Happy Insects!

With the recent rain, it was a good opportunity today to do some gardening with the soil unusually moist for August. First job was to split a group of Iris which did not flower well this year. Discarding the old centre, a few bits of rhizome from the edges were broken off and planted. The foliage was also cut down to just about 4 " , so that the roots will get established over winter without the wind rocking the foliage. All being well, better flowers next May.

Plenty of flowers today for a variety of insects to enjoy. Here are some results using the macro lens. I can name the plants, but not the insects!

Aster Divaricatus

Aster Divaricatus

Sedum Matrona

Aster Divaricatus

Ligularia Britt Marie Crawford

Ligularia Britt Maria Crawford

Aster Frikartii Monch

Anemone Honorine Jobert. Ok, so no insects, but love this flower.

Astrantia Major back flowering for the second time, after cutting hard back about 4 weeks ago

Asttrantia Major

Veronicastrum Virginicum Alba

Insects- August

At last the sun has come out today, after what seems like weeks of grey days. The insect population loves it today, and in just a few minutes in our garden I spotted all of these, and many more. 

My only complaint is the breeze, which makes macro photography difficult, but a minor complaint..... great to see the sun. The BBQ will definitely be used this evening!

Red eyed bug on ASTER FRIKARTII MONCH

Some kind of bee on ASTER FRIKARTII MONCH

Bees love all Echincaceas. This is ECHINACEA WHITE SWAN

The bees love Veronicastrums too. This is VERONICASTRUM VIRGINICUM ALBA

Plenty of nectar to share on VERBENA BONARIENSIS

Butterflies love Verbena too.

Customer Garden - 4 months later

I was invited to add interest to this small garden earlier this year. The own had recently moved in, and the only colour in the garden was green, with no prospects of it changing throughout the year. This is just 4 months later, but by next year the planting will have filled out. The spring bulbs of Camassia, Anemone and Alliums now passed, to be replaced by the mid summer colours.

Before

A patio was already in place next to the conservatory, but I often suggest that at least one other place to sit is inviting, then the planting can be enjoyed from different viewpoints. The customer chose this pretty green bench to view the garden from the side. A trellis screen which will soon be covered with climbers, hides the access to her compost area.

An archway reached via a bricked edged gravel path zig zagging down the garden, leads to a further area for a seat in shade.

The brick path zig zags down the garden and under a pergola, with planting to both sides.
Tall Stipa Gigantea will add height and movement to the centre of the garden for many months.

Hamerocallis Stafford (Day Lily) looking very happy and echoed across both borders.

Zingy Euphorbia Wallichii

Pink flowers of Eupatorium Orchard Dene, next to Helenium Rauchtopaz, with lots more buds still to open

Box hedging will soon add structure to the path edges leading through the side of the pergola

View from the side entrance. Planting close to a Leylandii hedge, means dry shade planting. Here Ferns, Hellebores and
Geranium Nodosum will soon carpet the ground.

Customer Garden - 2 years later

Following a contemporary extension to this client's home, the garden looked very tired and needed bringing up to date. 

THE CURRENT GARDEN

With  the site sloping away from the house, the previous owners had installed some steps which didn't lead to or from anywhere. 

BEFORE and some very dated steps leading to and from nowhere.

THE BRIEF

To provide a contemporary feel to the garden, flowing from the large kitchen/family room with plenty  of patio space for tables and chairs but also outdoor sofas. Additionally, a safe play area for the couples pre -school age daughter, and a year round hard path to the home office at the far end of the garden.

THE RESULTS

Same view looking back towards the house.

The garden now split into two defined levels with plenty of flat patio space and lawn with planting borders either side.

View from the upper patio, with the playhouse partly screened by planting at lower level

The paving chosen to match the kitchen floor flows seamlessly from the bi-fold door
offering plenty of options for setting up additional seating when entertaining for large groups.

The steps leading to the lower section of garden, then lead into a wide path with planting either side. This the route to the home office via the pergola.

Agapanthus enjoy the sunny conditions

Cowparsley looking lovely against with the simplicity of the large bottom lawn area.

The path under the pergola wide enough for a small table and chairs where Mum and Dad can sit to watch
their young child in her play area off to the left.

Looking up the garden from the shady area where the home office was already in place. New planting
around the edges soften the existing deck and also make mowing the lawn easier without the vertical
edge of the deck meeting lawn.

The upper part of the garden was planted by Acorn Garden Services, then the client herself, keen to learn, planted the lower section herself.  Well done! I love when a client becomes interested in gardening. 

Stipa Gigantea at it's peak this month

My planting passion is perennials with just a few grasses to add movement. One of my favourites is Stipa Gigantea, the Golden Oak Grass.

Pictured here is just one plant, which over a few years spreads to around 1.5m wide, so if planning to add one to your garden, allow space on day one. This is an evergreen grass, so the basal foliage provides interest year round.  Around late February, I use rubber gloves to pull out any dead foliage, since unlike many of the perennials grasses which look best if cut right down to soil level each spring, this evergreen will be lost if cut hard back. I do cut down the seed heads fully but not the foliage.

Fresh seed heads appear like sprears from May, and gradually at around 4-5' tall, they open up, and look so pretty blowing in the breeze, adding movement to the garden, and of course are see through.

At it's peak in July, the seed heads will gradually fade over the weeks, but this grass will still look wonderful in autumn and ALL winter. Other than any stems which get broken, I leave everything until February.

When placing the plant, try to position it where it will catch the evening sun if possible, but otherwise just  a sunny position in your garden. Other than quick tidy up in spring, its trouble free and is also good ground cover.

Hydrangea Macrophylla with Stipa Gigantea in the distance.

Pastel shades of July

After all the yellows and blues of spring, the garden has settled into a pink and purple phase. These all taken with a macro lens to get up close and personal.

Achilla Pretty Belinda

Knautia Macadonica

Agapanthus in bud

Verbena Bonariensis

Clematis

Acanthus Spinosa

Rose The Fairy

Clematis Fond Memories

Lavandula  Hidcote

April Week 3 - Bluebell time!

April colour in the  garden depends highly upon spring bulbs but also the Euphorbia family, of which there are over 5000 varieties!   They are normally acid yellow in colour, but one the larger shrubby varieties Euphorbia Mellifera , also known as the Honey Spurge, is looking fantastic this time of year with its vibrant foliage and orange tinted bracts. There is a definite scent of honey in the air, although not this morning after the rain.

Photographing after the rain however, is a great time to catch the flowers looking really fresh and using a macro lens, its fun to capture the raindrops too.

And now after the rain will come the weeds! A great time to get out there, as their roots will pull out much more easily when the ground is moist.

Euphorbia Mellifera

Chaenomeles Geisha Girl (Quince)

Bluebells amongst Eurphobia Robbiae

Camassia Leichtenii Bulbs just start to open