The Three As (and some other options)

It is the time of year for enjoying the three As in the garden - Alliums, Aquilegias and Astrantias.  Above and below are some of my alliums.  Those in the sunny border don't seem to be very happy and are dwindling.  It is a raised bed and perhaps gets too dry in the summer.

I have planted some in the big rose pots and they seem to be doing better.

I do like the globe flowerheads.  

Aquilegias are another plant which don't seem to like the sunny border.   They have seeded themselves into other pots this year.

I should have an astrantia photo here, but the one I took is too blurry so I will have to try again. In the meantime, there is a chive flower which is very pretty (and edible!)

If you don't like the chive flower, how about a geranium phaeum?  These are happier in a bit of shade so they are in the north facing border.

My third option is an apricot foxglove, grown from seed last year and with drops of rain on the flower. It is nearly time to sow next year's plants.  These are in a pot and have done better than the ones I planted in the border, which seem to have disappeared.  

It is RHS Chelsea Flower show this week and I shall be watching the TV coverage, as I do every year.  It is always fascinating to see how the gardens are created and where they will be going after the show. 

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... 

My garden is getting a bit out of hand!

With the sunshine and showers we have had during July, the garden has put on a lot of growth.  In fact, it feels a bit like a jungle as we carefully try to make our way past the miscanthus.  The buddleia has matured into a bit of a monster - when I bought this, it was described as a 'dwarf', but there is nothing dwarf-like about its proportions now!  It has a honey scent which is most noticeable in the early evening when I am watering.

The phlox in a pot is also growing well and shares a honey scent.

Clematis Perle D'Azur has never looked as good as this.

Here are the miscanthus grasses which have really grown this year - this one is supposed to be a smaller variety 'Starlight' and behind it is the taller 'Kleine Fontane'.

A view to the sunny border with palms, roses , agapanthus, and hardy geraniums all jostling for space.

This is the view from the patio - bluberries, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, astrantias, a clematis and fuchshias.

Hydrangea Annabelle is making a stab at garden domination this year (but she is lovely!)

This is the north facing border with clematis, another miscanthus, roses at the back, and my hacked back (but doing well, with flower buds) hibiscus.  Again, a bit of a jungle feel here! 

Finally, a couple of photos of a bee enjoying the buddleia.

He kept moving very quickly, enjoying the nectar and pollen.

RHS Chatsworth 2019 (part two)

Here's the second post about our visit to RHS Chatsworth.  Inside the Floral Marquee are a plethora of stalls selling pretty much any plant you could want.  They are have beautiful displays, showing their plants to perfection.  I thought the Delphinium Peacock above was inspired.

I do like an allium - here they are in serried ranks with no plant out of place.

The peony balls looked so beautiful.

This display of woodland plants and trees stopped me in my tracks - it was the pink cornus in the centre which did it...

A pyramid of lilies and the scent was intoxicating.

A stand of hydrangeas looking so elegant.

Outside, I was very taken by these copper tree water features.

One day, perhaps I'll get one (but it would have to be a bonsai version!)

The exhibit 'The Power of Trees' was one of my favourite areas.  All the trees were in air pots and after the show, would either go back to the nursery or become part of the RHS Bridgewater Garden, their newest garden, currently being developed.

Inside the glade of trees were willow animals and birds and there was a great feeling of quiet and calm.  In fact, it was really noticeable that people were much quieter in here.

We also watched these craftspeople building a dry stone wall.  The precision in their work was incredible.  I liked the little niches they left and the steps they incorporated.

So, that's the photos from a lovely day out.  RHS Chatsworth seems to be improving every year and we're looking forward to the next one in 2020.  

So, what did I buy?

I managed to keep within budget and bought a Dryopteris Erythrosa (lovely hardy evergreen fern).

 Another deep red astrantia, but one which has deep red stems too, called Burgundy Manor.

 A lovely pinky/blue/lilac Magical Revolution Hydrangea.
Edited to add: I forgot to say that I also bought three Allium Globemaster bulbs too.

Originally, I had thought I would like some stained glass abstract flowers on stakes, but when I found the stall, they were just too expensive for me.  I noticed the metal sculpture stall early on, but didn't go back for the metal swirl until we were leaving and it was obviously meant to be because it was the last one!  I am thinking about the perfect place for it now.

My garden in Chelsea week - all about the A plants - allium, aquilegia and astrantia

I have been enjoying seeing my own garden grow and change during Chelsea week.  It's always about the alliums and I have two varieties, Purple Sensation and Christophii.  Above is Purple Sensation.

This aquilegia has self seeded, but it looks good here.

Allium Christophii starting to flower.

A lovely red astrantia given to me by a colleague at work.

More alliums...

...and more.  I don't remember planting these here, but they look happy.

This is my favourite combination in the garden at the moment - allium, a blue (quite tall) aquilegia and a single rosebud.  Nature does put things together so well, doesn't she?

Another pretty combination of allium christophii, the pink aquilegia and another red astrantia from my colleague at work.  It will soon be rose season and I always love that.  May/June is my favourite time of year.