A blog about plants and gardening.
Impressed with the size of the Taro or Colocasia esculenta.
I’m waiting for the Mirabilis Jalapa to flower.
Another Mirabilis, this time it is M. longiflora, again waiting for its buds to open.
I nearly cut the withering blooms but look how come flowers of this Geranium palmatum are clinging on and the bees are loving them.
These Hedychium are in bud already, standing tall in front of the Musa basjoo.
I hope you are enjoying the weather and green space.
Another really hot day, and many plants are suffering. I’m finding it hard to keep up with watering. Even after the precautions I made.
I’m happy to see this Cautleya gracilis lutea start flowering. It is much more delicate to its more robust counterpart.
Impatiens never used to have a space in my heart never mind my garden, here are two that I have purchased this year and are doing brilliantly.
Impatiens auricauma x bicaudata.
Impatiens balfourii.
I’m hoping that this sown Solanum quitoense will grow bigger and better. The leaves are stunning and so alien.
These are Canna brasiliensis seeds lay on top of a Musa Basjoo leaf.
The bees love the open flowers of this Dahlia ‘Bishop of Leicester’.
This is a Hedychium, I believe it to be H.densiflorum ‘Stephen’. I look forward to it seeing it in all its glory.
When I bought this Abuliton ‘Varigated Salmon’ my mum really dislikes it. Until that is when the flowers came. Now this is a prize plant in my parents garden.
A spot of bright colour provided by this Zinnia.
Another plant I have grown to love are Begonias. This is B. Josephii
Here I have B.evansiana.
Amongst the begonias is this stunning bulb, known as the pineapple lily, the Eucomis bicolour.
As I finish writing this the lightening spreads through the sky, the breeze returns and now the rain comes.
Had a busy day in the garden today with my parents.
I have really for many pictures to share.
The bees love the marjoram flowers.
I planted eight lavender plants, weeded lots of grasses and weeds. Pruned roses and trimmed back the hydrangea. It was sad to see the blooms go to waste. So I put them together.
I hope to get more done soon.
I have spent a bit of time in the yarden today.
If you’ve been following my posts of late, you’ll know I grow the more unusual and where possible rarer type of plants and flowers.
I was really happy that these petunias survived the winter and have started to re flower.
I don’t normally grow petunias, but when I saw these silky black flowers I couldn’t resist and bought a couple of plants.
These pictures do not do these flowers justice.
I have grown black violas before but sadly they were no longer. I found these at weekend, I must try and propagate these to ensure I don’t lose them again. They maybe small but aren’t they stunning?
Viola ‘Molly Sanderson’.
Another plant I’ve grown before but sadly not been able to keep alive are these dark leaved ipomoea. sadly they have never flowered for me but still. How delicate are the leaves?
Another amazing plant that is a must in my yarden is Aeonium Swartzkopf
This year I also have these stunning but highly poisonous Ricinus New Zealand Purple. I’m hoping that those leaves will grow huge!
Another amazing plant that is showing itself is this Arisaema ciliatum var liubaense. I can’t wait until it’s flower comes out more.
Since we moved here I have tried to encourage wildlife by adding plants, water, food and different habitats. I am pleased to say we have regular visitors, bees and birds mainly however today I saw this stunning black and red moth – The Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae).
Whilst pottering about I tidied up some areas and also decided it is about time I made a ‘feature’ out of my lovely piece of art that I bought off eBay some years ago.
Let me know what you think of it.
It reminds me of my travels around Asia and how they have such ornate pieces of art. Also how water is often placed at the front door – I believe that this is meant to ward of evil spirits but I may be wrong.
What do you grow? I’d love the hear back from you.
I have to give special thanks to my friend David who has given me many unusual plants and who is teaching me more about the rarities out there. He actually gifted the aeonium, Arisaema, Hedychium and ricinus in these pictures.
I went for a nice long walk today alongside the River Mersey.
It’s amazing the flowers and plants you can find.
I also took some pictures of flowers in my parents garden.
A variegated leaf abuliton with these lovely decent sized blooms.
A small aeonium in flower.
A lovely daisy that self seeds all over. White daisies that turn pink when they age. Erigeron karnivskianus.
Strawberries … they’ll be tasty.
A digitalis or foxglove.
A welsh poppy or papaver cambricum.
A stunning paeony.
A hardy geranium.
Another one.
A taller white geranium with a peony in the background.
Hope you’ve enjoyed the pictures.
I have bought a solar powered water pump, it is working but to the extent I need for my project.
I’ve read and hear that when the sun is strong these do well, it’s been pretty over cast so hoping that it gets stronger.
If not I’ll use it elsewhere.
I’m loving the amount of bees and birds that are visiting!! Today I saw our usual visitors of sparrows along with some tits and a black bird.
Our yarden today is looking green and lush! Still a very small space but so happy what we have done with it. The recent downpours have really helped. I’d just like it to warm up again.
I met a lady today that helps re home injured hedgehogs and she suggested that our little jungle would be a perfect home. I am seriously considering it.
Being able to provide a home for my favourite UK wild animals, letting it munch on many of the slugs and snails as it’s likes.
I hate chemicals and always prefer a natural way to garden. I think this would be a win win for the hedgehog, the plants and the planet.
Watch this space!
It’s been a busy day potting plants on and taking some outside to venture in to the huge wide world.
Literally each hour I had a cut or something!
First was a splinter, second – stung by a bee whilst trying to rescue it. Then a cut, then …
‘They’ do say that gardening is a dangerous hobby.
I am always excited to see parcels arrive with this label!
I have had another delivery from *AJ Plants.
They always arrive well packed and very healthy! I love the lovely letters attached to this invoice too!! They are organic, healthy and very reasonably priced!! What more do we want?
Here is a breakdown of today’s delivery.
Akebia quinata ‘Cream Form’, Gleditsia triacanthos, Impatiens balfourii, Lobelia tupa, Persicaria campanulata, Persicaria virginiana var. filiformis ‘Batwings’, Salvia involucrata ‘Bethellii’.
Look at these Tropaeolum tuberosum! Another recent purchase from AJ and it grows inches daily!! I am excited to see how this grows, look at those leaves!!
I am also loving these nigella, love in a mist plants growing, simple but also complex and delicate.
Had a busy day in the sun working in my parents garden.
Pruned lots more ivy and sadly broke two panels in the greenhouse. Well they were already cracked but now they definitely replacing. Glad that the weather is warm enough that it won’t cause any problems.
There were bees and other insects flying in and out of the greenhouse all day.
Here is one of my seed sown canna from last year. Canna brasiliensis.
I also connected a water butt to the down pipe and connected it with an overflow pipe to a second water butt.
My parents are on a water metre so this will help them and the planet at the same time. Also the water butt was from freecycle and the second is a recycled container. Win win!
The jasmine is not only looking amazing it smells better than you can imagine!
I pruned the fig tree, I decided to take many cuttings of varying types. We will soon see it they grow!
Look at the yucca about to flower.
This is my aloe shelf. Aloe vera, variegata and aristata.
This is a cool plant! Oxalis triangularis, they open and close. So cool!!
I have some borage in the yarden, love the colour of the flowers. However the bees love them!!!
This beauty is Aoenium zwartkop.
This is a montage of the various greens and foliage in our yarden. Hostas, ferns, grasses, bamboo, Zantedeschia, monkey puzzle, solanum.
Enjoy your green space and see you tomorrow.
Look at one of my stunning irises. Not sure if the variety.
These roses have a lovely scent. My dad planted it some time ago. I think it is a rambler. Here is a bee enjoying it as much as I.
Pleased to see the rerun of this hardy begonia – begonia grandis.
Keeping it short and sweet today as it’s midnight.
HungryforHostas 