20120530

Delicate colour of Aquilegia

Glorious weather has been encouraging all the plants to grow and flower. .... including weeds! Lupins, Aconitums and Nepitas in the Walled Garden are in full bloom, giving a lot of colours there. We planted Dahlias out today as well. Head Gardener is changing the colour scheme slightly from the last year so I am looking forward to seeing it in full in late summer, just before I have to go away.

close up of cow parsley

The other day, I was weeding out some Oxalis and here is a picture to show you why it is very difficult to get rid of them completely – you have to dig up all these bulblets. If you leave some, they will regrow!

 

One of the first Carifornian Poppy in South African Garden

 

Wisteria is looking beautiful and the air is filled with scent – I actually don’t enjoy some of Wisteria’s scent but bees are loving it.

Wisteria Bridge

Most of cuttings we took last autumn / winter are growing happily.

20120523

 

Arboretum is greening up with all the grass seeds germinating. After a week away, things are growing fast! ... probably not as fast as it should be as the temperature had stayed relatively low for the time of the year – but now the forecast is looking like we are going to have a bit of summer.

We are busy ‘Chelsea Chopping’ now as the Chelsea Flower Show just had started, so I am busy after work trying to follow some of the TV coverage. ‘Chelsea Chop’ is a technique used to delay flowering time or to make more bushy plant (so that they won’t need supporting) or to keep the height shorter, or combination of these reasons. We take half to one thirds off (or less in some cases) the growth of certain perennials. Here at the Garden House, main causalities are Sedums and Campanulas.

Plants that are looking good in the garden now are Viburnum plicatum at the entrance under Acer trees, Various Rhododendrons (R. yakushimanum is just starting) and Wisterias. The Wisteria Bridge will be looking perfect towards the end of this week.

Wisteria Bridge

Lindera obtusiloba New leaves

part of the Walled Garden, there was nothing here in the winter!

Cottage Garden is already looking full of life

Bottom of Acer Grade

Lime tree are just coming into leaves