Thursday, 9 August 2018

In a Vase- Eryngium Bourgatii

Its not Monday...but I wanted to showcase this one filled with my 'dead-headings' from today.

To cut these I now read was perhaps a mistake as they make a bold statement in the winter...but I wanted to give the plant the opportunity to bulk up.  Also as the flowers are over, and fully fertilized by the many visiting bees and hover flies, they made a good pollen free and low allergen arrangement.  The lovely blue cloisonne vase is one of a pair, the other is now back with Jenny in Spain. 

Eryngium Bourgatii: Mediterranean Sea Holly could well be growing wild not far from where Jenny lives, and maybe she will find some to make a similar arrangement.  It was first collected from the Pyrenees and named then...I wonder whether we saw some of these when Jenny and I took three days to cross the Pyrenees.


The Erygiums have reveled in the hot sun and not suffered for the lack of rain.  I particularly like the variegated foliage of Eryngium Bourgatii , its one of the plants I bought at the Bishop's Palace Rare Plant Fair last August.  Up close the bracts are turning silver grey...and believe me, gloves are certainly necessary.  Normally I avoid prickly plants but just have to protect myself as I love the form of these plants, and they are such an attraction to insects in the garden.



I do have another Eryngium Planum Tetre Petra in the garden, as shown in the foreground below.  Behind it next to Geranium Rozanne is Erigium Bourgatii.



6 comments:

  1. Great arrangement and lovely planting!

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    1. Thanks Susie....we have rain at last. Soon many of the plants will be moved around.

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  2. Your garden is looking fabulous Noelle! I have just a tiny plant of Sea Holly and it is always covered with masses of bees, I'm hoping to save some seed and grow more.

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  3. Love this, wonder if I could grow some?!

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  4. Oh what's not to like about sea hollies Noelle? It's probably too damp and shady for them to flourish in the garden but methinks I could possibly find a spot at the allotment for a plant. I like the combination with geranium 'Rozanne'.

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    1. Plants got 'plonked' around last year...but how clever of your to point out the combination, I shall keep this in mind, during the garden's development this year.

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