Winter flowering 2018
The usual suspects are in bloom. As usual at this time of the year the gardener is impatiently looking out for signs of the forthcoming Spring in his bulbs. As for instance those Finola tulip specimens.
Category: Garden News
Improving the ‘blue tits first’ system
The sparrows have got a bit cleverer and managed to remove the plastic ‘skirt’ protection (see my previous post here & photos). I have improved the system, with a ceramics ‘hat’!
New Year’s Day 2018 Flower Count
New Year’s Day 2018 Flower Count in papi Jo’s garden. periwinkle Vinca major alpine heath Erica carnea sweet box Sarcococca confusa (buds) Darley Dale heath Erica x darleyensis ‘Silberschmelze’. In flower from October to April! Erica lusitanica ‘Le Vasterival’. In flower from November to March. Schizostylis coccinea Pink Princess (?)…
Organic is beautiful (or not…)
Organic fruit are not always as good-looking as pesticide-grown ones. Sometimes they can be plain ugly. I buy and store my apples for the winter from an organic apple grower near to where I live. Most apples are OK-looking, some look terrible (but still quite tasty—fortunately).
How to attract tits and keep sparrows at bay
This year I purchased a huge carton of suet balls, at bargain price. I hang them in my little crab apple tree ‘Evereste’, much to the delight of all the little garden birdies. However I’m somewhat fed up (pun intended) with the behaviour of the sparrows who come in their…
Preparing the borders for winter
Many perennials maintain a visible presence in the border in winter (some asters, heucheras, etc.) but others die back and leave no trace (e.g. delphiniums and some hardy geraniums such as ‘Rozanne’, shown in photo). In case of memory lapses regarding my border layout, I regularly put in short bamboo…
Weird sun and skies here in Brittany.
New plants in the garden
For the 3rd year running we visited the nearby Salon Délices de Plantes in Cesson-Sévigné. The weather was changeable, with a few showers which forced us to take shelter under the exhibitors’ tents… and of course encouraged us to succumb to temptation. Eventually we were quite reasonable and only bought…
Les jardins de Kerfouler
This week with a couple of friends we went to visit the Jardins de Kerfouler… and we loved our visit! I can recommend those gardens without reservation. Les Jardins de Kerfouler is a garden of inspiration boasting a range of garden styles, e.g.: modern, artistic, classic, natural, romantic, exuberant, modest,…
A most curious “obedient plant”
Planted this year 2 specimens of Physostegia virginiana ‘Bouquet rose’. The name obedient plant comes from the odd fact that the flower-heads, when moved from their usual position, stay put instead of springing back as most flowers would. Grab the middle vertical line and drag it to the left or…