Over the weekend we welcomed over 300 visitant to The Watch House , break-dance records and surprising us all . At times it was a challenge to fit everyone in whilst offer an enjoyable experience in the garden , but there were no complaints , at least that I pick up . On both Clarence Day the sun shine , the birds sang and many plants were at their most splendid . I was contented . It was wonderful to run into so many keen nurseryman and admirers of gardens ; many local , some having made trip from much far afield . The friends who volunteered to make cakes , brew tea , wash up , trade tickets and answer question did a sterling job . Even a tiny garden like mine requires six or more helper to be able to spread successfully with refreshments ; I could not have done it without them . Other friends travelled down from London , Essex and Suffolk to see the garden , which was a wonderful surprisal . give thanks you to everyone for the fantastic supporting , encouragement and positive energy you bring with you .
I station myself in a corner by the cesspit where I could recognize people on their style into the Jungle Garden . Visitors unremarkably take a instant or two to adjust to the riot of color and foliage that confronts them as they get in from the street . It ’s unexpected , and advisedly so . Happily my genius jasmine ( Trachelospermum jasminoides ) had clung onto a few last flowers , cater luxurious scent on arrival . As common , a smattering of plants attracted the king of beasts ’s contribution of the care . The disastrous rose window ofAeonium‘Zwartkop’were commented on by many . Some had tried grow this handsome succulent before , with diverge level of success . My advice was to plant in gritty compost ( a large flowerpot is not involve as they make very little theme ) and to bring them indoors onto a sunny windowsill in the winter . Unless you live in South West Cornwall they are not stout and should not be leave alone to the mercy of the elements .
Salvia‘Amistad ’ was wide recognize . I am not surprised as it is an fantabulous plant and can therefore be found in every garden centre across the nation . I have set a lot of it this year , since the intensely purple flowers resound the tones ofAsarina scandens‘Violet ’ andPetunia‘Night Sky ’ . Even when one ca n’t echo plants for lack of space , repeat of colour helps to hold back everything together visually . I was delighted that the star of the show wasSolenostemon(coleus ) ‘ Henna ’ , first because it was purchased topically fromBroadstairs Garden Centreand secondly because I want multitude to conceive again about flame nettle . Far from being a plant consign to the grave accent with your great aunt , they are brilliant works , especially for a shaded court garden . Coleus turn tight and take no prisoner when it comes to showy foliage . There are subtle ace and shouty one , vauntingly - leaved and small - leaved ones ; some are ferny , some are serrate . For me ‘ Henna ’ is the ultimate ‘ flame nettle ’ with sharply - toothed , Chartreuse - unripe leaves that are brownish - red on the setback . Handsome indeed .
Some visitors were surprised to see plants such as anthurium , aechmea and philodendron growing outside . During a long , blistering summertime like this one they are perfectly well-chosen open , provide they are shelter and out of direct sunlight . A singleGloriosa rothschildianabloom caught many an eye , as did the pot of Egyptian papyrus ( Cyperus papyrus ) next to the cesspit . Both are easy and effective plants to arise for elevation in the belated summertime garden .
As for me , I was excited to see dahlia ‘ Nicholas ’ and ‘ Bacardi ’ flowering for the first time this weekend : ‘ St. Nicholas ’ ( below ) is the utter efflorescence human body and colour for my garden , and ‘ Bacardi ’ is promising too , with effete flowers the color of polished cherry woodwind .
Visitors are always flabbergast that I uprise everything in pots or container . Although I do this out of necessity ( there is no soil to set in here , owing to the undercrofts below the garden ) there is much to recommend this way of cultivating plants , especially tender ones . I will be writing more on this subject shortly , so keep your eye pare if this matter to you .
I regret not spending any clock time talking to visitant in the Gin and Tonic Garden , although those requiring plants to be identify came back to the Jungle Garden with photographs on their phones . NaturallyDahlia‘Firepot ’ find a lot of tending as it ’s looking splendid at the moment , positively repress in peak . Senecio‘Angel offstage ’ was a favourite for many because of its soft , velvety , ‘ once reach , never forgotten ’ leaves . For me it is still a peculiarity rather than a gracious flora ; resemble a very posh smooth-spoken wampum . Another curio , if I can call it that , isCordyline‘Pink Fantasy ’ , a industrial plant which takes the dramatic variegation of C. ‘ Torbay Dazzler ’ to a novel level … . by adding Barbie pink . This shocking colouration may become monstrous as it uprise , but as a small-scale plant it ’s amusing as well as a talking point . I was pleased and flattered that some visitor noted there were colour grouping . I have tried hard at these as I believe they are the only way of free such an eclectic array of flora being in the same situation at the same time .
The independent thing with the Gin & Tonic Garden is that it ’s somewhere to model at the end of a day where I can revel pretty flowers and fragile fragrance . This is precisely what I am doing now . The Gin & Tonic Garden is not a ” designed ’ garden in any sensation . The hunky-dory weather mean that we could open up the garden elbow room whereBegonia‘Martin Johnson’,Eucomis‘Sparkling Burgundy ’ andTradescantia‘Purple Sabre ’ steal the show . This is where I write . Despite being bare decoratively , it ’s a pleasing place to put to work in .
It ’s my first twelvemonth growing tomatoes at The Watch House and I am entranced with the result ; they were much remarked upon . I have five varieties , including ‘ Sungold ’ and ‘ Black Opal ’ , all of which are fruiting prolifically . I am thrilled as I adore tomato and will happily eat them with every meal .
I have yet to weigh the weekend ’s takings , but will update this post as shortly as I have . I ’m expecting the total to be snug to £ 1,400 , which will all be donated to the National Gardens Scheme charities . If you were too far off to visit or otherwise engage , I hope you enjoyedthe petty video I make pre - opening . As many visitor point out , it does n’t do the garden justice , but I do think it ’s better than nothing . The Watch House will be open again next twelvemonth , on a date to be reassert . In the meantime here are some of the most frequently asked questions and the solution to them :
1) How long does it to take you to water the garden?
During hot weather the each container demand watering every other Clarence Day . I flip between one garden and the other , take about 1.5 hours each evening , longer if I am also feed , which I do once a calendar week . I prefer to expend a tearing can , but will use a hosepipe in the Gin & Tonic Garden if I need to be quick . In the Jungle Garden there is a soaker hosiery hidden at the back of the raised bed to replace the water supply that ’s describe up by my tree . This work a treat , give up me to arise bananas and genus Colocasia in what would otherwise be dry shade .
2) How long have you had the garden?
I moved to The Watch House a little over 12 long time ago and completed the build of the Jungle Garden 10 years ago . Nothing remains from the previous layout apart from the boundary lines and the basement railings . The garden has germinate importantly and is now more shaded and sheltered than it was to begin with . pallid walls shine light , non-white ticket retains oestrus , and trees trap warm air inside the garden creating the perfect microclimate for tender plants .
The Gin & Tonic Garden was begun just over 12 months ago and is a employment in forward motion .
3) What’s the name of the tree with the wonderful red bark?
In three words : Lyonothamnus floribundusssp.aspleniifolius – Santa Cruz Ironwood if you find that easy to recollect ! This unusual tree come from a serial of rocky islands off the coast of mainland California . It is tolerant of piteous , stony , well - drain soil , table salt spraying and wind . It has much more to commend it than the peeling cerise bark . It also has ferny leafage and head of white bloom like an achillea in mid summer .
4) Is this a jasmine / Is this an olive?
No ! Do n’t bank the common public figure of plant . I seldom employ them as they are often extremely deceptive . The ‘ jasmine ’ being referred to wasTrachelospermum jasminoides(star jasmine ) , which is closer in relation to a genus Vinca or a plumeria ( frangipani ) than it is to a jasmine . BothLaurus nobilis‘Angustifolia ’ ( narrow or willow - get out embayment ) andPhillyrea latifolia(Japanese green Olea europaea ) were mistaken for being olives ( Olea europea ) . Neither are , but it ’s an easy mistake to have made give the foliage and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree shape .
5) Where are the gingers then?
Despite there being over 55 efflorescence spikes , my gingers were oftentimes missed , perhaps because the industrial plant are so tall and leafy this class . Some gingers have flowered incredibly ahead of time this yr , especiallyHedychium yunannese , H. ‘ Stephen ’ and H. ‘ Sorung ’ . Happily I have over 10 other varieties that have n’t flowered yet , so I have these to depend forrader to . ‘ Tara ’ is bloom now , and ‘ Helen Dillon ’ will comply . Sadly gingers do not bloom for long , but when they do , they are stunning and the fragrancy intoxicating . TFG .
Share this with others:
Like this:
Categories : Container horticulture , Flowers , Foliage , fragrance , Garden Design , House Plants , Our Coastal Garden , Photography , Planting Design , Plants , Small Gardens , Tropical Gardens
post by The Frustrated Gardener
