End of month view – March 2017

What a perfect day for March’s EoMV!  Spring has arrived all of a rush, with many bulbs bursting into bloom under the last weekend’s glorious sunshine.

Starting from the bottom of the Lavender steps, looking left, please admire the fact that nearly all the beds have been mulched with a mix of Isle of Wight compost and manure.  I have to confess to hiring a man to help dig it out of the big white sacks into a wheelbarrow, but I did all the application (not least because I was really too late, and there were plenty of bulbs and emerging perennials which could have been broken by a careless ‘dump’!)

I have to confess the Acacia baileyana pupurea which I moved back in February is looking a little brown and crispy in places but I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will survive.

On the decking the wonderful Pelagonium ‘Surcouf’ is looking positively rampant already. And although I also have the Clematis ‘Princess Diana’ at the back of these pots (there is a pair) she’s not very happy, so I’m encouraging Surcouf up the trellis and might move the Princess somewhere more to her liking.

In the trough the replenished N. Minnow are spilling over

and in the veg patch, the Diving Lady is overseeing a mulched blank canvas.

I’ve recently moved the rhubarb from the front bed to an area out of shot to the left hand end of the main veg bed.  It never did that well where it was (much to my embarrassment) which I put down to the bed being too hot and dry, so I’m hoping the new location will suit it better.  And the evacuation of the rhubarb means more room for strawberries.  Any tips for favourite varieties?

Much to the chagrin of the daughter, home from uni for Easter, I’ve also planted a few more home grown Agapanthus seedlings at the back.  She thinks the whole bed should just be strawberries and more strawberries – not least because this year she’ll be home in June!

Round to the left hand Swing Bed and there’s plenty of green but little colour yet.  The daffodils have disappeared and the tulips are (mostly) still in bud.

I finally got round to pruning and training all the roses on the pergola and they are now leafing up nicely.

In the right hand bed there are more Narcissi than the left (er, why?) and a far happier looking Euphorbia.  I’ve said before that trying to make these beds symmetrical is rather a hopeless cause, but I’m wondering whether I should abandon the Euphorbia all together and replace with something more structural and evergreen.  (The joke is that there is a healthy looking Euphorbia right at the end of the left hand bed, but that one is self seeded.  The one bought and paid for to mirror the other bed is hopeless).  Hmmm.

In the Grass Bed I’m delighted that some of some of the Forget me nots have returned to form rather spartan skirts around the N. ‘Peeping Jennys’.

The Bronze Bed is positively overrun with Euphorbia (and this is after I pulled one out) but whilst they’re a zingy joy at this time of year, I’m not convinced I’ll allow them to survive later in the year.

I blogged about this Primula last year – it’s self seeded alongside the Lavender Steps.  I just love the soft colour and saved and sowed seeds last year but to no avail, and, now it’s another year older, I think it’s even less likely I’ll be able to move it.  Ah well, I’d better enjoy it where it is.

In the right hand Lavender Bed you can see the chive like leaves of Allium Sphaerocephalon. I’ve never grown it before (but used to admire it in my mum’s garden) and because it’s so ‘slight’ I’ve planted them in a ‘wave’ across the two beds as I thought otherwise they could be a bit lost.  Whether it will actually work is yet to be seen, not least because the other plants might have grown up to obscure them before they get round to flowering.

The N. Tete a tete are still flowering along the path to the front door.  Those in the pots are largely over, but have now been surpassed by the news ones planted along the edge of the bed.  In summer these beds are full of the ‘Flower Carpet’ roses, but it’s lovely to have these cheery daffs now.

More new daffs –  N. Thalia in the Drive Bed, accompanied by Erysimum ‘Ivory Giant’ which were grown from seed last year.

At the western side of the garden the Frits (as they’re known in this household) are blooming in the grass, with N. Jenny in the background.  

In this picture you can see the Hamamelis ‘Arnold’s Promise’ is completely over 

whereas the H. Aphrodite is still going strong.

The Bronze Bed is a mass of daffs with ‘Cragford’ now being joined ‘Yazz’, and the Hamamelis flowers being picked up by the Melianthus Major flowers.  The Melianthus has survived the winter again and, as a consequence, got rather out of hand.  I really should have cut it back last year, but with the garden opening in the summer I’m a bit loathe to cut it back now.  Perhaps I could perform a tidy up and get away with it?

And meanwhile, the greenhouse is displaying an interesting mix of overwintering tender plants, Winter Sweet Peas

and new seedlings.

And to finish, one of the Greenhouse pots – last year’s N. Bellsong joined by new tulip, T. ‘Mango Charm.’

With thanks to Helen at the Patient Gardener for hosting all the EOMV.  Why don’t you take a peek at what others are up to?

Wordless Wednesday – Peacock in the garden

In a vase on Monday – twice as nice!

Not a vase but a pot this week, and one that has been giving joy for over a month now thanks to two sets of bulbs.

Firstly I had the Crocus chrysanthus ‘Miss Vain’.  

In this photo above you can see that the pot is doughnut shaped and is watered by pouring water into the central ‘funnel’.  The water is absorbed through the terracotta over time, and it seems to be a really efficient system.

I got the pot in Ikea when uni shopping for my daughter last September, and I’ve been thrilled with it.

One of the reasons I chose white crocuses was because of the white glazed ‘plate’.  This came with the pot and obviously protects any surface you place it on, consequently, rather than just opt for Tete a tete (which I love) to follow the Crocuses, I searched for another small daffodil with white in, and came up with this one – N. Canaliculatus.

It’s dainty, scented and has multiple heads – what a beaut!

Why don’t you have a look on Cathy’s site to see what others have in their vases on this beautiful spring day?

Wordless Wednesday – Pansies welcome here?

Why not?

 

 

 

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – March 2017

All of a sudden spring has sprung and there are hundreds of blooms to enjoy – not least Narcissus ‘Cragford’, above.  And despite moaning last year I’d planted them too close together, I’m delighted to see they’ve all returned!

Plenty of other Narcissi now including ‘Jenny’

 

‘Peeping Jenny,’

‘Tete a Tete’

and my first ‘Minnow’ of the year.  This is definitely one of my favourites – the blooms are really dainty, only about 3cm across, so I hope I’ve planted enough to make an impact.

A few other bulbs blooming now – these Muscari, M. Latifolium are returning again from the wedding flowers.  Last year they got rather eaten, so I’m delighted to see them back better than ever this year.  And interestingly, for those who remember the saga of me trying to get these and the N. Elka flowering together on the day,the Elkas are currently nowhere to be seen!

This last one is the Crocus chrysanthus Miss Vain.  The majority are over now, but if you look closely you’ll see there are daffodils to follow, so hopefully the pot will shortly be rebooted!

I found one of the first bees enjoying the Rosemary (R. prostratus).

And I think I’ve mentioned that I’ve become a bit overrun with Euphorbia, but doesn’t that colour sing (zing?) in the sunshine?

Talking of colour, I know it’s not a bloom, but I couldn’t resist including this Chard.

Continuing on the pink theme, this Daphne x Pink Fragrance ‘Blapink’ is really pumping out the blooms – and scent – now.  It’s in a pot and currently seems happy, but I do wonder if I should plant it out.

The tea tree plant, Leptospermum has just started blooming again after a little rest.  Sadly it has got rather leggy now and I’m not convinced it would resprout from the bottom if I pruned it hard.  Any clues?

There are still plenty of Hellebores but I thought this one was very fine.  Strangely I have no memory of seeing it before, but it seems rather too glamorous to be self seeded.

Of my two witch hazels H. Arnold’s Promise is in full flower

but H. Aphrodite is still being rather shy.

And to finish, because it was such a glorious day it almost felt like a quick dip might be fun, here’s the Diving Lady, with her pool. 

With thanks to Carol at May Dream Gardens who hosts everyone’s GBBDs.  Why don’t you pop over and see what others have blooming now?

Wordless Wednesday – Champagne in the greenhouse?

Wordless Wednesday – you have to be kid-ding…

In a vase on Monday – Through a vase, darkly

Having been away last weekend, it feels like the garden has moved on significantly in a fortnight.  One plant, Euphorbia characias Wulfennii, to me epitomises spring with its fresh, zingy, lime green flower heads, and it has self seeded in a number of places.  The fact that those places aren’t necessarily the ones I would have chosen, made cutting it for today’s vase seem like a good idea.  

In the photo above you can also glimpse a branch of a very leggy pink tipped Hebe, which I was also happy to sacrifice as, too be honest, the whole plant should probably come out.

To these I added some gorgeous Hellebore blooms.  Whilst I recognise they don’t last as long in the vase as they do in the garden, I also recognise that if they’re in the house I will see much more of them so, snip!

I do like the contrast between the dark and the ‘zing’.  Why don’t you go to Cathy’s website Rambling in the Garden to see what others have put together in their vases this weeks?

 

Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech

 

The house was originally constructed for Jacques Majorelle in the 1930s and from the beginning, the walls were painted in ‘Majorelle blue’.  He designed a garden around the Art Deco house with the rare and exotic plants he’d collected worldwide.

The garden was first opened to the public in 1947, but fell into disrepair after his death in 1962.  It was saved from developers when Pierre Berge and Yves Saint Laurent bought it in 1980 and since then the garden has been restored, with many plants added.

Following Saint Laurent’s death in 2008, the garden passed to a new non profit ‘fondation’ to ensure the conservation and maintenance of the property.  The fondation has already opened a fascinating Berber museum within the grounds and are currently working on the ‘Musee Yves Saint Laurent’ which is due to open later this year.

I previously visited this garden in 2006 with two primary age children in tow.  I remember worrying that a garden visit was likely to be very painful, but actually the combination of spiky cacti, bright colours and, most particularly, turtles in the pool proved a winning combination.

Fast forward to 2017 and the turtles have gone, but the other elements are still very much in evidence.

Unlike the Jardin Secret, this garden is outside the centre of Marrakech and the entrance is off what feels like a residential street, but like the Jardin Secret, there is significant use of water in the design.

It doesn’t have the striking layout of the Jardin Secret, and is definitely busier, but its still a fascinating space with much to recommend it.  Perhaps I’ll return in another ten years to check our the new museum.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how they keep that blue paint looking so fresh…

 

 

Le Jardin Secret, Marrakech

If you want a wonderfully detailed account of this garden, including the history, do head over to the Frustrated Gardener who visited late last year (and in much sunnier weather!)

I realised when we were forced to land in Casablanca to refuel (due to a 40 mile wide thunderstorm sitting over the Marrakech airport) that the weather for our short trip was unlikely to be balmy, and indeed it wasn’t.  Having said that, by Saturday the weather had improved, and by Sunday (when I took my ‘Aloe Aloe’ Wordless Wednesday picture) the sky was a fabulous blue.  Sadly, on Friday when we went garden visiting, all was rather grey.

Le Jardin Secret is situated in Marrakech’s central souk and is an extraordinary oasis amongst the chaos.  It has been open less than a year after a redesign by Tom Stuart-Smith and a fabulous renovation.  It is an absolute triumph.

The space consists of two separate  gardens, the first square and the second rectangular which abut on a corner, each largely invisible from the other.

In this photo you can see the exotic garden to the middle right, with the second, larger, Islamic garden in the main part of the picture.  The link between the two is deliberately small, creating a contrast between the narrow link and the wider gardens themselves.

The first photo is of the exotic garden, looking back to elegant reception building seen at the rear.  The view looking the other way, as you first enter the exotic garden, is below.

Whilst not a huge fan of battleship grey, it makes a striking back drop for the wonderfully textured planting and the colourful Aloes.

I love this Dasylirion acrotrichum – it reminds me of Heatherwick’s ill fated ‘B of the Bang’.

Although the exotic garden is segmented and symmetrical, the larger Islamic garden is even more strictly laid out.  The rectangular shape is split into four quadrants, with each quadrant further split into four.

And whereas the planting in the exotic garden is contemporary and from all over the world, the planting in the Islamic garden is much more traditional with repeated planting of olive, pomegranate, fig and date.  Only the herbaceous planting underneath the trees is a modern interpretation of the original swept earth.

The grasses really were extraordinary en masse like this.

Throughout both gardens are beautiful rills and fountains, with water being an essential element in Islamic gardens.

The original water system in Marrakech utilised ground drainage tunnels (established in the late eleventh century) which carried water from the Atlas mountains into the city’s mosques, hammams and some of the great houses, including Le Jardin Secret.

An exhibiton shows numerous photos taken during the renovation, including this one of the painstaking tile work

From the Islamic garden we climbed up to first floor level above the Oud el Ward pavilion to lunch in the new cafe.

From here we climbed a further beautifully tiles staircase

to the top of the tower, from where the layout of the garden was clear.   As the website says “The garden is as a matter of fact a metaphor of heaven; it is a sacred place, laid out according to rigid geometrical rules, in which the Muslim order asserts itself over the wild disorder of nature.”  Heaven indeed.

Just time to admire one of my favourite plants, Melianthus major, before running the gauntlet of the hawkers once more….