August 16, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

A GARDENER’S DILEMMA

Some areas of my garden are incomplete. The bones are all there, but the planting is far from ‘done’. For example, the lilies I have recently featured …

are a perfect companion to Hydrangea paniculata …

however, they are planted on either side of the bench in my cutting garden and not together.

So here is this gardener’s dilemma…do I dig up the lilies and plant them with the hydrangea or transplant the hydrangea? That’s a young gardener’s thought process.

At my age I am thinking the easiest way to achieve what I would like, would be to strike cuttings of the hydrangea and plant them with the lilies. MUCH EASIER, the caveat being TIME. It will take a few years to get the effect I am looking for.

Why isn’t life simpler? The young have both the time and energy…. need I say more?

June 19, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

SHOCKING 2

I LOVE the Schiaparelli Bench!!

In context, with plants of like colour.

This garden space, which separates the “Pleasure Garden” or Viburnum Court from the Potager, has long given me grief. Originally it was conceived as a Rosemary Walk; a brick lined, grass path, planted on both sides with rosemary. Meant to make contact as one passes and release its glorious fragrance.

Alas, that failed miserably.. The soil here is heavy with clay, and although it has been well amended, it is still not light enough for a mediterranean herb. BUT it is perfect for Roses with Clematis as companions. I also allow some Cleome to seed itself….. Still under construction. …. A garden in Homage to Elsa Schiaparelli “that Italian artist who makes clothes!”- Coco Chanel

June 3, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

HYDRANGEAS, HYDRANGEAS, EVERYWHERE!

In the summer, Hydrangeas form the backbone of the shade garden, they will carry the garden through the summer and keep my vases filled as well..

In The Circle of Friends, the camellias are now backdrop, and these beauties are showing their stuff.

Most Hydrangeas are rounded in form. From a distance they are indistinguishable…

On closer inspection however……

many are quite distinctive, above Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Jogasaki’

The lacecap Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lanarth White’ above.

Hydrangea quercifolia & Hydrangea macrophylla above. Although I do enjoy the delicate lacecap flowers, the big blue or white balls are certainly eye-catching in the landscape.

Above, Oakleaf Hydrangeas mark the entrance to the Viburnum Court.

What carries your garden through summer?

May 7, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

OVERWHELMED!

The garden is overwhelming!

Above, the rose New Dawn positively dripping…….

Below,Brother Stefan’s Clematis‘PolishSpirit’

Below,Clematis‘Madame Julia Correvon’

Tomatoes, eggplants & pepper plants waiting to be planted…they are constantly fed Fish emulsion & kept watered..those are small pots & growing roots take lots of moisture.

Seed for Zinnias and Foxgloves are sown ( late on the Zinnias) below

Then there are the onions to harvest….

So, on the way to do attend to all of the above, I pass …

Glorious Deutzia above, Clematis Ruutel and C. Piilu below

Below, another pairing, Clematis ‘Carnaby’ and Clematis ‘Odoriba’

I really like the two different forms of Clematis mingling, as they climb through Smoke bush ‘Royal Velvet’…. Below, Clematis ‘Catherine Clanwilliam’.

All in all, its very pleasant “GETTING THERE’ I designed it that way.

April 23, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

POTTING ON..

Another week has just slipped by! So much garden…so many weeds…so little time.

All the plants started from seed have been ‘potted on’ i.e. planted into larger containers and watered with diluted fish emulsion.

I do love the names on some of these tomato plants. “Boxcar Willie” was a favorite last year, new to us this year is “One Time Charlie”. Who makes up these names ?

The garden continues to unfold. Below, Clematis‘Liberation’ and ‘Barbara Jackman’ mingle with Viburnum ‘Kern’s Pink’ ( It never was pink. )

Showing off now too, are the early blooming Buckeyes. In my garden I grow three of the species. The early blooming Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), below…

the Painted Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica) …

the third,the Bottle Brush Buckeye ( Aesculus parviflora) is later blooming, end of june. Too bad these are such neglected & underused plants. They deserve a place in any garden with some dappled shade.

April 10, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

THIS ‘N’ THAT…

This is the busiest season in and about the garden.

Seedlings must be nurtured in the house,

the semi-finished Bothy is being organised… with a nod to its previous tenants.

Weeds are rampant and everything needs attention at once!

Still, the garden is beautiful and feeds my soul.

The potager,is putting forth such succulent delights as ‘Gourmet Lettuce Mix’ ,’ Italian Kale’ & ‘Red Mesclun Mix’.

Finally the arbor has found its home. Poor thing , one has moved her about so often…

I like the way it ties into the Bothy. Evergreens will be planted on both sides of the arbor, forming a hedge. This will serve as the entrance to the Potager and the end of the ‘Pleasure Garden” (so Edwardian don’t you think?)

© all photos 2011

April 7, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

THE MEADOW…YET AGAIN

The meadow is once more looksing like an impressionist painting. Swaths of blue native phlox (Phlox divericata) make their way between the daffodil foliage and the ‘Wake Robin’ ( Trillium cuneatum) .

The trees are now playing an important role, so the focus changes.

This is The Meadow viewed from the driveway on west side of the house looking east. (Above)

Soon the weeds & wild grasses will cover this all and it will look wild & wonderful. Then the hum of beneficial insects, bees and butterflies will fill the air. After the plants set their seed it will get the annual cut. This meadow gives me 12 months of joy!!

© all photos 2011

Note: WordPress noted that I published a draft & not the updated version of this post AFTER it was posted…why not BEFORE???

March 26, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

THE MEADOW CONTINUES….

The meadow continues to delight. The last of the daffodils…

are joined by Woodland Phlox (Phlox divericata) and Trilliums (Trillium cuneatum).

Unfortunately the colours do not photograph well, the Trillium are a beautiful shade of claret, which is very effective with the blue Phlox.

Every one has different markings ………amazing!!

© all photos 2011

March 21, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

WILD THINGS

Time for the WILD THINGS!

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) popping up in the meadow. The name is derived from the red sap which bleeds as the stem is cut or the root disturbed. The Indians used this sap for paint and as a dye.

Trillium cuneatum naturalized in the meadow. I cannot take credit for this…they were here before me and keep multiplying.

Woodland phlox (Phlox divericata) naturalized with the Trillium….delicate & fragrant.

I encourage all these to increase by allowing their seed to ripen and disperse before the meadow is cut. Slowly & surely this is happening. Every year at this time I wonder if I will live long enough to see my vision come to fruition. But then again its about the journey, and I am enjoying this one immensely.

© All photos & text 2011

March 19, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

GARDENING TRUMPS BLOG!

Goodness , I have no idea where the time goes. It is already Friday Saturday! This week there was so much to do in the garden. The pruning of ‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas & Hydrangea paniculata, along with some Clematis… Still not done with all the ‘Annabelles.’ Every year I have the same lament. When I am pruning I have too many….when they bloom there are not enough!!

Much weeding in the potager where I am growing salad ….delicious! A few stragglers from last years tulips popping up between the lettuce… and much weeding ….

Spring is going forward at breakneck speed, it seems. Viburnum burkwoodii in bloom. If I could share the fragrance, you would know why it is so cherished among gardeners.

It does get large, with a beautiful vase shape. There are several Clematis planted at its feet. Reminders of a lovely day, shared with dear friends, in a beautiful garden.

The new kitty is at the vets with serious upper respiratory infection…….

© All photos 2011

March 9, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

A QUICK TOUR

Spring is unfolding ………..

Suddenly, everything is so far along !

The trilliums are coming up.

Flowering Quince In the Viburnum Court…

Helleborus foetidus top & Helleborus orientalis above.

All Nature’s Masterpieces.

© All photos & text 2011

March 3, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

CAMELLIA MADNESS

The Camellia Walk is in full flower.

The Helleborus are also at their peak, I love them together, makes for a lush planting…the only kind.

Just about here, I turn around to see………

The daffodils in The Meadow.

Up close & personal………

© All photos & text 2011

February 12, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

MEANWHILE, IN THE GARDEN..

On a tour of the garden today, signs of spring …

The Meadow is coming alive..

Soon I’ll post the results of 13 years of rescuing daffs and trying to achieve the ‘English Thing’.

Meanwhile the Winter garden is doing what it is supposed to and is at its peak….The “peak” lasts a few months… Above, Prunus mume & Helleborus, below, a camellia…

Below, evergreen shrubs make this is a very satisfactory garden area.

Notice, below, the variegated Boxwood, the berries on the Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Alba’) and the groundcover Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ )…

This is usually the time of year projects get started &/ or continued to be worked on, some, for many seasons. There are so many projects…..

When we started this garden, we did not consider, EVER, declining physical stamina.

© All photos & text 2011

January 27, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

ANOTHER ESSENTIAL PERENNIAL

Arum italicum ‘Pictum’ is, in my mind, essential in any garden where it is hardy. This perennial sends out its foliage in the late fall and remains green all winter.

The handsome leaves resemble arrowheads with strong creamy veining. They make a sensational groundcover. Since one NEVER cuts the leaves off daffodils (Narcissus), the Arum makes a good companion for them in a vase.

In spring a creamy spathe appears. The flower & foliage disappear in the summer, followed by a column of orange/red berries.

If one gardens in zones 6-9 they are indispensable in the winter shade garden.

© All photos & text 2011

January 19, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

INDISPENSABLE PERENNIALS 2

Another indispensable perennial for the winter garden would be Epimedium or Barrenwort. Pleasant foliage all summer turning bronze / rose in the winter. They make a very useful groundcover in dry shade and are magnificent paired with Helleborus. Below in my garden…

In very early spring the delicate flowers, commonly called Fairy Wings, emerge and proclaim winter officially over.

Although they find their way into my miniature vases, they are by no means ‘show stoppers’. I use them primarily as ‘filler’ although some of the newer varieties just introduced from Asia can definitely stand on their own. Below Epimedium ‘Making Waves’

I encourage you to add some to your garden. The best & newest can be found at http://www.plantdelights.com Another bonus… they are deer resistant.

Photo of Epimedium “Making Waves’ used with permission from Plant Delights Nursery.