Bountiful Summer
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Summer perennials at their peak in the Paddock Garden.
Two 50 yard long complementary borders which give the "Wow
Factor"
Sitting under the pergola tonight writing these notes is a
pleasure indeed. It is a balmy evening and the scent of the
brugmansias and oriental lilies is quite overpowering. It is also
nice to have a break in a busy summer of visitors to the gardens
and to recharge the batteries after our most successful Open Day
for the National Gardens Scheme. We have even found the time to
have a couple of days in North Wales last weekend. We have had so
many compliments about the gardens it makes all our efforts
worthwhile. It is good to know that they give such pleasure to
others.
If you have been recently you will know that the revamps we have
done to some of the borders have lifted them to new levels,
especially those that had begun to look tired. It is easy to get
the impression that having so many perennials in the garden makes
gardening easier and reduces replanting every year but in reality
even perennial plants need refreshing every few years and some of
the more vigorous forms need splitting or reducing on a regular
basis. An active garden nursery such as we have ensures a steady
supply of new plants for the gardens and plenty for sale to our
visitors.
Every year more and people switch on to perennial planting with
demand for robust hardy plants capable of withstanding the coldest
winters. With this in mind I am preparing a new talk for my winter
series entitled "Designing with Perennials - Colour Schemes for the
Flower Garden" which should be a popular talk in our portfolio of
talks (see Nursey, Talks and Teas elsewhere on the website). If you
would like us to give a talk to your club or society during the
winter months please get in touch and we can discuss your
requirements.
Weather Report
What a strange month July was - very cold nights until mid month
with overnight temperatures below 5C on several nights and dull
days with some rain. Then suddenly, like someone flicked a switch,
the days and nights got warmer and we had some torrential rain at
times which triggered a tremendous spurt of growth in all plants.
The last 2 weeks have been exceptionally humid day and night and
throughout the month there was no significant wind. Not quite the
weather you expect in July and although we often look longingly at
the weather enjoyed in the south east, we have had some good rain
and the grass is green and I wouldn't swap that (on second thoughts
perhaps I would because we could use the swimmimg pool more
often!!)
Garden Update
The humid weather saw the arrival of potato blight, affecting
the most susceptible variety we grow, Charlotte, one of our all
time favourites for taste and keeping qualities until March. By
cutting off the haulms as soon as the blight appears it saves the
crop. Most others are reasonably OK but a few plants of each are
now showing some blight damage. The crop however is fantastic, even
the earlies giving a bucket of healthy tubers to 3 or 4 roots and
of a very good size. An early planting in March, no late frosts and
plenty of June rain is the key to success this year.
All the root crops are doing well carrots again with littke
carrot fly damage but a few chewed leaves thanks to the occasional
visit of a rabbit or two. Runner beans coming in now and a good
crop of dwarf french beans from a variety called Delinel. We are
trying a late sowing of a climbing form of French bean that has
been highly recommended to us called Sultana - a strange name for a
bean but who cares if it tastes good and crops well later in the
season.
Sweet peas have done fantastically after looking like they would
never flower. Because of the cold nights and lack of sunshine they
put on lots of leafy growth but all the flowers aborted before they
formed. Now we can't keep up with them - 12 wigwams of 14 plants
each producing a tremendous number of flowers for cutting each day,
scenting the whole vegetable garden where they are grown.
The sluice to the Paddock Pond has done a great job in keeping
the levels topped up and providing fresh water every day. This
keeps the water in good condition and the constant movement keeps
the surface glass clear. The only down side is that the pond water
doesn't have the chance to warm up quickly so the water lilies
aren't flowering so vigorously as previous years, but nothing is
ever perfect in a garden is it?
What's looking good?
The hostas had their peak in June before the hailstorm damaged
them but on one of the many cold nights in July I was fortunate to
capture this amazing picture of the hosta walk in the picket fence
cottage border when a very heavy dew shimmered silver in the light
of and LCD torch. I must be nuts - who else takes pics of their
garden at 1.00 am?!! What price a hosta in this colour?
Now every other part of the garden is looking good! The Paddock
Garden borders, each 50 yards long and up to 8 yards wide are full
of colour and as each phase of plants begins to slow down others
wait in readiness to take over from them. We have also bedded out
lots of salvias in numerous forms to provide for a blaze of late
summer colour to last until the frosts and good long lasting
annuals like cosmos and rudbeckia. labour intensive earlier in the
season but now paying dividends.
In these borders there is a growing collection of hardy
impatiens (balsams but not please note himalayan balsam which would
not be a welcome visitor! having taken over many of the local river
banks). Queen of these is the majestic impatiens tinctoria, a form
from the highlands of Kenya and east Africa. Seven foot tall from a
tuberous rootstock and proving very hardy here over 12 years, it
has large beautifully scented flowers and makes a massive statement
is moist soil in some shade. Much admired by visitors who always
want it but I can never produce enough as it does not come easy
from seeds or cuttings. Probably due to my incompetence!!
It is difficult to single out a few plants from so many that
deserve top billing but right now one of the best because of its
sheer flower power is brugmansia sanguinea. Not as tall or vigorous
as the larger flowered suaveolens forms nor sadly scented, it is
nevertheless dripping with many red flowers. It prefers a cooler
summer and is much better in some shade in a pot. Like all of the
brugmanisia tribe easy from cuttings, all of which will flower the
following year from cuttings taken in the autumn and overwintered
frost free ( and have you seen their prices from nurseries and
garden centres?!!)
Although many of our dahlias succumbed to the winter a few came
through and a stand out one is Karma Choc a waterlily type with
dark foliage and almost mahogany black flowers. Pictures scarcely
do it justice. We have introdoced some new cultivars this summer
and having had so many good reports about it we are growing Rip
City a really big flowered decorative on stout stems in a most
brilliant in your face red which anchors the red border with its
colour and solidity.
Dahlia "Rip City" - how about that for in your
face red and stout stems too!
What sadly isn't looking good is our large collection of
hemerocallis (daylilies) which were ravged by the deadly gall
midge. They stunt and destroy the flowers and what they haven't
finished the dull conditions and heavy rain has. The older the
clumps the worse they seem to be. Some splitting and reappraisal to
do in the autumn. However the few remaining plants we have from
American Hemerocallis seed are flowering and some real stars have
emerged.
These are 2 of the best a good yellow and red spider and
a really impressive purple with crimped edged petals.
On a happier note my little mentioned small greenhouses are star
performers in their own right. Small. none of them bigger than 10 x
6 feet, they are packed with plants and are plant specific. In one
we have a large collection of choice pelargoniums, some rare or
unusual and also species forms. Another plays host in summer months
to Moira's growing collection of succulents lovingly acquired over
many years and the third is a mix of tender plants of all kinds. It
is amazing just how many plants you can cram into such a small
space including streptocarpus, triphylla type fuchsias, ferns,
begonias, pelargoniums, tender impatiens, unusual small shrubs
including coffee, and winter flowering plants having a rest like
clivias, cyclamen and Christmas cactus. There are also regularly
changed bulbs in season from the larger polytunnels. This house is
heated to keep a minimum winter temperature of 4C.
One really special plant flowering right now in that greenhouse
and so tender it spends the winter in the cosy luxury of the wood
burner warmed house is clereodendron myricoides Ugandense with
unusual deep blue flowers and glaucous foliage. A joy to see it
every day it was loaned to and painted by the botanic artist Sonya
White. Her painting was exhibited at the Society of Botanic Artists
Winter Exhibition in London.
Wildlife
Red kites to order! These wonderful birds are common now but
have the habit of putting on a special show for visitors,
especially those from overseas. They made an extra special effort
when we entertained a group from Groeii and Bloeii Garden Group of
Holland on 21 July, whistling from the tall trees along the river
and doing flypasts that would put the Red Arrows to shame! Our
visitors loved it!
The toadpoles have at last left the Paddock Pond and once again
the lawns around the pond are alive with them. They have a much
longer time in the tadpole stage than frogs.
It seems that the cold winter may have had a detrimental effect
on future dragonfly populations because there are not nearly so
many on the wing as in previous years, even on the warmest of
days.
All activity seems to be around the Paddock Pond where the new
fish have settled in well and the carp have doubled in size and are
eager feeders whenever the pond pellets are thrown in the pond.
They need to be wary however because the kingfishers have been much
in evidence the last month once or so, sometimes even perching on
the rowing boat in the pond.
Another recent visitor and one not often seen or heard here has
been the green woodpecker or yaffle as it was commonly called in
Gloucestershire where I grew up. It's relatively large size,
dipping flight pattern and unmistakeable call makes it easy to
identify. Greater and lesser spotted woodpeckers are relatively
common with their black and white plumage and red heads
The magpies still plague us night and day with their constant
squaking and general air of menace; the only time they go quiet is
when the sparrowhawk is around and where are the goshawks when you
most need them?
Rabbits are everywhere, in the fields, on the roads and
occasionally in the gardens. At present they are not too much of a
problem but seem to have favourite plants that they chomp merrily
away, especially carrot tops and achilleas which they seem
determined to "Chelsea Chop" even though it is no longer May.
Visits
Apart from that wonderful Open Day we have had 5 Group Visits in
July from local Clubs and Societes and one from Holland. Groeii and
Bloeii is a national Dutch garden magazine that has regional groups
all over the country. We had a visit from the Asten-Someren Group
which was very enjoyable. Some really good plantspeople and great
fun as is always the case with our Dutch friends.
Group photo of Groeii and Bloeii Asten/Someren Group in
the Paddock Garden.
As many of them knew each other well there was great camaraderie
and leg pulling and one of the group took it upon herself to clean
the coach windows and got a bucket of water over her for her
pains!
We have had a few outings ourselves this month with trips to
gardens great and small from Cheshire to Harlech and Powys to
Herefordshire, not all at the same time! Its nice to see what
others are doing and to get ideas for making improvements to our
own gardens.
The Herbaceous Border at Arley Hall,Cheshire . reputedly
the oldest border of its kind in Britain
If you would like to visit our gardens or visit the nursery,
please get in touch. We don't have that many free dates left
for visits but we will do our best to accommodate you.
Best wishes from Keith and Moira
Here is a final picture a the end of the Open Day looking
relaxed and delighted with our successful Open Day, a fitting end
to July News.
