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

20120417

Taking time off with Easter and that, only today I have noticed I haven’t made ANY entry this month yet! Shocking. Well, spring is definitely here and the Arboretum is definitely coming along. We are spending most of the time planting trees at the moment and I am trying to look up trees that I plant – Today, it has been Styrax hemsleyanus. It is native to China and has more attractive flowers and leaves than Styrax japonica which I like the growing habit of. It is a small tree growing to 8m, white flowers in May – June.
今月１回も書き込んでませんでしたね。イースターホリデイ等あったとはいえ、だめですねー。　最近はもっぱらArboretum に木を植えています。今日はStyrax hemsleyanus　という木を植えました。中国原産の珍しい小型の木です。

New growth of Japanese Maple is so lovely but it reveals where branches died back... (Acers tend to do this quite a bit).
もみじも芽吹いています。

One of the entrances to the Arboretum. Matching paving to the other side (Walled Garden) is laid today beautifully by the contractors.
Arboretum　への入り口に今日は敷石が敷かれました。キレイにできてます。（私ではなくコントラクターさんの仕事ですが・・・）

I love this flower! Forget me not...
忘れな草。

20120330

It’s the end of March. It was very exciting month with all new growth starting at the same time as the Arboretum project going ahead. I am so lucky to happen to be involved in this special time.

３月も終わりですね。今月はArberetumの建設と草木の芽吹きが一気に進んでとてもエキサイティングな月でした。

I found a slow worm in back of the trailer (it must have been hiding in a pile of green waste I picked up). I looked it up – it is one of the longest-lived reptiles living 30 – 50 years! It is a limbless reptile and not a snake – don’t ask me any more... I released it on the compost heap. Hope it like the warmth of it!

これはスロー・ワームという手足のない爬虫類。蛇ではないそうです。きゃっ、それ以上聞かないで！でも長生きさんで、３０から５０年生きるそうです。トラクターの荷台に潜んでました。たぶんなんかと一緒に積まれたんだろうなー

I picked some plants for my vase. Arum leaves, Vinca, Bluebells and Epimedium. Soft range of colours...

今咲いてる花々を摘んでみました。

Beautiful transparent new leaves of Cercidiphyllum.

カツラの木の新芽がとてもキレイ。

And! we are planting trees in the Arboretum! I spent ages digging round deep holes yesterday and today but now I know, from a lecture by Tony Kirkham today, what you need are square, shallow holes for them! The lecture was fun, interesting and inspirational.

ついに！Arboretum に木を植えています。最新の情報では木を植えるとき、四角い、浅い穴を掘る。支えは根元を最小限。です！けっこう目から鱗。とくに四角、と浅い。が。

I hope you all had wonderful month. Lets not worry about hose pipe ban yet... (it is unlikely to take place here.)　
ホースパイプ・バン（水不足のためホースでの水まきを禁止す措置。）のうわさも耳にしますが、その心配はおいといて、皆さん良い月を過ごされましたか？

20120319

Hairy plants and tadpoles. (Just thought of giving a title..)

毛だらけの植物とオタマジャクシ　（たまにはタイトルでもつけようかと思って。）

We had frost this morning, but not strong enough to brown the Magnolia next door – said to happen very often. It quickly warmed up in the morning and the day stayed sunny and lovely. Everything is growing. Some of the cherry trees are coming into flower. Something has been eating Snakesheads, not giving them a chance to show off their amazing flowers! We suspect that it’s rabbits’ nasty work.

今朝は霜がおりましたが、とくに被害はなかったようです。たぶん１度くらいまで下がっただけ。午前中のうちに気温も一気にあがり、薄手のセーターとタイツでは暑いくらいに。植物も一気に育ちだして、桜もちらほら咲き出しました。ウサギが出没しているようで、球根の花が食べられているのを発見。ウサギはこの国の田舎ではガーデニングの大敵です。

We hear that we are short of water in some places in the country. It has been unusually dry here but people don’t seem to be too worried – someone told me that the last hosepipe ban here in Devon was in 1976 or so (not checked).

場所によっては雨不足が深刻なようでニュースになってます。ここでも例年よりだいぶ降水量が少ないようですが、なんせもともととても降水量の多い地域。水制限される心配は薄いです。

Some plants’ texture is amazing. This Pulsatilla vulgaris is so furry, I could have it as a pet!　Pulsatiollaという花。なでたくなるほどふわふわ毛並みが良い。ペットになりそう。

Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’　ポピーの一種。

そしてタマジャクシ！！