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AN OPEN GARDENS PREVIEW

It's going to be a quick one this week.  I've been busy primping and preening ready for the village open gardens on Sunday and I've not left myself much time to write this post.  After weeks of trying to squeeze extra things into my allotted six, I'm now going to have to be brief.  Ironic, no? Numbers one to four are the Long Border.  I've written about it before, and how I based it on Gertrude Jekyll's design for her garden at Munstead Wood.  She trained as an artist before she turned to gardening and was au fait with the latest colour theories.  She designed these borders to start with white and blue.......... Snapdragon, Delphiniums, Rue and Aruncus moving from pale to deeper yellow... Coreopsis, Achillea and Monarda Then it's on to the reds and oranges... Lychnis, Nasturtiums, Lilies before returning to yellow and then blue. Agapanthus, Clematis, Anthemis My number five spot goes to these tomatoes.  I may have found the answer to our Six on Saturday comp
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THE GARDEN AT THE END OF MAY

It has been another hot week with no rain.  The ground is dry and cracked and it seems more like August than the end of May. There is so much happening in the garden.  The roses are blooming already, but trying to take a decent photo is difficult.  Even early in the morning the light seems too strong.

1. The Rose Garden

Compassion tumbling off the arch welcomes us into the Rose Garden to see the first of the roses.



2. Olivia Rose Austin

From David Austin Roses, as you can deduce from the name, these plants are now two years old and covered in flowers.   It's a pretty shell pink bloom.



3. Louise Odier

This bourbon rose has a lovely scent and ruffled medium sized flowers, but it is a straggly bush which is always affected by black spot.  This year I have tied it onto a dome made from hazel,  It's a technique described by Dean Peckett here, (you need to scroll down to the second article).  I found it quite fun to do and it's improved the look of the rose no end, so thanks Dean.


In the picture below from left to right the roses are Madame Alfred Carriere covering the arbour, Winchester Cathedral and Louise Odier.





4. Tomatoes

At the weekend I potted up the tomatoes in the greenhouse, using a mix of garden soil from mole hills and compost.  The vegetable garden is coming on too.  The strawberries are beginning to bear fruit, we have lettuces and artichokes to eat and the potatoes are growing well.



5. Iris Mary Francis

The iris are still flowering.  This week Mary Francis has opened up with lavender-blue petals.  Very soft and pretty.




6. A View of the Lupin and Iris border

I'm finishing with another photo of the Knot Garden, since by next week I think its display will be coming to an end.  The iris in this picture is called Superstition, and is a shorter variety.  Behind it are Allium Globemaster, lupins and a purple verbascum.





That's all from my garden for this week, but there are many more to view on The Propagator who hosts Six on Saturday. 

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  1. Gill Heavens30 May 2020 at 08:09

    Fabulous roses and Mary Francis is a beauty. But the thing my eye was drawn to this week, was the wonderful pots your tomatoes are planted in. I do love a good pot. :)

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    1. Hortus Baileyana30 May 2020 at 20:08

      Thanks Gill. They were made by Yorkshire Flower pots and were cheap seconds from the garden centre. I think they will be fine inside as they won't be exposed to frosts.

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  2. FRED30 May 2020 at 10:15

    Fab rose Louise Odier ! I love that colour . Full of promise with your tomatoes but you still have time to eat the first one. I count the weeks for mine ...

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    1. Hortus Baileyana30 May 2020 at 20:09

      You'll have to let me into your secret of the early tomatoes Fred.

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  3. Katharine - Tea Break Gardener30 May 2020 at 14:22

    I really like the combo of Iris and lupins. It's all looking thoroughly splendid there. So many flowers!

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    1. Hortus Baileyana30 May 2020 at 20:09

      Thanks Katharine. You have such a lovely garden yourself.

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  4. Lora Hughes30 May 2020 at 20:37

    The roses are gorgeous & I'm so glad you mentioned their scents as well. Love the iris/lupin border. Really well done.

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    1. Hortus Baileyana31 May 2020 at 20:00

      Thanks Lora. I'll try to remember to describe the scents. They are such an important part of the garden.

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  5. Graeme31 May 2020 at 08:54

    The iris and lupin border looks beautiful. My wife selected a Compassion rose the other week. Nice to see what it will look like once it gets established! Fantastic looking roses.

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  6. Catherine31 May 2020 at 20:57

    So many beautiful flowers! I'd find it difficult to pick just one photograph and say that this is my favourite. They all look so perfect - how do you manage to keep them aphid, slug and black spot free!

    You mentioned the strong sunlight - perhaps try photograhping in the hour before sunset, when the light is softer, gentler and far less abrasive than during the day. It's warmer than morning sunlight too, and oftern referred to as 'the golden hour'.

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    1. Hortus Baileyana1 June 2020 at 20:58

      Thanks for the photography tip. That's really good to know. The strong sunlight must bleach out all signs of black spot and aphid from the photos - they are there!

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