Seeing Red

Although this might sound like I’m about to have a rant, with the title, ‘Seeing Red’, it’s actually just an excuse to select some fabulous red blooms growing in the garden at the moment.  But on the other hand, as a totally ‘au naturel’ gardener (I don’t mean I garden naked but with all my flowers grown outside naturally, hmm... but perhaps I shouldn't be so swift to rule out naked gardening!) I do feel justified in having an appropriate rant about ..... oh yes, you guessed it, the rain. So I shall make it brief. This week is the first week I’ve felt a bit beaten by the rain with previous gorgeous flowers now looking like drowned rats as they start to shout, “No more rain!” to the good old English summer precipitation.  Yesterday in Suffolk however, there was was a minor reprieve, i.e. a real corker of a sunny day. I worked 10 hours solid in the garden knowing it was quite possibly the only full, beautifully warm, dry day we might have for awhile.  As late afternoon/evening arrived I could noticeably see how the flowers in the cutting garden had almost breathed a sigh of relief just as a result of drying out.  The saturated heads of the cornflowers even came back to life as their heads became upstanding and fluffy again.  With a return of the wet weather today, what better way to cheer myself up than to post a few pictures of sumptuous red flowers.

One red flower I have grown for a second year is Monarda (Bergamot) ‘Cambridge Scarlet’, and oh boy is she scarlet. I have only grown a small patch.  I wanted to be convinced that it’s vase life is generous enough and that it has that magical dynamic process of decay I always long for in a flower.  ‘Cambridge Scarlet’ has not let me down on either count, with a vase life of over a week and fading beautifully.  The pictures below show the flowers insitu in the garden then gradual close ups to really appreciate this complex flower with its double heads and amazing ruffs of reddy brown coloured bracts.  The cut flowers stand at a statuesque 90cms.

Look what happens when they are placed in front of a red background, in the late evening sun, luscious!

Croscomia ‘Lucifer’ is another red gem in the cutting garden and amazingly they haven’t been touched by slugs.  Crocosmia is fantastic in arrangements.  The flowers I cut this morning are 120cms tall and the flower's outline is crisp and clean when in tight buds and blousy and beautiful when the blooms open.  Occasionally, with flowers, I wonder if I am looking directly at the flower to find beauty or the space in between and with croscosmia I think it is mostly the space in between.

This one looks like fingerbob mouse from the side (cue the song, "Yoffy lifts a finger ...").

The ladder structure of the buds is very pleasing and looks almost exotic like an English equivalent of the 'Bird of Paradise' flower without the flower miles!  Again the red on red looks fabulous.

Roses and the last of the rapidly fading sweet williams from the garden today (I miss them already).  One might say, "Exit stage left sweet williams", with this velvet backdrop.

One of my other weaknesses is vintage advertising tins and they look great with arrangements in or at the side of them.  The second picture below is with the dried geum Mrs Bradshaw. In a previous blog, ‘The Hanging of Mrs Bradshaw’, I wasn't sure whether she would dry well but as you can see she dries very well retaining the deep red colour

On this occasion, ‘seeing red’ is not about anger or danger, but the pure visual pleasure of seeing red in the garden!

Hampton Court Virgin

I have been to many garden shows over the years but never Hampton Court.  This was the year for me to visit I felt. I usually like to go to either Chelsea or Malvern RHS Shows but I had no plans to go to either this year.  My favourite show is Malvern, in May.  It’s much more low key than Chelsea and the scenery of the Malvern Hills as a backdrop is stunning.  If one can negotiate the wheelie trolleys successfully, it is easy to get a prolonged look at the gardens at Malvern without fighting for position as you would on Chelsea public days.  Hampton Court also had this feel.  I went on the Thursday when it was hot and very humid and it felt like a tropical day with the added illusion of being in another, more exotic country when I heard the squawk of wild parrots overhead (apparently they are now a common sight in the London suburbs).

When I go to any garden show I am very focused and my ‘cut flower-dar’ is up and running to full capacity as I begin scanning from left to right awaiting something new, old, exciting, stunning, weird ... to jump out at me.  Hampton Court was no different!

When I get to the floral marquee I can feel a sense of contentment and anticipation and I become aware of a fixed smile on my face as I start to wander around.  I think what I do unconsciously is search for, what’s hot or not, anything I haven’t seen before and test myself by looking at flowers I just don’t ‘get’ just in case my tastes have changed.  Three flowers I just don’t ‘get’ are Begonias, Gladioli and Alstroemeria so this is where I started.

I feel I should like Alstroemeria but I can honestly say I don’t. I’m not sure why, perhaps because they are ubiquitous in all flower selling establishments and their vase life is seemingly ‘forever’ with no real dynamic process of decay.  They also don’t give me that ‘wow’ or lush feeling in my stomach that I get when I see my other favourite flowers growing.



Now a flower that intrigues and intimidates me in equal measure is the Foxtail Lily. They are just so big!

I always head to the Allium displays, they never fail to look stunning, controlled and architectural.  I love the ‘Forelock’, ‘Art’ and ‘Sativum Ophioscorodan’ (get your teeth round that one!)

Sweet peas and delphiniums .... well it would be rude not to!  I loved overhearing a rather frustrated gardener say, as she was looking at the delphiniums,  “That is very expensive food for slugs”. I think she summed up the feeling of most growers this year in the best weather, not only for ducks, but also the little blighters, slugs!

Shrubs are something I am lacking in the cutting garden.  Starting a cutting garden from scratch means I have not been lucky enough to inherit many mature shrubs for the vase.  This is something I am addressing each year as a longer term investment.  Hampton Court provided some gems.  Here are my favourites of the day.  First, Hydrangea Arborescens Invincibelle, and what a belle she is with her delicate petals and pale pink colour.  Secondly, Spirea Japonica.

There is always something to make you titter at garden shows and Hampton Court was no exception with some snogging peacocks and a very obedient dog, “Stay!”

Now for a little thought on things that are hot or at the very least seem to feature in many gardens and stalls at Hampton.  For me there seemed to be a repetition of Achillea, Red Velvet and the clover, Trifolium Pannonicum with it’s large flower heads.

In the gardens, the most stunning display for me was Amnesty International’s, ‘Las Mariposas’ (Spanish for butterflies) ‘garden’, or should I say 'cube'. With the exotic butterflies inside, it reminded me of a scene in A.S.Byatt’s novel, Angels and Insects.

Now the final question, did I behave myself and not buy anything? .... of course not!  But only two things were purchased, a rustic flower candle sconce and the irresistible Scabiosa Barocca, it looks like a delicious raspberry ripple ice-cream, what girl could refuse this?

A perfect day at Hampton Court!















 

The Humble Umbel

The umbel is a beautiful flower to have in the garden. The definition of an umbel is, a flower cluster in which stalks of nearly equal length spring from a common centre and form a flat or curved surface, characteristic of the parsley family.  The English countryside verges always look beautiful covered with cow parsley with it’s white fluffy cloudlike umbels wafting in a gentle breeze. When cut, umbels look perfect in a vase as a single stem so their stunning architectural profile can be shown off to it’s best (less can be more!) They also look as good in a bunch as their full flat heads fill bigger spaces in a bouquet or arrangement giving a more voluptuous feel.

I grow many umbels and my favourites in the garden this year are Ammi Visnaga, Ammi Majus and Orlaya Grandiflora. I also love achilleas and have always thought of them as umbels but this is where the taxonomy of ‘inflorescences’ gets me very confused as I now think they might be corymbs or are they a compound umbel or a raceme corymb or, or ..... anyway whatever their category they are all very striking!

Ammi Majus in profile

Ammi Visnaga drying in the garden evoking images of the Wicker Man

Achillea, Gold Plate

Less is more with Orlaya Grandiflora in the picture

Some bunches with Ammi Majus

And for a grand finale.... a "table full" of Sweet Williams and Ammi Majus.  Now that's what I call a  unit of measure for flowers!

The frilly Ammi Majus looks like a scalloped lace edge.

A sunny day

Yesterday was a deliciously hot day in the garden so photographs were a must.  How different could today be with rain and feeling so very humid... perfect growing weather though really, so I'll make no complaints. Here are the photographs I took yesterday with just a few samples of what is growing in the garden at the moment.

In order of appearance we have: Ammi Majus with Sweet Williams in the background, larkspur, cornflowers, two types of scabious, Miss Willmott and Clive Greaves then finally the beautiful love-in-a-mist.

Happy, sunny days.