I went for coffee the other week with my friend Jean who is a brilliant gardener with an equally brilliant garden ! When I visited in the summer I didn’t think to take my camera with me and immediately regretted it, her garden is always looking so beautiful, this time I made sure the camera came with me. As soon as I stepped into the conservatory for my coffee, I was surrounded with a sea of salmon ! This beautiful Datura ( I think these days they are called Brugmansia, but I can’t keep up with all the new names) was in the corner, taking pride of place.
The trumpets are so beautifully simple, classic, chic and perfectly formed.
And the perfume ! Oh, the perfume is to die for, mind you, not too much, it is hallucinogenic!!!
Next to me was this pelargonium, again salmon coloured, which was climbing to the roof, it was obviously very happy where it was. The 2 cuttings that I was given have rooted already, so maybe next year I will have the same flowers climbing to my conservatory roof.
Continuing the salmon theme, just outside the conservatory were these gorgeous dahlias. Jean has very well drained soil so leaves her tubers in the ground over winter and they all come through the winter successfully, even the last winter which was much colder than normal. Mine have also survived in the past, but not last winter, they all died except a huge double white one that I don’t even like !
The flowers really are beautiful and such a lovely colour.
I came home with a bootful of plants, including a super clump of Rudbeckia which will form part of the crock of gold at the end of my rainbow ! Jean is so generous with her plants, I hesitate to admire anything because straight away, it is dug up and given to me!! Fellow gardeners are such generous people don’t you think ?
I cannot believe the number of flowers on Jean’s Datura. It is obviously a very happy little guy. Does it always give off fragrance or only when new blooms open? The dahlias outside looks very happy. Are they a fall blooming plant in the UK or are they just sticking around to show off? The dark peddled flowers in the background behind the dahlias. Would you know what they are? As always a very enjoyable read. Thank you Pauline.
Glad you like Jean’s Datura Tim. I think the perfume is mainly overnight and next morning. You have to be careful because if you sleep under it – you may never wake up!!!
Yes, dahlias bloom mainly from August until the frost.
Having looked at the photo of the dahlias, I can see behind them the very dark purple leaves of Aeonium schwartzkopf. This is a succulent and also has to come in for the winter, you will see a close up photo of mine in my post of “Preparing for Winter” and if I remember it correctly – Jean gave me that too!
Very nice colour, sometimes difficult to pair with other plants though. That datura is very nice, I agree, we all can’t keep learning new names, why do they change them? We have seeds, and bills and weeds, do we have to learn new names all the times too?? 🙂
Anyway I used to be very jealous of my garden stuff but then I understood that the more you give away the more you have back, so being kind it’s a deal sometimes…
It’s very true Alberto, what you say about giving plants away. People were so good to me when I first started the garden here, I now try to help others just starting a new garden, also , if your plant dies – you know who to go to for a replacement!
I have never seen a small Datura in a pot before, I have always experienced it as a large shrub. The flowers are definitely to die for – literally! Real gardeners are generous – but have you noticed that people who regard a garden as a status symbol don’t grow stuff that seeds itself or lends itself to division?
We have to grow Datura in pots Catmint, because they have to come in for the winter – they would never survive the frost. Your second comment made me think for a bit and then I decided -yes – you’re right!!.
Pauline it is wonderful seeing the Datura on the www. !! Thanks too for the lovely comments from your avid readers. The salmon dahlia is still blooming. This is amazing , dahlias are usually well and truly over by this time of year (Nov 8th). Really blessed having colour in the garden so late. The Aeonium has already been taken into the conservatory, just in case Jack Frost pays us a visit when we are not prepared for him.. Pleased the cuttings have taken. Come again soon.
Your Datura is now famous Jean, and it deserves to be, it is so gorgeous.
Our autumn weather is amazing isn’t it – it must surely stop soon and get back to normal – the plants are really confused with all this warmth.