21 Aug 2017

My Most Bounteous Garden August 2017


I want to think that all gardeners are the same: we wait for that one specific plant to bloom and then we all breathe that collective sigh of relief! I must confess that for me, there were two collective sighs: the first came when I was able to replace my most beloved Anemonopsis macrophylla, which, in the past two years, had gradually disappeared from my garden. I had nurtured a single stemmed plant into three, and had borne witness to the stupendous floral display for one single season. Hot, dry weather was it's eventual demise. I made a hasty visit to Lost Horizons, where, shocked at their size, I snagged up two very healthy and robust plants. They were pampered from the moment they were transplanted into the garden, and, thanks in large part to our gloriously cooler, damper garden season thus far, they have replied tenfold with their bounteous, stunning floral display. Just look at them people!







I could have, if I truly wanted, dedicated an entire post to their beauty, but I have other equally important residents here at Teza's Hortus Magnificum, each of whom has performed well beyond even my somewhat stringent expectations. Just look at the beauty that is Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon.' He stops people on the sidewalk in their tracks. I have even witnessed more than one person who actually come over to stroke his branches, if only to discover what me might be. One sharp eyed gardener knew immediately, but wondered how I got mine to stay so golden coloured. I think said gardener is now in search of her very own 'Ogon.'



We have all noticed the abundance of rain this season, some of us rejoicing, and only stopping short of stripping off all of our clothes to dance naked in it, while others have complained that it seems to strike every weekend. I do feel sorry for the farmers who lost their crops earlier in the season, but when I look at my children frolicking in it, I cannot remain sad for long. I caught this perfect image of the rain bejewelled Cotinus coggygria 'Miss Grace' after a refreshingly light Irish rain one morning. 




Everything seems to have grown tenfold this year! The lushness of the small garden next to the garage has been beyond imagining! I fell in love with Aralia cordite 'Sun King' the year it first appeared on nursery benches, and have no less than four in my gardens! I decided this year, that in order for it not to completely overtake some of my smaller, more delicate treasures, that I would heavily prune them once they showed their usual growth spurts! Of course, there is one in particular, in a very small bed that has completely overtaken it's siblings, which include no less, the sublime Paeonia mlokosewitschii. Lucky for me, [and the Aralia] 'Miss Molly' is finished blooming long before 'Sun King' decides he is going to usurp the border!



I don't get a lot of sun in the garden, and as such, I am very particular when it comes to Clematis. I do have three of them. One is the lovely purple leafed Clematis recta 'Purpurea', which, tends to flop over on it's obelisk, but still gives great early summer clouds of tiny white flowers. There is another one growing up through the Wisteria....... I think it is a Clematis Stolwyck Gold if I remember correctly. His foliage in indeed gold, blending perfectly with that of the Wisteria! I was surprised to see a bloom, mingling with the mass of pink of......



YES! This gardener adores his Thalictrum delivery 'Splendide!' I planted it assuming it was a dwarf, judging from his minuscule size in the pot, only to be rewarded with towering 3m stems, topped with the most delicate opalescent mauve/pink flowers, each with four tiny petals. This year, I had to ask my Wisteria if he might act as official guardian, if only to ensure that 'Splendide' did not break off in any sudden wind. That is the only OOPS that I have been resistant to correcting in the garden. He [Splendide] may look silly in the front of the border, but believe you me, he sure knows how to attract attention!

And there you have it. Late August at Teza's Hortus Magnificum. Well part of it at least. There is still the other side of the garage, but he needs some TLC before I dare risk exposing him to the world wide web. A project while I am off work for the next week...... vacation time!

1 comment:

Helen said...

All spectacular, Barry. You are a great plant parent!