Pale & Interesting

Looking through my ‘garden diary’ I was surprised to be reminded that two years ago we had a group visit to the garden on 20th July – Good Grief! That meant at least three more weeks of keeping on top of deadheading and tying in, not to mention working around rearranged furniture in the house! Admittedly, I have been fairly diligent with the former, but was very relieved this year to have the kitchen and back sitting room back to ‘normal’ and get all the boxes and signs up to the loft this year – with no requests for group visits, we were able to ‘shut up shop’ after our second opening. Up to now, we have had one or two each year, even three one year, and they can be a mixed blessing although the bigger groups tend to generate a good guaranteed income from their visit.

Hellebores are an evergreen perennial from the genus Helleborus; they are also known as Christmas rose, lenten rose, or winter rose. They can bloom in the freezing months of winter due to their deep rooting system. Hellebore flowers come in many shades of. pink, yellow, purple and white, even green.

Tulips look wonderful weaving through borders or massed in pots, but they can also amazing against a contrasting background.  My own house is off-white weatherboarding with pea green windows and doors, so dark colours are the order of the day here. I’ve mixed all the bulbs together f

Woodwardia radicans – more interesting than it looks.

The Palest of Pink Pinks If, like me, you are a fan of Dianthus carthusianorum with its vibrantly pink-flowers on tall wiry stems, or the red-shaded Dianthus cruentas, you may be interested in another single-flowered pink of great loveliness. Dianthus ‘Anders Peace’ (£3.95 from www.allwoods.net ) carries delicate pale pink flowers singly on strong stems, making it an appealing plant for a well-drained sunny border, gravel garden, or even a container.

Pale & Very Interesting Alexandra Froggatt may be self-taught and is still very young, but that didn’t stop her winning the ‘Your Garden, Your Budget’ category where costs are limited to £15,000. She as created a garden that shows a real grasp of design and individual flair.

It’s always nice when planning pays off and colour combinations turn out as you’ve hoped – and equally pleasing when something surprises you.  I have a bit of both in the garden.  The dolly tubs either side of the front door have been planted with the dainty and softly coloured Elka narcissus, combined with Exotic Emperor tulips to make a subtle early display that tones perfectly with the paint colour of the front door. As they fade they will be replaced with the later flowering vibrant pink tulip Barcelona which I have planted deeper in the tubs for a completely different effect. Elsewhere in the

Pale Beauties Gladiolus murielae is a plant that keeps changing its name – it used to be Acidanthera, then Gladiolus callianthus and now G. Murielae, but whatever its name it is a thing of loveliness.

Style your garden with these decorative garden balls. You’ll need quick-setting concrete, light covers, non-stick cooking spray and of course the directions, which are available here!

Taking care of and maintaining your garden can be challenging and expensive, particularly if you are new. To make it a little easy and affordable for you, here are some interesting Outdoor Plant Parenting Hacks!