Between the rain!

"The day is cold, and dark, and dreary; 
It rains,and the wind is never weary; 
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall, 
But at every gust the dead leaves fall, 
And the day is dark and dreary."

By  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Today was dry 'hurrah' here in Worcestershire, I ventured out into the garden, with the camera, to see what, if anything was providing us with some winter colour.The Euphorbia's appear to be enjoying this winter, 

we have Blackbird...

...a young E. wulfenii...

...and E. Glacier Blue providing some colourful foliage.

Against this fence, we have from left to right,

Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire, Cornus Alba 'Westonbirt' syn C. alba 'Siberia' and Ilex x Altaclerensis  Golden King...

...even though it has the name 'King' is is a berry producing female...

...also providing some berry colour is, Iris foetidissima 'Citrina'...

In a corner of the Oriental Garden colour is provided by the

Phyllostachys Spectablis and

Hamamelis Moll  Pallida (Witch Hazel)...

Hamamelis.

On the other side of the path:

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is producing a few catkins...

 In the main borders...

Mahonia Bealii is providing some early pollen for the bees...

 ...with

Clematis cirrhosis balearics scrambling over it...

 ...the ornamental grasses are surprisingly still standing, there are three

Calamagrostis x a. ' Karl Foerster ' at the front with a Miscanthus sinensis behind...

Two welcome winter visitors recently photographed while feeding in the garden...
A Long Tailed Tit...

...and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker.

What is cheering you up in your garden today?

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The last NGS Garden visit.

Our last NGS garden visit of the year took us just over the county border into Herefordshire to the Picton Gardens and Old Court Nursery, home of the Plant Heritage National Collection of Autumn Flowering Asters.

The garden features in my 'Worcestershire Gardens' on the blog's header bar, (it is only just over the border) and is open from August until October, including some days for the NGS.

 Old Court Nurseries developed a reputation for growing Michaelmas Daisy's when Percy Picton took it over. Today the nursery and garden is owned by Paul and Meriel Picton along with their daughter, Helen.

The one & half acre garden provides a riot of colour at this time of year...

...not just from the asters, there are many autumn colouring trees and shrubs...

...bamboos, ferns and other autumn flowering perennials...

...and acers.

The garden contains several willow and metal items of garden art.

You enter this area past pillars of Berberis ( thunbergii f. atropurpurea? ), which is also used as a hedging plant along the paths.

A spectacular, colourful view across this part of the garden.

 

In this area a new crevice garden is being created inside this raised bed along with a stumpery around the Acer griseum.

The garden was named The Picton Garden in 1985...

...when the Charity, 'Percy Picton Memorial Fund' was established...

...to provide grants to students of horticulture at Pershore Collage.

There are raised beds containing well labeled different asters to help you make your choice in the nursery. They are also involved in the RHS Symphyotrichum trial (the new name for Asters!) which you may have read about in The Patient Gardener: Here

A beautiful and colourful end to the NGS garden visiting season.

Now is the time to start planning for next years opening, the entries for the NGS Yellow Book 2016 had to be in by the end of September, ready for publishing and entry on the website:NGS

The Yellow Book should be available for purchase in February, £2.5 million was donated in 2014 to mainly nursing charities.

What plans do you have for your garden next year?

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Tree following June. (In the pink!)

"In the Pink"...meaning...in perfect condition...especially of health.

 The leaves of the Acer negundo Flamingo that I have chosen for the tree following meme are now fully open revealing their pink edging... 

...pretty in pink, nicely contrasted by the copper beech in next doors garden.

Flamingo is in the Oriental Garden, this is the new gravel river...

...flowing from the bamboo water spout, backed by two Cranes, those Japanese symbols of good fortune.

Somewhere to sit and relax..... (In the pink!)

Where are you sitting... ('In the pink'?)

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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