Well here I am again it’s now mid August and everything in the garden is growing apace: one week there is just greenery and the next it’s all in full bloom. Take for example the newest part of the garden to be reopened: a terrace just above the lower tarn which between ourselves we have named Yellowwood Terrace due to the fact that there is a Cladrastis Tree in the middle of it (Yellowwood being it’s common name). Just a few weeks ago the Horse tail (Equisetum) was showing through despite desperate measures to suppress it earlier in the year. Now however it is a beautiful mass of glorious poppies and the tiny; but jewel like Toadflaxes (Linaria maroccana) and it fair takes your breathe away with the simplicity of the planting. Do pop in and have a look; you can actually wander right through there as the path has been renovated and reopened.
Meanwhile Sarah and Andrew have been very busy on the main borders, planning and editing, this is a critical stage for the success and continued improvement of the borders year on year, and is it necessary to do it now whilst everything is in full swing. Colour combinations, plant heights and textures can be put together rather like using the colour swatches when redecorating. Plants that have done well, or badly are noted and lists built up for division in the dormant period. It’s all part of the critical ‘behind the scenes’ work that keeps the garden looking fresh and sparkling and rewards our visitors with ‘wow factors’ as the come round a corner and spot something stunning.
To that end we took a trailer into the garden yesterday to use as a portable potting bench where in situ we were able to lift, divide, clean up and replant some plants from an area that is under development so we now have a whole host of plantlets to grow on ready for some stunning plant combos for next year. Look out in particular for the beautiful Lysimachia clethroides which will feature greatly next year on the main borders and will be a big hit. The weather was sticky and humid and the beauty of having a portable potting bench was that we could move it round a convenient tree and keep in the shade, oh such a cunning plan!
Enjoy your weekend and happy gardening. bye for now Kath Gardens West