RHS Chelsea week...and in my garden - all the As (along with a few others)

Chelsea Garden photos from the RHS Chelsea website

I have been enjoying the TV coverage of RHS Chelsea over the last week.  It is always interesting to see what the designers, construction teams and gardeners come up with.  I haven't ever visited the show myself, nor am I likely to - way too many people for comfort!  Sustainability, gardening with nature and the gardens being relocated after the show seemed to be themes this year, which are all good.  I liked bits of a few gardens including the area above from The Myeloma A Life Worth Living Garden by Chris Beardshaw.  My criteria is 'would I like this outside my back door?'  In the case above, yes I would, a lovely calm green space with ferns and a water feature. 

I also liked the Royal Entomological Society garden by Tom Massey with its wildlife and insect friendly (as you would expect!) planting.  The colours this year seem to be green, white and magenta/purple, and these could be seen on a lot of the gardens. 

There were some beautifully designed, constructed and planted stage sets such as Cleve West's Centrepoint garden, showing how nature takes over a derelict Victorian Terrace and bringing homelessness into focus.  I can appreciate this, but wouldn't want it outside my back door! 

With Chelsea over for another year,  what is happening in my garden?  It's the As - Alliums, Aquilegias and Astrantias.  Above is allium Purple Sensation.

I don't know that name of this allium, but is is another lovely one.  I think I may need more of these in the autumn.

Aquilegia Navy and White was the starting point for my aquilegias but they seem to have changed as they have self seeded about.

I like the darker purple of this one.

I do like an astrantia and have several of the darker ones.  Above is Star of Love or Star of Fire - I'm not sure which. This one is in the border.

Astrantia Burgundy Manor is in a pot and I love this one.  It is a stunner!  I have got three Astrantia Roma young plants growing on, which should be a nice pink shade.  I hope they will flower next year.

Other plants making a show at the moment are Philadelphus Little White Love. This took a while to get going but has started to grow and flower profusely.  As with most Philadelphus, it has a lovely scent.

The peony I repotted last autumn has rewarded me with more flowers than it has ever had.  

My latest camassia, Silk River, is nearly in flower so I am checking it every morning at the moment.   I am really enjoying the garden and the sunny weather has helped a lot, particularly after the cold Spring.  I have lost two agapanthus plants which were overwintered in the shed and obviously did not like the cold snap last December, and a few other small plants, but I am realistic and it just means I can replace them with something else (like another rose?) Funnily enough, I have got my eye on a new rose by David Austin, Dannahue.  I don't really have room for any more roses, but may have to squeeze this one in.  Speaking of roses, they have started flowering, so there will be a couple of posts to come... 

Some of the 'A's

It's that time of year when the aquilegias and alliums start to flower.  I think the aquilegia above is a seedling from the original plant.

The alliums are also starting to make their presence known.

The way the raindrops were sitting on the miscanthus leaves stopped me in my tracks one morning.  

We had some much needed rain as it has been really dry through most of April and into May.  I like the way the drops of rain are just sitting there.

Aquilegia Navy and White, I think.  

They are pretty flowers.

Rhododendron Tinkerbird is in flower again and the lovely jasmine perfume is wafting around the enclosed patio space when the sun shines.  I potted this poor plant on recently as it was in a small tub and this may also have shocked it somewhat.  It isn't looking too healthy at the moment as the leaves are mottled, which after some research, seems to be due to the Pieris lacebug/Rhododendron lacebug. I shall give it a feed and possibly a spray with some invigorator once the flowers are over.  The roses are just starting and there will definitely be photos to follow.  

The garden in May

The garden has exploded in colour and growth after the recent rain.  It is a joy!  There are quite a few photos in this post - I just can't help myself when there is so much to look at.  Above is rhododendron Tinkerbird and her flowers have opened seemingly overnight.  

What you can't get from the photos is the delicious jasmine scent from these flowers and the scent wafts around our little enclosed garden when it is sunny.

The flowers are so pretty with their delicate flush of pink.

This is a real Spring view - apple tree, bright green foliage and tulips.

The lewisias are coming into flower too.

My favourite Ballerina tulips after last night's rain.

The pink fringed tulips which I didn't plant, but which have flowered on and off for the last twenty years.

This narcissus (Pheasant's eye, or Narcissus poeticus recurvus) was one of my Granny's favourite flowers.  She would be so pleased that I am such a keen gardener.

Granny used to walk to collect us from the bus stop and walk the mile or so home.  She was a fount of knowledge about wild flowers, shrubs and trees.  That is a wonderful memory which I treasure.

Aquilegia or Granny's Bonnets. I think this is a self seeder from another plant further up the border. 

Self-seeded bluebells, but such a lovely blue, I am very happy for them to be there.

Tulip Ronaldo, still in flower, looking lovely with the raindrops.  

These have lasted really well this year.

Raindrops on roses, well, raindrops on rose leaves.  This is Olivia Rose Austin.

Another lewisia.

Finally, (well done if you have made it this far) here is Magnolia Fairy Blush.  So pretty, so reliable and really needing a bigger pot now.

White flowers with a tinge of pink, just like the rhododendron at the start of the post.  I love this time of year! 

More star plants (for Chelsea week)

It would have been RHS Chelsea this week and as the show was cancelled, the BBC have been looking at the last ten years of the show with the presenters in their own gardens.  There have also been films on Youtube.  In my own garden, there are lots of star plants.  Above and below is Rhododendron Tinkerbird which has pretty flowers and the most gorgeous jasmine scent which wafts round the garden when the sun is shining.

The flowers are a lovely combination of pink and white.

Some of my lewisias are flowering too...

This one has pink, apricot and coral coloured flowers.

The blue aquilegia is flowering well this year.

 Iris sibirica is in a hot and dry part of the border, so shouldn't be looking quite as good as this as it prefers slightly damper conditions, but it is lovely to see it.

 The stainless steel spheres echo the alliums really well and it is a happy coincidence that there are three alliums here.

 Another allium.

 Gladiolus Byzantinus is flowering too, although I don't have as many of these as I would like.

 Of course, those divas of the plant world, the peonies, are delighting me...

...this is a patio peony (Athens, I think) and is grown in a pot.  The peonies I planted in the border are not as happy as this one. 

This double red astrantia is hidden behind a rose and easy to miss.  I am not sure of the name but it could be 'Star of Love' and came from RHS Chatsworth two years ago.  

The garden is doing me proud this May.

Spring garden

 The wet weather has encouraged the plants to put on a lot of growth and it is all looking rather green and luscious.  Above is Clematis Crystal Fountain which is looking very flamboyant.

 The blowsy clematis contrasts well with the understated elegance of this aquilegia (I don't know the variety).

 This one is supposed to be 'Navy and White', but appears to have turned pink.  I do like it, despite it not being blue!

 Here's one of my newest plants, Magnolia 'Fairy Blush' which has such pretty flowers.  It is supposed not to get too massive, can be pruned and is meant to be really hardy. I'm impressed so far - how could I not like those flowers?

 Really pretty delicate colours.  I also have a white/cream one, but it only has leaves as it is a younger plant.

The tulips have been beautiful this year and I have already put in my order for next year!  Although most of them are now over, Red Shine continues to give a splash of colour which offsets all the green so well.  Chris said how much he liked these particular ones (just as well, because I have ordered more!).  Although there is quite as bit of dodging showers for us, the plants are loving it and I am looking forward to seeing what flowers next.