Thursday 12 November 2015

November colour!

It's November, mild I know, but next month is December, Christmas, shortest day and all that, so I never thought I would be doing a round up of what is flowering in my garden. And if I did I'd have expected it to be very brief, mainly focussing on colour provided by leaves, berries and seeds.

But no, not only have I got a fair selection of summer favourites still flowering but I also have some winter favourites flowering already! They are all very enthusiastic.

   

   

   

Summer purples are still going strong - clockwise from top left - Brachyscome, Convolvulus Sabatius (number 7 in my Feast of Flowers), Campanula, Osteospermum, Erysimum Bowles Mauve, Geranium Sanguineum.

   

More summer lovelies still going, Sunny Rudbeckia (Number 8 in my F of F) and an annual Chrysanthemum. To be honest the Chrysanthemum was distinctly underwhelming during its official flowering time, but now it has got itself together just in time to get frosted!!

   

The Autumn flowering Schizostylis Coccinea has done very well this year, it likes the damp and I've planted it in dryish areas so sometimes it is a bit scrawny and short lived, but this year it's gloriously fiery. Even one of my annual pot Geraniums is having a late flush! All the others are very much done and I'm cutting back and bringing them in for winter. This one is by the back door so we can make the most of it's flowers (and grab it should a sneaky frost appear!).


But then looking ahead - my first Wallflower is out!

   

The Winter Jasmine is appearing and the Mahonia is already dropping...


...and the Fatsia is flowering it's head off much to the insects joy!



And then of course the leaves are glorious - these Cherry leaves are always gorgeous - but I think that should be another post.



Saturday 7 November 2015

Feast of Flowers number 8

Rudbeckia, Cone Flower or Black Eye Susan.

Still going strong in November, this glorious, happy flower is one of my all time favourites. Mine are all yellow but they come in all shades of orange, red, pink and white; single, double and bi-colour. Even when the petals are gone the velvety brown centres remain with their speckles of gold.

They are robust and reliable perennials (in my experience), this one is called 'Goldsturm' and hurls itself around every where.


It cheers me up every time I pass on my way to the gate and brightens up the darkest autumn morning.

Tuesday 3 November 2015

Making work for myself!

Bulbs! 

It's that time again - every year I think that I don't need to put any more bulbs in and every year I end up leaving Fentongollan Bulb Farm with a bag full!

Most of my garden still needs clearing, weeding and pruning, some of it needs redesigning and rationalising, the 'to do' list is very, very long so quite why I've added planting bulbs to it I'm not sure. Except that I just can't resist them.

So what have I got this year? 


More Muscari Latifolium. Regular readers will remember I planted some of these last year and they were a success (unlike the Ixiolirion which didn't show at all)

    

The Tulips from last year were half successful, one pot did well, one didn't show, so I thought I would have another go with some mixed pots of Black Parrot and Angelique (which weren't from Fentongollan).


I am replanting some Alium Nectaroscordum, which I planted about 7 years ago and which still appear but in the very oddest places. This isn't because they have moved, it's because things have grown and spread and I have redesigned and adapted things without informing them! So now I would like some that look intentional - although precisely where is a conundrum.


I am trying some Chionodoxa Lucilliae Alba because my Anemone Blanda last year were very disappointing and I thought these might be an alternative...


...and I can never get past the Daffodils without buying some, this year a double, miniature variety called Pencrebar.

I always find Daffodils slightly baffling. They are supposed to naturalise well and grow and multiply over time but mine seem to dwindle year on year whatever the variety and wherever I plant them. But then I suppose it's just as well - if they did spread and multiply as they should I wouldn't be able to move for them I've planted so many.


For the veg garden I've got some more garlic. I haven't bought garlic bulbs for the last 3 years, I have just saved one of my own bulbs and planted that. Whilst that has worked ok, the bulbs I've harvested have got steadily smaller over the years, so I decided it might be time to start again.

So I will go out armed with some slow release bulb food and some sand (sand in the bottom of the planting hole avoids bulbs sitting in water and rotting), and spread some spring love around the garden. Although quite when that will happen I'm not sure (the planting not the spring - spring will almost definitely be in spring!).

So half term has come and gone and I can't help but notice that I have achieved the same amount as I achieved this time last year - there is a pattern emerging and it isn't good!