Gardens in general Ideas, Tips & Guides

Saxifraga White Star is thriving in the dappled shade.

Lavatera Mont Blanc

Buphthalmum salicifolium (yellow oxeye daisy) a Summer flowering perennial which has eventually grown on me after constant reminders from Myra as to how so very like rays of sunshine the flowers are.

Lobelia Hadspen Purple

The Prunus Kiku-shidare-zakura (Cheals weeping) has been in the patio area of our garden for close on twenty years. This small weeping cherry has only reached a height of seven feet in all this time, making it well and truly ideal for the small garden

Lilium Regale Album is one of the Chinese species, pure white with yellow stamens and  a fabulous heady perfume. It is the earliest white to flower, grows well if planted directly into the border or in containers

The deciduous ornamental grass Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus (Zebra grass) has been in a prominent position in our back garden for about six years. Planted in the main border it looks rather striking.

Euonymus fortunei emerald n gold, this popular and dare I say common evergreen shrubby plant is a good choice for the garden border giving interest the whole year.

Penny Lane a really good climbing Rose which has performed very well every Summer in our garden for the past eight years.

 The Daffodil Jetfire, one of the best Dwarf varieties.

Trillium Albidum is one of about thirty species of these fully hardy Spring flowering perennials occurring mainly in woodland areas of North America.

This beautiful deciduous shrub Ceratostigma Willmottianum with cobalt blue flowers from late July till the end of September is one of those plants when once seen you just must have.

Magnolia Stellata

One extremely floriferous HT Rose that does not have blooms the size of dinner plates is the Laura Anne Hybrid Tea Rose

Jolly Bee

Bergenias, out of fashion at one time, I will say no more regarding that rubbish. Well anyway back in favour!This Bergenia  in our woodland area flowers quite well, pity the evergreen leaves tend to get a rather moth eaten look at times, however it is a plant which I am rather fond of in spite of this.

The Callistemon which I had seen in Aberdeen in the past was clearly a one off fluke, I would not recommend it as a hardy plant for the North East. However I will give it one more try as a container grown plant which I will over Winter in the unheated greenhouse.

Hydrangea Petiolaris a climbing plant which absolutely thrives in our Aberdeen garden

Triternata grew at the entrance of our round garden, by late Summer it would cover  a 5ft tall conifer with its small foliage and tiny flowers.

Although I am featuring Aquilegia William Guinness, today’s post is also covering other Aquilegias in our garden.

Rosa Mundi an exquisite old Rose with a history going back many centuries.

Ribes white icicle a welcome sight in the early Spring garden

Sedum Spectabile Autumn Joy brings great colour to the border when so many other perennials have gone over.

Lythrum Salicaria Feuerkerze

Alstroemeria Princess Paula with a little cosseting will grow in the cooler climate of Aberdeen

 The Japanese Anemone Honorine Jobert is often described as the best white variety available, I have to say it is quite spectacular.

Phormium Firebird from New Zealand

Thinking of planting roses, why not give the old varieties a try. Our favourite is the Portland Roses. Amongst this group are to be found not only some of the finest of old roses but also some of the most useful.They are all continuous or repeat flowering and of accommodating proportions. They can

What an unusual plant is the Nerine, coming in to full bloom in October when so many, in fact the majority of perennials have gone over and the foliage turning brown.

Along with my wife Myra, I have been absolutely mad about gardening since 1970. In the early 90s, in fact I think it was 1993 we were to take it a stage further when the Aberdeen council limo pulled up at the door whilst judging the entries for the Aberdeen in bloom competition. We were persuaded to enter our front garden in the competition for that year. I don’t have photos from then but here is a few below from 2005 until the present.

Roses in Aberdeen generally grow well. I have found some of them in the past to be a bit of a hit or a miss. 

Lilium Golden Splendour.This fully hardy Lily is a must for the North east garden.

My plant profile as to how Muscari Latifolium performs in these northern climes

Anemone Blanda, a delightful plant which brightens up the garden

Abies Koreana , this Korean Fir Makes  a wonderful specimen tree.  The dark green leaves are distinctly silver on the underside, however the striking feature of this evergreen  is the large blue cones.

Hydrangea macrophylla, commonly referred to as mophead, was seen in recent times as being unfashionable. I never did pay any attention to that sort of nonsense so lets say no more about it.