Colour Above and Colour Below

Some plants are equally beautiful from above and from below...

Like Rhododendron 'Wine and Roses' for example. This was first sold a few years ago in large quantities as an all singing and dancing must have gift for mother's day. And why not being an evergreen, hardy plant with lovely bright pink blooms and deep green foliage.

Last week

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Helping Hand

Some plants looks so lovely in person but are so hard to take photos of that can convey their pleasing character on to images.

I suppose it's not so much of an issue if you have a sophisticated camera and have the time to enhance images using a photo editing software, neither of which we have.

But sometimes all you need to do is to give such plants a helping hand. Like the airy Nandina domestica 'Filamentosa' below:

Nandina domestica 'Filamentosa'

Can't wait for it to get bigger!

And this Mahonia fortunei

Looks unique and distinctive from other mahonias - Mahonia fortunei

Rhododendron roxieanum var. oreonastes

variegated Phyllostachys aurea

Phyllostachys aurea 'Variegata'

Most plants however are complete show-offs, they don't need any helping hand and are ready to be photographed almost anytime like the Fatsia polycarpa below:

But these show-offs still needs the helping hand of a gardener to keep them looking good, in another way of course.

Mark :-)

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Trengwainton Dreaming

As it snows outside I dream of spring and beautiful times ahead. And beautiful gardens to visit in the spring (or any time of the year for that matter) like Trengwainton in Cornwall.

The view of the main entrance as you drive towards the carpark, already a pretty sight!

We visited for the first time May last year during our week long holiday in Cornwall after hearing so many recommendations before that we must see this National Trust garden. Covering 25 acres of land, this garden has winding, wooded paths, streams, views across Mount's Bay, and rich planting of rhododendrons, magnolias, and camellias typical of other estate and valley gardens in Cornwall. And it also benefits from a mild micro climate conducive to growing exotics, some of which have been there for many years, thriving and looking spectacular.

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The April Garden

April is usually the month where the garden springs back into life, and this year is no exception, despite the cool rainy weather everything is bursting back into life. So with a camera in hand I had a wander round the garden this evening, purely for the enjoyment of having a look at everything. Something just taking the time to look at the garden without having a job to do can be a rewarding experience.

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Azaleas at Kew Gardens

Better late than never! I thought this would make a nice follow up post on our earlier thread Magnolias at Kew Gardens.

While the colour palette of Magnolias tend to be soft, elegant, and understated without compromising it’s ability to make spectacular displays of blooms; the colour palette of Azaleas and Rhododendron blooms are usually loud, bright, and vibrant.  

R. 'Arpege'



R. 'Coccineum Speciosum'



R. 'Exquisitum'



R. 'Golden Eagle'



R. 'Golden Eagle'



R. 'Delicatissimum'

R. 'Homebush'



R. 'Hotspur Red'



R. 'Reve D'Amour'



R. 'Sun Chariot'



R. 'Sun Chariot'



R. 'Rosata'



R. 'Silver Slipper'



R. 'Wallowa Red'



R. 'Windsor Peach Glo'



R. 'Wryneck'



Admittedly Kew Gardens isn’t the best place when it comes to displays of Azaleas and Rhododendrons in bloom, there are better stands on other big, public gardens. But it’s certainly good enough! I’m glad the Palm Centre and Kew Gardens are very near to each other (and relatively near us). Whenever we need to buy something or check out the new stocks of the former we can pop round for a quick visit to the latter and get to check out what’s currently looking good and in season and be home early enough to carry on gardening in the afternoon.

And a few more general shots of the area:

                                                                               
I do love these bright colours, they remind me of sweets like gumballs and dolly mixture and certainly adds vibrancy into the air, perfect in the spring and adds to the promise of a good summer to come :-)

Mark

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Sweet Scent 365 days a year

The little surprises you can get from plants never cease to amaze me.

I was attracted to the plant Rhododendron roxieanum var. oreonastes because of its interesting foliage, unique from the usual rhododendrons you see around. It is pot grown as our soil is not acidic enough for its requirements, and placed on the side passage leading to the middle and bottom part of the garden where it gets some dappled sun.


What I wasn't expecting though is that the plant emits a sweet and refreshing fragrance, difficult to describe any other way. And by coincidence I've put it on the best spot where you can appreciate its fragrance even more. Everytime you pass by you get a whiff of its sweet scent and anyone else who goes through there never fails to notice it. It makes you slow down and breathe deeper, taking the lovely aroma.


Springtime Bloom

The scent was a complete surprise for me. I didn't buy it knowing that it's scented, nor can I find online references saying it is. The scent seems to come from the leaves only as when it bloomed last spring there wasn't any fragrance coming from the flowers. It's a bit of a mystery for me, I'll have to research even more.


It carries on emitting its lovely fragrance even during the depths winter. When alot of plants are looking weary and its gloomy outside, I catch the sweet perfume wafting in the air, instantly cheering me up.

Plants are wonderful things :)

Mark

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