass, but it was moving!
Slow worm
It was about 18inches long and was a slow worm, Anguis fragilis. It is actually a legless lizard, not a snake or a worm and it is quite a few years since I have seen one in the garden. It differs from a snake in that it has eyelids and ear openings.
Slow worm
I think it was pretending to be dead while I photographed it, I had the camera with its macro lens for photographing flowers, so the camera was only 2 inches from it. Of course it had slipped away while I ran into the house to get the under gardener, he had to make do with the photos! Considering everything, we both had a lovely day out.
My pink Clematis montana is quietly scrambling up one of the ancient oaks at the side of the garden, at the back of the rhododendron bed. For years I thought it had died because the first year after planting I kept forgetting to water it and there was nothing to be seen.
Clematis montana
I had planted it on the side of the tree facing the house, thinking we would then be able to see it from the kitchen and dining room.
Clematis montana
It had other plans. Unknown to me, it was slowly climbing the other side of the oak which faces the morning sun!
Clematis montana
It came as quite a surprise when I suddenly found pink flowers half way up the oak tree.
Clematis montana
Now it is well over 2/3rds of the way up before it tumbles down again, making a wonderful waterfall of pink blossom.
Clematis stem
The stem which was so thin and delicate when it was planted, is now as thick as my wrist, I think it is a permanent fixture now. The oak must be well over 200 yrs old if not 300, going on the size of the trunk, and it needs something this huge and solid to hold all the weight of the clematis.
Clematis montana
I wonder if the clematis will eventually scramble up to the very top of the tree, it has certainly climbed much further than I had hoped when I planted it about 15 yrs ago. The will to live must be very strong in some plants, for my clematis to have succeeded in spite of my neglect!
May is the month for ebullient flowering, the garden will be overflowing with flowers that are definitely OTT! The Pips in question are the flamboyant Peonies, Iris and Poppies and they are joined by Rhododendrons and Azaleas, but they will be in a separate post. Some of these flowers don’t last very long, but that doesn’t matter, they add their gorgeousness to the garden when the spring bulbs are dying back and before the summer perennials start flowering and fill the gap beautifully.
Peony mlokosewitschii
Peony mlokosewitschii is the first of the herbaceous peonies to flower here.
Peony mlokosewitschii
The colour of the petals is such a beautiful pale yellow, they close up to try and protect the pollen from the rain that is falling.
Peony mlokosewitschii
But when the sun comes out, they open up waiting for any passing bee.
Peony mlokosewitschii
I think I need to give Molly the Witch some fertiliser, she had far more flowers last year.
Tree peony
The other peony that is looking beautiful at the moment is a red Tree Peony.
Tree peony
Just bought as a red one, so no name I’m afraid. The colour of the flower is picked up in the leaves.
Tree peony
The bees love to wallow in the pollen. In spite of being called a tree peony, it is only the height of the herbaceous peonies. It’s main stem doesn’t die down in the winter though, it stays all through the winter.
Dwarf bearded Iris
Iris reticulata are the first iris to flower here, usually in January, but now is the turn of the dwarf bearded Iris.
Dwarf bearded Iris
This one was left over at the end of a plant sale at church, so I took pity on it and brought it home.
Dwarf bearded Iris
I’m so glad that I did, it has the most beautiful perfume!
Dwarf bearded Iris
It seems very happy on the alpine scree, so I think I must buy some more for here as the drainage is the best in the garden.
Meconopsis cambrica
The only poppy I have flowering at the moment is the Welsh poppy, Meconopsis Cambrica. The Oriental poppies have lovely buds swelling but none are open at the moment, they won’t be long though. These flowers are in the front border by the drive, I sprinkled seed a couple of years ago and at last they have decided that they like it here.
Meconopsis Cambrica
The woodland seems to be the best place for these poppies, there isn’t any problem getting seed to germinate here.
Meconopsis Cambrica
They are also happy to be the understorey in the Rhododendron bed. I will be sprinkling more seed when it is ready. Some people consider the Welsh poppy to be a weed, but I can’t see that happening here, it is only growing where I have sprinkled the seed in previous years, it probably likes a lighter soil than I have. Soon we will have the gorgeous Oriental poppies flaunting all their blowsiness, they will certainly be in part 2!
