One of the first things to get me hooked on gardening was an illustration of delphiniums in full bloom. The otherworldly beauty of their soaring flower spires in shades of peacock, sky and electric violet was mesmerising and I coveted them instantly. Too many decades later I feel the same way, except now I know how difficult they are to grow well.
First on this herbaceous perennial’s long list of must-haves is the very best of soils, meaning nothing less than a cool, deep, rich, moisture-retentive but free-draining fertile loam in full sun. Forget trying to grow delphiniums in ground that’s in any way prone to winter wet or summer drought, neither of which they will forgive you for.
Despite the picture-perfect image of their tall blue flower spires taking pride of place in a traditional cottage garden, delphiniums are also not the most convivial of plants and resent being grown in these kinds of crowded conditions. Instead, they need space around their roots and plenty of it.
Delphinium plants must be staked in late spring before they get so tall that it becomes too difficult to do so without resulting in a frustratingly messy, ugly tangle of twine and garden canes
Like teenage boys, they are also forever hungry, demanding regular mulches of well-rotted manure and garden compost along with some sprinkles of a slow-release fertiliser around the base of the plants in spring and then again after the first flush of their astonishing flowers has faded by late June/early July. Liquid foliar feeds during the growing season are also a good idea, while prompt deadheading is needed to keep the show on the road.
If you want them to produce the spectacularly large flower heads that are the stuff of show benches, then it’s also
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Hey GPODers! Today we’re back in the flower-filled garden of Heidi Weirether. We first saw her garden a little earlier on in the summer (you check check out that post here: Heidi’s Colorful Garden in Fairfield County) and it’s incredible to see how much has changed in a month’s time! As with much of the northeast this year, Heidi is experiencing incredible hydrangea blooms—but that is just the tip of the floral iceberg in her sensational garden:
Vicks vaporub is a popular household name manufactured by The Procter & Gamble Company. It is quite effective in clearing out the nasal passages thanks to its camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil content. However, its uses are not limited to this, and there are a few Vicks VapoRub Uses in the Garden, too! Let’s have a look!
Movies and TV shows have inspired interior design choices for a long time. Who doesn’t want their home to look like a Nancy Meyers film come to life? Wes Anderson’s playful and colorful film sets have inspired people to bring that iconic, quirky look home. And I’m sure purple living rooms have become more commonplace thanks to Friends.
There's perhaps no flower that's inspired more poetry, art, and prose than a rose. From formal rose gardens surrounded by boxwood hedges to cottage gardens overflowing with roses, foxglove, and native flowers, these layered blooms are held up as the star of the garden. They're carefully pruned into formal arrangements and allowed to climb and cascade over charming trellises.
Without a doubt, there is one pot of flowers that is the most colorful on my patio right now. The surprising news is we just recently potted it despite the hot summer heat we're experiencing. I’m in steamy Alabama, with record humidity, so it’s a soupy, sticky, kind of hot here outdoors. Daily watering of many of my plants in the summer heat is simply is a must.
Garden shows are crowded. That’s what I remember most about the first time I met Susan Calhoun. It was nearly 18 years ago at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle, and as an exhibitor, she had built an amazing show garden. After jockeying my way between dozens of people to flip through her portfolio, I was convinced that one of her projects would be perfect for Fine Gardening. The following spring I found myself getting onto a plane, into a rental car, and boarding a ferry to see Susan and to photograph one of her gorgeous designs for our publication.
Some planting combinations are designed to be stable and static, with reliable perennials that work well together and stay largely in proportion for years. Other schemes are more dynamic, changing dramatically year by year as plants self-seed and move around, perhaps making use of annuals and biennials to add interest.