Author: greenbenchramblings

A retired primary school head teacher, I now spend much of my time gardening in our quarter acre plot in rural Shropshire south of Shrewsbury. I share my garden with Jude my wife a newly retired teacher , eight assorted chickens and a plethora of wildlife. Jude does all the heavy work as I have a damaged spine and right leg. We also garden on an allotment nearby. We are interested in all things related to gardens, green issues and wildlife.

gardening hardy perennials

Bodnant’s Hot Border

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 25, 2011

We recently visited the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden in North Wales, a garden we had not seen for five years or more and we had heard that the new Head Gardener had made many changes for the better. We were blown away by their new hot border which is one of the first areas of the garden you encounter. On the opposite side of the gravel pathway is a border of very different mood and character. A gentle mix of Verbena bonariensis and Verbascum chaixii with highlights of Dahlia “Bishop of Llandaf” creates an atmosphere like a gentle summer’s day Their new Head Gardener has certainly made huge steps forward and the garden looks the best we can ever remember it being.

Tags Bodnant, gardening, hot borders, National Trust

garden photography gardening hardy perennials

Colours without names

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 23, 2011

Wandering around the garden this morning after feeding the chucks, I was struck by the similarity in colour of three different flowers but what colour are they? There are so many colours in the garden that are difficult to put a label to. These three blooms are salmony, yellowy, pinkish I suppose but whatever they end up looking so subtle and gently beautiful. They are also the colours of some smoothies or yoghurts.

Tags gardening

gardening

Hagley Hybrid? Part Two

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 22, 2011

Well, things may be a little clearer as to the identity of the wrongly sold Hagley Hybrid clematis. My friend Geoff, a gardener by profession, suggested it might be Princess Diana, so here is a photo of our clematis bought as Princess Diana (on the left) and the clematis bought as Hagley Hybrid (on the right). If Geoffs assumption is correct , then what is the other which we thought was Princess Diana?

Tags clematis, gardening

fruit and veg

Purple Plum Profusion

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 20, 2011

We have just harvested the plums from one of our row of cordons- lovely rich purple plums. We filled the trug after picking over 10lb of fruit – not bad for one cordon.

Our two metal chickens admire our harvest. The real ones would be eating them with relish.

Tags allotments, fruit., gardening, grown your own, harvest, plums

climbing plants gardening

Hagley Hybrid?

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 19, 2011

We bought a clematis a few years ago labelled as Hagley Hybrid. Once it started flowering we were unsure whether it actually was this variety. But nevertheless it is a stunning climber which rambles happily over the trellis in our Rill Garden and always makes its way towards the top pool and on its way makes a diversion to clamber over a standard holly. Its deep pink-red blooms contrast beautifully with the deep green glossy leaves of the holly.

The red spidery flowers of Clematis "Hagley Hybrid".

Tags clematis, gardening

fruit and veg gardening grow your own

Apple Arch

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 19, 2011

We have trained a Scrumptious apple tree over an archway over the path to the greenhouse. Starting with a one year maiden whip we trained it over the arch pruning it as a cordon and within three years we were harvesting heavy crops. The only problem we encountered was when the main trunk was snapped off in heavy winds when it was heavily laden with fruit. But we learnt our lesson and from then on always tie it in as it grows with much stronger fixings.

In the photo the redness of these delicious and attractive apples looks great behind the yellow saucer shaped flowerheads of the fennel and the metallic blue globes of the echinops.

Tags allotments, apples, fruit., gardening, grow your own

garden photography gardening hardy perennials

Added heat!

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 18, 2011

We have added more red to our Hot Border for extra zing! This extra red was provided by a crocosmia called “Walbertons Red”. The “Walberton” part of the name refers to the nursery in Arundel, West Sussex who introduced it. The nursery’s best-know introductions are probably Lavender Silver Edge and Scabious Butterfly Blue. We also bought Crocosmia “Walbertons Yellow” and both these crocosmias are richly coloured and flower strongly.

Tags crocosmias, gardening

allotments community gardening grow your own outdoor sculpture

Super Scarecrows

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 17, 2011

We have a real champion creator of scarecrows at our lottie site, Bowbrook Allotment Community. Every year Mrs Anna as she calls herself, crafts splendid characters for us to enjoy. Last year we had a scarecrow version of Shrek but this year she produced three wonderful characters based on her family apparently. The old couple who doze in the shade under our sycamore tree are based on her parents while the pink beauty is herself 10 years from now. Incredible!

Tags allotments, scarecrows

garden wildlife

Feeding Frenzies

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 15, 2011

We have had the pleasure of watching avian feeding frenzies in our Avocet back garden in the last few days. Firstly we watched flocks of noisy crows wildly feeding on flying ants on the hillside behind us. Through our scope we could see their wildness and greed as the ants in the big patch of sloping dry ground took to the air. It seems little gain for such large birds, but perhaps ants provide some essential nourishment. Or some drug!

The ants nesting alongside our garage wall took flight the following day and were instantly gorged upon by robins and blackbirds. How do birds know this is about to happen?

The food source of the third instance was a complete mystery. Early one sunny evening the garden was invaded by dozens of swallows swooping low through the trees and borders, occasionally landing on the roofs of the conservatory and garage. This continued for a good hour with the garden seeming at times absolutely full of swallows performing amazing aerial acrobatics. What entertainment! They put the Red Arrows to shame.

Tags birds, garden wildlife

garden photography gardening

The year of the clematis?

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date August 14, 2011

Should 2011 have been “The Year of the Clematis”? All ours have flowered so well and for so long, be they the usual climbers or the less-often grown and less well known herbaceous varieties. Just look at the photos! The first is a climber and the second an herbaceous type.