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!

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

      Delete
  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.

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

    ReplyDelete
  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'.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    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.

      Delete