It was a bit of a dash around with the camera to capture images and inspiration to put something together for this week’s Six on Saturday. The morning had been spent packaging snowdrop bulbs to post off to fellow snowdrop enthusiasts – a little swapping is far, far cheaper than buying these exorbitantly-priced bulbs. There was a gallop in the early afternoon to post these and to collect a lawnmower which had been left in for repair and then it began to rain so it was as well that I had taken my photographs when I had the opportunity.
Opium poppies, Papaver somniferum, are unpredictable plants in the garden. They cross-breed and self-seed to their own designs so their colours and forms come as a surprise each year, something which makes them interesting.
Not and Opium poppy but grown from seed given by a friend many years ago and I look forward to its annual flowering.
Daylilies, Hemerocallis, are more permanent and predictable than the poppies in the garden. They grow well for us to the extent that we had become a little tired of them but they have done so very well again this year that we have come to like them again. There is a good selection of them in the garden and here are those looking best at present:
Hemerocallis ‘Pat & Pattie’ Hemerocallis ‘Stafford’ Hemerocallis ‘El Desperado’ Hemerocallis ‘Joan Senior’ Hemerocallis ‘Kwanzo’ fl. pl. Hemerocallis ‘James Marsh’ Hemerocallis ‘Mallard’
Hydrangeas can be relied on to give a good display right through autumn into early winter. We have a bed almost entirely given over to hydrangeas and have others sprinkled about the garden. They do well for us and are a great return for the little care they require. Some are yet to look their best but there are others which look well at this moment:
Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea ‘Miss Saori’ Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’ Hydrangea ‘Lady in Red’ Hydrangea ‘Bodensee Blue’ Hydrangea ‘Invincibelle’
Margery Fish’s, “When in doubt, plant a geranium” is often quoted and it is a truism of gardening and plant choice for there is hardly a day of the gardening season without a geranium to enjoy in the garden. These are in flower at present:
Geranium ‘Havana Blues’ Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ Geranium ‘Rozanne’ Geranium wallichianum ‘Havana Blues’ Geranium ‘Rozanne’
Agapanthus haven’t really come into full flower here yet but some have made a start and they are such beautiful flowers. One is my particularly favourite agapanthus, for its especially dark rich colour – Agapanthus ‘Windlebrook’. I grow two cultivars which are outstanding in pots: Agapanthus ‘Kilmurry White’ and Agapanthus ‘Kilmurry Blue’. Both are small plants with small flower which are produced in an amazing number and so give a wonderful effect.
Agapanthus ‘Windlebrook’ Agapanthus inapertus Agapanthus ‘Kilmurry Blue’ Agapanthus ‘Kilmurry White’ Agapanthus ‘Queen Mum’ Agapanthus ‘Twister’ Agapanthus in a bed with Alstromeria ‘Indian Summer’
This last photograph leads to sixth of my Six on Saturday this week for it is of some groupings in the garden, some planting combinations which are appealing at present. By the way, I can take no credit for the planning nor selection of these plants – that is to the credit of the Head Gardener. I remain, happily and contentedly (most of the time!), the Undergardener.
Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ with Hemerocallis ‘Stafford’ in front; Galega officinalis, light blue, in the background and a strongly-coloured phlox to the right. Heleniums, fronted by Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’ with Geranium ‘Rozanne’ to the right. Hemerocallis ‘Joan Senior’ with Hosta ‘Orange Marmalae’ to the front and Liatris spicata to the right. Liatris spicata with a quite tall veronica behind. The purple plant in the background is Verbena hastata and the high grass of the “bulb lawn” or wildflower patch to the left.
If you would like to see other “Six on Saturday” blogs, visit: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/ Read his Six on Saturday entry and then scroll down to the replies and you will find other bloggers have posted links to their posts there.
What a beautiful garden you have! All that space, filled with colour – thank you
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Good to have when we are locked down with Covid 19! Keeps us occupied.
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Simply stunning
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Garden looking really beautiful. Dull here today again but the plants did need some rain Sowed some governments recently and I transplanted 70 yesterday !!
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Governments?
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I am seriously dribbling! Amazing, I can’t even begin to pick out my favourites as there are so many we might as well say “all”. Beautiful. 🙂
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That’s very kind of you. Many thanks.
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Wow. What a selection of beautiful plants. Your hydrangeas are lovely.
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Hydrangeas have always done well here so we make the most of them.
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Love that daylily Stafford.
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Yes, a good strong colour.
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Your beds have such pretty color combinations. Oh, to have my daylilies old enough and so full of flowers I could get tired of them!
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Some of our beds had become overshadowed as trees grew and the daylilies seemed to be in decline. We have done a lot of work on the trees this year, removing lower branches, and this has allowed in far, far more light and rain so the daylilies have responded brilliantly. I am happy with them again.
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Fantastic growing conditions, a large garden, and a Head Gardener to share your ideas and dreams with…everyone’s idea of heaven.
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The Head Gardener runs her garden well! LOL
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Oh my goodness Paddy, this post is incredible. It’s like six sixes in one. What a treat!
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I’m feeling my way with the format. Most post six photographs with comments while I took six themes, so to speak. It’s a good way to make contact with other gardeners.
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Poppies are so gorgeous. Agapanthus…grows like a weed here!
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Yes, we also have to be careful to weed out agapanthus seedlings in order to keep bought cultivars from being swamped by inferior plants.
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What a fabulous selection of plants, and all looking so healthy and well looked after.
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Thank you for such a kind comment.
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wow! all fabulous. love the hydrangeas, but that would be to elevate them above the others. all looking very fab Paddy, fair play.
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Recent rain gave everything a boost so things are looking well at the moment.
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Paddy – how incredibly beautiful. Are your snowdrops underneath everything in these photos !? Great photography as always – an absolute pleasure to look at and then…..look at again and again 😉
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Hi Jennie, How lovely to hear from you. The snowdrops are scattered about, all in the open garden. I am inclined to have them under geraniums mostly or to the back of borders under trees and shrubs which have had the canopy lifted a little to allow room beneath, places which are not quite so visible later in the year when other plants grow up in front. And I have a few daylilies also! Some of the labels are lost in the clumps and I had it in mind to go and search them out today. Take care!
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