RHODODENRONS AND LILAC
Sitting outside on Friday evening listening to the birds and eating an omelette with a glass of Fleurie, it seems like the height of Summer. How fast the seasons seem to be passing, while the days have slowed down. The dahlia tubers have been got out of storage and potted up or planted out in the borders. I'm a little later with this job than in previous years, so I'm hoping they will be alright.
Birds are nesting, including a pheasant incubating her large clutch of eggs behind the greenhouse. The Rhododenrons and Azaleas are coming into bloom, and the first of the Lilacs are out. Here are some of my favourites.
Birds are nesting, including a pheasant incubating her large clutch of eggs behind the greenhouse. The Rhododenrons and Azaleas are coming into bloom, and the first of the Lilacs are out. Here are some of my favourites.
1. Azalea
I hope you enjoy the eye popping colour of this Azalea. It's one of the many shrubs we inherited with the garden, but it's tucked away behind a hedge of Lonicera. The hedge tries to grow over the Azalea, but I'm wise to its ways now and make sure it gets a regular cut.
2. Lilac
This Lilac been there about five years now, and getting to be a reasonable size. The trouble with shrubs seems to be that you wait years for them to get to be the size you want and then you start worrying about how to prune it to keep it that way!
3. Unfurling
Ostrich fern unfurling. So intricate and delicate, no wonder the Victorians were fascinated by them. This is a new addition to the woodland, and is surrounded by germinating weeds. A job for this weekend, as they say on Gardener's World.
4. Tulip Queen of the Night
I find the velvety cool sheen on these purple tulips very attractive. They were quite the trendy thing in the 90's but are still just as lovely now.
5 Rhododendron
There are several large Rhododendron specimens forming a border behind the Rose garden. There are three like this one, with pinky lilac buds opening to almost white flowers with a speckled throat.
6. Pristine Leaves
One of the joys of Spring is is the display of pristine foliage. Lime green, edged in white, and (for now) unmolested by slug or snail.
Wishing you all good health and may your garden bring you comfort this coming week. Many thanks to The Propagator, who kindly hosts Six on Saturday. Do click the link and take a look.
Wishing you all good health and may your garden bring you comfort this coming week. Many thanks to The Propagator, who kindly hosts Six on Saturday. Do click the link and take a look.
Ostrich fern is so perfectly named, isn't it. You can see the ostrich heads in the unfurling fronds. I had Queen of the Night too, but it certainly didn't look as magnificent as yours....slightly wrong climate with definitely too much sun last spring.
ReplyDeleteTulips can go over so quickly if they coincide with a really hot spell. I hope you have better growing conditions next year.
DeleteStunning colours again. I am hoping my azalea does something interesting soon. It looks healthy enough but no sign of blooms.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed yours will get blooming soon. I think mine have been earlier than normal.
DeleteSo pretty ostrich ferns!...
ReplyDeleteI prune my lilacs every 2 years and only one of two ( I have 4) ; so I have one of the right size and the other less. It balances...
That's a good tip. Thanks Fred.
DeleteMy ostrich ferns were new last year too and look just like yours. My job for the weekend is also weeding in the woodland area. I need to to weed out all the baby sycamores. At least they pull out easily.
ReplyDeleteI've got lots of goosegrass and Jack by the hedge to remove. Luckily I get family help with pulling out the goosegrass because its fun.
DeleteMy ostrich ferns were new last year too and look just like yours. My job for the weekend is also weeding in the woodland area. I need to to weed out all the baby sycamores. At least they pull out easily.
ReplyDeleteThe perfection of that hosta! Where are your slugs.
ReplyDeleteThe slugs like to start with my most expensive recent purchases (such as the Clematis I bought from Great Dixter), before moving on to any young vegetable plants I have carefully grown from seed. Then they will eat the Hostas. But I have organic slug pellets so revenge is mine.
DeleteVery organised slugs. Make them pay!
DeleteOh what a gorgeous Azalea. I have a sad, scrawny one, not rich in colour like yours, but a pale lilac and mostly hidden behind a huge Camellia. That Camellia is hiding a lot, I think come autumn I need to try to excavate some of the plants it’s grown over.
ReplyDeleteThe Lilac is fabulous - the perfume must be quite heady, and those tulips look almost painterly. Beautiful!
I hope you manage to prevent slugs and snails from devouring your hosta, and any others you have in your garden - I battle them every year and they always win.
I've just had Mr Baileyana severely cutting back some shrubs this morning. It looks so much better now they have a bit more room. I'm sure the hostas will be 'got' by the slugs soon enough.
DeleteThe Queen of the Night tulip really is a stunner. I've seen it in a few posts and I'm definitely going to add it to the list. Love the Azalea. I know what you mean about shrub size and pruning!
ReplyDeleteThanks Graeme.
DeleteSuch lovely plants and colours! Love the azaleas and tulip with their bold colours. Is the foliage plant a hosta? I think I will give them a try when they are available at garden centres, but grow them in a pot. That way I can move them around until I find a spot that they like.
ReplyDeleteIt is a hosta - but I don't know what variety. It seems to fare better in the shade.
Deletemy tulips went over very quickly this year, or seemed to. too much sunshine in april, I expect. I solved that lilac problem by buying a dwarf variety. it is now the perfect height, about 5 feet.
ReplyDeleteA lovely spring garden. The sort of flowers I usually see in the Cornish gardens that I can't visit this year. My hosta is also looking nice and healthy, for now. Won't be long before the critters start to devour it though!
ReplyDelete