Saturday, 29 December 2012
Christmas Posies
Did the usual Christmas harvest of flowers for the dinner table.
From top left, clockwise: Winter jasmine with Setterwort (Helleborus foetidus) and Arum italicum subsp. italicum 'Marmoratum'; Camellia susanqua 'Narumigata', Hesperantha coccinea ''Major', Rose 'Irene Watts', Dame's Violet (Hesperis matronalis) Setterwort flowers; Agapanthus 'Headbourne Hybrid' Sarcococca (flower buds not cold-primed to open yet); Bergenia cordifolia - old pink cv.; Prunus subhirtella autumnalis 'Rosea'.
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Late December
I went to Uppsala just before Christmas. I was invited to examine a thesis on P. infestans as it attacks potato in Sweden by my colleagues Jonathan Yuen and Bjorn Andersson. Sweden was in the middle of a cold spell with maybe 20cm of snow and subzero temperatures for seeral weeks. The snow was still decorating the trees with white tinsel.
My Hotel room was very quiet and looked out on to the garden of the real Carl Linneus
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| Jonathan Yuen's garden |
When I landed in Mancester, it was still raining and a balmy 8C.
Our topiary holly at the front door is a male and needs a bit of adornment for the festive season so Lorna took this year's harvest of Agapanthus umbels and gave them a coat of red paint. La voilà
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| Merry Christmas! |
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Today was the day for digging up dahlias and noticing that the labels didn't really correspond very well to the flowers we had last summer.
The unlabelled light orange cactus-flowered plant gave us by far the greatest number of flowers through to mid-November. Karma Sangria seems to be the name of the Karma type we had. Flowers were in general a bit smaller than previous year, and I think I need to put in more food for them when I take up the tulips.
Which have now all arrived and it is time to plant them, pronto. Hope for some decent weather for that tomorrow.
November must have been yet another month for record-breaking rain. The A55 was flooded by the Ogwen at one point.
The unlabelled light orange cactus-flowered plant gave us by far the greatest number of flowers through to mid-November. Karma Sangria seems to be the name of the Karma type we had. Flowers were in general a bit smaller than previous year, and I think I need to put in more food for them when I take up the tulips.
Which have now all arrived and it is time to plant them, pronto. Hope for some decent weather for that tomorrow.
November must have been yet another month for record-breaking rain. The A55 was flooded by the Ogwen at one point.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Dahlias
I'd say the star of this year was Karma Fuchsiana, exciting magenta and gold colouration and good long, strong stems. New Baby, the vivid orange pompom, hasn't such strong stems but is very pretty. Autumn Lustre (described as orangey) was a good yellow with long stems, but I think Glorie van Hemsteede is better as a flower. The big dark crimson pompom has good stems but not great numbers of flowers. Chat Noir had a few flowers but is not so interesting to me as that pompom. Taratahi Ruby, so I thought, was nothing like as red as the one with that name last year. Hillcrest Royal, dark red cactus, was a bit disappointing. However, the plants didn't grow very well in the wet and cool summer. Actually, they grew a lot of leaves but the flowers were slow to open.
I'd say the star of this year was Karma Fuchsiana, exciting magenta and gold colouration and good long, strong stems. New Baby, the vivid orange pompom, hasn't such strong stems but is very pretty. Autumn Lustre (described as orangey) was a good yellow with long stems, but I think Glorie van Hemsteede is better as a flower. The big dark crimson pompom has good stems but not great numbers of flowers. Chat Noir had a few flowers but is not so interesting to me as that pompom. Taratahi Ruby, so I thought, was nothing like as red as the one with that name last year. Hillcrest Royal, dark red cactus, was a bit disappointing. However, the plants didn't grow very well in the wet and cool summer. Actually, they grew a lot of leaves but the flowers were slow to open.
Willow, part three
The two willow structures got off to a good start this summer, the wettest of the last 100 years. I've just finished bending and tying in the long shoots from the top of the willow arbour in the new garden. It seemed best to place them where they would naturally bend to, giving a random appearance to the roof. The shoots from the sides turned out to look best and work most comfortably if they were brought down to the horizontal. I've started several horizontal bands of woven-in shoots. I hope they will sprout well from the horizontal plane next summer. If growth continues as it did this summer, it won't be many years before I shape the whole thing with a hedge trimmer once or twice a year.
There was at least one occasion when we sat in the shade of the willow arbour not wearing winter clothes.
I want to make the willow trellis a couple of feet higher, but haven't figured out how to do that yet.
The two willow structures got off to a good start this summer, the wettest of the last 100 years. I've just finished bending and tying in the long shoots from the top of the willow arbour in the new garden. It seemed best to place them where they would naturally bend to, giving a random appearance to the roof. The shoots from the sides turned out to look best and work most comfortably if they were brought down to the horizontal. I've started several horizontal bands of woven-in shoots. I hope they will sprout well from the horizontal plane next summer. If growth continues as it did this summer, it won't be many years before I shape the whole thing with a hedge trimmer once or twice a year.
There was at least one occasion when we sat in the shade of the willow arbour not wearing winter clothes.
I want to make the willow trellis a couple of feet higher, but haven't figured out how to do that yet.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
What June was like
Not good, is the two word description. The wettest June ever on record in Wales, and distinctly cool for most of the month, finally warming up to a bit below average. Sunshine was well down, with June 2012 ending up 20% down for sunlight compared to June 2011, which hadn't seemed very good at the time. The solar photovoltaic panels don't lie. Only 398.6 kWh of electricity were generated.
The group garden visit on 12 June had few roses to see. By today, July 5, all is flowery, with the midsummer Rosa Mundi and Brenda Colvin looking gorgeous. Young stems of Brenda Colvin were broken by the persistent easterly winds last month.
The group garden visit on 12 June had few roses to see. By today, July 5, all is flowery, with the midsummer Rosa Mundi and Brenda Colvin looking gorgeous. Young stems of Brenda Colvin were broken by the persistent easterly winds last month.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Roses at Siambra Gwynion
this week our garden was open to a group of 40 U3A garden enthusiasts. After hearing my talk on roses, they asked to come and see them in the flesh. Tuesday was the best day we have had in weeks, apart from a stiff breeze at times. The roses were not at their best and would have needed another week of good weather to excel. Anyway they were much appreciated and all had a good tuck in to tea/coffee/corbie's lemonade and biscuits of superior brands.
Roses at Siambra Gwynion, 2012
Lane leaving house
Rosa canina: Dog Rose; on hedge; common but worth having
Rosa rubiginosa: Eglantine; on hedge; strong rose pink with good hips; foliage has smell of apples in damp weather
On East side of drive
Trier: small flowered hybrid musk with white-pink flushed flowers
Smarty: sprawling shrub with sprays of single blooms like our wild, Rosa canina
Rosa pimpinellifolia: The Burnet Rose, grows on dunes around our coasts; this selection is from the Altai mountains in Central Asia; larger lemon-yellow flowers in May
Blush Noisette: clusters of pink, semidouble flowers on vigorous bush, flowering into winter; good scent
Rosa nutkana: from Western USA; single pink blooms in June
Rosa farreri persetosa: Farrer’s threepenny-bit rose; NW China; attractive spiny branches lined with small pink blooms in May
R. multiflora: wild species from Japan and China with clusters of single white flowers
On West side of drive
Scintillation: large clusters of single pink flowers with red blush in June; good orange-green hips
Rosa californica ‘plena’: a double form of the Californian native; once flowering
Rosa glauca (syn R. rubrifolia): good glaucous green foliage with red and white flowers followed by dark red hips
Polyantha Grandiflora (syn. gentiliana): by the electronic substation; old far-eastern hybrid with huge bunches of single, white flowers with golden boss of stamens in late June; well scented; colourful hips; vigorous
Car park and front of house
Brenda Colvin: vigorous rambler, large bunches of semi-double pink flowers; well scented; July flowering
Max Graff single rose-pink; mound of foliage
R. moyesii: dark scarlet, single blooms in June and flask-shaped hips
Phyllis Bide: climbing; intriguing apricot colour fading to cream; flowering into winter, one of the best climbers but no scent
East side garden
Agnes: rugosa hybrid; lemon colour and lemon scent. Flowers into autumn
R. multiflora: wild species from China
Belle Sultane: single crimson, once flowering
Bouquet Tout Fait: an old climbing Noisette rose with pink/white blooms.
Masquerade: climbing, daughter’s favourite
Tour de Malakoff: gallica with marbled, mauve petals in June
In box bed
Roseraie de l’Hay: rugosa hybrid with strongly scented, dark purple flowers all summer long
Pink Surprise: rugosa hybrid with delicate, pale-pink, single flowers with prominent ring of stamens
Ruskin: rugosa hybrid with deep scarlet, highly scented, double blooms
Sarah van Fleet: rugosa hybrid with pink, semi-double flowers
On rose arch
Morletii: old Boursault rose; semi-double, dark pink; blooms once; thornless; good autumn colour on leaves
Grandma Jenny’s Rose: an old American climber with double pink flowers in August (found in Virginia)
Back wall of house
Agnes: rugosa hybrid; lemon colour and lemon scent. Flowers into autumn
Cupid: climber with crushed, large, single flowers in clusters early June followed by large orange hips
Wood garden
Alain Blanchard: semi-double, crimson with purple mottling, once flowering shrub rose
Penelope: hybrid musk; repeat flowering
Scharlachglut: vigorous sprawling shrub with intense scarlet flowers in June and good scarlet hips
Gloire de Dijon: Noisette climber with buff-yellow, scented, double flowers; repeats well.
Complicata: stunning large, single, pink flowers on sprawling plant; once flowering
R. rugosa: common Japanese species; single flowers in crimson and white; colourful autumn leaves and hips
Windrush: vigorous shrub with semi-double yellow flowers with sharp scent; repeats well
Top border
Albéric Barbier: lemon-yellow climber, shiny foliage; once flowering; tough
American Pillar: climber; big sprays of rose and white single flowers in July.
Albertine: climber with copper pink flowers and coppery foliage. Apple scent to some
Back garden
Blush Noisette: clusters of pink, semi-double flowers on vigorous bush, flowering into winter
William Lobb: moss rose with dark purple flowers fading to mauve. Once flowering
Rosa glauca (syn R. rubrifolia): wild rose from S. Europe; good glaucous green foliage with red and white flowers followed by dark red hips
Mutabilis: ancient china rose; flowers open apricot pink and fade to crimson
Rosa Mundi: old gallica hybrid with striped rose-pink and white flowers in late June
Conservatory lawn
Irène Watts: China; large, pale pink flowers; repeats well; reddish foliage
Dainty Bess: hybrid tea with pink, single flowers and dark stamens
Mrs Doreen Pike: in pot; rugosa hybrid; double, pink flowers; Doreen is a tad tarty
Perle d’Or: China with apricot, pointed-bud flowers
Old Blush China: two in pots; a great old China flowering non-stop if weather is kind; great scent
François Juranville: old climber, a bit like Albertine only better; flowers in June but sometimes later too.; watch out for mildew
Mme Alfred Carrière: excellent noisette climber with off-white, large, double blooms bourne throughout the summer and autumn
Rose de Rescht: old double Portland rose; purple flowers; repeats well
Joan Morgan rose: an old sprawling single like ‘Tuscany’ found in hedgerow near Joan’s house in Cororion, Tregarth
Stanwell Perpetual: a pimpinellifolia hybrid; flesh-pink fading to white; scent of Turkish Delight
Tuscany Superb: on willow tripod; sumptuous dark crimson-purple with golden boss of stamens
Celestial: Alba rose with bluish foliage and flesh-pink flowers in late June
White Wings: hybrid tea against wall; white with startling dark red anthers
Ispahan: Centifolia rose; double with good scent; once flowering over many weeks
Phyllis Bide: climbing; intriguing apricot colour fading to cream; flowering into winter, one of our favourite climbers but no scent
Cornelia: hybrid musk; bunches of small, deep rose flowers, repeating well
Little White Pet: small bush with pink buds opening white
Tower garden.
Violette: climber with bunches of tiny semi-double dark violet blooms in June
Summer Sunset:: on tower; repeat flowering but with undistinguished blooms
Snow Goose: an Austin climber with white blooms in June
 |
| This is R. 'Complicata'; it is unique in lasting in water for at least 5 days |
Roses at Siambra Gwynion, 2012
Lane leaving house
Rosa canina: Dog Rose; on hedge; common but worth having
Rosa rubiginosa: Eglantine; on hedge; strong rose pink with good hips; foliage has smell of apples in damp weather
On East side of drive
Trier: small flowered hybrid musk with white-pink flushed flowers
Smarty: sprawling shrub with sprays of single blooms like our wild, Rosa canina
Rosa pimpinellifolia: The Burnet Rose, grows on dunes around our coasts; this selection is from the Altai mountains in Central Asia; larger lemon-yellow flowers in May
Blush Noisette: clusters of pink, semidouble flowers on vigorous bush, flowering into winter; good scent
Rosa nutkana: from Western USA; single pink blooms in June
Rosa farreri persetosa: Farrer’s threepenny-bit rose; NW China; attractive spiny branches lined with small pink blooms in May
R. multiflora: wild species from Japan and China with clusters of single white flowers
On West side of drive
Scintillation: large clusters of single pink flowers with red blush in June; good orange-green hips
Rosa californica ‘plena’: a double form of the Californian native; once flowering
Rosa glauca (syn R. rubrifolia): good glaucous green foliage with red and white flowers followed by dark red hips
Polyantha Grandiflora (syn. gentiliana): by the electronic substation; old far-eastern hybrid with huge bunches of single, white flowers with golden boss of stamens in late June; well scented; colourful hips; vigorous
Car park and front of house
Brenda Colvin: vigorous rambler, large bunches of semi-double pink flowers; well scented; July flowering
Max Graff single rose-pink; mound of foliage
R. moyesii: dark scarlet, single blooms in June and flask-shaped hips
Phyllis Bide: climbing; intriguing apricot colour fading to cream; flowering into winter, one of the best climbers but no scent
East side garden
Agnes: rugosa hybrid; lemon colour and lemon scent. Flowers into autumn
R. multiflora: wild species from China
Belle Sultane: single crimson, once flowering
Bouquet Tout Fait: an old climbing Noisette rose with pink/white blooms.
Masquerade: climbing, daughter’s favourite
Tour de Malakoff: gallica with marbled, mauve petals in June
In box bed
Roseraie de l’Hay: rugosa hybrid with strongly scented, dark purple flowers all summer long
Pink Surprise: rugosa hybrid with delicate, pale-pink, single flowers with prominent ring of stamens
Ruskin: rugosa hybrid with deep scarlet, highly scented, double blooms
Sarah van Fleet: rugosa hybrid with pink, semi-double flowers
On rose arch
Morletii: old Boursault rose; semi-double, dark pink; blooms once; thornless; good autumn colour on leaves
Grandma Jenny’s Rose: an old American climber with double pink flowers in August (found in Virginia)
Back wall of house
Agnes: rugosa hybrid; lemon colour and lemon scent. Flowers into autumn
Cupid: climber with crushed, large, single flowers in clusters early June followed by large orange hips
Wood garden
Alain Blanchard: semi-double, crimson with purple mottling, once flowering shrub rose
Penelope: hybrid musk; repeat flowering
Scharlachglut: vigorous sprawling shrub with intense scarlet flowers in June and good scarlet hips
Gloire de Dijon: Noisette climber with buff-yellow, scented, double flowers; repeats well.
Complicata: stunning large, single, pink flowers on sprawling plant; once flowering
R. rugosa: common Japanese species; single flowers in crimson and white; colourful autumn leaves and hips
Windrush: vigorous shrub with semi-double yellow flowers with sharp scent; repeats well
Top border
Albéric Barbier: lemon-yellow climber, shiny foliage; once flowering; tough
American Pillar: climber; big sprays of rose and white single flowers in July.
Albertine: climber with copper pink flowers and coppery foliage. Apple scent to some
Back garden
Blush Noisette: clusters of pink, semi-double flowers on vigorous bush, flowering into winter
William Lobb: moss rose with dark purple flowers fading to mauve. Once flowering
Rosa glauca (syn R. rubrifolia): wild rose from S. Europe; good glaucous green foliage with red and white flowers followed by dark red hips
Mutabilis: ancient china rose; flowers open apricot pink and fade to crimson
Rosa Mundi: old gallica hybrid with striped rose-pink and white flowers in late June
Conservatory lawn
Irène Watts: China; large, pale pink flowers; repeats well; reddish foliage
Dainty Bess: hybrid tea with pink, single flowers and dark stamens
Mrs Doreen Pike: in pot; rugosa hybrid; double, pink flowers; Doreen is a tad tarty
Perle d’Or: China with apricot, pointed-bud flowers
Old Blush China: two in pots; a great old China flowering non-stop if weather is kind; great scent
François Juranville: old climber, a bit like Albertine only better; flowers in June but sometimes later too.; watch out for mildew
Mme Alfred Carrière: excellent noisette climber with off-white, large, double blooms bourne throughout the summer and autumn
Rose de Rescht: old double Portland rose; purple flowers; repeats well
Joan Morgan rose: an old sprawling single like ‘Tuscany’ found in hedgerow near Joan’s house in Cororion, Tregarth
Stanwell Perpetual: a pimpinellifolia hybrid; flesh-pink fading to white; scent of Turkish Delight
Tuscany Superb: on willow tripod; sumptuous dark crimson-purple with golden boss of stamens
Celestial: Alba rose with bluish foliage and flesh-pink flowers in late June
White Wings: hybrid tea against wall; white with startling dark red anthers
Ispahan: Centifolia rose; double with good scent; once flowering over many weeks
Phyllis Bide: climbing; intriguing apricot colour fading to cream; flowering into winter, one of our favourite climbers but no scent
Cornelia: hybrid musk; bunches of small, deep rose flowers, repeating well
Little White Pet: small bush with pink buds opening white
Tower garden.
Violette: climber with bunches of tiny semi-double dark violet blooms in June
Summer Sunset:: on tower; repeat flowering but with undistinguished blooms
Snow Goose: an Austin climber with white blooms in June
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