A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
As you may recall (if you were paying attention at the back), last week I was determined to put off Autumnal themes for as long as possible. I do now concede defeat, after a week where is has been cold, wet and windy, although admittedly not all on the same day. Last night it was the last episode of Gardener's World for this year, and so the weary gardener hangs up her trowel and retires indoors until the Spring.
Well maybe not until the Spring, but I have to admit that no actual gardening has been done this week. Although I have been out to admire the changing colours of the leaves. This azalea (Rhododendron luteum) has some of the best colour.
A little smattering of leaves on the paths, the long shadows and the yellowing foliage all give this photograph of the Rose Garden an unmistakable Autumn air.
The berries on the Snowberry bushes (Symphoricarpos albus) look white and pristine. This shrub is a bit of a thug and likes to take over. I'm remined of Russel Page's opinion of them in 'Education of a Gardener'
'My first action [when taking on a new commission] is to remove all the obvious rubbish, misshapen spindly trees and bushes that have lost in the struggle for light and air and food as well as such plants as elder, snowberry or indeed any other unattractive subject...'.
But one of the plants that is the most lovely this time of year is the Fuchsia. A sleepy bee has found shelter beneath this one.
Although my favourite fuchsia is 'Winston Churchill'. There is nothing less like Winston than this many petaled pink and purple confection, which has been flowering since the beginning of July.
Plants which flower for a long period are of course highly useful things to have, even if they are as common as muck, and here are another two or three that earn their place on that ground alone.
First up is the tall marigold 'Space Hopper' which I see first appeared on my post of 24th July and hasn't been out of flower since. It's accompanied by Dahlia 'Zundert Mystery Fox' which made its Six on Saturday debut on 14 August this year.
Not quite reaching those long flowering heights, but still managing a respectable six weeks so far, are the sedums and Persicaria Amplexicaulis 'Firetail'.
That's all I have room for this week. Thanks as ever to the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
I completely agree about common but reliable plants. If a plant grows particularly well in my garden, I split it up and dot it around to create some continuity. The choicer plants then fit in amongst that. It works, mostly!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good approach. I also save the prime growing spots for the choicer plants and put the common reliable plants (like that persicaria) in the bits where the soil is poor, dry and or shady. It stops it taking over.
DeleteThe leaf collection season will start soon, especially with the wind gusts that we had.
ReplyDeleteVery nice fuchsia !
Yes - it will soon be time to get out the rakes.
DeleteIt's funny how plants are the 'in' thing one minute and then snubbed the next when they're deemed too 'common.' Those two Fuchsias are lovely and I love the autumnal hues of the azalea. I wonder what Mr Page would have thought of the ornamental elders these days?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure whether they would be refined enough for him.
DeleteI think Monty featured that very azalea last week (am usually a week behind with Gardener's World, with the time difference it's on a bit late so I record it and watch it when I have a moment), and it is indeed a lovely colour. I don't think Russel Page would like my garden and would probably remove most of my plants! He does some rather pompous, the snowberry is delightful - I stole some from my local park last year to decorate my Christmas wreath.
ReplyDelete*sound pompous
ReplyDeleteSnowberry is lovely when the berries are fresh. It's probably time I read Russel Page again to see what else he had to say. I remember that he mostly made gardens for large European country houses and villas, so not much that was relevant to less imposing houses.
DeleteDry and shady but baking hot and sunny in the afternoon, now what would grow there? I've had to remove a couple of non performing plants, maybe a snowberry is the answer?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure snowberry is the answer unless you have a fair bit of space because it spreads and its impossible to dig out. I have to get out the Glyphosate to get rid of it. In those type of conditions (west facing under trees) the Hebe rakaiensis, sedums, hardy fushias, hostas (do complain about too much sun by don't care about the dry) seem to do OK.
DeleteAutumn is everywhere now, isn’t it. The Dahlia/Marigold combo works really well.
ReplyDeleteLeaves blowing off the trees today. Very Autumnal.
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