I have a problem . With the garden next door out of legal action and no immediate medical prognosis of take in it back , I have develop way too many works for the space usable . First of all I ignored the leafage total at me from every direction . That worked reasonably well until I started dismember thing . Then , when I could no longer reach the front doorway without a machete , I consider to feeling cross with myself for want of foresightedness and poor planning . On a couple of occasions I caught myself standing forlornly in the thick of it all not knowing which way to flex . This is not like me . Finally , last weekend , after seven days ’ holiday , it dawned on me that fretting was futile . I could no longer put up torturing my best plant to batten a time to come for them all , and so I took action .
I know from experience that make major changes to the garden less than 5 or 6 hebdomad before opening will mean that the plants do not have time to rumple together the right way . Chelsea designers manage to create a harmonious whole in a matter of day , but I neither have the attainment nor the nerve to leave things until the last - minute . So , for one year only , I have decided to prematurely dig out a dehiscingGeranium maderense , occupying an tremendous footprint ( relatively speaking ) , to make space for youngRicinus communis“New Zealand Purple”,Alpinia zerumbet“Variegata”,Dahlia“Magenta Star ” and threeCuphea“Torpedo ” , rashly purchased when I already knew I had nowhere to imbed them . I doubt anyone has usedSpigelia marilandica(below right ) in an exotic planting before , but I just adore it and need a big clump . It ’s a pity the neighbour ’s computerized axial tomography has alternative ideas for the time to come of my North American gem .
Other plants with prospect have been arranged to produce a three-fold border of pots leading from the out-of-door kitchen to the garden tabular array . This was tricky as my in effect specimens had already been used on the leftover hired man side of the garden , leave me contend to create grain and pursuit on the right . I had hundreds ( literally ) of dahlia to play with but not much else . FabulousFuchsia splendens , which has relished 6 months in a hot , steamy nursery , has been released into the open air . I hope it does not give in to capsid bugs or gall hint , which have infected other fuchsias in the garden ; hence , with regret , I am growing fewer fuchsia this year .
press cutting ofSparrmannia africana“Flore Pleno ” taken from our house industrial plant in London late last year have been the big surprise , producing mammoth , coarsely - furred , leaves . Now I know what these plants look like in youth , I will certainly take more cuttings and use them in succeeding planting . I can appreciate why sparrmannia is sometimes called the African linden , as the leaves resemble the lime trees to which sparrmannias are closely related .
Although I call up my pot borders are an attractive plan B , allowing me to display another twenty or so plants to good effect , they have severely dilute circulation blank and make for a lot of lachrymation . Added to which the vine weevil will have a field day chomp their way across a smorgasbord of delicious Modern delicacies . In praxis , sitting at the garden table necessitates double up as a plant support . No parrot on your berm here at The Watch House me ‘ arties only passion bloom or pansies 🙂
Our garden at The Watch Housewill be receptive from 12 - 4 on Saturday , August 20th and Sunday , August 21st . Clickherefor more details on the NGS web site .
Sparrmannia africana“Flore Pleno”, handsomeBegonia luxuriansandDahlia“Totally Tangerine”
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class : Container horticulture , Flowers , Foliage , Photography , Small Gardens , Tropical Gardens
post by The Frustrated Gardener
Newly plantedRicinus communis“New Zealand Purple”,Alpinia zerumbet“Variegata”,Dahlia“Magenta Star”
Fuchsia splendens, the most splendid fuchsia of them all, perhaps with the exception of F.boliviensis.
The outsized leaves ofSparrmannia africana“Flore Pleno”
An aerial view of the garden tonight. Standing room only!
