I’ve been missing for a few weeks as, to be frank, I had very little to show without constant repetition. The main show now is the Eutrochiummaculatum Atropurpureum Group which, despite my earlier fears, when there were hardly any butterflies to be seen, has done its job. This year the buddleias were covered in Peacock Butterflies and then there was a gap even though Joe Pye was in flower. Now there are plenty of mainly Red Admirals to be seen, when the sun comes out. I am assuming it is to do with the hot dry summer, but I have not seen so many different species of bees as I have this year either. Another new visitor attracted to an old honeysuckle is the Hummingbird Hawk Moth. It is easy to spot as it jinks about, but much harder to photograph!
Eutrochium maculatum Atropurpureum Group or Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium maculatum Atropurpureum Group or Eupatorium purpureum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium fistulosum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium purpureum var. atropurpureum according to the RHS, or just plain old Joe Pye Weed, between two Phyllostachys aureas.
Flutterbies. People ask “why do you have such a large plant in so small a garden?” What you see is why. I even have another one in the even smaller front garden. I’m happy to think my garden has become a butterfly oasis in the wilderness surrounding me.
I can never make my mind up about Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’. I just think the leaf colour could be brighter. I don’t think its sprawling habit is for everyone, but it does have an AGM.
This plant of Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’ suffered very badly from the drought, all the flower spikes, bar this one, drooped never to recover. you can see the brown crinkled leaves to the right of the photo. Also known as Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Brunette’. I look at Actaea rubra and wonder how they can be related.
What’s left of my begonias. The other, more exposed, baskets were finally decimated by the torrential rain and wind that we had last Saturday. This one is in a very dark spot, lacking nutrients, and is definitely running out of steam. I grow these every year from plugs as I get little in the way of sun on this side of the house. Begonia Illumination ‘Apricot Shades’.
Sedum spectabilis ‘Autumn Joy’ or Hylotelephium telephium ‘Autumn Joy’. From Sedum to Hylotelephium please make it stop!
This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.
Nomocharis are beautiful members of the lily family from China, Tibet and Burma which I have found best suited to my “woodland” area where they have done well in a rich moist well drained soil in dappled shade. They are quite rare and to buy the bulbs can be costly, the plants that I had were grown from seed and flowered in their second year.
Omphalodes
Omphalodes cappadocica ‘Cherry Ingram’
Omphalodes cappadocica is a useful ground-cover for a shady damp spot in the garden. Although it does like moist soil, along with most plants, it doesn’t appreciate winter waterlogging. The cultivar ‘Cherry Ingram’ has larger than the specie flowers carried over the attractive semi-evergreen leaves.
Paeonia
Paeonia ludlowiiPaeonia Officinalis Rubra Flore PlenaPaeonia veitchii var. woodwardii
Peonies can be split into two main groups, the herbaceous paeonies for the border and the tree peonies which are really shrubs. Herbaceous peonies such as ‘Rubra Flore Plena’ make excellent border plants and are to be seen in many cottage gardens. They are slow growing but the spectacular blooms in spring and early summer are worth waiting for. Tree peonies generally flower earlier than the border varieties and make excellent plants for the back of a large border or as spot plants in a lawn. Although the flowers are over quite quickly the attractive feathery foliage makes a perfect foil for other flowers. In my experience the herbaceous plants don’t like being moved and new plantings take a while to establish.
Poppies are probably familiar to everyone ranging from the common field poppy, Papaver rhoeas to the big blowsy cultivars of Papaver orientale the Oriental Poppy. Annuals such as P.rhoeas, P.commutatum (Ladybird Poppy) and P.somniferum the Opium Poppy are best sown direct in the spring. The perennials, cottage garden stalwarts, are raised from seed in the usual way or purchased as plugs or plants.
Parnassia
Parnassia grandifolia
The large leaved Grass of Parnassus is a rare plant in both cultivation and the wild mine being grown from society seed. Because they come from the wetlands of SE United States they are obvious candidates for planting in a water garden environment. A close relative of the Grass of Parnassus, Parnassia palustris, which was once a feature of UK wetlands but is now in decline.
Penstemons are an American native which have become very much part of the herbaceous border in relatively recent years due to the efforts of the plant breeders probably the best known strain being the Pensham cultivars raised by Edward Wilson in the village of Pensham near Pershore, Worcestershire. Plants are not too fussy on soil type but need to be in a sunny spot. They are semi-evergreen and are best cut down to about 6″ above ground level in March to avoid a proliferation of woody stems, coincidentally this is also an ideal time for planting out. Cultivars are bought as plants or plugs whilst there are several species which can be raised from seed.
The genus Persicaria, sometimes known as Red Bistort hails from the Himalayan regions. Those I have grown have been a useful addition to the front of the border where they need plenty of room to contain their robust rather sprawling habit. Mainly semi-evergreens several also give a brief period of attractive autumn colour. The variety ‘Inverleith’ is smaller and not as robust as the specie plant making it more suitable for the less spacious garden.
Phlox can be divided into two main types, the well-known herbaceous plant, Phlox paniculata and its cultivars, stalwart of the cottage garden and cut-flower section of autumn gardening shows, and the cultivars of P.subulata the low growing plant for the rock garden. Herbaceous phlox are easy to grow in sun or part-shade in virtually any soil types but as they are plants from the woodland edge prefer a rich moist soil to do there best. The rock phlox are typical alpine plants doing best in a well drained soil in full sun. it is worth noting that many varieties of both types are scented.
Physaria
Physaria didymocarpa
A real oddity Physaria didymocarpa or twinpod, an American member of the mustard family grown from a lucky-dip seed distribution out of curiosity. I rather liked the combination of the greyish leaves and yellow flowers.
Pulmonaria, Lungworts have emerged from obscurity in recent times due to the efforts of the plant breeders who have developed a great range of variety in both flower and leaf colour. Ideal shade plants they flower early in the spring and thrived in the rich moist soil of my “woodland” garden.
Pulsatilla
Pulsatilla vulgaris
The Pasque Flower, P. vulgaris is related to the buttercup and was once known as Anemone pulsatilla. This rather beautiful spring-flowering plant comes from Europe where it is found growing in calcareous upland meadows but is a rare sight growing wild in this country due to the erosion of its habitat. Grows best in rock garden conditions in a well drained gritty soil in full sun. Easy from seed but it does not take well to transplanting once established.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
A Plantsman's World 