'Mad dogs and Englishmen'. Garden Tour.

Hello, my name is Murphy, you may of read about me in 'The Team'.

I haven't taken you on a garden tour since March.

My Mistress, Mary...

... the love of my life is on holiday in Spain, apparently at midday the temperature reaches 40c
and only 'Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun'.
The Head Gardener and Head of Catering (whom I am particularly fond of) have been left to look after me.
I thought I would help the HG with this garden tour.
We will start in the south facing front garden, where the 'CATS' sunbathe...

...enjoying the sunshine is an Aeonium...

....and Galtonia Viridiflora.

On the patio Hosta 'The Prince of Wales' is looking very Regal...

The HG is pleased with this new Allium that is growing in an old tin bath, which he first mentioned Here

A. Red Mohican.

Coreopsis 'Sterntaler' along with Geranium 'Rozanne' provide a cheerful welcome in pots on the patio either side of the dining room doors ( One of my favourite rooms)

Red currants are trained on the fence by the herb garden...

...continuing the Red theme is Lily 'Landini'...

...and Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff'...

It is not just Labradors that come in yellow or black,

Alcea rosea 'Nigra', Hollyhock to you and I.

Moving from the patio we pass the new Hot Bed planted with mainly Dahlias.. 

D. After Eight.

D.David Howard.

D. 'Karma Choc'

Pom Pom.

D. coccinea var.Palmeri.

 ...and Cosmos bipinnatus 'Rubenza'..

...and Tagetes patula 'Cinnabar' the seed of which HG purchased from Great Dixter.

This self seeded poppy, the HG thinks is wonderful...

along with the Ladybird poppy.

Please follow me this way past....

...the White & Green garden with Lychnis Alba, Erygium Giganteum...

...and Astrantia Major visited by a Meadow Brown butterfly.

Through the arch to the main central borders...

..flowering at the rear is Thalictrum flavum subsp.glaucum alongside Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' (Try saying that after too many Bonio's)

An unknown Phlox from Great Aunt's garden...

A quick turn around the Never Ending Woodland Walk ( HG delusions of grandeur)...

...pass the Veronicastrum Fascination...

...and Lysimachia ciliate 'Firecracker'.

HG allows me to sleep in his potting shed while he is 'working'.

I hope you have enjoyed this garden tour, I am off to see if there is any cat food left in the kitchen!

''SHE'S BACK"!

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End of Month View (April)

With the garden due to open for the NGS at the end of May this will be the last End of Month View before then. There are several projects still to finish, we are not panicking yet!
I hope you enjoy the view.

The herb garden is situated in a raised bed with a standard gooseberry in the middle and a red currant trained as an espalier on the side fence with Box (Buxus) edging the front.

Just off the Patio is what used to be called the spring bed.  I have enlarged it as much as possible and this is the new 'Hot Bed', home for Dahlias, Cannas and tender annuals. (It doesn't look big enough in the photo!)

The White and Green garden is a formal garden, with Box hedging, spirals and at the back centre, a standard Ilex aquifolium 'Argentea Margenata'. The Lunaria var. variegate is now in full bloom.

The Oriental Garden is undergoing a few changes to its design and this view is towards the gate which leads back on to the patio. You can see more of this garden in my post:He-who-creates-garden-creates-happiness.

Looking through the Rose and Vine covered arch towards the banana bench...

...with zingy coloured Euphorbia 'palustris' ...

...brightening up both sides of the path, waiting for the Allium 'Purple Sensation' to join them.
The grass at the front is the New Zealand sedge, Chionochloa rubra.

The Three Graces reflecting on life at the end of the shrubbery walk.

Blue Bells behind the Prunus serrula, with its beautiful bark, along the never ending woodland walk...

...passing by some Primroses and Viola (Violet) labradorica 'Purpurea'.

The greenhouses are full of tender plants to be sold on the plant stall during the open weekend, these on the left are Dahlia coccinea var. 'Palmeri'. The seed original came from The Garden House, Devon.

 

On the right side is Cosmos 'Rubenza' and Tagetes 'Cinnabar', this is the waist high strain developed by Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. We hope these will sell well, for the NGS, along with the perennials that have been propagated.

The other greenhouse contains the Dahlias waiting to go out into the new Hot Bed.

Back on the patio under a north facing wall,  plants such as Hostas and Ferns are bursting into growth...

...with the charming little flowers of Epimedium x 'Rubrum' providing some colour.

We will be ready!

You might also like to see:  Murphys-mad-march-garden-tour.

To see more garden End of Month Views please visit Helen at The Patient Gardener

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"He who creates a garden creates happiness" Chinese proverb.

We, especially Irene, have always had an interest in Oriental Gardens, and are members of The Japanese Garden Society. http://www.jgs.org.uk

Within Our Garden@19 we have a small Oriental Garden, enclosed with a split bamboo fence, the aim is to create an area of calm serenity, following traditional guide lines for creating an Oriental Garden.

There are two entrances to the garden, this is from the patio...

Cherry tree entrance in spring.

To the side there is a raised bed containing a mini Buddha, a cloud pruned conifer and some dwarf Iris Campbellii...

...along with blue pots of Iris and Hostas.

The second entrance is through a Wisteria floibunda 'Alba' covered arch.

This view, from inside, looking towards the bamboo water spout...

...with flowering Camellia and Magnolia stellata.

The other side of the path is the Acer Grove!...ending with the Corylus avellana 'Contorta'.

Young buds opening of the Acer negundo Flamingo (see tree following)...

  

and Acer palmatum 'Pixie'...

The young leaves of  A. palmatum 'Senkaki', the coral bark maple.

In complete contrast the acid green leaves of A. shirasawanum 'Aureum'.

Chaenomeles japonica is a colourful contrast to the black bamboo.

Phyllostachys Spectablis is living up to its name.

A snow-capped Buddha..

and lantern, traditionally placed to warn of water...

The bamboo water spout with two metal Cranes, symbols of good fortune.

The Oriental shelter in spring 2010

Iris ensata 'Innocence', one of the few flowers favoured in Japanese Gardens.

Development is on going to this garden. Watch this space!

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To view some photos of Japanese gardens: Korakuen at Hanami Time visit:
 My Aberdeen Garden here