Transporting you to California. For anyone who needs a little sunshine…
Known as California Glory, Fremontodendron Californicum, is looking stunning at the moment. It’s an evergreen shrub best grown against a warm south-facing wall. It flowers from May to September. Prune back side shoots to between two and four buds after flowering to control growth. I’ll probably never travel to California, but I can enjoy a little of its sunshine here. Plant one and just bask in its sunny glow.
What I’ve Seen:
This glorious sunset from the lane where I live. We can see these trees from our field gate.
VISITED some fabulous gardens at Smeeton Westerby near Market Harborough, open in aid of GEMS Charity. GEMS was founded in June 2012 by Sally and Andy Anderson after they had accompanied four close friends on weekly visits to the Osbourne Chemotherapy Suite at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Inspired by the hard work and dedication of the nurses, and the courage of their four friends, they set out to raise funds to make patients and supporters more comfortable during their treatment. The funds have been used to buy specialist treatment chairs and refurbishing the waiting room.
This is the view from one of the open gardens, Highfields. Green undulating countryside in the distance.
Chocolate box thatched cottage, overlooking the allotments in the village. Full of colourful plants including this wine-coloured hollyhock.
Mooched around the allotments. Got lots of ideas for companion planting.
Mum and I sat in this pretty summerhouse, enjoying the peaceful scene.
Sat on a bench encircled by water, under a shady tree. Heavenly.
Saw this beautiful late summer-flowering Clematis recta. A floppy, sprawling variety which looks good amongst perennials and wild flowers. Bees love it too.
Laughed at this cheerful sight. Even the scarecrows in Smeeton Westerby are posh. This one is wearing Le Chameau welly boots!
Back home to spot two fledgling tawny owls in the wild garden. Made our day to find them in the cherry trees around the horseshoe pond. Watched them until dusk as they bumbled from one branch to another, flexing unfamiliar wings.
More info on GEMS charity at www.gemscharity.com
Donate online at virginmoneygiving.com
Email: gemscharity@gmail.com. 0116 279 3814
Cut flowers from my garden today. Carnations, sweet peas, dahlias and alstroemerias. Have a listen at 2.08.20 on the timeline for the gardeners’ phone in programme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p056qg0d. Regular readers will know that I joined the BBC’s Down to Earth programme about a year ago. The programme has been running for 50 years. I’m not a natural speaker. Much happier listening to be honest. But I’ve been given this opportunity to encourage others to grow flowers, food, fruit. So I push myself out of my comfort zone. Today I did my second weekday gardeners’ phonin programme. Sadly there was only one caller – right at the end. So if I sound a bit nervous, that is the reason why. A whole hour to fill is rather a daunting prospect! Somehow, I survived. But I feel as if I’ve lost a stone in weight!
We are all captivated by projects such as the High Line in New York where former industrial spaces are transformed into havens for wildlife.
Martyn Wilson’s garden at Hampton Court this year is all about nature taking over. Rubble and decay is replaced by trees and self-seeded plants amongst the rusting monolithic steel structures.
“Inspiration came from places such as the High Line in New York and the Landschaft Park in Druisburg, Germany, and also the regeneration of the former MG Rover site in Longbridge, Birmingham. The High Line is an example of a successful project, turning a derelict brownfield site into a thriving contemporary space. The public is invited into what was a forbidden and dangerous space.
“For the Hampton Court garden, sculpted steel and concrete blocks form the structure. I wanted to soften the urban features by introducing grasses, ferns, perennials, self-seeded annuals and shrubs such as buddleja.”
In amongst the silver birches – multi-stemmed Betula pendula are Buddleja davidii Wisteria Lane and white-stemmed Rubus cockburnianus. The perennial plant list features golden Achillea Walther Funcke, Terracota and softer yellow moonshine.
Herbs thyme, fennel and origanum mix in with verbena bonariensis, scabious, leucanthmums and umbellifers. Grasses such as the quaking grass Briza media mingle with Deschampsia cespitosa and flexuosa and Festuca amethystina.
Annuals featured in the garden are Dauca carota Dara, Californian poppies, eschscholzia Sun Shades and Red Chief, poppy Peshawar White and albiflora, and poppy rhoeas.
Wild flower orange Hawkweed, Pilosella aurantiaca- also known as fox and cubs- stands out against the crushed concrete scree and monolithic steel structures which were designed by Ledbury-based sculptor Simon Probyn.
Martyn Wilson’s garden shows a new approach to weaving our industrial heritage into new landscapes for the benefit of wildlife and people. He wants us to see the beauty in these spaces- not just walk on by without a second thought.
For me, I understood his “beauty in decay and regeneration,” theme. With some show gardens, the ideas behind them can be puzzling to say the least. But this one was obvious. A new approach which celebrates the relics of our past, to create flower-filled spaces for wildlife, insects and people.
The garden, which was awarded a gold medal, was sponsored by St Modwen Properties PLC and raises awareness for UCARE urology cancer charity www.ucare-oxford.org.uk.
Simon Probyn http://www.simonprobyn.co.uk sculptures
The Pot Company http://www.thepotcompany.com
Easymix http://www.easymixconcrete.com
Smiths of Bletchington http://www.smithsbletchington.co.uk
Louis Masai- London-based artist outdoor murals for the hoardings http://www.louismasai.com
hortus Loci plants http://www.hortusloci.co.uk
Cotswold gardening School http://www.cotswoldgardeningschool.co.uk
Keyscapes Ltd http://www.keyscapes-easigrass.co.uk
If you visited Hampton Court this year, or watched the television coverage, which gardens caught your eye? Have any of you visited the High Line garden? It’s on my must-visit list. Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to comment.
I wish you could smell these Malmaison carnations. They are old fashioned glorious!
More like a rose than a carnation, these historic flowers were displayed by Jim Marshall at RHS Hampton Court this week. They rightly won Gold and Best in Show in the plant heritage section of the floral marquee.
They remind me of buttonholes, Floris soap, and country house glasshouses. Such a romantic clove-like scent, and a story of rescue and revival. The Malmaison carnation originated in France as a chance seedling. It was named Souvenir de la Malmaison after the rose grown in the Empress Josephine’s garden and quickly became fashionable. Nurserymen started to breed new forms in a sumptuous range of colours. Favourites of English country houses until the Second World War, they gradually died out due to disease and labour intensive requirements. Malmaison carnations are prone to damping off disease and red spider and need constant renewal by cuttings and layering.
Grower Jim Marshall has made it his life’s work to save the carnation and now uses micro-propagation to improve vigour and disease resistance. Plant supplies for sale are still in relatively short supply and favourite colours soon sell out. They are a bit of a challenge, but well worth the effort for the beautiful colours and unforgettable scent.
For more information contact Plant Heritage, jim@malmaisons.plus.com. 01473822400 Hullwood Barn, Bolton Lane,Shelley, Ipswich IP75RE.
You can’t fail to be drawn in to Tom Massey’s vibrant garden at RHS Hampton Court. The colourful planting is like a magnet, and who can resist a spiral path which leads to an oasis of calm.
Tom’s Sanctuary Garden – for the charity Perennial- is all about the emotional journey a person makes from crisis to safety. Perennial is the only charity dedicated to supporting everyone in the horticulture industry- and is therefore a cause close to my heart. I have made a living from horticulture for the last 25 years in one way or another. So a charity which helps the people I work with, is something I’m going to shout about.
Tom’s garden is a colour wheel, 18 metres in diameter. The changing palette poignantly symbolises the journey people face with difficulties such as illness, injury, poverty and debt. At its outer edge, the plants are hot colours, representing the chaos of being at crisis point. Following the winding gravel path, plants fade to calmer colours of blue and green. It’s a representation of what happens when Perennial steps in to offer a helping hand- guiding people from tough times to safety.
Hemerocallis Crimson Pirate, Helenium Moerheim Beauty, Crocosmia Lucifer and Dahlia Mystic Enchantment feature in the hot colour scheme.
As you walk though the garden, the planting becomes taller and more immersive with the colour scheme moving to stimulating yellows and oranges, representing hope.
Achillea millefolium Terracotta, Helenium Mardi Gras and Geum Totally Tangerine are woven with grasses Molinia caerulea Poul Peterson and stipa to form the orange swathe. The yellow planting band includes Kniphofia Lemon Popsicle and varieties of helianthus and helenium.
I don’t think anyone could miss the message of hope in the sunflowers. They sing out amongst the grasses.
Moving through the spiral of colours, you come to restful purples and blues. It has a calming influence after the whirlpool of emotions you feel as you walk though this garden. I found it hard not to cry.
Purple plants are Veronicastrum virginicum Fascination (above) Nepeta Six Hills Giant and Verbena bonariensis. Blue shades feature Agapanthus Navy Blue (below) Agastache Black Adder and Blue Fortune, and Centurea cyanus Blue Boy.
Grasses in the blue section are Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster.
And finally as you follow the spiral path you reach the sanctuary of a green oasis. The sounds of the outside garden fade and it feels like a place of safety.
Tom’s design highlights the difference Perennial makes to thousands of horticulturalists each year. It’s humbling to read the case studies. Heartbreaking accidents leaving families in dire circumstances. Perennial – a charity many people may not have heard of before- helps with financial arrangements, navigating the benefits system and being there as emotion support. A lifeline for anyone in need.
Find out more about Perennial here . Click on the highlighted words or on http://www.perennial.org.uk
Buy Products to support the charity at shop.perennial.org.uk
Get involved. Raise money at www.hortaid.org.uk
More about Tom Massey here. http://www.tommassey.co.uk
The garden was built by www.landformconsultants.co.uk
Plants supplied by www.hortusloci.co.uk
Stone bench www.londonstone.co.uk
Additional suppliers : Linden Turf, water feature The Pot Company, self binding gravel and steel edging AllGreen Group
More about RHS Hampton Court
I’m cheating this week- as I’m on a train to London to visit the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. So I haven’t even got a jam jar with me. But, as always, I’ve picked a bunch of flowers from home to keep me company on my journey. There’s a comfort in a reminder from home.
The scent of my sweetpeas is an antidote to diesel fumes and the ever -louder tannoy announcements. I enjoyed wandering around the veg plot at dawn picking these flowers.
This year I’m growing a variety of new and heritage varieties. My favourites are High Scent, Albutt Blue and Mrs Collier white. I love the small flowered heirloom type. They seem to have the strongest scent. Here’s a slideshow from my garden this morning.
I wish you could smell the sweet peas. It’s the scent of summer. As always i’m grateful to Cathy from Rambling in the Garden for hosting this meme. Go and have a look at what Cathy’s growing and showcasing in a Vase this week.
Meanwhile…. I’ve made it to Hampton Court. What a trek! ….here’s a taster of the gardens …..
Wild geraniums billow in the long grass on the lane outside my house. Back lit, they look like mini- stained glass windows. This pretty white seedling turned up on its own- probably a hybrid with one of my garden plants. I am thanking the bees for this little beauty.
The common name, cranesbill, comes from the shape of the seedhead which resembles the long tapering beak of a bird. Meadow cranesbill, or Geranium pratense, comes in a range of colours from white to deep blue. I love the violet-blue veins and the dark plum anthers. The flowers glisten in the sun as if they’ve been coated in sugar.
A favourite of mine is this pale violet flower with delicate silver veins. I ought to be getting on with my work, but I spend more time than I should just gazing at these beauties, comparing their hues and pondering on the wonders of nature.
And luckily for me, these gorgeous plants have drifted in through the front gate and settled in the garden- all along the path to my front door. It’s a wonderful welcome home- and I haven’t done a thing to create it. It’s happened all on its own. Isn’t nature grand.
I’ve found a beautiful violet form called Beth Chatto on the RHS website. Click on the highlighted word to find out more. Geraniums can be grown from seed. Flowers appear from June to September and plants grow to about 70cm in sun or slight shade. Perfect for grass meadows- or you can plant in drifts in amongst shrubs and perennials. Highlighted in the RHS Perfect for Pollinators list. Bees and butterflies will certainly thank you for planting geraniums.
Having tried and failed to upload this from home, I’ve finally given up on our dodgy internet connection and decamped to Mum’s house. We haven’t got fibre optic cables to our village yet. And we live a mile down a single track lane. So there’s really no hope for us. The only up-side to this story is that mum made a cake. And regular readers know how much I love cake! As I’ve said before, I grow and pick flowers for my MIL Joan as a way of keeping her connected with me and my garden- showing her what’s in flower 52 weeks of the year. But this time I also picked a bouquet for a friend who is having an operation today. Hopefully the sweet williams, alstroemeria and first sweet peas of the season will brighten her day. Flowers do have the power to calm and reassure.
Pink alstroemeria -from Viv Marsh Postal Plants, flowers virtually all year round in my unheated poly tunnel. I grow them in 60cm pots, as the roots have a reputation for spreading. Growing them under cover protects them from the weather and also from snail and slug damage. Flowers last for about three weeks in a vase. Easy to grow, repeat flowering, and long lasting. They are no trouble at all. Please excuse the state of my poly tunnel, which needs a good clean. I’ve bought some special detergent from LBS Horticulture, which apparently just needs spraying on. Will report back when I’ve tried it. The one problem with poly tunnels is the algae. It’s not like having glass which can easily be washed down. And it builds up on the inside and outside surfaces. Still, it was cheap to put up and gives me a dry working area in the winter.
I planted these sweet williams last summer. They arrived in a parcel as a twitter plant swop. I love free plants, and always have loads of my own to spare. I’m quite often posting margarine containers full of little seedlings all around the country. You can see my rather rickety hazel A-frame structure for sweet peas in the background. I just hope it doesn’t blow over in a storm.
I love the jewel-like colours of these sweet williams. They last for ages in a vase and produce large quantities of flower in a small space. I’ve just sown some more to plant out in the autumn. The seeds germinated in two days in all the hot weather we’ve been having, and there are hundreds of little seedlings to prick out.
My sweet peas have just started flowering. I had a disaster with the autumn-sown seed. A mouse got in the propagator and snaffled the lot in one night. There was just a sea of snapped off stems. Not to be deterred, I planted the stems as if they were cuttings, and amazingly they carried on growing. Another tip if you are growing sweet peas is to use the pinched-out tips as cuttings. They will produce plants that will flower right up until November. I discovered this by accident when I left the pinched-out tips on a tray of moist compost and they rooted down and planted themselves. Aren’t plants just amazing.
I’m growing High Scent, a good reliable sweet pea variety- and it really does have a wonderful old fashioned scent. It was raised by Keith Hammett and introduced in 2003. It has a creamy ruffled flower with a delicate lilac edge. I’m also growing Albutt Blue, a very pretty pale blue flower with a deeper blue picotee rim. It was raised by Harvey Albutt and introduced by Eagle Seeds in 1999. It’s been a favourite of mine ever since. I buy seed from Easton Walled Gardens, Roger Parsons and Eagles. If you don’t have facilities to grow your own, you can buy mail order plants in the spring from Easton. Also, Mum and I spotted some really great sweet pea plants at Coton Manor garden nursery in Northampton in May, for just a few pounds each. It’s good to have a back up plan.
I always put lemon balm and mint in my cut flower bouquets. It goes so well with the sweet peas and roses. And for my friend, who’s spending the day in hospital, it will be a lovely scent to come home to.
My potting shed, where I’m sowing seeds and making cut flower posies, overlooks a horseshoe pond and tall willows. On the other side of the trees is this view of surrounding countryside. I’ve cut holes in the hedge to make viewing points through. And all my hedgerows are woven with scented roses and honeysuckle. It’s a peaceful place….just don’t look at the weeds!
Are you growing any cut flowers for friends and family this year? I’d love to hear what’s growing in your garden. And thanks, as always, to Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting In a Vase on Monday. You can join in even if you have jamjars like me. And if anyone knows any miracle cures for low internet speeds in the countryside…..please, please let me know! Sigh 🙂 x
Sunset view from the garden. Phew 30 degrees here for the last few days. Predicted temperature is 31 today. Grace cat flattens herself to the cool stone path. Hedgehogs drinking from saucers of water. Bats feasting on insects over the pond. Baby frogs swarming in the long grass of the orchard. It’s too hot for me. 
It’s always a treat to get a behind-the-scenes tour. This week I was lucky enough to be invited to the preview of Gardeners’ World Live. So I found myself wandering around the show gardens, instead of pressed up against the boundary ropes and fences surrounding them. Here’s a few highlights from my special day out.
My favourite garden was a wildflower haven with climbing roses galore. Claudia de Yong won gold and best show garden for her Romance in the Ruins
Castles,with their history and romance, inspired the design. I loved the ruins with trickling waterfall, wild roses, foxgloves and ferns. The pink spires at the base of the waterfall are purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria.
A rustic pergola was swathed in Albertine and Mortimer Sackler roses. Walking through the garden, the scent was so delicious on a hot sunny day. Salvia Love and Wishes is the focal point plant in the old stone urn in the centre. CED Stone supplied the Golden Amber pathway material- a self-compacting gravel. It makes a beautiful and affordable surface for cut flower gardens and veg plots.
One stand-out feature for me was the white Desdemona rose. Bred by David Austin, it is exquisitely beautiful with peachy pink buds opening to pure white blooms. It has a strong perfume and flowers until November. Grows to about 4ft and is disease resistant, plus the flowers cope with rain. The designer has used it as a low hedge underplanted with Nepeta Six Hills Giant.
I spotted vetches, yellow rattle, clover and crested dog’s tail grass in the wild flower turf. The focal point tree is Malus Rubra- brilliant for spring blossom, autumn crab apples, and attractive plum-coloured leaves all summer. The multi-stem tree used in the garden looks like a river birch, with peeling bark blending in with the colour of the ruins alongside.
Winning my prize for the garden I’d most want to roll up and take home – and providing the garden bench I would most like to recline on, a show garden with many elements worth “borrowing.” A triumph of great design and plant knowledge.
Designer: Claudia de Yong Designs,
Contractors: Twigs Landscapes Design, Big Fish Landscapes
Sponsor: Wyevale Garden Centres
Supporters: Parkers Building Supplies,CED Stone, Home and Garden Ironworks, Woody Fox Willow, Hilliers, Rolawn.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my behind-the-scenes tour. If you are going to Gardeners’ World Live, let me know which gardens you love this year, and which is your favourite feature. There’s plenty to see…. and I haven’t even mentioned the floral marquee. That’s a wonderful place worthy of a blog post all on its own. More to follow!
Peony Gay Paree. From Kath’s Garden Plants display at the GWL show. Sumptuous colour.
Of course, I ordered one from http://www.cathsgardenplants.co.uk. And brought home…. Peony Immaculee. Pure white double – and so scented. Dreamy. Photo tomorrow. No internet tonight. Who else is growing peonies?
This is what greets you as you enter the show grounds via the Palladian Bridge. Jonathan Moseley’s floral extravaganza is a foretaste of what’s to come. Rising from the River Derwent is the base of a willow snake, inspired by the Cavendish crest. It is covered in waxy-textured flowers and succulents to evoke the serpent’s scales. As soon as I saw it, I hoped the show would be as spectacular. And it is. I travelled a long way today to visit the show, and I’ve come home smiling-all the way down the M1.
The RHS has managed to capture the essence of summer. A real festival feel. The new Chatsworth Flower Show showcases everything that’s fabulous about horticulture.
Take a virtual peep over the garden fence and see what real gardeners are getting up to right now. Have a look at Michelle’s blog for more blog posts around the country.
Mum and I spent the weekend planting the cut flower garden and messing about with roses. Is there anything more glorious than a basket of scented roses at dusk.
My favourite rose is Madam Isaac Pereire, the deep pink rose on the right. Such a wonderful old-fashioned scent, and flowers on and off all summer. I’ve got it growing over a pergola walk from the back of the house right round to the front drive.
You can just see my wedding cake tree in the background, Cornus controversa variegata. It’s smothered in white flowers at the moment. A shrub that’s interesting all year round. Also spreading along the pergola is pale pink Constance Spry. A fleeting beauty- it only flowers once.
Regular readers will know that I take cut flowers to my MIL Joan who can’t visit my garden as often as she would like. If she can’t come to me, I take my garden to her. Flower arranging is something we both love. Joan was on the flower rota at Cosby Chapel for 65 years. So I never arrange the flowers I take to her. They are tied loosely with string. And she can spend an enjoyable time creating little posies and filling vases for every windowsill in the house. My cut flower patch this year contains sweetpeas, butterfly gladioli, cosmos,rudbeckia,sweet williams, love-in-a-mist, sunflowers, and pot marigolds.
I grow roses on the veg plot for cut flowers. Rhapsody in Blue is a beauty, and repeat flowers too.
The veg plot runs alongside the boundary hedge, 15 feet high and dripping with arcs of wild roses. I use them in my flower bouquets, and the hips are useful for Christmas decorations.
Here’s a peek into my potting shed tonight. I’ve used the pink roses to make a flower wreath for the summerhouse. Ivy and elderflowers fill in the gaps.
The scent drifts in on the breeze.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a tour of my garden, as it is right now -on Sunday 4th June. Are there any roses you particularly love? Do you grow cut flowers for friends and family, like I do. Do get in touch and let me know.
For more information on this Chelsea Fringe event click on the highlighted words. It’s my first time joining in and it was fun to be part of the gardening community sharing photos of our gardens and what we are growing right now. You can also find more on instagram and twitter, searching for the hashtag #mygardenrightnow . I am @kgimson on twitter and karengimson1 on instagram. Not very exciting tag names, I know, but do come and say hello if you can.
In a quiet corner of a farm garden where I work, there’s a beautiful old cider press. I’ve planted it with scented white nemesia, white waterfall lobelia and perennial Salvia Nemorosa Caradonna. All thrive in the semi- shade cast by the cathedral of beech trees in the background. It’s a heavenly spot. And while I’m working, there’s gentle longhorn cattle looking over the granite stone walls nearby. Their newborn calves are quite a distraction. Tea breaks are spent with elbows resting on the walls. We laugh at the calves capering like lambs. They race about, enjoying their fleeting chance to be light as air. I could stand there all day. But work in the walled garden calls. Spring is a busy, but wonderful time to be working on a farm.
A rare glimpse of my working life. I usually keep quiet about work, but this is one of my favourite gardens. I just had to share this tranquil scene. You’ll just have to imagine the cuckoo calling. A sound that accompanied us all afternoon and into the early evening when this photo was taken. Click on the highlighted words for more information.
After all the excitement of the Chelsea Flower Show, I came home in need of some peace and calm. Nearly a quarter of my garden is smothered in cow parsley, and forget me nots pop up everywhere. So this week’s Monday Vase is a simple one -just frothy white and blue.
I re-used my willow heart and mossy “nest” vase, which I wrote about Here.
Look carefully and you’ll see little green hearts in amongst the forget me nots. I wish I knew the name of this pretty weed. It grows wild in my orchard. I treated myself to this lovely cream Vase from the Waitrose Easter collection. It’s in constant use!
Also there’s a basket of white viburnum. This one is Viburnum Plicatum Mariesii which overhangs the horseshoe pond.
From a distance, the viburnum looks like a tiered wedding cake. A delight for weeks on end during May.
Thank you to Cathy from Rambling in the Garden for hosting this meme.
I’ll leave you with a picture of my summerhouse. And I wish you all a happy and peaceful bank holiday Monday.
Calendula – a balm to soothe and comfort the heart. Sending love and a hug to anyone who is in need of it today.
Haven’t the spring bulbs been gorgeous this year. They seem to have loved the cold April temperatures. March was mild and brought them into flower early. Then the cold weather and lack of rain made them last for weeks.
This is Leucocoryne ixiodes purpurea -or purple glory-of-the-sun. originating from Chile, these are bulbous perennials with grassy foliage and umbels of star-like purple, white or blue flowers in spring. The flowers are 2.5cm across and scented. Plant 10cm deep in very well drained soil, or in containers with lots of sharp sand.
And the tulips have had the longest flowering time I can ever remember.
Have the bulbs done well in your garden this year?
THE GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Andrea Jones (Timber Press £17.99)
The postman arrived to find me wobbling at the top of a step ladder, peering through a piece of black cardboard with a square cut out of the middle. “I’m composing photos of my garden,” I heard myself saying. Oh dear. How mad does that sound! I rather sheepishly climbed down and made him a cup of tea while he chuckled away.
Over tea and biscuits in the potting shed, I explained that my new photography workbook recommended using a piece of card to practise framing a view. It works close up, as well as for landscape views. I just had to learn how to squint through the cut out square- while up a ladder, and while keeping my balance. The postman declared it could all end in tears.
Anyway, as he continued his round, laughing as usual, I went back to my new book. Andrea Jones has produced a fabulous masterclass giving hints and tips on the best ways of capturing the garden.
Some of the ideas were a complete revelation. I had never heard of making a viewfinder to try out different angles. And I had never thought of looking down on my garden- or looking up. Most of my photos are straight shots, taken from a standing position. So I tried it out on these tiny species rockery tulips. Looking down:
Looking up. A worm’s-eye view.
I haven’t quite got the best shot. They are so tiny, I needed to move some of the stems out of the way. But it’s still an interesting view. I shall work on the idea.
And here’s another photo I took from a standing position. A glorious garden at Burghley House near Stamford, open for the NGS scheme.
And the worm’s-eye view, crouching down amongst the flowers:
Over the past 25 years, Andrea has built an international reputation for her photography of landscapes, gardens and plants. Among the many awards, she was voted Photographer of the Year by her peers at the Garden Media Guild. Her website for more information is andreajones.co.uk
Andrea suggests making a plan of action- rather than just casually wandering around the garden taking random shots (like I do now). Some of the best ideas I gathered from the book include:
Use a compass – a smart phone has a compass app- to get an idea of the light direction and potential shadows.
The best light for taking photos is the “golden hour” the first hour after the sun rises and the last hour of light before the sun sets. Use an online sunrise and sunset app to estimate the time.
Tripods make a world of difference for taking good photos. But if, like me, you are using a camera phone, a small piece of tack or Plasticine can be used to position a phone temporarily on a secure surface to avoid camera shake. I tried this on top of the garden gate.
If taking shots in bright, contrasty light, use your body to create a shadow and reduce the amount of light reaching the plant or subject of the photo.
Other headings in the book include: Photography in all Seasons, Photographing Pets and Wildlife, Working with Weather, Light, Macro, Micro, and Close-up, Essential Kit, and Catching the Moment.
I am working my way through the rest of the book. There are 10 inspiring gardens featured with step-by-step lessons on observation, storytelling, composing, and editing. Andrea’s book helps you take your photography to another level, whether you are using a smart phone like me, or have the latest DSLR. It’s a master course on capturing the magic of gardens.
Unfurling. My Black Parrot Tulip. A favourite this spring. Except, my foot is also in the photo. Sigh. I still have some work to do then.
Thank you to Timber Press for supplying The Garden Photography Workshop- in exchange for an honest review. I will leave you with my cat Grace who shares my home- and garden- and who sits very patiently while I practise my new photography skills.
Do you enjoy taking photographs of your garden?
Glistening in the sunshine, Euphorbia Mellifera stopped me in my tracks today. Such a strong honey scent. You feel you could almost spread it on toast! No wonder it is commonly called honey spurge.
Grows in: sun/part shade up to 2m hight/spread
Flowers: March to May
Soil: well drained
Hardiness: Needs winter protection. I throw fleece over the plant in January.
Best for: making a dramatic statement. An architectural or structure plant. Stands out in the border. Evergreen leaves with red edge and white central stripe.
Obtained from: crocus mail order
Warnings: not edible, despite the scent. Wear gloves as the milky sap is a potential irritant.
What’s looking good in your garden today?
Cold weather has held back the bluebells this year. They are still looking glorious. Last chance to visit Coton Manor tomorrow. Here’s some photos from our visit today. As usual, we started with a picnic. Spreading our rugs under the branches of some apple trees, we tucked into home-made bread and warming soup, followed by an array of cakes and shortbread. A great start to our garden visit.
Our little haven can be found at the far end of the car park. Funnily enough, we’d never noticed the orchard before. But full of blossom today, we could hardly miss it. Next we set out to visit the bluebells.
As you can see, the bluebells are at their peak of perfection. It’s a sight I’ll hold in my memory until next spring. That blue, with the unfurling lime green leaves, and the honey scent. Just glorious!
We found the dogs’ graves. What a peaceful resting place.
The gardens always provide breathtaking planting, deserving of a separate post. But for now, here’s a taster of what we found. Luckily the wisteria escaped any damage from the recent hard frosts.
I love this view from the terrace steps.
I wrote about visits to bluebell woods here mentioning Coton Manor and Hodsock Priory . For more information click on the highlighted words. Also look at the Woodland Trust website for bluebell woods all over the country. Be quick to visit. They are at their best right now.
First picnic of the season. We visited Hodsock Priory for the bluebells.
No picnic is complete without jam jar flowers- and chocolate cake.
And this is the glorious view.
I wrote about Hodsock snowdrops here. Also a must-visit for bluebells. Last chance to see them this coming weekend 6th and 7th May, 10-3pm. I’ve shared more photos over on twitter @kgimson.
Do you have any favourite bluebell woods you like to visit? Are you a fan of picnics?
Quick peek in my Potting shed. These flowers have been such a joy. The scent is perhaps too strong for the house, but perfect for the potting shed. Drowns out the aroma of compost and tractor fuel. I shall be planting Paperwhites again in October for Christmas presents, and January/ February for spring cheer.
Finola. So graceful. Haven’t the tulips been wonderful this year. Such a joy at the end of a long, cold dark winter.
I love the creamy buds and green feathering on this double late, or peony-flowered tulip. We are all growing this variety in place of Angelique. Finola seems to be a stronger tulip. Grows to 50cm high and flowers in April and May. I’ve planted mine in a sea of blue forget-me-nots. Brunnera would be a good alternative if you are worried about the forget-me-nots seeding about. Good quality tulips and bulbs of all kinds are available from Bloms Bulbs and Peter Nyssen.
What tulips are you enjoying the most at the moment?
THE DECKCHAIR GARDENER.
Anne Wareham (Michael O’Mara Books Ltd, £8.99)
In my little potting shed there is a kettle, toaster, radio- and a small bookcase. Between potting and sowing, I dip into the latest books, all with a gardening theme.
So, picture the scene, I’m sitting here, listening to a storm outside. The overhanging beech tree branches are beating a tune on the roof, and a there’s a howling wind which sounds like the sea. It would be easy to imagine the potting shed perched on a cliff edge. Cold, driving sleet is thrashing the daffodils. There’s nothing more dispiriting than seeing spring flowers blown horizontal.
I’m feeling unusually glum, when our cheery postman (wearing shorts, of course) appears at the potting shed door. He’s in search of a hot cup of tea, and while he dips into the potting shed biscuit tin, I open the day’s post. And what I find is instant sunshine! Anne Wareham’s book gets us laughing from the very first page. The postman declares the Deckchair Gardener is the first gardening book ever written especially for him! I can still hear him laughing as he goes on his way. I, meanwhile, am happily ensconced with my new book for the rest of the day.
Subtitled, An Improper Gardening Manual, Anne’s book sets out to suggest 101 “cunning stratagems” for gardening avoidance, and sensible advice on your realistic chances of getting away with it. I love gardening, but I’m always after short cuts and tips, and Anne has many good ideas for basically giving yourself the day off to enjoy the garden you’ve created.
I loathe books that set out “five jobs to do today.” My heart sinks, as I’m set to fail and get behind. And there’s nothing worse than feeling the garden is getting away from you. But Anne delightfully lists “What Not to Do in Your Garden,” for spring, summer, autumn and winter. I could quite honestly kiss her.
One thing I won’t have to do now is dig the garden. Anne quotes advice from organic vegetable expert Charles Dowding on making compost, no-dig gardens and mulching. In fact mulching seems to feature quite regularly through the book as the answer to most problems. Also, I won’t sow lettuce seed every few weeks to keep the harvest coming. I’ll just pick off the outside leaves. The lettuce will apparently just keep growing through the summer. The secret is to pick, not cut the leaves, it seems.
It’s hard not to laugh at some of Anne’s mad ideas, but her book makes you think. Have I just been doing things the same way for years and years, when there’s a better tactic? I know I am guilty of doing daft things like growing vegetables I don’t particular like just because they are supposed to be in a veg garden in the summer.
I am still chuckling over her tips and witty observations. And I love the gnome pictures drawn by Kate Charlesworth. So I shall be taking Anne’s advice to “accept the challenge and be brave.”
Anne describes herself as a garden maker – at Veddw, an editor of thinkingardens.co.uk and on twitter, @AnneWareham, as “trouble.” The Deckchair Gardener is available from Michael O’Mara Books @OMaraBooks, and also as an e-book. It would make a perfect Easter present for anyone looking to put the word “fun” back into gardening.
Tiny flowers on trees grown mainly for their leaves. Such a spring surprise, and a treat. This one is Crimson King, Acer Platanoides. Also known as the Norwegian maple. Photo taken at Burghley House near Stamford.
What surprises have you found this spring? Have you noticed any tiny flowers on trees? I love to hear your comments.
Everything in my garden has suddenly gone whoosh! I’m running round the plot at breakfast, lunch and tea break – finding flowers that I’m certain were not there earlier in the day. Plants just seem to pop up overnight.
My favourite tulip, Burgundy, was only in bud for a day or two. Then by lunchtime, the flower was wide open. When the wind blows, they look like ribbons of silk scarves, dancing in the breeze. Lily-flower tulips have a certain elegance and movement. Much better than their stiff, cottage cousins, I think.
Hellebores make perfect ground cover in fading shades of purple and pink. As a contrast there’s tiny forget-me-nots in the borders, and the lawn is edged with a frill of scented wild violets. Blue and cerise pink make very happy companions.
Looking up, banks of cherries make a white cloud over the wild garden. There will be lots of fruit for the blackbirds- and us.
Hasn’t it been a fabulous year for blossom. Cold temperatures in January, followed by sunny, mild days in March, mean we’ve had the best year for cherries and magnolias for a long time. My planting is the wild cherry Prunus Avium. Simply beautiful- all year round.
If we don’t have any frost, there will be a record plum harvest. There’s enough to pick for the house too. Blossom on the breakfast table and by my bedside. One of the joys of spring.
Pieris Flaming Silver is planted in an enormous pot. It wouldn’t like my heavy clay soil, so I cheat with containers and ericaceous compost. It’s beautiful all year round with white heather, bell-like flowers and red new growth.
My favourite narcissi is white Pheasant’s Eye. Reliably comes back every year, and naturalises in borders and under trees.
White, highly-scented Narcissi Geranium is another glorious treat. My children used to call it the poached egg flower.
Brightening up a dark corner- Devon Red. The petals look sugar-coated in sunshine. A hardy flower which copes with hail and high winds in my garden.
Narcissus Ice Follies, viewed from the summerhouse, replace the snowdrops and wild anemones. Cowparsley will soon compete with native bluebells. It’s an ever changing scene.
I love these cheerful jonquils on the potting shed windowsill. A perfect match for forget-me-nots, and just the right size for jam jar flowers. Trees by the pond show a reflection in the window. And the last of the paperwhites, hyacinths and cyclemen are pressing at the glass.
And I’ve got company again! Opposite the garden gate are these beauties, let out onto grass for the first time this year. They look on incredulous as I dig and weed.
What sights do you love to see in your garden in April? Do get in touch and let me know. Thanks to Helen for hosting this end of the month view. Click on the highlighted words for more information. They are not advertising or affiliate links.
Pulsatilla vulgaris Rose Bells joining the spring parade. Also known as Pasque flower. Love the hairy buds and leaves. So much Pollen. Camera phone photo.
Magnolia Stellata Water Lily. Star flower.
Such a joy at all stages. I look forward to these flowers every spring. More information on this magnolia from the RHS website. Click on the highlighted word.
It’s always to treat to discover a garden you haven’t visited before- especially when they open for only one day a year. Gunthorpe Hall proved to be the perfect place to take Mum for our special Mothering Sunday outing.
We stood and admired these iron gates and views over the Rutland farmland. One thing we wished we had was a guide for all the rare breed sheep. Mum and I thought we recognised a few, but there were many we’d never seen before. The lambs were a springy delight.
The park surrounding the formal garden is awash with daffodils, and every kind of spring bulb you can think of.
Daffodils have naturalised in the grass around the magnolia, cherry and lime trees. Backed by a south facing wall, there’s a new kitchen garden with raised beds and a new Hartley Botanic greenhouse.
We all love to mooch in greenhouses, looking to see what other people are growing. We found broad beans and beetroot seedlings looking very healthy and thriving.
I would just love to get my hands on these sleeper-edged beds. There would be sweetpeas, and dahlias, and cut flowers galore!
And after all that gardening, I’m sure I would be quite comfortable lying on these outdoor couches, with wonderful canvas sails to shade the sun.
Well, some people have gnomes, stone statues etc. And then there’s……plastic penguins! Not sure what the story is behind these slightly grumpy-looking penguins, but there were quite a few about the place- all in different colours. And a white plastic gorilla, and a red teddy bear. I will try to find out and report back…….
We weren’t sure about the scary-looking eyes. But we did love the cowslip bank and the mulberry tree underplanted with thousands of bulbs.
Gunthorpe Hall, near Oakham, opens for the Leicestershire National Gardens Scheme once a year. I can highly recommend a visit. The garden is a wonderful spring delight. Mum loved her outing – and the delicious afternoon tea made by all the hard working volunteers.
Do you have any favourite spring gardens you like to visit? Or have you, like us, found somewhere new and special to visit?
There will be jam, and plum pudding, and cakes….. Mirabelle Ruby. Such a beauty.
The largest fruiting mirabelle, with sweet, deep red flesh. Picking time is early September. A great way to move into autumn. A blossom delight in spring.
If you could see me today you would notice a huge smile. Not only is it the first day of spring- the days are getting noticeably lighter- but it is also my youngest daughter’s birthday.
So for this happy day, I have dashed around the garden picking spring flowers and blossom to fill the house with colour and scent. I always put cherry blossom in every room for my daughter’s special day. There’s little pots of scented violets and wild primroses on all the windowsills. And for the front door I’ve made a willow kokedama bouquet.
The “ingredients” for the kokedama comprise a willow heart I made last winter, a cut down plastic juice bottle, some moss from the garden and some twine. I spotted this idea at Easton Walled Gardens last month. Snowdops wrapped in moss and twine made strikingly beautiful displays. I made a note of how they were put together.
Here’s my ingredients in the potting shed. I used a Robinsons juice bottle cut down to 10cm for a vase and some lime green Nutscene heritage twine.
I made a nest around the vase with wet moss, and simply wrapped back and forth until the moss was secured. It was much easier than I expected, and only took a few minutes to make. The vase was easily tied to the front of the willow heart.
The mossy vase was packed with winter- flowering Algerian Iris Unguicularis, hellebore Ashwood hybrids, pulmonaria, comfrey, fogetmenot, Prunus Kojo no Mai and vinca.
For the dining table posies, delicate Victorian glasses were filled with Sissinghurst white pulmonaria, bellis daisies, comfrey, cowparsley, and pink corydalis.
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And lots of glass jars of pink and white blossom.
You can never have too much blossom…..
Do you like making flower arrangements for special occasions at home?
Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting this meme. Each week Cathy encourages us to go out into our gardens and find material for In a Vase on Monday. Cathy is celebrating her 5th anniversary of blogging today. She was one of the first people I followed on here, and I’ve really appreciated her helpful support and advice from the start. Finding friends and sharing ideas and information is for me, the best reason for joining in.
Coltsfoot. I always search for this joyful ‘sign of spring in my garden.
Tussilago farfara. Coltsfoot because of the shape of the flower. Traditionally used as an old country remedy for a cough. In fact, tussis is Latin for cough. Not to be recommended, as it is also toxic. Also known as bullsfoot, clay weed, hoofs, sow foot, dove dock, cleats, cough wort, ginge, tushy luck. Belongs to the asteraceae family. Loved by bees and hoverflies. Grows in sunny, bramble strewn, damp, wild meadow part of my garden.
What signs of spring do you yearn for in your garden?
Regular readers will know that I grow flowers for my mother in law Joan. She’s 88 now and not able to visit as often as she would like. A posy of flowers gives Joan a flavour of what’s growing in my garden each week. As well as flowers, I take twiggy sticks with green buds, hazel “lambs tails,” and fluffy grey willow. A taste of spring.
This week there’s plenty of scented Paper White Narcissi- planted in the poly tunnel at Christmas. The blue and white hyacinths were planted last October and grown on in the cool dark potting shed in containers. Blue statice was grown in the veg garden last summer and hung upside down to dry in the potting shed eaves. It was the first time I’d grown statice. Choosing just the right moment to pick the flowers took a bit of practice. Some I left too late and were too far open. Others, picked on a wet day, sadly faded.
I’m also picking this white bergenia at the moment. It makes beautiful mini posies all on its own and lasts for a week in water. This variety is called Bergenia Jelle.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting this meme. Why not go over and see what other people from all over the world are growing in their gardens right now. It’s fascinating to see the variety of plants and flowers and the different ways they are used.
First bee of the year. Glad I planted those crocus bulbs. Camera phone photo.
Have you spotted any bees in your garden yet? I saw a beautiful healthy frog by the pond today. I was so pleased as last year a number of them were diseased. Hopefully there will be frogspawn soon.
Joining in with Michelle and her new meme celebrating what’s in flower in the garden right now.
It’s been sunny and warm enough on a couple of days to open the summerhouse doors. Grace cat has appreciated the warm weather. I’ve propped up the blue hyacinths with hazel twigs. Catkins are a perfect match for spring bulbs. Tete a tete daffodils were planted in pots in October and put behind the pottingshed out of sight. Luckily I looked the other day, and they were in full flower. A week or two earlier than last year.
This is the current view looking out from the summerhouse. The mini-wood will soon be bursting into leaf. Snowdrops bought at Hodsock Priory are starting to spread. There’s a patch of wild garlic I shall be harvesting soon to make a delicious soup.
It only takes a few years for the patches of snowdrops to bulk up. I will be dividing these in the next week or so. I will dig up a clump, break them into half, put half back in the planting hole and spread the others about, incorporating some grit and leafmould in the planting pockets.
I’m saying goodbye to the aconite flowers for another year. Finally, after years of trying, they have taken off and are spreading across the wild garden. Incorporating lots of leafmould each year seems to be the answer. Plus patience. They really do only grow where they want to. I very nearly gave up to be honest.
At the side of the pottingshed there’s another wild garden where snowdrops and tiny crocus are making themselves at home. I love looking out of the side windows at this view.
Wild daffodils are finally starting to spread too. This was just one flowerhead last year. I am really happy to see it settling in with three flowers this year.
I think it’s my favourite daffodil. Such a delicate flower.
Primroses are escaping from the borders and making themselves at home in the lawn. A lovely consequence of giving up on the lawn feed and weed regime. Soon the whole front lawn will be awash with blue scented wild violets. They virtually pop up overnight. Such a wonderful sight to come home to.
There are violets by the front gate and all along the sunny front hedge bottom.
Eagerly awaited every spring- Prunus Okame is the first tree to flower in my garden. A blue sky is the perfect background for such a pretty pale pink flower.
A pink corydalis is thriving under the prunus and lives quite happily underneath the hellebores in shade.
My favourite hellebore right now. It reminds me of a stained glass window.
And finally, the pottingshed windowsill has pots of tiny tete a tete daffodils and single snowdrops. You can just see the blue hyacinths and matching daffodils inside the shed where the scent is intoxicating- mixed with smells of petrol for the mower and compost on the potting bench!
I hope you have enjoyed my whistle-stop tour of the garden today. Thank you to Michelle for hosting this new meme. Why don’t you go over and see what’s looking good today in Michelle’s garden on www.http://vegplotting.blogspot.co.uk . Join in- all welcome!
After the storm- there’s always hope.
From my garden gate I can see this willow. The tree had five massive branches, all toppled by high winds last year. Now there’s new shoots from the fallen branches. Willows were seen as trees of celebration in Biblical times. At church,when I was little, I remember willow branches being used instead of palms to celebrate Palm Sunday.
Willows are often associated with sadness and mourning. As a young teenager I read Shakespeare’s Hamlet at school and can vividly recall the scene where Ophelia drowns beside a willow tree. A sad and lonely vision that stayed with me for some time. I was always too inclined to dwell on injustice and wrongs. But then, at that time, I still thought I had the power to change the world. On my bedroom wall I had a poster of the famous 1850s Ophelia by Millais.
Instead of sadness, I associate willows with catkins and the first signs of spring. Today is the Meteorological first day of spring. But in the Old Farmer’s Almanac spring doesn’t start until March 20th. I will be cutting back our willows today to make plant supports and arches. And the grey catkins will be a happy addition to my flower arrangements.
I’ve spent too much time online looking at snowdrop gardens – and wishing I had a helicopter to whizz me from Scotland to Cornwall.
They are all so tempting. But work, family commitments and lack of funds mean the grand tour will have to wait.
When a friend told me about a garden that’s practically on my doorstep- Holme Pierrepont Hall, in Nottingham- I hardly had time to grab my coat. I was out of my pottingshed like a rocket.
Walls and a gazebo in the formal East Garden were built in the 17th century.
The south wall was demolished in the Georgian period to create parkland around the side of the house. The East Garden was abandoned after the First World War, and reclaimed in the 1970s.
There are some glorious planting combinations. Silver stems of Rubus Golden Vale stand out against the dark yew background, with snowdrops as groundcover. Everywhere there’s yew and box hedges and topiary.
My favourite view of the house. Dating back to the 1500s, the brickwork is some of the earliest in the county.
There’s some wonderfully gnarled trees in the garden. It’s still very much a family home- as well as a wedding and conference venue. We smiled at the evidence of children everywhere. There were swings in many trees and a home made zip wire in the woods.
We followed direction arrows through the walled gardens and found these old espalier fruit trees. I love the way they refuse to die. Each one sports a single vigorous branch.
I can spend any amount of time admiring old garden walls. We mulled over the different courses of bricks. Layers of history with a tale to tell.
The arrows took us to a recently cleared wood. I decided that following a snowdrop-edged woodland path makes me very happy indeed.
I took about 100 photos in the wood. It has such a peaceful atmosphere. Almost like a secret garden.
We followed the arrows back to the house and wandered through this doorway, which leads to a pretty enclosed walled courtyard. We bought tickets for a tour around the house which meant we could look through the windows down onto the parterre. Photos can’t be taken in the house, which is understandable. It is a family home, after all. But I asked permission to take photos through the windows, which was allowed.
Looking down on the box parterre which is filled with lavender, pulmonaria and spring bulbs. The boundary wall of the garden, and the house wall have a sort of unusual covered cloister walkway which contained potted camellia plants.
There’s a good view of the church from the first floor windows.
This stonework being used as a bench looks like it came from the top of a Roman pillar. I wonder…..
We had another walk round the East Garden before heading for home. This Prunus mume Beni-chidori was looking spectacular underplanted with snowdrops. The scent, reminiscent of fruit salad, wafts around the whole garden. Quite strong for such a tiny flower.
Holme Pierrepont Hall is open Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays in February and March 2-5pm. Also Sundays in April -apart from Easter Sunday. There’s a special Shakespeare in the Garden performance on Thursday 15th June.
I’m glad I’ve found Holme Pierrepont Hall -especially as it’s only 25 minutes drive from home. It makes me wonder how many other places are right on my doorstep, just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps I don’t need that helicopter after all.
Have you “found” any gardens right on your doorstep?
(Click on the highlighted words for more information. They are not affiliate or advertising links. )
Potted bulbs planted in October have burst into bloom this week. The scent is just wonderful!
Delph Blue hyacinths, tete-a-tete mini daffodils white Carnegie Hyacinths, and creamy white Jacob hellebore. On the other side of the table, out of sight, is my seed sowing station. It’s lovely to be enveloped in spring scents. Much nicer than (the usual) lawnmower engine oil and compost!
Have your spring flowers burst into bloom yet, or are you still waiting for that wonderful moment?
Regular readers will know, I live a peaceful life. I’m happiest in my potting shed. I work as a garden designer so most days are spent with plants. It doesn’t sound exciting, but it suits my nature, and I’m happy.
I’m always surprised when opportunities come along- taking me out of my comfort zone. I’m even more surprised at myself when I say yes!
Two years ago, out of the blue, a producer from BBC local radio phoned and asked me to talk about work. I’d designed some school gardens and was working with a charity to create a garden for disabled children.
A week later I found myself at the studios of BBC Radio Leicester, chatting on the Ben Jackson afternoon show. There were a few moments of panic when I learned it would be live- and I’d have to talk for an hour. But luckily- being radio- no one could see my knees shaking.
Despite feeling like a fish out of water, and going completely blank, I survived the ordeal. And then I was really amazed when they asked me to join the gardeners question time team on Radio Leicester’s Down to Earth programme. I am more of a listener than a talker, but it’s a lot of fun. There’s laughter and support from the more experienced members on the team.
Here’s a link to a recent programme. Whizz past the news to 06.00 on the timeline:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04qg2v6
I’m telling you this to encourage you to ring up your local radio station and tell them about YOUR work- whatever it is. They have space to fill- every day! And they want to hear from you. It doesn’t have to be work. It can be a hobby. Or you might want to promote an event, or perhaps open gardens. It’s an opportunity you might not have thought about. And a little gentle encouragement might be all you need…..
Be brave- and remember, If I can do it, so can you. And you never know where it might lead. This week I went along to the Garden Press Event in London to report on the latest plants, seeds and growing techniques. I’ll share a link to the programme when it’s out on the BBC website. And more photos next time.
Ring up- and please let me know how you get on.
I love blue hyacinths, planted last October, and scenting the potting shed today
I’ve propped up the Carnegie white hyacinths with hazel twigs
Pottingshed shed window. I have to really tear myself away from my garden.
Thanks for reading.
Grace, sniffing the honey-scented snowdrops. It’s warm enough to open the summerhouse doors. Are the snowdrops flowering where you are?
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my photos of Britain’s most romantic garden renovation project. Easton Walled Gardens.
There was once a magnificent mansion at the top of this flight of stone steps. The orangery windows looked over the glorious gardens below.
Franklin D Roosevelt, visiting the gardens on his honeymoon tour, described them as “A dream of Nirvana- almost too good to be true.” Sadly, the house was demolished in 1951 and the gardens slowly abandoned. The gatehouse only survived when the bulldozer broke down. The gardens were lost under brambles and tree saplings.
Strolling around today, there’s a feeling of walking in the footsteps of those who lived and worked there in its heyday.
A stone bridge has been restored and leads to the great yew tunnel- which survived the neglect and abandonment.
Sheets of snowdrops lay dormant under the brambles. Just waiting to bloom again. There’s a fairytale feel to the place. A Sleeping Beauty garden, lost and re-discovered.
And really, only love could have saved this garden. Ursula Cholmeley, whose family lived at Easton for 400 years, has poured love, energy, passion, and time into the renovation project. Work, started in 2001, continues today. And it’s a triumph. The “lost gardens of Easton” have been rescued and revived.
What’s your most romantic garden? How will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day?
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Easton Walled Gardens just off the A1 near Grantham in Lincolnshire, is open until 19th February for snowdrops.
Buy Snowdrops from Easton by post
Events calendar
Courses/ workshops at Easton
Sweet peas at Easton
All winter I’ve found a kind of sanctuary in the potting shed. There’s a deep peaceful silence. A protection from the cold. A place to think. I can plot the progress of the seasons from the pottingshed window. Just now I can see gaunt willows bordering the pond. They look like charcoal drawings. I think of my farming ancestors who would have lopped the willows to make sheepfolds at this time of year.
I’m fascinated by old farming almanacs. My grandmother used to read them and occasionally I’d hear talk of Imbolc and Candlemas, mentioned in the first week of February. Imbolc meaning lambs milk or the start of the lambing season. And Brigantia, the Celtic female deity of light, St Brigid in the Christian tradition, calling us to celebrate the sun – halfway on its advance from winter solstice to the spring equinox.
I map the progress of winter through the pottingshed windows, watching the angle of the sunlight as it hits the huge table where I work.
Suddenly there’s a day -usually in the second week of February – when I notice the light has returned to the garden. There’s a shaft of sunlight that shines through the side window like a wake up signal for spring. A kind of sundial for the seasons.
It’s a signal for me to reconnect with the world and leave the pottingshed behind.
So I make my annual pilgrimage to Hodsock Priory- accompanied by my Mum, as always. And it is a place of pure magic. I stand in wonder under a 500 year old oak- the same age as the brick tower gatehouse.
We call Hodsock the Chelsea of the snowdrop season. This is the first of many gardens Mum and I will visit over the coming weeks. We are lucky, and grateful, to be invited to the annual press day and enjoy a guided tour of the garden.
The woodland walk makes the heart sing. Pyramid-pruned beech trees flank each side of the path. Such a simple idea, and it works, adding interest without being too formal.
Pools of colour from the Cyclamen Coum look as bright as stained glass windows in the sunshine.
This Garrya Elliptica wrapped around the corner of the house always puts on a stunning display. It has every right to be called the silk tassel bush. We all decide it’s the best we have seen.
Wintersweet or Chimonanthus Praecox. Glorious Scent is as much a special feature of the garden as snowdrops. I particularly love the winter honeysuckle walk. Lonicera Fragrantissima has such tiny, almost translucent flowers A delicious treat for the senses.
We take a new tour around the house and underground tunnels, and emerge in the dry moat. This is a view of the house I haven’t seen before.
We find an inviting side door to the tower. Amazing to think this stone and brickwork has been here for 500 years.
Before setting off for home we find Narcissus Cedric Morris along a bank in front of the house. Such a cheerful sight for mid February.
There’s a plant sale at the entrance to the cafe. I treat myself to this beautiful hellebore, Harvington Yellow. I’m drawn to the dark eye in the centre. Such a beauty. I shall plant it in front of my pottingshed to remind me of our visit.
And on the pottingshed window to welcome me home- there’s a pot of snowdrops I bought at Hodsock last year. They are just the common Galanthus Nivalis. But I like them just as much as all the fancy named varieties. They suit the humble setting.
Hodsock Priory is open every day until March 5th.
Who doesn’t need some sunshine today. Bank of narcissus Cedric Morris after the rain at Hodsock Priory. Gardens open daily until 5th March. Not just snowdrops; scented shrubs, hellebores, dwarf Iris, crocus, aconites, plant sales, and most importantly – cake and tea!
Taking photos for the end of the month view was bit of a struggle. We garden on a windswept ridge. A wonderful viewing point for the surrounding countryside. Disasterous for tender plants- and for taking photos. Everything was a blur as Storm Doris hit the garden.
The snowdrops opened today, about a week earlier than last year. Temperatures for January varied between -6 degrees and 14 degrees. It’s caused many winter flowering plants to open early. I just hope we don’t get a cold spell now to damage the flowers.
This is my “Hodsock Priory ” corner. I always buy a little pot of snowdrops at the open gardens we visit. It’s a nice reminder of a lovely day out. Mum and I are going to the famous snowdrop press day next week. We call it the Chelsea of the snowdrop season. For us it marks the end of our winter hibernation, and the start of lots of lovely snowdrop garden trips out. Hodsock opens from 4th Feb to 5th March, 10am to 4pm. Click on the link for more information. The gardens are full of wonderful scented plants. A real treat for the senses. –
The Easton Walled Garden snowdrops are cheering up the pottingshed window. Easton, just off the A1 near Grantham, opens 11th to 19th Feb, 11am to 4pm. A wonderful place for a winter walk. I can highly recomend the little cafe where there’s home made cake and tea. Mum and I have spent many happy hours there. And I was lucky enough to work for Easton last winter, writing newspaper and magazine articles. I had no trouble finding nice things to say about this historic garden and the renovation work that has saved it for future generations of visitors to enjoy. It’s such an inspiring place.
These Elwesii snowdrops have been in flower since the beginning of January. They have long stems and last well in water. I’ve been picking them for jam jar posies for the house.
Mum and I bought these cyclamen from Hodsock plant sales a few years ago. They seem really happy in the leafmould in the wild garden. We just buy one pot every time we visit. They soon build up into lovely display. So cheerful at this time of the year.
Finally, the yellow aconites have got going. I’ve been trying for years to get these to grow. They love a good mulch of leaf mould.
I bought some hellebores from Ashwood Nurseries years ago. This one is a seedling from the original plants. It flowers from mid January in a shady spot.
I’ve been picking Phlomis fruiticosa foliage all winter for flower arrangements. The leaves look sugar frosted all year round.
The star of the front garden in winter is this dogwood, Cornus Westonbirt. Brightens even the gloomiest day.
Thanks to Helen for hosting this meme. Why not go over and see what’s looking good in Helen’s end of the month view.
Balanced. The last quince.
But there are new green buds.
Here’s a quick peek in my pottingshed tonight. I’ve been having a go at begonia leaf cuttings.
I’ve never done this before. I had a look on the RHS website. Then I placed the leaves on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut through the main veins. I filled a seed tray with compost, topped with perlite. Laid the leaves on top, and pinned them down with my daughter’s hair grips -the only wire I had in the house. Sometimes you just have to improvise.
I put the seed tray in my Rainbow shallow trug and left it to soak up water. I’m finding these trugs really useful in the pottingshed. I use them for collecting foliage for flower arrangements, and as a moveable potting station when I’m sowing seeds.
My cuttings were popped into a plastic bag and into my propagator. The best time to take leaf cuttings is in the summer. But when a friend gave me these leaves, I couldn’t turn down the chance to have a go. You never know- they might grow lots of new little plants. Then I’ll pot them up into 7cm pots- and display them at the shaded end of my greenhouse. I’ve always loved the foliage of begonias. This might be the start of a new collection for me.
The RHS website says leaf cuttings can be taken from streptocarpus and eucomis as well as begonia masoniana and x Begonia Rex hybrids. I also found the National Begonia society handbook a useful source of information.
It was getting dark by the time I’d finished. I just had time to look at these snowdrops on the pottingshed window. They’ve burst into flower today. Such a cheerful sight on the last day of January.
Have you tried any new gardening techniques recently, or have any collections of favourite plants? I’d love to hear about them.
We are getting on top of winter jobs. Pruning a red- stemmed Acer tree, to keep it in bounds in a small garden. As a bonus there will be beautiful pea sticks for the vegetable garden.
The tree is growing in my in-law’s garden. It is far too vigorous for its position. But the stems are a glorious bright red in winter, and the leaves have good autumn colour. So we Pollard it to keep it manageable and to ensure that it doesn’t cast too much shade.
This will be the second year of looking after my in-law’s garden- hoping to keep them in their own home for as long as possible. They have lived in this house since it was built 60 years ago. The garden is my father in laws pride and joy and is totally immaculate. Now they have carers calling twice a day, and various other health care professionals regularly popping in, it is wonderful to have a beautiful garden for them all to enjoy. It’s lovely to see visitors smile when they look out of the windows. Their jobs can’t be easy. But a colourful well-tended garden lifts everyone’s spirits.
Pollarding is a method of pruning where the upper branches of a tree or shrub are removed, creating a dense head of foliage and branches. It’s a technique to keep trees smaller than they would naturally grow. Of course, it would be best to plant the right tree in the right place, in the first place. But this doesn’t always happen in real life.
The bark of this acer is beautiful too. I am glad we are able to save this tree, by careful pruning every year. And the colourful pea sticks will be a joy in summer when we grow deep purple Shiraz Mangetout through the scarlet twiggy sticks.
Trees that respond to pollarding include: lime, London plane, mulberry, oak, ash, liriodendron and willow and some acers.
At home, I pollard shrubs including Cotinus Grace, to keep it within bounds and to encourage the large purple leaves it produces. And a Salix Britzensis or scarlet willow, which produces the most colourful stems on new growth.
Our trees require only a hand saw and loppers and a short ladder. For larger trees I would recommend a tree surgeon. To search for a qualified professional look on line at the Arboricultural Association.
I don’t cut back plants until spring. Any creature requiring a duvet of leaves, or a seed head sojourn, is welcome in my garden. Caught in sunlight, seed heads provide a heart-sing moment in January. Just when we all need some cheer.
Rudbeckia seed heads. Sunny all summer, a joy all winter. I love the mini five “petal” flowers in the centre of the seed head. A flower within a flower.
What are your favourite seed heads at the moment?
I don’t cut back plants until spring. Any creature requiring a duvet of leaves, or a seed head sojourn, is welcome in my garden. Caught in sunlight, seed heads provide a heart-sing moment in January. Just when we all need some cheer.
Gaillardia seed heads. Sunny all summer, a joy all winter. I love the mini five “petal” flowers in the centre of the seed head. A flower within a flower.
What are your favourite seed heads at the moment?
I don’t travel well. I’m much happier surrounded by familiar sights and sounds. I’ve become accustomed to green fields and birdsong. My favourite place is the potting shed. A quiet, peaceful haven- shared with a cheeky robin. The scent of potted Carnegie white hyacinths and creamy Paperwhite narcissi wafts around. I’m reluctant to leave….
But I need to travel to London. So after much fussing with packing and checking train times and tickets, at least 50 times, I set off for the unfamiliar.
Just at the garden gate, I see some violets in flower. Nearby, the first snowdrops are in bud. There’s a primrose poking through the leafmould. And there’s a tiny hellebore flower wearing a hat of compressed beech leaves. The leaves have protected the plant and forced the flowers into early growth.
So I pick a few flowers and gather them into a tiny posy. I wrap them in dark green gutta tape to lock in moisture. I twirl around some string, add some lavender from the potting shed table, and set off for London- carrying a tiny piece of my garden with me. A talisman. A kind of amulet. Protection against the noise, hustle and bustle.
–
Propped up on the flip-down table on the train, the scent from the violets is a welcome reminder of home. I look about to see if anyone else is bothered by the noise and diesel fumes. They don’t seem to notice.
I’d forgotten that snowdrops have a strong honey scent. The flowers start to open as we travel along. These are Galanthus elwesii, the first to flower in my garden.
The hellebore is called Jacob. It’s a strong, healthy variety. Dependable and hardy. The violets and primroses arrived as seedlings from my grandfather’s garden. I have happy memories of grandad Foulds arriving each Sunday with a little piece of his garden; a cutting, a seedling, or division. He loved walking around the plot, pointing out the weeds, giving advice on growing veg and cut flowers. After we had pottered in the greenhouse and orchard, he’d settle down in a cosy armchair with home-made cake and tea. Such memories are a comfort, brought back to life by these few flowers.
And this is the place I’m travelling to. The Barbican conservatory, for the annual party for Perennial. I’m a fish out of water. A country mouse. But I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to support a charity that is dedicated to helping all people who work in horticulture. I’ve been lucky enough to make my living from horticulture for this past 20 years, and I care about the gardeners, contractors and tree surgeons I work with. Perennial provides a “lifebelt” to anyone in a crisis. Advice, help and financial support, for anyone of any age.
The auction featuring luxury holidays and events raised more than £11,000, and there were raffle prizes too. It’s the most hectic and noisy event I’ve ever attended. But I’m glad I’ve pushed myself out of my little potting shed. The chance to support a valued charity, and see friends from all over the country, has been worth it.
Looking in the pink are from left to right Fran Suermondt, Tanya Batkin, Perennial’s Laura Garnett, host James Alexander-Sinclair, writers Naomi Slade , Alison Levey, and in front, Barbara Segall.
Do you have a favourite charity to support? Do you ever carry a piece of your garden with you on your travels? What measures do you take to cope when you are stepping outside of your comfort zone? I’d love to hear your news and views.
Read more about Perennial here.
Not everyone likes winter. By mid January, we’ve eaten all the Christmas cake, planted all the bulbs, and start wishing for sunshine and warmth.
Easton Walled Gardens can always be relied on to provide some sunshine. Just as temperatures start to tumble and frost and snow hit, they announce the winners of their summer-themed photography competition, Halcyon Days.
Tessa Smith from Somerby, Leicestershire, takes us to “Early Morning” in her overall, first prize-winning entry. We can almost feel the rising warmth at dawn and smell that fresh-new-day scent.
Geoffrey Leng won the Summer Life category with his photograph called “Fun in the Sun.” Brings back happy memories of family holidays and time on the beach with my two daughters. Hold on to those heart-warming thoughts. They are so precious.
Karen Antcliffe won the Wildlife category with her entry called “Sitting Pretty.” I’m currently planning more flowers to attract butterflies to my own garden. One of the joys of summer.
Maralyn Smith won the Countryside At Work category with this striking image.It makes me want to join a photography course right now. There’s so much energy in this photo.
Peta Banks was highly commended for “Grassy Terrace in Evening Sun” in the EWG category. This is a favourite view of mine. Mum and I have stood on the lookout platform and surveyed this scene many times. It’s a sight that makes the heart sing.
William Collison won the Plant Portrait category with this fabulous close up. The flower looks like it has been sugar-coated. So beautiful.
There were well over 1,000 entries in the competition which was sponsored by Savills. The gardens, just off the A1 near Grantham have been restored over the past 17 or so years by the Cholmeley family. There’s been a garden on the site for around 400 years, and it’s famous for its sweet peas in the summer, and snowdrops in the winter.
Ursula Cholmeley from Easton said :” We’ve had a fantastic response with entries from all across the country. The overall winner captures the peace and tranquillity of a summer’s morning. Something in the depths of winter, we can all truly appreciate.”
A gallery of the winning photos and runners-up will be open at Easton during Snowdrop Week from 11th to 19th February. For more information about opening times and for travel directions look on the website at Easton Walled Gardens.
Hopefully these photos have helped to dispel any winter gloom. And if you are a keen photographer, why not send in an entry this summer. You never know, you might find your work appearing in the annual Easton exhibition, and be £500 better off!
Hellebore Jacob, caught in a shaft of sunlight from the tiny side window in the pottingshed. Brightened my day. Happy New Year to all of you.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. I’ve enjoyed sharing my garden with you in 2016. Looking forward to hearing all your gardening news in 2017. Love from Karen xxx
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04hpnn9
Music and gardening tips for Christmas Eve. Baroque -style carols at 13.22 on the timeline.
Remembering my grandparents. Amazing gardeners. My inspiration. They taught me to love nature. Sending my love to them, and to all of you today. I’ve grown paperwhite narcissi, red anemones, and chrysanths to go with the foliage from my garden and rosehips. My relatives are never far from my thoughts.
Found at the National Trust’s Calke Abbey. We love the panel sides. Someone took a pride in this job. It’s right next to the Orangery, which dates back to 1777.
How many gardeners have walked through this doorway into the walled kitchen garden over the past 250 or so years. It’s good to stop and ponder as we close one door on 2016 and think about opening new doors in 2017.
Mossy roofed potting shed in the walled garden at the national Trust’s Calke Abbey. There’s a tiny bed in there for the garden boy whose job it was to keep the greenhouse boilers stoked. Alison and I have started a tradition to walk the gardens in the week before Christmas, and reflect on what life was like for the gardeners. Then there’s a food fair in the old riding school where we sample local honey, Leicestershire cheese, home made fudge and chocolates- and we stock up for the festive season. It’s rather a wonderful tradition to have started.
The walled kitchen garden is looking beautifully tidy. The beds are mulched and weeded. All set for the spring sowing season. Quite a cheerful sight to behold.
It’s nice to find something new in a favourite- much visited garden. This area was being excavated last time we stopped by. What treasures were under the mounds of earth, we wondered. It looks like a boiler for the hypocaust heated wall. Isn’t it amazing it’s still here. And the beautiful brick floor is still intact.
We mooched in the peach house. I think this blue paint is my all-time favourite colour. I’d love to paint my potting shed the same hue. It reminds me of the Mediterranean.
We peered through the misty peach house windows. In the summer these open right up. There are deckchairs to sit and gaze at the wild flowers and waist high grass.
View of the peach house /orangery from the church. We spotted these glorious giant white-painted cloches. And coveted them!
A few ancient espalier fruit trees remain in the walled garden. We love their mossy-covered boughs.
We hadn’t noticed this door in the walled garden before. In summer there’s so much to see. But in winter, we notice the bare bones of the garden and home in on wonderful details like this.
We’ve never seen the sheep grazing right to the house before. We like this seasonal change. The sheep set a scene that could easily grace any Christmas card. We just need some snow to complete the picture.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my tour of Calke Abbey and the kitchen gardens. Do you have a garden that you love to visit as often as you can? Do you find new treasures each time you visit? Thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to comment- so I know I’m not just talking to myself.
The pergola goes from the back patio to the corner of the house and then round to the front drive. On the corner turn, there’s a spiders web. It’s totally overgrown with ivy and Montana clematis at the moment. Another winter renovation project. I’m choosing lots of new climbing roses and clematis for the replanting.
Have a great week, all of you. x
Have a great week all of you. xxx
I’m making table decorations with these bellis daisies. They look just right for Christmas. And they last about two weeks in a vase, or jam jar in my case. Great for making ahead-so that I can concentrate on all the last minute cooking and present wrapping. They are another kind of messy flower that I love. The variety name is Pomponette, and Mum grew these for us to share. One packet of seeds makes about 100 plants. Great value for just a few pounds. Enjoy your weekend, all of you. x
You can also find my ramblings on twitter @kgimson and also on instagram at karengimson1. 
This reminds me of a Christmas star. I never fail to be delighted by the simple beauty of creamy white flowers. This one is called Leucanthemum Goldrush. Commonly known as a shasta daisy. I love all daisies, but this one is my latest favourite. It’s kind of messy- which I like. It flowers all summer, and if you pot up some plants and keep them in a warm greenhouse, you may have a few blooms in December, if you are lucky. 
View from my garden gate. A flurry of leaves fall like snow, in golden bands across the lane. Such a picture of beauty. A temporary -catch-it-now moment in time. Before the season moves on.
White flowers for a blue door. A cheerful welcome to all.
I’m re-blogging this today as I’m currently trialling Stihl’s latest addition to the compact cordless range, a cute little lawn mower, MA 235. It should really be given a pet name. It’s such a delight to use, weighing only 14kg, and with no cable to get wrapped around your legs and trip you up! It is perfect for small to medium lawns up to 200m2. The grass box capacity is 30ltrs, and the machine is extremely easy to use. I’m in favour of anything lightweight. I don’t have to ask anyone for help. Plus, being battery powered it is quiet. It doesn’t scare the cat, or the wildlife I’ve been so keen to attract to the garden. More photos to follow. I’ve been given these machines by Stihl in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own and if I say nice things about them it’s because I haven’t been pressured to do so.
Here’s what I wrote about the other machines in the range, including hedge trimmer, leaf blower, trimmer and chain saw. All are interchangeable.
Gardening is hard work-there’s no denying it. I sometimes think I must be mad to try to control an acre of ground. If I turn my back for five minutes the brambles are suddenly head high and thistles and stinging nettles look as if I’ve grown them on purpose.
It’s not a sensible hobby for someone who has no muscles to speak of. I am five foot tall and weigh 8 stone. Then in addition, I have dodgy knees and a bad back. I really ought to take up sewing or knitting or…well, anything not requiring strength and stamina.
But then, I have always been contrary. I never give up on a difficult task. I have only to delve into my family photo album to see where I get my streak of quiet determination.
The oldest photos in the album show my great-great grandmother Charlotte Foxford, leading a shire horse down to the plough. There are pictures of her working the stony ground at the farm where she lived with her husband James in Oakford, Devon.
She looks exhausted. And I want to step back through time and give them a helping hand- modern medicine, health care – and machinery.
And yet, later in the album, I see them smartly dressed. Great-great grandfather James wears a suit and a jaunty hat. And I’m delighted to see them standing in the farmhouse doorway, with beautifully pruned roses around the porch. She had time to plant a garden- with all the cares she must have had to keep hearth and home together. And there are photos of them standing proudly next to the gleaming, well-groomed shire horses. Phew!They cared for their animals too. Such a reassurance and a welcome sight. And they are holding hands. They loved each other. A lesson in life in just 10 photos.
There’s one picture that makes me happiest of all. It is the one where Charlotte sits holding a baby- my grandfather, Ted Foulds- and is surrounded by her family. She is smiling. Her happiness and contentment shines out from the page. A great relief to me.
I just wish I could tell her- we have all copied her example. We’ve continued the tradition. There’s a long line of tenacious and determined women in the family- and we have all thrived on hard work. We are good at finding solutions.
So I may be a physical weakling- but I never give up. And I never wait around for someone else to do a job, if I can do it myself.
My latest solution to the problem of coping with an unruly garden is the discovery of the new Stihl compact cordless range of power tools.
We already have petrol machines- but they are too heavy for me, I nearly wrench my arm out starting them up. Plus they are so loud they frighten me, and the cat, and the cows in the neighbouring field.
I was relieved and delighted to find four battery powered machines that I could actually manage- all by myself. Lightweight and easy to use.
I used the chainsaw to tackle the hazel coppice. Usually I use a handsaw and loppers. But the Stihl chainsaw cut through them in minutes. I’ll use the hazel rods to make an A-frame support for sweet peas in the cut flower garden.
Next I cut through a low field maple branch that was growing over the drive. The logs will be used on our open fire.
We will leave some brushwood and logs for wildlife habitats.
I’m going to tackle the apple trees next. Apple and pear logs are a special treat for Christmas. A gentle flame and no sparks from fruit wood- plus the whole house is scented with a most glorious, exotic perfume. No candles or chemicals can match it.
The chainsaw lasted about 45 minutes before the battery ran flat. I was ready for a cup of tea and a piece of cake by then, so I put it back on charge. It took about an hour or so to charge up again. I was busy tidying the logs, so I didn’t mind waiting.
Here are my notes on the Stihl chainsaw MSA 120 C-BQ Compact Cordless Power System.
The brochure says the chainsaw is ideal for garden maintenance, cutting firewood, shrubs and branches.
1. Weighs 2.5kg without battery. Lithium-Ion battery weighs 1.2kg
2. Sound Level 94.0 dB A. Amazingly quiet. No ear defenders are needed. This is a good because you can be more aware of what’s going on around you while you are working, if you can hear.
3. Battery Life : The brochure says up to 35 minutes. Mine lasted 45 mins.
4. Cutting Performance: Up to 100 cuts in 10cm x10cm square timber.
5. Bar Length: 30cm
6.Chain Speed: 13.2 m/s (max)
7. Quick Chain Tensioning: Tensioning the chain without tools by turning the adjusting wheel. Even I could do it. The guide bar is automatically secured by tightening the sprocket cover.
8. Safety Feature: I liked the pop out battery, which meant you couldn’t accidentally switch the chainsaw on whilst carrying it around.
I chose Farol Ltd at Hinckley, Leicestershire, to commission the chainsaw. Special mention to Sarah Nottingham and Jacob Shellis who kitted us out with protective trousers, boots, gloves and glasses supplied by Stihl. They took such care to show me how to use the chainsaw, and the hedge trimmer, strimmer and leaf blower in the range. I was impressed by their knowledge and the time and care they took to explain everything in terms I understood. I feel as if I have a good back up team there. I can ring or go back and visit at any time if I have any problems or need advice.
Safety is a prime consideration. I did an assessment of the work I planned and double checked my capabilities before starting. I will still need a qualified tree surgeon for larger projects in the garden.
Chain saw and other machinery courses can be found at Brooksby Melton College in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
Have you found any solutions to your gardening problems ? I’d love to hear them.
Seeds in the wild garden
Yellow flowers brighten even the gloomiest day in November. And my “Aunty Doris” chrysanthemum is still going strong.
I would love to know more about Aunty Doris. I’m searching family archives to find photos of her greenhouse and garden. I’m sure we have a lot in common. We both love growing flowers and arranging them. And I think of her often.
When I’m cutting and arranging these flowers, I think about her doing the same – only 40 ago. We would have taken cuttings, grown the plants and watered them. And would both be harvesting them at the same time of the year.
I wonder if she loved them as much as I do.
I’ve arranged my yellow chrysanths with dogwood stems, phormium and ferns from the garden. The creamy white button chrysanthemums are called Stallion and are growing through the sweet pea canes in the cut flower patch. These flowers, as always, are for my wonderful MIL Joan. She loves any signs of spring- so I have added tiny hazel catkins. Together with the cheerful yellow chrysanths- they are guaranteed to make her smile. I just wish Doris could see them too.
Thanks to Cathy for hosting this meme. Why not go over and see what the others are growing and how they are using flowers from their gardens. Are you growing any plants passed down through the family, as I am? Or do any of your flowers remind you of friends and family?
Cosmos seeds. Now safely gathered in.
And after Christmas I will start sowing again, for a summer delight of bees and blooms.
My cut-flower-patch kit cost me about £20 from Ben at Higgledy Garden, mail order. Great value, to get me started. I shall re use my saved seeds, but I’m looking on the website to add new varieties for next year. What are you planning to grow in 2017?
Still mild enough to sit in the summerhouse. Heaps of cosy woollen blankets to hide under. So I made an autumn wreath out of beech leaves, rosehips and cowparsley seed heads.
My wreath is made from a woven willow base. I learned how to make them from Georgie Newbery at Common Farm Flowers. I can highly recommend the courses. I attended one for creating a cut flower patch and posy tying. I’ve never had to buy any flowers for my house and family since. I’m planning to attend one next year on growing flowers for weddings and special occasions. I’ve already bought my voucher for the course. It’s great to have something to look forward to as winter starts to bite.
The Persian ironwood shrub, Parrotia Persica still looks like a bonfire of colour.
Orange tulips, a present from a friend- the view inside the summerhouse today.
Have you got a favourite place you like to sit in the garden?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p049tj75
Whizz past the news to 44.00 on the timeline to hear me talking about my flower posies for mother in law Joan. I’m part of the garden question time team for local radio stations. Bit terrifying, as we never know what the questions will be. Lots of fun though. Programme starts at 7.00 on the timeline, just past the news and weather.
I can’t believe I turned my nose up at chrysanthemums. It might have been the huge Pom Pom flowers that put me off. Some the size of a head. All stiffly growing in rows, marshalled into line by an army of stakes and string.
Not my kind of gardening- and I’d probably have composted any cuttings or plants that came my way.
But this year I’ve had a change of heart. My father in law handed over a cutting of a yellow spider chrysanthemum. It’s a plant that has been passed around the family and grown for over 70 years. My father in law is struggling with mobility now and can no longer garden. In fact this year we’ve been running two gardens- theirs and our own. We’ve all worked like demons to keep their immaculate garden up to standard. And the reward has been the smiles and comments from every carer, nurse and visitor to the house. Their glorious flower-and veg- filled garden has been preserved.
And so has their much-prized chrysanthemum. I couldn’t be the one to let the side down. I couldn’t let the family chrysanthemum -known as Aunty Doris- die out. So it’s been potted on and watered and fed, and generally fussed over all summer. And I’m surprised to find that I totally love it. It has personality. The glorious sunny yellow flowers open like a sea anemone. It’s fascinating to watch. As the flowers grow, the centres turn a beautiful emerald green.
After all that nurturing – the flowers are returning to my mother in law, Joan. Just as her husband of 66 years has always grown them for her, I’m growing them now.
Chrysanthemum known in the family as “Aunty Doris.”
I love its rather messy flowers. Beautiful from bud to open flower.
Luckily I’ve got lighting in my potting shed, so can create my flower posies for Joan after work.
In the posy this week is Chrysanthemum Stallion Yellow and white Swan from Cheshire family nursery Chrysanthemums Direct. Bought as plugs from RHS autumn show. I think they cost around £1 each, and have made good strong plants in a year. I’m an organic gardener, and on my potting shed table is some natural fertiliser I’m trying out from PlantGrow. I’ll let you know how I get on with it.
Chrysanthemum Swan in the centre, surrounded by rosemary, verbena bonariensis, pittosporum silver queen, rudbeckia grown from seed, violas and grasses. The orange balls are sprays of seed from crocosmia, and the grey foliage is Artemisia Powis Castle.
The blue flower spikes are Plectranthus Argentea which is now sheltering in the heated greenhouse for the winter and will provide flowers right through until February. This and many other plants in my greenhouse came from The Herb Nursery at Thistleton. Another family-run business I like to support.
The good news is, there’s about 6 more weeks of Aunty Doris chrysanthemums to come. I expect we will even have them on our Christmas table. A reason to celebrate- to be sure.
Have you ever tried to keep a family favourite flower or plant in circulation? Thanks as always to Cathy for hosting this In a Vase on Monday meme. Do take a look and see what gardeners around the world are growing.
Chrysanthemum Mei-Kyo. November 9th 2016
Our mild and sunny autumn has been a bonus for gardeners this year. Flowers usually past their best by the end of September have carried on into November. Here I am continuing my tradition of running around the garden once a week and picking whatever is in flower for my Mother-in-law, Joan. It’s a flavour of my garden that I am after – now my in laws are too elderly to visit us and see the garden for themselves. The flowers are loosely tied with string- and not arranged- as Joan takes great delight in making her own floral creations and placing them on the all the windowsills in the house.
In the centre of the bouquet is some Verbena bonariensis grown from seed. It’s flowered virtually all summer and been a magnet for bees. Seeds for cut flowers come from Higgledy Garden.
There’s some spikes of Persicaria Orange Field and deep red Persicaria Firetail. These flower July to October and are long-lasting in a vase. The spikes give a contrast to the daisy- like flowers of chrysanthemum Mei-Kyo.
Chrysanthemum Mei-Kyo is one of the last to flower in my garden. It’s totally hardy here and doesn’t need staking. Flowers last for at least two weeks in a vase.
My chrysanthemums grow at the base of the sweet pea canes on my cut flower bed. They do best in full sun, but these are growing on the north side of the hazel rod trellis. They grow to about 60cm high with a 50cm spread. Good quality plants come from Woottens plant nursery. I’ve been looking at their on-line catalogue for new additions to my plot and I rather fancy a chrysanthemum called Aunt Millicent- just for the name itself! It’s a very pretty pale pink flower with a greeny yellow centre. More like a daisy than a chrysanthemum.
Bright pink alstroemerias are growing in large 40cm plant pots in my poly tunnel. These provide flowers nearly all year round. Flower stems are pulled rather than cut, and this encourages them to produce new flower stems. Tall stemmed varieties suitable for cutting are sold by Viv Marsh Postal Plants. I’m hoping to add a white variety called Blushing Bride to my collection next spring. The poly tunnel, bought second hand for £20, needs a good clean. Another winter job. It’s much harder to keep the polythene skin clear of algae than for a greenhouse. But it gives me a 20ft space to work during wet weather- and provides winter protection for a mini orchard of peach trees.
Cathy at Rambling in the Garden started this meme three years ago, and it shows how gardeners from all over the world grow cut flowers and use them to decorate their homes. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour around my garden and the flowers grown for Joan.
Forsythia.Flowers out of season are always a joy. And the foliage is a burnished bronze too.
Back lit by sunshine. Autumn viola grown from seed.
Autumn has always been my favourite season. Nature seems to gather up its glories for one last burst of beauty.
The beech trees make a golden backdrop for the wedding cake tree – Cornus Controversa Variegata. Cotinus Grace is starting to turn from chocolate to a glowing red.
Left to right, the wedding cake tree , prunus Kojo no Mai, and Parrotia Persica. Backbone shrubs that stand out in spring and autumn. Summer colour is woven through these plants.
Looking like it’s been varnished – Parrotia is also called the Persian ironwood tree. Its bark is a beautiful mottled iron grey.
Summerhouse in the mist. The field-side border contains eucalyptus, magnolia, flower carpet rose, and two matching crataegus prunifolia mop -headed trees framing the view. The 1920s summerhouse is on a turntable and facing the ploughed field today. Beyond the summerhouse is a small copse of trees where a Spotted woodpecker nested this summer.
My ancestors would have used different words for the seasons.
Until the 1500s, autumn was called harvest. The word comes from the old Norse word for haust- which means to gather or pluck.
The French gave us automne. And the Romans gave us the Latin name autumnus. But “autumn”didn’t come into common English usage until the 18th century.
Cathy at Words and Herbs Hosts the Tuesday View. Go along and see what’s happening in her garden and feel free to join in with photos of your garden too.
Fluffiest bee award in my garden goes to this tiny Common Carder bumble bee. Even the small cosmos flowers- the last of the season- are sought after. Flowers open smaller as the season winds down. And the bees should surely hibernate soon.
Cosmos Antiquity seed- sown in February this year. Still in flower October 19.
Seeds are so inexpensive these days, there’s really no need to save our own. One packet of seed can produce hundreds of plants-for just a few pounds. And yet, there’s something about autumn that makes you want to dash round the garden gathering everything in. Every coat pocket at the moment contains a paper bag full of seeds of every shape and size. It’s my natural inclination to harvest, store up, preserve – to make ready for winter. I’m doing the same with jams and chutney. Capturing the summer. My defence against the cold.
For this week’s Vase on Monday, there’s white cosmos, sweet peas, rudbeckias, verbascum, malmaison carnations and grasses all grown this summer from seed.
My favourite sweet pea is the variety High Scent. It’s a deliciously creamy colour flower with a blue picotee edge. These were direct sown in June to give a late show until the first frosts. The scent is glorious on a sunny day, but at this time of the year it’s less evident in the garden. A posy on a bedside table in October though, is a joy. Heat from the log fire seeps right through the house, bringing out the most wonderful scent.
Rudbeckias flower all summer, whatever the weather. Reliable and long lasting in a vase. There’s usually a few stems to pick every day, until November.
Seed originally came from Higgledy Garden. I’ve got my eye on some new seed – persicaria orientalis , and lavender larkspur for next year. But for now, my collected seed is laid out in little containers in the potting shed, drying off and waiting to be sown again next season.
Thanks to Cathy for hosting this theme.
Ligularia The Rocket. Seeds and leaves, 12th October 2016.
For the past two years, I’ve run round my garden on a Sunday and created a posy of “everything in flower” for my mother-in-law, Joan. Sadly, she can’t visit us as often as she would like. My father-in-law no longer drives, and they are both in their late eighties. So I try to create a series of mini- posies, one with scent, another with foliage. It’s a flavour of the garden that I’m after. They are simply tied with string and not arranged. Joan takes great delight in studying each stem and making her own creations. It’s my way of sharing my garden with my in laws. Keeping the dialogue going and asking advice. It’s become a kind of tradition. One I am happy to have started.
Blue Aster Monch, Clematis Polish Spirit, Persicaria, white Cosmos Purity and white Aster Monte Casino.
I prepare the posies in my potting shed, stripping off the lower leaves and plunging the flowers in a bucket of fresh cold water for a few hours before tying them with string. Conditioning them like this means they will last for at least a week in the vase. More information on growing cut flowers and preparing them from Georgie at Common Farm Flowers
Sweet pea High Scent, well named- and reliable. Blue Aster Monch, Diascia rigescens, and Antirrhinum Black Prince. I’m sowing more sweet peas this week. Heritage varieties from Easton Walled Garden, historic renovation project near Grantham, Lincs.
Verbena Bonariensis seeds itself around the cut flower patch and provides pickings from May to November. Alstroemeria flowers all year round in a cold poly tunnel.
Gardening and growing flowers- such simple pleasures- much better when they are shared with someone.
Thank you to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting In a Vase on Monday.
Clematis against an October blue sky.
Step out of my garden gate, and cross the ploughed field at the back of the house and this is the autumn view. Rich fertile farming land. Harvested now. And waiting. Ploughing sounds drone all around. I can remember a time when the fields stood brown all winter. Now there’s barely a pause. Winter wheat, barley, oats and oil seed will be sown by November.
Hedgerows show the first shades of autumn, while the oak and ash still stand as green as summer.
We stand and watch a kestrel quartering the fields. A rich hunting ground now the oil seed crop has been harvested. A set aside strip runs round the field margins.
Along the hedgerow walk, there’s a delicious smell reminiscent of apple pie. Crab apple fruit gently cook in the heat. It’s been 20 degrees here today. We collect the ripening fruit to make jelly. Whenever I open my kitchen cupboard doors in the winter, the jars of pink jelly will be there to lift my spirits. Little things matter in the dark depths of winter.
Goldfinch feast on thistle and teasel seeds. The flash of yellow brings more welcome cheer on cold dark days.
Rosehips galore. The blackbirds love them. We still make rosehip syrup. I grew up on a spoon of rosehip syrup each day before school. It tasted of summer.
Viburnum opulus or Guelder Rose with sealing wax berries. As beautiful as any garden shrub.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this walk along the hedgerows and the view from my garden. I have cheated really as Cathy at Words and Herbs asks us to share a view of our garden and show how it changes throughout the year. My plot is mostly a wildlife garden with patches of brambles and stinging nettles. So as a first time contributor to this meme, I thought I would show you the setting for my garden. And hopefully then you will forgive my weeds and forgotten corners where I tread carefully and hedgehogs curl up in the leafmould with geranium leaves for a roof.
Summers end- and the garden’s still glowing. Butterflies are feasting on fallen apples. Bats overfly the pond at night. And the borders fair rustle and crunch to the sound of hedgehogs- surely the noisiest visitors to my garden after dark.
The garden is still full of colourful blooms.
And yet, the season has tipped over the balance. Michaelmas, on September 29th, traditionally signals the beginning of autumn- the shortening of days. My ancestors,who were servants to grand houses, would have been paid, hired or fired on Michaelmas day. And for later generations, who were farmers, Michaelmas signalled the end of the productive season, a completion of harvests. The end of one cycle of growing and the start of a new one.
Growing must be in my blood. I can’t be happy unless I am tending and planting food, flowers, fruit and veg. I often wonder if this need for gardening keeps me connected to the past, to those hard working and tenacious ancestors.
I remember my Grandfather pointing out the Harvest Moon and speaking of the Autumnal Equinox- Softly spoken words that delighted me. I always had a fascination for such things.
There are two equinoxes each year in September and March when the sun shines directly on the Equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal. In 2016 the Equinox was on Thursday 22nd September, when some of these photos were taken. Autumnal Equinox
Cosmos plants flower until the first frosts.
Calendula pot marigolds seed themselves along the veg garden paths
Schizostylis/ Hesperantha coccinea- a September glory. Also known as crimson flag lily.
Sweet peas sown late will flower until October. The scent combines with the late summer roses still blooming here.
Dahlias left in the ground over winter did much better than potted plants kept in the greenhouse.Slugs seem to like the softer growth of the cosseted plants.
Sunflowers in such sumptuous colours. Seeds for the birds over winter.
Rosa Shakespeare puts on a good late summer show, and the scent is reminiscent of old moss roses.
Aster Monch. My favourite -totally reliable and a magnet for bees and butterflies.
White phlox paniculata. Grown here in deep shade and poor soil at the back of the garage. Such a beautiful scent. A plant that shines out in dark places.
Sweet pea seeds came from Easton Walled Gardens where I had the most dreamy job last winter, promoting the gardens. It wasn’t difficult to say nice things about this glorious historic garden renovation project.
Soon my garden will be full of seed heads- and I will treasure them just as much as the flowers that came before.
Until then, to quote Alison :”It feels like autumn is holding its breath.”
Thanks to Helen for hosting this End of the Month View.
My favourite thing in gardening is finding unexpected treasures -or plants I’ve forgotten about. I planted this Eucomis bicolor (pineapple lily) years ago. Each autumn it’s always a surprise- pushing up through an umbrella of geranium leaves. What plants have you “found” that have delighted you?
Making its own light. Calendula on a dark autumn morning.
Echinacea White Swan. I could sit and gaze at this flower and bee all day.
Echinacea Green Jewel. Mesmerising.
Things I make. A welcome to the front door.
Pelargonium Appleblossom Rosebud. Perfectly named. Such beauty.
This cultivar has been around for over 100 years. It grows well, with plenty of flowers, but needs lots of sunshine to provide a strong colour. My plant was at the shady end of the greenhouse, which is why it is a greenish-pink. But I love the delicate folds and pink-tipped flowers. They are perfect for flower arranging, lasting a week in water. It’s one of my favourites. This plant came from my Mum, but I can highly recommend Fibrex Nursery -holders of the national collection of pelargoniums- at Stratford, Warwickshire. Their mail order service is first class. I can spend many happy hours gazing at their gorgeous catalogue. http://www.fibrex.co.uk and on Twitter @FibrexNurseries
A self-seeded pot marigold, Calendula. While I fuss over and struggle with more exotic plants, this is a reminder that beauty sometimes just happens.
We live on a windswept ridge. On the plus side, there are views in all directions- rolling fields of corn, oats, and barley. On the minus side, in the winter we are battered by 70 mph winds. Every winter we lose one or two mature trees. Last winter, we lost a majestic willow with five stately branches. Now reduced to a stump.The mature oak trees always suffer some damage. We anxiously check them after a storm.
Step over our garden fence, and take 20 paces and you will come to my chosen tree following oak.
It’s the tree in the centre of the picture.
The oak is about 200 years old and marks the start of a small wood where buzzards nest each summer.
One of the branches, snapped in a storm, has been left dangling. We wonder what lives in the holes and crevices.
Something must live in there. We see footprints in the winter.
It’s a favourite spot for a picnic in summer. The wide-spreading canopy gives much welcome shade.
Here’s Arnie enjoying the cool shade during the recent heatwave.
And it’s not just us enjoying the shade. We watched these beauties being born and have enjoyed seeing them grow. It’s a rare thing to see calves reared by their mothers these days. We get a lot of pleasure from seeing them caper around the fields. They seem to be as interested in us as we are in them. They line up along the hedge to watch me working on my vegetable plot.
Lammas Day is August 1st and our oak trees have put on the second flush of growth. Lammas leaves look so fresh and green. It’s a reminder that the season is moving on.
We sometimes see a woodpecker on the trunk. The bark must contain a good supply of insects and grubs.
A beautifully scented dog rose wreaths around the sunny side of the tree. There will be plenty of rose hips this year.
Thank you to https://squirrelbasket.wordpress.com/tree-following for hosting this meme. I was inspired to join in by Alison at The Blackberry Garden http://blackberrygarden.co.uk and Mike at Flighty’s Plot https:// flightplot.wordpress.com . Thanks for reading.
Wild grasses are as beautiful as flowers in my garden. Butterflies lay their eggs on blades of grass, and they are food plants for caterpillars.
Who doesn’t love absent-mindedly stripping the seeds as you walk along, and scattering them along the way. It’s a favourite pastime of mine. So calming – and it’s free.
Hatchlings.
I watched the spider weave this web. Watched the tiny dots hatch into tiny spiders. And then today, they emerged. It’s been a daily pilgrimage for me to check on the nest. I’m so pleased the web survived the farm tractors, dog walkers, stormy weather. I whispered good wishes to the babies as they drifted on the wind. And pondered on the things that make me happy. They are the simple pleasures in life. The things that money can’t buy.
Geranium oxonianum seedling. A good weed smothering variety. Flowers all summer. And mounds of foliage make a perfect home for hedgehogs in the winter. We often find hedgehogs rolled up in a pile of dried leaves, tucked in amongst the geraniums. And there they stay until spring.
Photos from the lane outside my garden gate.
Tiny bee and cow parsley.
Sweet smelling dog roses in shades of white and pink
Dog roses tumble from the Hawthorne hedgerows
Dog roses as beautiful as any cultivated form
Loved by bees. I think this is called hawkweed.
Wild sorrel. Leaves can be used for delicious soup.
Wild sorrel ripens to this beautiful red colour
Pink cow parsley – as pretty as any garden flower
Tiny wild geraniums
I hope you’ve enjoyed a walk along our country lane in June. Are there any wild flowers when you live?
Old fashioned pink, Dianthus Mrs Sinkins. Such scent!
It’s been torrential rain here all morning. The ditch has overflowed and resembles a fast flowing stream, and my veg plot is half under water.
I’ve been watching a young buzzard, sitting on our hedge. Every now and again, it shakes itself and raindrops go flying.
Suddenly the downpour halts. The buzzard looks about and stretches its wings to dry them. And then it’s off. With only three flaps of its wings it is gliding over the hawthorn hedge. Such power. By the time I get to the gate post to watch, the buzzard is only a tiny speck high up in the sky. But we can hear the cat-like mewing sound. And now there are three. The young buzzard has been joined by its parents.
We’ve been watching these buzzards for the past few years. They’ve made a nest in a small wood in the fields at the back of our house. Last year there were two pairs nesting, and they each produced two chicks.
We will take a walk there later to see if we can spot their nests-without getting too close to bother them.
Anyway, the sun’s come out now, and suddenly there’s activity all round. There’s bees buzzing in the cotoneaster around the office window, the fledgling swallows are making wobbly flights past. We hold our breath, in case they crash. They just miss, by inches. The busy, twittering sound they make reminds me that I must get going too. I must dash off to work, before the next deluge.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick glimpse into my morning here in my garden. It’s our wildlife haven.
Wild geranium,tiny but Jewel like. White clover, buttercup and grasses. Perfect for bees, butterflies and insects.
Pink-tinged cow parsley. As pretty as any cultivated flower.
Wild geranium maculatum, like crinkled silk. Also known as cranesbill because of its seeds. As beautiful as garden form.
Bramble Garden 