It is nice to have it confirmed by Chelsea that my garden is the height of fashion, in vogue at the moment, I am “nurturing my wild flowers” so my garden looks “pretty but shaggy” I think that was the phrase that Joe Swift used! Seriously though, I have enjoyed Chelsea this week, the gardens are far more natual these days with far less concrete than previous years and relate more to what we all have at home, while creating habitats for wildlife.
What a change we have had in the weather! First job each morning is watering all the pots and recently planted items seeing as nature is having a rest from that job. So many new plants are flowering, new ones every day, I just can’t keep up with it all. I did an extra post earlier in the week as I knew there were going to be far too many for this Six on Saturday. If you go to my previous post you will see the star of the week, my tiny little dwarf iris, it is a stunner! On with my six for this week………
No 1
Roses are all starting to flower, filling the garden with colour and perfume. This is Gertrude Jekyll.
Buff Beauty next to her is a very pretty rose. This bush is a cutting that I took from one in the back garden, this is now the better bush!
Mdme Alfred Carrierre on the pergola missed getting pruned and is flowering away madly, I don’t have a hope of getting up there to dead head her , someone else will have to deal with her!
No 2
White Camassias are now flowering, after all the blue ones are over. I think I’ll be moving these when they are over as they are too tall for where I wanted them.
No 3
English Iris, Iris latifolia is flowering in the driveway border.
No 4
Rhododendron luteum is flowering under the dead oak in the centre of the garden, fantastic perfume on this one.
No 5
My recently planted big pot by the front door which doesn’t get any sun at all. Who needs flowers when there is foliage like this! These will all be planted in the garden when summer is over.
No 6
I’ll finish with my “wild flowers” that are making my garden look “shaggy” Red Campion has popped up everywhere this year, with the wild flag iris in the background. The flag iris has enjoyed sitting with its roots in flood water all winter.
The side border has suddenly turned blue, there are blue flowers everywhere which belong to the Germander speedwell, I don’t know where it has come from, I’ve never seen it before, but I’m quite happy for it to be here. Must try and get some into my little meadow!
My mini meadow is coming on nicely though there are far fewer buttercups and daisies flowering this year, some of the grasses are much taller already and my pig nut is just getting ready to flower once more. We don’t just have “No Mow May”, cutting of this circular area was stopped at the beginning of April and won’t be cut again until August, we shall see what will pop up in the meantime.
I hope you will agree that I’m doing what I can for wildlife and the planet, I have bug hotels, bird boxes, doormouse boxes and various piles of rotting wood at the backs of my borders so I think the wildlife is well catered for, lots of places to set up home alongside me. Thirty three years ago there was almost nothing here, now there is lots of buzzing and fluttering, slithering and munching, I share the garden with so many other creatures!
Thanks go to Jim once more, please pop over to see him at Garden Ruminations to find out what other gardeners are up to in their gardens.
Well done, that’s a reward in itself to hear all the buzzing and fluttering, I think I need to offer more wildlife homes, you have an extensive ‘estate’ any wild life estate agent might envy!
We have so many different sorts of bees Rosie, I never knew there were so many different varieties and the meadow brings in different butterflies from the usual ones that visit for the nectar from the flowers. We get Meadow Browns and Ringlets which lay their eggs on the longer grass and of course more insects brings in more birds and bats which swoop across at dusk.
Good on you for letting things go a bit wild! I promised my husband that the front yard would be grass and the existing yew hedge and spirea shrubs. The only thing I added out front is the dwarf weeping cherry, which is three years in the ground now and beginning to fill out a bit. My garden is a hodgepodge of vegetables and plants that caught my eye. I have been focusing on natives and enjoying the fact that I get new insects with each new plant I put in. They are almost as much fun as the birds and plants. One favorite is ambush bug. Camouflaged as a bit of plant material, it sits on a flower and snatches some unsuspecting insect for its meal. It catches flies and small beetles mostly.
Thanks, I’m glad you approve of the “wilding” of my garden! The mixed planting that you have described is very good for wildlife, bringing in the insects and birds. We don’t have Ambush bugs over here I don’t think, anything which eats up the “nasties” is good in my book!
A great selection. I really like the Iris latifolia – lovely.
Thanks Graeme, it is a lovely iris and increases quite quickly.
Nice choice! I do like the #5 mix in the pot
Thanks Fred, I’m rather fond of foliage combinations, they seem to go so well together, so couldn’t resist at the garden centre!
So many beautiful roses–wow! And your potted, colorful foliage is impressive. We’re having a bit of a break with natural precipitation, too, and I’m a bit worried about the new plants, in particular. Hand watering isn’t the same as a good soaking from a natural rain event.
I’m not fond of having to carry heavy watering cans around Beth, but after so much rain earlier in the year, the plants now need topping up, new plants especially. I have reduced the number of pots that need watering to try and make life a bit easier!
How great to be able to see the difference you’ve made to the wildlife. Speedwell has done really well here this year so hopefully you will be able to get some into your meadow area. It’s interesting to see the difference in flowering times between our garden. Luteum is completely over here, and only one or two roses.
There weren’t many plants here when we came 33 yrs ago Catharine and therefore hardly any wildlife, but it has been amazing how much wildlife has arrived since I’ve been planting and made the pond. The meadow area has also made a difference, bringing in butterflies and other insects that like long grass for various reasons and of course with more insects, the bats come swooping each evening.
That’s a speedwell that I would welcome into the garden (in moderation), the couple I have are weeds, plain and simple, and get removed. I don’t think our garden is too bad for wildlife but I have to admit there is a lot more I could do.
Oh good, that’s nice to know that the speedwell has your approval Jim! While I used to have a lot of help from my late husband, doing it now by myself with just a gardener to help for 2 hrs a week, the garden was soon looking rather shaggy so I’m glad that it now has the Chelsea seal of approval.
I love a wild garden, love your meadow and roses! <3
That’s good Sarah, so do I as long as it isn’t too wild!
So glad your garden is now the height of fashion Pauline. You do have a wonderful mix of cultivated and natural, the little meadow makes quite a contrast to the clipped ginger jar. The white Camassia is just lovely.
Amazing isn’t it how fashions change Denise, at one time there would be nothing but criticism if wild flowers had been included at Chelsea! I like to try and keep the wildlife happy while having a garden that keeps me happy too!