In a vase on Monday – Sanguine set up!

Sorry for the absence – we’ve been away for 10 days, and the way it’s fallen with work I was last on the island on 23rd September!

The garden is in many areas looking rather ‘over’.  Sadly, the majority of the dahlias have finished and many of the annuals too, but there are still roses and Salvias and, extraordinarily, lots of new growth from self sown Cerinthe seedlings.

There is plenty of bright pink about, particularly from the flower carpet roses, but somehow that didn’t feel right for this time of year.  I was looking for something rather more autumnal, and struck on this fabulous dark burgundy.

We visited a number of wineries on our holiday in Spain, including those in the Rioja region, so perhaps that deep Rioja colour was still on my mind!

The main flower is the Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’.  It’s a gorgeous flower but certainly very prickly, so not that friendly for cutting.

The Dahlia here – mostly hanging out at the edges – is D. La Recoleta (this is photo from a previous vase as I forgot to take its photo!)

To this I added a single collapsed stem of Gladiolus Black Star

and then filled around with lovely new grey/green Cerinthe growth.

It’s lovely to be back creating a Monday vase and I’m looking forward to heading over to Cathy’s blog to see what everyone else has chosen for their vase this week.

In a vase on Monday – Chaos!

I’ve been back on the island for four days for the first time in weeks, but rather than a chilled weekend enjoying the weather and the seaside, we were invaded!

No, not by any kind of bug, but instead by my daughter’s university choir who were staying with us on their choir ‘tour’.  This comprised giving a recital in the beautiful (and wonderfully acoustic) Quarr Abbey, and otherwise lots of eating, drinking and hanging out in the garden and at the beach.  As you can imagine, it was a little chaotic.  Hopefully the flowers, also chaotic, convey some of the joy of having a houseful of jolly, musical, twenty somethings.

I’m delighted my Dahlia ‘Happy Single Dates’ are back.  Those of you who have read this blog for any time know that they grace plenty of summer vases (as does the other, dark, Dahlia here, ‘La Recoleta’.)

These were joined bysweet peas, Heleniums and Dianthus – the Dianthus were retrieved from last week’s vase.  They really do last brilliantly in a vase and continue to provide their fresh green zing.

So happy Monday, whatever you’re up to.  I expect order will resume chez Duver Diary eventually….

With thanks to Cathy who hosts all our IaVoMs.

In a vase on Monday – Moody loos

So I popped into the garden at lunch time to pick some blooms and it really looked like the end of the world.  The light was a deep orangey/black, apparently caused by Saharan sand whipped up by Hurricane Ophelia.  Weird!

This equally moody amalgamation consists solely of blooms from the mid century bed – Dahlia ‘La Recoleta’

Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ (just seen bottom left) and Salvia.  Not sure which this one is, but it has a delicious blackcurrant scent to the leaves.

And why the title?  I think you can guess..

With thanks to Cathy who hosts all our vases, wherever we put them!

In a vase on Monday – in a box!

Home from London on Thursday evening for a quick turn around and then an early get away on Friday morning.  We were heading to Bath to celebrate the OH’s big birthday with family, staying in a lovely rental house in central Bath.

Like the silly sausage I am, as well as three cakes (long story), Friday dinner and food for breakfasts, I was determined to take some flowers, and so Thursday evening saw me wandering around the garden at 10pm with a torch (in the rain), picking blooms.

I got them picked and arranged in three small vases and photo’d them (above) ready for their travels.  What I of course then forgot to do was photo them again gracing the very lovely dining table, laid for 10.

This is a photo of the table from the Bath Holiday Rentals website.  You’ll just have to imagine the blooms in situ!

Nothing to do with blooms, but I just wanted to share, on Sunday, as a birthday treat, I took the OH and the two ‘kids’ ballooning.  I’ve never been before and we were blessed with the most glorious evening and fabulous views over Bath – including being able to spot the house we’d been staying in.

If you ever get the chance, do go, it was absolutely magical.

With thanks to Cathy who hosts this lovely meme.

In a vase on Monday – this could be the last time

Of course not my last IaVoM post – that would be as silly as giving up breathing 😉   No, instead, the last of the golf flowers.

The final event, the thank you dinner for the Captain’s Committee, was on Friday night at home and held in the garden building we call the office (as that’s what it was used for by the previous owners), it’s the timber, cream painted building you’ve only ever seen from the outside. And the reason for that would be that the inside is normally filled with assorted detritus and large items of furniture the OH refuses to get rid of (a huge wooden chest, a large pine wall cupboard, a futon, oh my goodness, I’m going all Bruce Forsyth era Generation Game).

So, not only did we have the slight challenge of cooking for 14, but before that, a significant amount of furniture shifting.  Deep joy.  At one stage I thought I was never going to get to the flowers, but clearly, I have my priorities (to the extent that the first guests arrived before I was changed, ooops).

Whilst I still have plenty of pink flower carpet roses, and even Zinnias, I fancied a rather more autumnal look and was worried I might not have enough blooms to create the six arrangements I’d decided on.  As it was, as so many of us IaVoMers have found, it’s amazing what you can find if you look.

I decided on an orangey/burgundy theme, so picked a few of the Antirrhinum ‘Black Prince’

added what might well be the last of the Dahlia  ‘La Recoleta’, some Cerinthe for foliage and plenty of the self sown Nasturtiums.  (Interestingly, these are not the N. Black Velvet I grew from seed last year, they’ve definitely evolved into a much tawnier, softer colour this year which actually suited the arrangement better).

And then, it was just a simple matter of getting out the ladder and shimmying up the pergola to cut some rose hips from my Rosa ‘Wedding Day’.  Simples!

Not the best photos as I was a little pushed for time, but hopefully you get the idea.

So, now that’s all over, I wonder what excuse I’ll have for future vase challenges?  Hmmm.

With many thanks, as always, to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts all our IaVoM vases.  Why don’t you pop over to her site to see her post today celebrating this lovely meme?

In a vase on Monday -in my cups!

Today’s vase was actually put together on Saturday, to take to our lovely neighbours as they had invited us for supper.  The title relates to their reliable generosity with the drinks.  I  won’t elaborate further.  Hic.

The vase started with just ‘bruised’ flowers emanating from the Mid Century bed, but they looked almost too dark and so were enlivened with some brighter pink from the Flower Carpet roses.

The dahlia is ‘La Recoleta’

and, here again, but showing an older bloom with its centre exposed, joined by a single stem of Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ and backed by some new growth of Cerinthe major purpurescens.

The Antirrhinums were grown from seed and are finally getting going.  This one is Antirrhinum majus nanum ‘Black Prince.’

Here’s the grass I mentioned in GBBD, which Nick identified as Pennisetum ‘Red Buttons,’

and lastly, the fabulously glossy seed pods of Dolichos lablab ‘Ruby Moon’ which I’m rather obsessed with!

With many thanks to Cathy who hosts IaVoM – and of course M and J for a fabulous evening!

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – September 2016

Over a week late with GBBD, but I still wanted to post as a record for me.  (I’m not sure having my daughter home is conducive to blogging!)

Whilst the raised cutting beds have been pretty hopeless this year due to lack of water,  the Zinnia above Z. elegans ‘Luminosa’ is doing well, whilst these Diascia personata, grown from cuttings last year, are going mad.  I mean to move them into the Swing Beds, but life keeps getting in the way.

In the Swing Beds the Nicotiana mutablis are starting to get going, but were definitely planted out too late to make the impact I was after.

They’ve been joined by Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Blue Cockade’, also grown from seed, shown here with Aster frikartii Monch. 

Further blue is provided by the lovely Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Heavenly Blue’. Apparently this can be propagated by cuttings, so I really should try to make some more as I love it.

Elsewhere there are still roses going strong – R. Flower Carpet Pink,

R. Jubilee Celebration

and R. Munstead Wood.

Joining the rose above in the Mid Century Bed are Antirrhinum majus nanum ‘Black Prince’ (not looking very black to me!)

Amaranthus caudatus

and Dahlia ‘La Recoleta’.

Whilst the Grass Bed was supposed to be taken over by Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’ and this lovely Cosmos, C. bipinnatus ‘Fizzy White’

instead it’s been rather overwhelmed by self seeded Nasturtiums

and this grass, which I’m sure I originally grew from seed a couple of years ago, but now can’t remember the name of.  Help!

In the veg bed, this Lathyrus ‘Heathcliff’ must be one of the very last Sweet Peas.

In the greenhouse, the Plumbago is still flowering well

and has been joined by the Mandevilla Sundaville Pink.  Some of you might remember these rather gaudy plants were bought at Hampton Court Flower Show to go in pots with the wonderful Pelargonium Surcouf, but I couldn’t bear to plant them together as they weren’t quite the same pink.  Consequently, they’ve been left in the greenhouse, repotted twice, and are absolutely thriving.  Shame I’m now not sure I actually like them!

To finish this cheeky orange Diascia.  I bought this as a plug plant months ago and it’s in a pot by the front door and has been in almost constant flower ever since.  Gotta love a bit of bedding!

With thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts everyone’s GBBD (on the, er, 15th of the month!)

End of month view – August 2016

Much is looking rather exhausted in this EoMV.  It’s been so hot and I think the OH’s watering efforts when I’m in London consist of a little vague hose waving, which we all know doesn’t really cut the watering mustard!

Having said that, the annuals are finally getting going and the roses are putting on a much appreciated second flush.  Here’s R. ‘St Swithun’ surrounding the swing.

In this rather bleached photo you can see (in the centre) the Diascia personata is still flowering well, and there are Salvias too, but most of the other plants have gone over.  Late season interest from Aster frikartii Monch seems to have disappeared from this bed, although there are a couple of small plants limping along in the right hand Swing Bed.

In the Grass Bed the annuals are finally starting to fill out after a very late planting.  Here Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’, Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Fizzy White’, Calendula officinalis ‘Touch of Red Buff’ and self seeded Nasturtium ‘Black Velvet’ are jostling for position.

Although I did lose some of the Cosmos along the way, it’s filled out well despite the dry conditions.

I don’t think the Mid Century bed is doing as well as last year.  I’m missing the bright pink Malope as well as the Rhodochiton (which I’d grown up the obelisk).  I did plant some, but again the lack of water meant they never took off.  There are a few annuals struggling along here – Antirrhinum majus nanum ‘Black Prince’ as well as Amaranthus caudatus which may yet fill out with a bit more TLC.

Lucky the dahlias and roses (here D. ‘La Recoleta’ and R.’Jubilee Celebration’) are doing their thing.

On the other side of the garden the Bronze Bed is rather overwhelmed by the Dahlia ‘Happy Single Date’.  I think next year I might have to reduce the number of plants from three to two, or even one, to get some variation here.  I loved the hot planting at Mottistone so perhaps should add a bit of (whisper it) red!

In the Veg Bed the Sweet Peas (yes I know they’re not veg) are rather mildewed, and the stems definitely shorter, but they’re still pumping out wonderfully scented blooms.  In front of these is a very handsome row of Chard ‘Pink flamingo’.  Sadly however, it seems to be remaining a very handsome row, which isn’t really the point.  We somehow don’t seem that interested in eating it.  Any top tips as to how best cook it?

Even further forward is Cavolo Nero ‘Black Magic’ and Broccoli ‘Early Purple Sprouting’.  I haven’t grown either of these previously, and they too have yet to undergo the taste test.

In front of the Veg the Agapanthus are still clinging on.

Some of you may remember that in the previous couple of years I borrowed a corner of a neighbour’s garden to use as a Cutting Patch.  I decided I didn’t really have time this year, but I am missing it.  I planted a few Zinnias (this one Z. elegans ‘Luminosa)’ in these raised beds, but they too are struggling with lack of water.  Behind there are yet more Diascias grown from cuttings.  I should probably move these into the Swing Beds with the rest.

Into the greenhouse and the tomatoes are in full flow.  I just love walking in and smelling that wonderful tomato smell, so redolent of summer.

In the pots a new Aubergine for me after multiple previous failures.  These ones are long but thin (clue’s in the name – Aubergine ‘Farmer’s Long’) which I think makes it easier for them to ripen.

Back outside for more pots.  The one below has been fantastic this year.  I love this little Pelargonium which was bought at the local Car Boot Sale and increased by cuttings.

The trough by the front steps is full of plants which, despite being tender, have overwintered in situ, including Gazanias and Chocolate Cosmos.

Here’s another shot of last Wednesday’s Morning Glory which is thriving under the glass canopy (where last year Sweet Peas sulked and turned their toes up!)

Dahlias on the barrow are looking a little unhappy, whilst the Abutilon is fine

Pelargonium ‘Surcouf’ has been fabulous all summer, despite a certain amount of neglect.

In the troughs the Cosmos are finally getting going.  I deliberately planted the shorter Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sonata White’ as I’m always bad at supporting them and this way they don’t flop so far.  There is also Salvia horminum ‘Oxford Blue’ here, but they’ve struggled to bulk up and are now having to compete with the Cosmos!

This last shot is really an aide memoire for me – just look how the two Pelargoniums are thriving whist the Salvia (back left) Dahlia (centre) and Scabious (back) struggle.  Some things so clearly like their roots in the ground it really is cruel to deny them!

And for my final pot you’ll have to wait for Wordless Wednesday later in the day!

With thanks to Helen at the Patient Gardener for hosting our EoMVs.

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – August 2016

Finally, a showing from some of this year’s annuals – the one above, Zinnia elegans ‘Luminosa.’

I purchased a number of seeds back in October thinking I would repeat the last two years’ practice of using a corner of a neighbouring walled garden as a cutting garden, but I’ve been just too busy to and so have tried to squeeze everything in here.  And whilst it hasn’t been entirely successful, the annuals are starting to fill out in their various (not always ideal) spots.

In the Grass Bed I have Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’, Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Fizzy White’, Calendula officinalis ‘Touch of Red Buff’ and some self seeded nasturtiums from last year.

In the troughs I have the shorter Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sonata White’ and the Salvia that was so successful in the cutting garden last year, Salvia horminum ‘Oxford Blue’.  In the cutting garden these turned into wonderful big bushes, I’m not sure they’ll ever get that big here as I always struggle to keep the troughs adequately watered.

In the Swing Beds these Antirrhinum majus ‘The Rose’ are finally getting going, but I’m not convinced about the colour, finding it a bit sickly.  

At the back of these beds I had planned to plant some tall dahlias but then decided they weren’t the right colour and so instead have planted an annual tobacco plant, Nicotiana mutablis. This one has both white and pink flowers on the same plants and grows to 1.2m.  It was planted out very late and so far this is the only plant to have flowered.  I’m hoping that by the end of the summer there will be quite a ‘froth’ of these but it may be I have left it just too late.

And in the Mid Century bed these Antirrinum, A. majus nanum ‘Black Prince’ are also blooming now and to my mind are a far better colour than the pink.

Away from the annuals, I have a some good repeating roses – R. St Swithun, 

R. Munstead Wood,

R. Jubilee Celebration

and R. Pat Austin

And plenty of dahlias still going, I’d like to say ‘strong’ but after the over purchasing earlier this year, I’ve ended up with a number in pots and they’re not too happy, so perhaps I’ll just stick with ‘going’.  Many have succumbed to powdery mildew and one has a whole colony of blackfly, which I’m not prepared to spray, so am currently praying for ladybirds!

The old favourite D. Happy Single Date (much darker when the blooms are young) has its roots firmly in the Bronze Bed and is thriving, 

D. Fifteen Love (pertinent as Andy Murray is currently playing in the Olympic Gold medal match as I type), doing OK in a pot, 

D. Bacardi, also doing pretty well in the two greenhouse pots,

D. Hillcrest Royal (very mildewed)

D. Tamburo, also rather mildewed 

and D. La Recoleta, with a very nasty case of blackfly.

But to finish, a shot of my seed grown Agapanthus lining the back of the strawberry bed.  Not the greatest photo, but you get the idea.

With thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts everyone’s GBBD.

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – July 2016

Plenty of dahlias this month after my splurge earlier in the year.  Some of these are still in pots, and, not entirely surprisingly, not very happy.  I’m trying to keep on top of feeding and watering, but there’s no doubt they’d be happier with their feet in the ground, if only I could find some ground for them….

The one above is D. ‘Tamburo’, and below, another dark one, D. ‘La Recoleta.’

Bright pink, D. Hillcrest Royal

and D. ‘Roxy’ are joined by

peachier Dahlia ‘Burlesque’ (with hiding visitor)

and even more orange, D. ‘Zundert Mystery Fox’

There are still plenty of roses still blooming, including the R. Pink Flower Carpet (which really has been a carpet this year, although looking a little exhausted now),

R. ‘Munstead Wood’,

R. ‘Korizont’

R. ‘Jubilee Celebration’,

and R. ‘Pat Austin’

Plenty of Pelargoniums are looking good, including this one, bought cheaply last year at the local Car Boot Sale, unfortunately without a name,

and this rather more expensive one, P. Choun Cho, which is in a pot with the dahlia in the first photo above, D. Tamburo.

The annuals grown from seed are all a bit behind as I was so late getting everything planted out, but the following are starting to bloom – Antirrhinum majus nanum ‘Black Prince,’

Calendula officinalis ‘Touch Of Red Buff’

self seeded Nasturtium Caribbean Crush (here with Achillea ‘Terracotta’, although not looking very terracotta)

Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Fizzy White’

and Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’

Meanwhile the outdoor sweet peas are romping up the netting

but the Winter Sun ones are still flowering in the greenhouse (although now rather badly plagued by greenfly).

Also flowering their socks off in the greenhouse are my two pots of Plumbago.

In the Greenhouse beds, the pink of the Potentilla nepalensis ‘Shogran’ shows up well against the wall.  

In these beds too there are both white and blue Agapanthus, grown from seed.

but there are even more in the strawberry bed.  Although these were planned to all be blue, they too have turned out to be a mix, so I think once they’ve all finished flowering I’ll have a reshuffle!

In the Mid Century bed one of last year’s Gladioli, G. Black Star, is flowering again – this was also previously discussed here.

In the Swing Beds, there are plenty of pink blooms – Diascia Personata, grown from cuttings from the original plant generously given by Nick at White Cottage Day Lilies, joined by a Penstemon

and Salvia jamensis ‘Stormy Sunrise.’

And to finish a little conundrum.  Below is one of two matching Mandevilla bought at Hampton Court to go in pots on the decking together with the Pelargonium ‘Surcouf’ in place of the rather sickly looking Clematis.  However, despite priding myself on having a pretty good ‘colour’ memory, they aren’t the same pink as the Pelargonium, so now what do I do with them?  Probably plant and be damned, as I don’t know where else they’re going to go!

With thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts everyone’s GBBD.