Saturday 17 July 2010

Garden Tour (Part 2)

Continuing on from the Garden Tour (Part 1)...  I cut a curved pathway into the main border some years ago in order to create a  new bed on the left for grasses but the evergreen growth on the contorted Hazel and Euonymous elatus now overpower everthing in the summer!  
This area is now more densely shaded with the widening canopy of the Hawthorn but the path leads past another evergreen Euonymous, an ever expanding carpet of blue Campanula, more Geraniums, a Deutzia, Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' (severely in need of some sunshine!) to the Buddleia 'Nanho Blue' and then
the fragrant white blooms on the Philadelphus 'Innocence'. I had planned to buy a rustic iron chair so that I could sit at the end of the path but I'm not sure there is actually enough room even to stand any more!
Behind the greenery is the 'grass bed' with Stipa arundinacea and Calamagrostis 'Overdam' interplanted with Alliums (long since gone to seed), a self seeded Verbena bonariensis (not doing too well at the moment) and the colourful Heleniums that attract all manner of flying insects during the summer. 
Next is the former 'fruit cage' now used to store various pots, some with spring bulbs and the larger containers used for growing Tomatoes plus the compost bins. Another job on the 'to do list' is to build a raised bed in the centre, so that we can start producing some food for the table, as the ever extending roots from the nearby Betula 'Hergest' (birch) run close to the surface and makes planting nearly impossible.
A few of the more recent plants to bloom; (clockwise) Lilium henryi, Tritelia laxa (probably Queen Fabiola) peeps out from behind a white Lavender, a pink Phlox and Lilium 'Golden Slendour'. There are a few more Lillies in pots alongside the path which will hopefully produce some other colours very soon. 
Beyond the fruit cage is another garden shed and then two matching Whichford Pots (a retirement present from the pottery) either side of the steps that lead up onto the more recently paved patio area at the far end of our 75 x 20 foot garden. 
As the garden faces north-west this area is shady for most of the morning due to the high canopy of the birch and  I can often find Anita relaxing and reading in the shade. As the sun moves around we can enjoy its rays later in the day while scanning the sky for any passing avian species and on cloudless nights even a bit of star gazing. The floor space seems to get smaller year by year as the surrounding plants expand and more pots of Sempervivums find there way up here.
The bottom boundary fence is planted up with Itea ilicifolia that produces long green-white pendant catkins, Actinidia kolomikta with its two-tone foliage, Clematis 'Lemon Bells' (a late flowerer), Rose 'Gloire De Dijon' whose buff-yellow blooms have disappeared into outer space hunting for sunlight and in the corner  Indigofera himalayensis 'Silk Road' - one puff of wind and the floor is covered with its delicate purple-pink pea like flowers.
I hope you enjoyed this long awaited two part tour of our small suburban garden ... so different from the spaces on either side of us......FAB.

12 comments:

  1. A beautiful peaceful garden Frank.
    I hope it gives you & Anita a lot of pleasure.
    Amazing how everything grows, & having to accomodate this!
    Lovely to have definitely!

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  2. What a gloriously beautiful garden. I've so enjoyed my tour here with you. I used to keep my garden looking quite nice, although not as elaborate as yours. Now I am away from home more and have scaled back my gardening.

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  3. You have such a beautiful garden! And such a nice variety of colors.

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  4. It's just lovely! And a lot of work, I am sure. But, oh, the rewards! ~karen

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  5. Thank you Frank! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is clear that a lot of work and planning has gone into your delightful garden and you have some really beautiful plants.

    I suspect you can get away with slightly more tender plants where you are than I can here, I just looked up Actinidia kolomikta and saw that is tender so I doubt it would survive in our north facing garden.

    Indigofera himalayensis 'Silk Road' looks lovely too but living on a hill it can be very windy here so I think its flowers would suffer.

    A most enjoyable tour!

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  6. That’s really a magnificent garden. Another chair might make a good decoration, but it doesn’t sound like you have much time to sit.

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  7. You have created quite an oasis with a wonderful variety of plants. I love the look of gardens when plants are allowed to naturalize and follow their own tendencies. Gardens such as yours are so rich and deep with color, scents, textures, and sounds - a true delight to experience, I am sure.

    cheers,
    Wilma

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  8. Hi Frank....you really do have a lovely garden. I love your plant combinations......you have obviously given this space much thought and a lot of hard work.

    Anita looks content sitting amongst the flowers......lovely.

    I understand what you are saying about disappearing pathways etc. That happens all the time here, but then I garden for wildlife, and overgrown is good for the birds bees and bugs. That is my excuse anyway!!

    Hope you have enjoyed your weekend.

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  9. Beautiful garden you have Frank.
    I really must sort mine out one day lol

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  10. Franks, enjoyed the tour, both parts. What a wonderful and colorful place to enjoy nature. Do you get many varieties of butterflies among the blooms?

    Also, I am wondering how you make the collages. Do you combine the photos in a photo editing program and then save as a single photo?

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  11. Hi everyone. Many thanks for all your lovely comments about the garden.
    To put things into perspective I don't spend hours and hours working on it. Most plants were purchased and then I have to find a space for it...if it survives it stays...if not then try something else. The more you cram the less weeding is required. In case you are wonering I got a bit of flack posting A's pics..that's nothing new but she does agree that another chair would be good. FAB.

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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