Saturday 4 January 2014

Flower arranging

Tried to
display these
across the screen
Aha ... that is better ... 160 rather than 320.


This is the focal point of the back garden, if you ignore the massive trees, and the green grass, that is. It is a circular bed at the edge of the flagged area, which I have been composting up all year. When we moved in at the end of January, it was chockers with Gardenia, White Alyssum (Sweet Alice), and some other creeper. All very white, and very Vogue, in a sterile kind of way. Soon put a stop to that.

I have deliberately over-planted this as wanted it to be an eyeful on Christmas Day, but as it was cold'n'wet we stayed inside. Boo hoo.

The flowers are a tumble of white Gardenia, puce Cyclamen, pink Wee William, pink'n'purple Petunias, and the usual colourful array of Marigolds. All of these will tire by the end of February, whereupon, I will rip 'em out, re-compost, spell for about six weeks, then, perhaps after Easter, try those wonderful Crystal Palace Lobelias again. The ones Alannah and I know as "Cornflower Blues". They would look smashing teamed with Marigolds. I wonder if these particular Marigolds will last into the early parts of our Winter. Only one way to find out ...

7 comments:

Rosemary said...

Looks great Julie. Reminds me of Mum's garden when we were living in Gordon.

Julie said...

It is very much a take on the garden beds of my childhood, Rosemary. We used to have a tumble of Poppy, Snapdragon, that one that smells like cloves but whose name escapes me, and dahlias.

Julie said...

"Stock" ... that is the flower that my parents grew that smells like cloves to me. They also grew Carnations.

Rosemary said...

All the old fashioned flowers. I'm particularly fond of sweet peas although it was often feast or famine with them; very weather dependent.

I love stock; another very old fashioned plant with a marvellous perfume.

head in the sun said...

That looks fabulous!
You can never have too much colour!

Julie said...

Old-fashioned we were .. or perhaps we were in the olden days, Rosemary. My father grew Sweatpeas his entire life. I tried them this year for the first time, and regret to say they are ntoo precious for me.

Julie said...

Letty, I am learning about colour from Alannah. She tears her hair out with my greys, and olives, and beiges.