For most of the week we were told we were in a 'tropical' weather moment, with night temperatures here not falling below 20 C. The Prop who is the 'keeper' of the Six on Saturday has 'tropical plants' such as canna in flower grown by him from seed. Do go and have a peer.
Both I and many of my plants were more that relieved when we had an overcast day, and some rain starting Thursday evening. Temperatures today are in a much more comfortable zone though the pots will still need attention.
Here are my Six and please do leave any of your thoughts, advice etc...always appreciated.
(1) Filipendula vulgaris multiplex is a little treasure. Its fern like leaves splay out from a basal rosette, are attractive as a fern. Unlike the wild Meadowsweet growing in ditches around here, this one appreciates less boggy conditions, which is probably a very good thing considering the very dry and hot conditions over the last few weeks. Its flowers rise no higher than 20cm.
The double flowers are almost white, held in panicles on up right stems, which are thin and strong, with no staking required. It does need its own space and light, which I can vouch for, having very nearly lost it when it became overshadowed by a Phlomis, which is now moved to the sunny and very dry front garden.
It is quite slow growing, and I am just waiting patiently for it to throw up more rosettes, so that I can try splitting it to place some elsewhere int he garden.
I grew this years ago, and was so pleased to have found this growing in my friends' garden, after I had seen it again in 2018, when our gardening club visited Hillier Gardens.
(2) Too many males....still waiting for my three pattipan plants grown from seed to start producing the delicious fruits.
I like to eat them at the young and tender stage. I am getting impatient, waiting to enjoy them lightly steamed, or sauteed, served still slightly warm, with a dressing of roasted walnuts and a lemon juice and olive oil dressing, with a scattering of my favourtie herb of the moment: oregano/marjoram. A few thinly sliced spring onions, also growing in my little veg patch may make it too. I was eyeing the 'pattisons' up in the market this week and am definitely going to buy some if these do not start to fruit.
(3) Clematis orientalis Bill MacKenzie is one I have admired for years, and finally planted it against the fence last Autumn. I bought it at a Hardy Plant Society talk given by a local grower: Marcel Floyd.
I'm not too happy with where I have placed it, as I have to tip toe across the wide border, to be able to peer into its lovely flowers. Either I have to place some stepping stones, which means less areas to grow things, or move it somewhere, but where?
(4) Baby elephants in the garden? Just teasing...well it was hot enough, and the heat was sending me crazy. When watering my potted fuchsia on Thursday morning, this big caterpillar peered out at me. Then I realised these were the markings, not eyes. Apparently they have very good eyesight! It is the Caterpillar of the Elephant hawk moth....It got moved to a fuchsia at the back of the border, when it can munch on the leaves to its heart's content.
(5) The small pink one: Stachys? Bought from another member of the HPS. I posted this on the HPS facebook page, and with the wide range of members comes varied interesting facts and comments: Stachys are now reclassified as Betonica. The opinion from the group is that this is Rosea which one member had bought some time ago from Beth Chatto.
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| Betonica officinalis Rosea |
It reminds me very much of Stachys Monieri Saharan Pink which I grew in my previous garden.
Recently on a walk on the Mendips, not far from here, large patches of B. officinalis were growing amongst the other varied herbs and grasses....
(6) The tall lilac plant is a Monardo, at over 1 metre, is not quite right for that place, so after flowering it will be moved. In the meantime, it is useful, even though it is hiding other plants, making a good long lasting cut flower.
Although not strictly a gardening book, I would like to recommend:
The Filipendula vulgaris multiplex is lovely. I find myself resenting stepping stones for the planting space they take up. The problem is they are quite useful. I love the shot of that field on the Mendips. We've had some proper rain today down in Taunton - although it has snapped a few plants - poor staking on my part I fear.
ReplyDeleteGreat to have some rain at last, the smell on the warm soil is quite intoxicating.
DeleteI noticed that the female flowers of squash or courgette/zucchini appear with a temperature range and after a good rain. I also only had males when it was the heat wave and now with cooler air and rain the females have arrived.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the observation Fred, I'll leave the plants in another week, and give the female flowers a chance to form.
DeleteThe little filipendula looks exquisite Noelle and has gone on the must investigate list 😄 I recently picked my first pattypans of the year. Your serving suggestion sounds most yummy.
ReplyDelete