Last year the Sunset border had a bit of a makeover. Over the past 12 months plants have grown and some have set seed, making themselves really at home in the border that catches the last rays of the setting sun from now until September.
Thinking about it, any colour belongs in a sunset border. When looking at a beautiful sunset, you can usually see so many different colours and no two nights are the same.
Yellow cowslips, Primula veris, seed around without hesitation and make new plants to move to different parts of the garden. They are joined by yellow Meconopsis cambrica, Welsh Poppy, a little purple violet and the spiky orange leaves of Libertia perigrinans.
Here we have English bluebells, Hyacinthoides non scripta keeping company with the Libertia. In the background are more Welsh Poppies and a white Dicentra.
Pink and orange together, well yes, they are together in a sunset, so why not in a border!
The orange is Geum Totally Tangerine and …..
…..and the pink is one of the original rhododendrons that was here before us.
The purple heuchera makes it look as though the storm clouds are gathering.
White Dicentra is joined by seedling welsh poppies, cowslips and bluebells.
Near the front of the border is Lamprocapnos spactabile, only quite small as yet, but then it is a new plant, it will grow.
Carpeting the ground in one small area is Ladies Bedstraw or Gallium odoratum. In olden days it was used as a strewing herb on the floors of houses to get rid of nasty smells! Only about 6 inches tall but does have a habit of spreading. My only other bit of this plant is in the woodland, so I don’t know how it got here.
The two plants that are gently seeding around the border are the Welsh Poppy and….
……the Bluebell. I will have to keep an eye on both of them as they can sometimes go mad and spread too far. So far so good.
The Sunset border, it’s starting to come together, I think.
Do you agree that anything goes in a sunset border? There are a couple of roses , hydrangea, crocosmia, day lilies, Geranium Rozanne, Digitalis, Dutch Iris and a couple of grasses to come later. We have already had snowdrops, crocus, narcissus, pulmonaria, bergenia and hellebores so far, I’m trying to make it a border having interest for most of the year.
I had already prepared this post, so thought I would publish it anyway, but now I’m afraid I will be missing for a while. Unfortunately my lovely hubby, the undergardener, is losing his battle with cancer. I took him to hospital 3 weeks ago and it turned out he had developed pneumonia which has now been treated. A recent scan has shown that his cancer has spread again and now there is nothing that can be done for him. Hopefully he will be coming home this weekend and we will try to make his last few weeks as comfortable as possible. Obviously gardening and blogging will have to take a back seat for some time, but when I feel up to it, I will be back .
Dear Pauline, I am so sorry to hear the news about your undergardener. I hope he is able come home and be comfortable in his familiar surroundings. And I hope you will be able to take some bit of comfort in the surrounds of your beautiful garden.
So sorry to read this brave post Pauline, best wishes to all your family.
Pauline, your border is beautiful. You have a great eye for plant combinations. I am so sorry to hear the news about your husband. Take strength from your beautiful garden and take care of yourself. Many people’s thoughts will be with you.
Pauline, you and your family will be in my thoughts. Sending lots of love your way.
Pauline,
I’m so sorry you are going through this! I will be praying for you and your family. Life is so hard at times…..that’s why gardening is such a blessing…..it brings beauty into our lives.
I love the Welsh Poppy, the flower is similar to our Celandine Poppy. The Geum and White Corydalis are also wonderful. I grow the Corydalis but not the Geum.
Your courage is dealing with such a loss is something to admire. My sincere sympathies.
Thank you so much Pat, your thoughts are much appreciated.
The Sunset border really has come on a treat and I agree about the orange and pink. This combination works surprisingly well here. Pauline I am saddened to hear your news about your husband. I hope you will be able to enjoy the garden together with your undergardener for a little while longer.
Dear Pauline, I am so sorry about your husband. I hope you are able to have some good moments over the next few weeks. I will be thinking of you both. There is nothing that I can say that will make this time easier for you but I know you and your family will cope. Later your garden will be a wonderful place to remember all the happy times you have shared together.
Pauline, I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. Sending hugs across the miles. I agree, any color belongs in a sunset border, but especially pink and orange together.
I’m so sorry to read your news Pauline and will be thinking of you both and your family. I hope that the Undergardener is able to come home to you and your beautiful garden this weekend. Take care.
Oh no. I’m so very sorry to hear about your lovely hubby. I hope with all my heart that he has more time than expected and that you both make the most of the special time you have, looking at a border like that must be a comfort to you both. How I admire your courage in writing this post, I will be thinking of you. Take good care of you and come back when you are ready. Sending love and huge, huge hugs.xxx
Dear Pauline, I am so sorry to hear about your husband. I was going to say that your sunset border is gorgeous and demonstrates beautifully why gardeners should not automatically discount pink and orange combinations; but now I only want words to strengthen and comfort you, and there are no words. You both will be in my thoughts and prayers. Sending my love from across the ocean,
Deb
Pauline, thank you for being so open about the Undergardener and his prognosis. The comments you have received already show just how caring this garden blogging community is and I too will add my heartful best wishes and healing thoughts to them. We will be with you in spirit during this trying time and hope that both you and he can share some peaceful moments in your lovely garden, or at least looking out at it
Pauline I am so sorry to hear. I wish both of you all the best and I pray he is able to get home as soon as possible to more comforting surroundings. Both of you take care.
Oh Pauline. You are both in my thoughts.
Will be thinking of you from way down south.
May you have some happy and peaceful time together.
I think you once wrote about not having white flowers in your sunset border? And I said there is often a wisp of cloud around – so yes – any colour!
So sorry to hear about your husband, I hope the time you still have will be peaceful and that he can be comfortable.
I’m so sorry to hear about your undergardener. Sending you love and strength. You’ll both be in my thoughts and prayers.