Author Archives: threadspider

may flowers

posy

The warm weekend over the holiday when we were in Hampshire finally unlocked the spring growth and although it is cool and  raining now, the growing season is definitely underway. We have been working in the garden and greenhouse preparing  growing spaces as well as growing the plants that will be put in them. And the weeds need catching now before they take over. It is staggering how quickly they grow from nothing to setting seed…much faster than the plants you want to grow!

Our flower garden is beginning to reveal its spring treasures. The rhododendrons are out now and the azaleas wont be long. There is a delightful little white rhododendron with yellow marks in the trumpets, pink in bud and opening to pure white. None of the rhododendrons are named so a visit to the nursery they were sourced from is on the agenda for the next month or so. Similarly, we will try to identify the magnificent cherry tree beside the front gates, although I think it is a Great White Cherry, Prunus Taihaku.

In the same border as the white rhododendron there is a clump of Euphorbia griffithii Fireglow. It is really striking and the bracts are every bit as colourful as a flower. I am thinking of pairing it with Stipa arundinacea, the Pheasants Tail Grass and may introduce a few geums to pick up the bronze/orange theme. The first geums are flowering- there are lemon ones and peachy pink ones so far, as anonymous as the rhodendrons, as well as Heuchera  “Bressingham hybrids”.

In a part of the herb garden there is Lily of the Valley in abundance, enough for posies for the house with the first Aquilegias. And close by I have planted the Tiarellas I bought at Exbury, where I can see them from the kitchen window. The Tiarellas are taking over from the winter flowering hellebores as a new love for the season. There were many different varieties for sale at Exbury, but I was very good and only bought two.

The most recent floral discoveries are a white dwarf bearded iris “Green star” and a lovely long spurred, small-flowered Aquilegia growing in the gravel garden. It is seedling gently around and seems to be coming true from seed.  Does anyone have any ideas about its identity or is it just a long spurred hybrid?

new-aquilegia new-aquilegia-interior

In other news, the chickens have settled into daily egg laying, dust bathing, slug eating and preening. Except for Maud, who hasn’t read the section in the manual about hybrid hens not getting broody. She very much enjoys sitting on everyone’s eggs each day, and fluffs herself up and hisses at me when I remove the eggs. She is, fortunately, far too well-mannered a lady to peck me and allows me to lift her out and put her in the run with the other two, whereupon she forgets about being broody until the following day, when we repeat the process. Of course, with no cockerel, she could sit until Forever and raise no chicks, but I am sure she would be a lovely mother.

Maud

Maud Speckledy

the silver lining

Exbury blue sky behind magnolias

We’ve been away from the Garden of Eden for a short time, visiting friends in The South. It was our first four night break since last May and was a welcome recharge, especially as visits to The Hillier Arboretum and Exbury Gardens were on the agenda, as well as three garden open under the National garden Scheme. I’ve visited the former many times, indeed I used to live within walking distance,  and still have a Myrtle I bought there in about 1989, but had never been to Exbury. It was such a treat, to visit in perfect weather and with the camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas just coming into their full glory. At Hilliers it was the glorious magnolias that were the stars of the garden. This crazy season has delayed the blooms until the frosts seem to be over, and the flowers were abundant and perfect. This is the silver lining after the severity of the winter and the wetness of last summer, a blessing for the patiently waiting.

Now we live on neutral soil and have several rhododendrons and azaleas just budding, I looked with renewed interest at the shapes  and forms of the flowers and shrubs, as well as the colours. I found myself drawn to the smaller forms of rhododendron, but have yet to find a magnolia I don’t like! I discovered a couple of magnolias I would cheerfully grow, although I may need to save hard for both and plant a shelter belt! I enjoyed seeing the massed azaleas in both gardens but on reflection, I prefer the smaller rhododendrons to the vivid azaleas.

The camellias were stunning. The beauty of the flower form is almost as if it were carved from wax and I understand how it would be easy to lose your heart to a collection of camellias. I am almost glad my garden is a little too exposed for them, as I have no idea which would be my favourites, there are so many beautiful forms. I would cheerfully grow any of these in my garden