Tag: gardening

Mating Dragonflies

It is always a delight to see dragonflies or damselflies. We have them in our garden and often see them laying eggs on stems under the water’s surface and later see them emerge back up the stems where they wait in the sunshine for their wings to dry out in readiness for a short life on the wing. When cleaning out some of the debris from the bottom of the pond to stop it getting too thick, we often come across the larvae of dragonflies. These larvae are ferocious hunters with dragon like heads.

When walking through a garden in Herefordshire recently we came across a mating pair on the leaf of a tree just at eye level. It gave me a rare opportunity to photograph them. I hope you enjoy my efforts. Unfortunately I did not have my close up lens with me or I could have experimented more.

Tags autumn, autumn colours, community gardening, dragonflies, garden photography, garden wildlife, gardening, insects, wildlife

autumn autumn colours garden design garden photography gardening gardens kitchen gardens Land Art ornamental trees and shrubs outdoor sculpture trees walled gardens walled kitchen gardens

The Gardens at Newport House

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date November 10, 2013
2 Comments on The Gardens at Newport House

As promised we return to Newport House to concentrate more on the gardens. The pictures above show the enclosed courtyard gardens behind the cafe building. From there we moved on towards the gardens in front of the house.

The view across open expanses of lawn was broken by the sight of this magnificent Sweet Chestnut which was made all the more magnificent by tree house lovingly crafted to embrace the trunks and main boughs.

Formal Italian styled gardens with frameworks of low box hedging were cut into the lawns but inside these box structures was soft herbaceous plantings.

Further pieces of sculpture were positioned within these plantings and on the lawn itself.

A particular favourite piece of all four of us was positioned to frame the lake and woodlands beyond.

From the lower branches of trees hung other pieces such as these steel spheres.

Mother Nature herself was not to be outdone, so she cut these gently curving lines into an old stump of a felled tree. Around the other side of the stump we found that it had been carved into a giant story telling chair with other small wooden seats scattered in front of it.

We were delighted to stumble across these pieces of Land Art created using pieces of natural materials found within the garden as part of a recent workshop.

A small arboretum featured some interesting young trees which looked particularly good in their early autumn foliage colours. The tree below on the right was a stunning Crataegus and one that none of us recognised and the following two pics show the leaves and haws closer up. I have since found out it is Crataegus orientalis.

This tree in the following two pictures was another Crataegus – prunifolia I think. After that the two photos following are of a tree with a neat habit, but again it was one we did not recognise. I thought it could possibly have been a Nyssa sylvatica but I shall have to check it out.

This lovely curved bed of coloured stemmed dogwoods acted as a boundary to the arboretum. The Cornus were displaying their rich red colours of autumn.

The next tree featured in the photos below is probably the best variety of Ash you can get, Fraxinus angustifolia “Raywood”, the Claret Ash.

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Leaving the arboretum, after enjoying studying the selection of interesting trees, we wandered off towards the walled garden, passing a ditch crossed by a bridge formed from the roots of the native Ash alongside.

The walled garden itself was fascinating with unusual features to enjoy. The first photo below shows a peach canopy. The gardener’s cottage had been beautifully restored as had the greenhouses.

The pergolas which bridged the central paths was made of iron and were beautifully decorated.

So, although we came to Newport House to see the outdoor sculpture we found much to interest us in the gardens themselves.

Tags autumn, autumn colours, community gardening, cornus, dogwoods, foliage, fruit and veg, fruit and vegetable growing, garden sculpture, gardening, Herefordshire, Herefordshire gardens, outdoor sculpture, sculpture, trees, walled gardens

community gardening garden design garden photography gardening gardens Land Art outdoor sculpture photography walled gardens

Out of Nature – an outdoor sculpture exhibition.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date November 7, 2013
3 Comments on Out of Nature – an outdoor sculpture exhibition.

“Out of Nature” was the name given to a sculpture exhibition staged in Newport House in Herefordshire situated a little south of Kington. Most of the pieces were displayed in the sensitive background of the gardens but a few were featured in the cafe. The photo above shows how simple staging can be very effective and can enhance the pieces themselves especially those created from stone or metal. The staging was simply recycled scaffold planks as shelving and breeze block stands.

On the lawn alongside the entrance to the cafe this semi-transparent piece glowed and demanded a closer look.

Behind the buildings was a series of small brick enclosed gardens and here the light of early autumn gave extra vibrancy to the sculpture pieces.

Leaving the enclosed gardens we walked through an avenue where each tree displayed hanging metal pieces.

The walled garden was a short walk down the drive and along a trackway where we found an archway in the tall brick walls. Through this we found old restored greenhouses where sculptures were displayed. We found others lining the path to the greenhouses.

The gardens themselves had many attractive features and are worth a visit in their own right, so my my next blog will give you a taste of what they have to offer.

Tags community gardening, garden photography, gardening, outdoor sculpture, sculpture

allotments autumn community gardening garden wildlife gardening gardens meadows wildlife

Autumn Working Parties – sorting the meadows.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 28, 2013
3 Comments on Autumn Working Parties – sorting the meadows.

Our Autumn Working Parties at the allotments are mostly to do with treating our various meadows to their annual haircut, brush up and manicures. Last year we were badly held up by the wet weather and struggled late in the year to get our meadows sorted. This year we had no such problems and managed to get the ball rolling in mid-September. We did however have an audience who sat and watched us, three of the Mallard ducklings who live on site, eating our slugs and snails with raspberries for dessert. Now that is what you call organic pest control!

The main wildflower meadows need a lot of work to get the thick grass cut down low and to ensure the thatched grass layer is removed.

When we cut the meadows in the orchards we tidy up by clearing grass back form around each tree and top dress with a good deep mulch of manure. This will keep the area weed free and slowly feed the trees next year. We had given the orchards a quick trim over a few weeks earlier and as can be seen in the photo below the warm moist weather had encouraged fresh growth.

They looked very neat when we had finished. We can now wait for the first bright green spikes of the bulbs that will give us colour early in the year.

When the meadows are cut very low and well raked, some patches are scarified to allow us to sow seeds of Yellow Rattle, a wild flower which parasitises on the roots of strong growing grass. This weakens the growth of the grass and allows the wild flowers to get better established. It is also good at attracting beneficial insects and bees. So on an allotment site this helps with pest control and pollinating of crops. We spend a lot of time keeping an eye on the meadows to see when the seeds of wild flowers ripen so that we can collect them for re-sowing in the spring.

One area will not be getting much attention yet though, the three beds that make up the “Perfect for Pollinators” garden. As the photo illustrates one of these is planted up with garden plants, one with a mix of native and garden plants and the third (at the bottom edge of the photo) is seeded each year with annual wildflowers. This annual bed will be cleared completely and then sown afresh in the spring.

Tags allotments, autumn, community gardening, garden photography, garden wildlife, gardening, meadows, organic gardening, wildflower meadows, wildlife

autumn autumn colours climbing plants colours fruit and veg garden design garden photography gardening grasses half-hardy perennials ornamental grasses ornamental trees and shrubs Shropshire

A Garden Bouquet for October

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 25, 2013
7 Comments on A Garden Bouquet for October

October this year is a very confused month, with some plants thinking it is already well into autumn and others believing they are still in mid-summer. And some, judging by the number of berries dripping from the trees must be getting ready to feed the winter migrant birds. Come with me for a wander and you will see what I mean.

In the Freda Garden opposite the front door this beautiful Crocosmia with its flowers in orange with an unusual hint of pink continues to flower profusely. By the front door the pots are filling up with bright orange violas giving a cheerful welcome to visitors.

The leaves of the yellow winter flowering Ribes are turning all shades of pink and red while beneath it the perennial wallflower, Bowles Mauve, continues to flower even though it has barely had a rest all year. The lovely yellow Crocosmia sits comfortably alongside the Cotoneaster which is already heavy with berries.

In pots alongside the wood store sit these two Michaelmas Daisies which we bought from the Picton Garden recently and they still sit in pots waiting for us to find a spot for them. On the left is the variety “Coombe Fishacre” and on the right the species “elegans”.

Down the drive the berries of Cotoneasters and Rowan await the arrival of the winter thrushes but we will enjoy their rich red colouring while we can. Opposite them this beautiful blue Aster looks extra blue with the golden hues of the little grasses alongside.

In the Chatto Garden, which looks good every day of the year, the whispy strands of the Stipa tenuissima move in the slightest of breezes behind the rigid dried heads of Bherkeya and the mauve flowers of Verbena bonariensis

Glaucous leaves of this Euphorbia afford a good background for the seed heads of Amaryllis. Close by another Euphorbia, griffithii “Dixter”, dies to a bright pink in stem and leaf.

The sword-like Iris leaves are similarly glaucous and they enrich the deepest pink of Huskers Red Pentstemon. A beautiful combination!

The white stems of Betula utilis jacqemontii “Silver Queen” glow against the evergreen background afforded by the Red Robin. In the same bed two varieties of deciduous Euonymus are changing into reds and pinks and busy white bell shaped flowers of Arbutus, the Strawberry Tree hang in full bunches. We have never seen so many flowers on our Arbutus before so we are anticipating a profusion of “strawberries” later on.

On the grass giant fungi sit like plates, dining plates for the slugs that feast on them.

Autumn colour is particularly well advanced on the Cercis “Forest Pansy”, Stransvesia and Amelanchier. The strange pink flowers of Lobelia tupa appear in a different place each year as they migrate around the Hot Border.

Moving into the back garden via the shade border we find the contrasting leaf shapes of Inula and ferns.

Arriving in the Rill Garden we can appreciate how the remnant flowers of the Pelargoniums match the berries strung out along the stems of the Cotoneaster.

These Ornithogalum are a new plant for us this year – we are so glad we grew them. It seems an awful long time ago we planted the bulbs in their big terracotta pots. In the border behind them the leaves of the Witch Hazel are colouring up nicely in patterns, the Hypericum berries are now shiny black and the Echinops flowers sit stiffly on rigid stems like silvery blue spheres.

Looking down the central path of the back garden the glowing red fruit of Apple Scrumptious still decorate the arch over the path.

I shall feature a few special favourites and then create a gallery for you to enjoy to illustrate what else is going on in the back garden. Schistostylus are a real late autumn flower but can flower at any time, some responding to the first frosts before they show. We have just bought this pale pink one but have enjoyed the red one for years now.

How about this for a Salvia – you can’t get blue much richer or deeper than this! The Persicaria is P. aucuparia Firetail which produces its poker-like flowers for months through the summer and autumn. Some of the flower heads at the moment are a good 3 inches long and an inch wide.

These two umbrella shaped flower heads are very different in habit. The glowing pink Sedum sits low to the ground on floppy glaucous stems while the Vernonia stands proud aloft tall 4 foot rigid stems.

An archway leading to the pool and Japanese Garden is covered in the red leaves of Vitis purpurea and alongside the pool is this willow. The stems of the Violet Willow are covered in a white bloom from now through to the spring when the winter rains return them to deep violet-black.

Now enjoy a wander around the back garden to see what October has in store for us to appreciate.

Tags apples, autumn, autumn colours, autumn gardens, foliage, fruit and veg, garden photography, gardening, ornamental trees

autumn birds garden wildlife hedgerows migration

The Little Edible Hedge

When we were visiting my mother recently I was amazed to see just how much food for wildlife the old hedge alongside her back garden was presenting to the mammals and birds and of course the odd late flying butterfly and wasp. This stretch of hedge was originally an old field boundary and it illustrates just how much damage to Mother Nature’s larder the destruction of our hedges by intensive style agriculture actually causes. Here we have a 20 yard stretch of mixed natives with an odd cultivated plant creeping in from the garden that is a veritable larder for all sorts of wildlife.

Think of hedgerow food for wildlife and the first fruit to come to mind will be the Bramble or Blackberry. This may be simply because we enjoy a tasty nibble of these glossy black gems ourselves. We might also think of Roses with their red fruit following on from their beautiful pink or white flowers. As children we may remember them as natural itching powder – remember the effects of popping a crushed hip down a friend’s jumper? Admit it! Humans have also long collected the hips of the wild roses to produce Rose Hip Syrup.

Rose Hips have long been enjoyed by humans as well as wildlife, being used for jams, jellies, marmalades, wine and tisanes. More recently it has been appreciated for its medicinal benefits in relation to alleviating the effects of arthritis, gradually displacing glucosamine. Our pets also appreciate them as apparently they are given to chinchillas and guinea pigs as a treat.

A couple of hedge row fruits are also favourites of foragers, the Sloe and the Crab Apple as we readily turn these into tasty winter warmers Sloe Gin and Crab Apple Jelly. In this little length of hedge we found a wild crab and a cultivated crab growing a few feet away from each other. Our birds and mammals probably view them as equally important sources of winter nutrition. They will not be concerned that one has been planted to delight my mother with its spring blossom and red autumn fruits.

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One important food source for wildlife is a little black berry that clumps together in spheres but this will not be until later on in the winter. For now the Ivy is still in flower and these tiny green florets are just starting to become berries. The Ivy plant is a vital for wildlife throughout the whole year. It provides shelter for all sorts of creatures from the tiniest insect to the plump Wood Pigeons, nest sites for birds such as Wrens, Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Robins and again the Wood Pigeon. In winter the Ivy provides warmth and secret hiding places for all sorts of creatures.

Less useful for wildlife are the cultivated plants that make their way into the hedge but the local Blackbird population will not turn their beaks up at the tiny long tear drop berries of the Berberis.

In contrast the deep red berries hanging in full bunches on the Hawthorns will be appreciated by many birds both residents and winter migrants. Once the Redwings and Fieldfares arrive on the back of the cold wet storms of autumn they will soon disappear.

The hawthorn berries have a place to play in human lives as well as wildlife, perhaps not yet seen as important as rose hip but it is being researched at the moment in relation to heart functions. For centuries it has been a part of the cuisine in China. Interestingly the name haw, which is now used to mean the berries, was originally a name meaning “hedge”.

So this short section of hedge of native shrubs mixed with the odd garden specimen will soon become the favourite restaurant for our avian neighbours.

Tags birds, garden wildlife, gardening, hedgerows, hedges, wildlife, winter migrants

autumn autumn colours garden design garden photography gardening gardens gardens open to the public grasses hardy perennials nurseries ornamental grasses ornamental trees and shrubs trees

Pride of Picton – Michaelmas Daisies

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 21, 2013
6 Comments on Pride of Picton – Michaelmas Daisies

Near one of England’s most beautiful landscapes, the Malvern Hills is the village of Colwall, where we found the National Collection of Asters. The Picton Gardens and nursery which snuggle in beneath the hills is the place to go if you like Michaelmas Daisies. If you are already a fan you will become a bigger fan when you realise the vast range of flower colours, and how many different sized and shaped plants there are. If you were not a fan and went there you would come out a lifetime fan!

Even the gate welcomes you with a daisy!

Now follow us around as we explore this 2 acre autumn garden. The first set of photos were taken within ten minutes of starting out and already we had discovered the huge range of colours asters are painted in. But this garden is not just a collection of Michaelmas Daisies but a beautifully designed illustration of how good a garden can look in October. The yellows of Helianthum, Kniphofia and Rudbeckia all contrast with the pinks and purples of the Asters and grasses such as Miscanthus provide a perfect foil.

We had already come across Cotinus and Rhus which gave rich jewels of deep coloured foliage adding structure to the borders. Shrubs and trees featured more as we moved on, enticed by this gently curving pathway. Acers, deciduous Euonymus and Cornus fwere the stars here before the path led us out of the trees, with the woven apples sitting in the border, to the next section of the garden.

This area featured smaller shrubs punctuated by taller trees such as a rich gold and bronze Sorbus amid areas of perennials, a large percentage of which were of course Asters.

Beneath the peeling trunk of an Acer griseum these two woven youngsters were enjoying leisure time in the garden, the young girl quietly absorbed while her brother concentrates on perfecting his hand stands.

Even though we were emerged in Asters we could not help but be impressed by the incredible variety of texture in the bark of the trees.

The only way to finish this post is to indulge in a rich mix of Asters.

Tags asters, autumn, autumn colours, foliage, foliage plants, garden photography, gardening, grasses, Michaelmas Daisies, outdoor sculpture, shrubs, trees

garden seating gardens

Are you sitting comfortably? A series dedicated to garden seating.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 18, 2013
6 Comments on Are you sitting comfortably? A series dedicated to garden seating.

Seating in a garden turns a display of plants into a place in which to become entranced. We only have a quarter of an acre of garden but we have a seat around every corner and a seat to enjoy every view. I started taking photographs of seating in gardens at the beginning of last year’s garden visiting season, photographs of any bench or chair that appealed to me or seemed particularly well-placed or particularly welcoming. In this series of posts I shall choose an interesting selection for you to enjoy.

First up is this elegant metal table and chairs in a wild area of a garden away from the house where tea and cakes can be enjoyed whilst appreciating the wildlife that shares the peace that pervades this patch .

This benches in one of the green spaces at our allotment site provides an ideal place for a picnic. Here we can sit amongst meadows of grasses and wildflowers growing beneath young apple trees in one of our orchards. The feeding stations and “Edible Hedge” close by attract lots of entertaining wildlife. The birds feel safe so confidently feed a few metres from us.

Under the big old Oak tree other picnic benches provide a resting place for youngsters who visit our allotments. After exploring the meadows and the turf spiral a time to rest is in order.

In our own garden we have seats wherever there is a view or where we can sit and relax engulfed in plants.

In the next post dedicated to the humble garden seat we shall search the gardens of Yorkshire and find places to sit comfortably. Throughout the autumn and winter I shall post issues of “Are You Sitting Comfortably” so keep an eye out for them.

Tags garden design, garden furniture, garden seats, gardening

autumn autumn colours climbing plants colours flowering bulbs fruit and veg garden design garden photography gardening grasses grow your own half-hardy perennials hardy perennials light light quality ornamental grasses ornamental trees and shrubs shrubs succulents trees village gardens

A Garden Bouquet for September

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 1, 2013
5 Comments on A Garden Bouquet for September

September is the month when the first signs of autumn creep in and there is something special happening to the light. Misty mornings give the garden a fresh atmosphere. Darkness comes too early each day. Fruit picking is the order of the day and we get out our pruning kit, secateurs, pruning saws and loppers large and small to tackle the trees and shrubs.

Grasses begin to change colour, some flowers and seed heads are turning redder and more purple others towards the pale tints of biscuit.

The Blackberry vine is so heavy with fruit that it blocks the pathway and apples hang in thick bunches but seem slow to ripen. At last colour is creeping into the greenness of the grapes. Fingers crossed that the weather is kind to them and therefore kind to us.

This Buddleja is a special one with purple flowers at the tip of each arching branch. The out side of each individual flower is dusty purple-grey but the rich bright purple inside provides a beautiful contrast. Buddleys lindleyana is a very special shrub. A real favourite! And it looks even better alongside a bright orange neighbour in the guise of a Crocosmia. While we are on the subject of bright flowered Crocosmia the yellow one nearby is gentler but still a true bright beauty.

Shrubs and trees are thinking ahead to the winter and painting their leaves in reds, oranges and yellows. The first two photos are of a special Ribes which will give us yellow flowers in the winter. These are followed by deciduous varieties of Euonymus and Cercis “Forest Pansy”.

On the gravel garden, our Beth Chatto Garden, grasses are starring alongside the autumn stars, Michaelmas Daisies.

Bulbs usually mean late winter or early spring but these cyclamen and tulbaghia are showstoppers right now.

So off we go into autumn!

Tags apples, autumn, autumn colours, foliage, foliage plants, fruit and veg, fruit and vegetable growing, fruit., garden photography, gardening, grasses, grow your own, grown your own, harvest, September, shrubs, trees

garden design garden photography garden pools gardening hardy perennials renovation Shropshire succulents village gardens

Renovating the Rill Garden

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date September 18, 2013
10 Comments on Renovating the Rill Garden

Our Rill Garden was beginning to look a little jaded, mostly due to the edging paving sinking and coming loose. In places the level of the edging was uneven and sloping randomly. We decided it needed a revamp. The first job was to take the old edging paving up and clean off the old concrete. It took no time to get up the edging but it took a long time to chip off all the old concrete and chip off each bit until the back of the slabs were clean enough to re-lay.

“Matilda”, our sculptured figure admires our handiwork. She looks satisfied with how we have cleaned up the slabs.

We had to get the plants up so we lifted them pots and all into some of our plastic garden trugs. They need dividing so this proved to be a good opportunity.

After a few days we had relaid the slabs, all perfectly level and even looking, but we did discover a problem for when we put the pump back in which provides a gentle movement to the surface of the water in the rill, it failed to work so this will need replacing.