More frequent visits to covid corner came back into play this week as the family were forced to isolate as close contacts of a positive case. School days lost, work days compromised and lost, a school trip cancelled and a twice cancelled driving test, cancelled again. We’re all negative too and three of us twice-jabbed. Not for the first time I have taken solace in the garden.
Covid corner
This is a really lovely area of the garden dubbed ‘Covid Corner’ last year in the first lockdown. it’s a relaxing place to sit with a cup of tea whilst on breaks.
Tender shrubs on display
The bed against the wall is looking great this year as the tall, pearlescent peach rose ‘Lark Ascending’ is providing a perfect backdrop to my tender shrubs display. For some reason I’m drawn to these tender shrubs from Mediterranean style climates such as South Africa and Australia. I think it has something to do with the fabulous display I saw on the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden display at RHS Chelsea Flower show two years ago.
Protea cyranoides in a pot
My display is work in progress but I have here the King Protea, protea cyranoides, that I bought in Cornwall last year – the only plant I managed to cram in amongst the surf boards.
Banksia leaves
Also here is a lovely bansksia its narrow leaves edged with sharp notches, and a Leucospermum ‘Aloha Peach’.
Leucospermum ‘Aloha Peach’
I’m yet to discover the secret to getting these flowering well but the advantage of the pot display is they can bask outside against this south facing wall for the summer months whilst being protected in the greenhouse for the winter.
Himalayan Rose
Himalayan rose in woodland garden
Himalayan rose climbing tall larch tree
For one week of the year this is the most jaw-dropping plant in my garden. It’s an enormous rambling rose, planted decades ago by the previous owner. He described it as a himalayan rose and I’ve no need to quibble. This one is white, unlike the more commonly known ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ which is pink.
It’s hard to capture the size of it on camera but it must climb 40 feet or more into this larch tree. Only half of it is pictured in the photo above. Its musky scent drifts across the garden, some shoots climbing high and others dangling over the woodland walk. In a few days time it’ll drop its petals like snowflakes all over the garden.
Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’
Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’
These Kniphofia are a winner. Red Hot Pokers can elicit both sniggers and snobbery but this one is exceedingly tasteful. The flower clusters have the graduated tones of a summer sunset.
It’s planted alongside some dahlia ‘Bishop of Oxford’ which are also orange. Most of these survived the winter under thick mulch but are a long way off flowering for my longed for combo. Maybe I should have forced them in the greenhouse – it’s something to consider for next year.
Bright containers
Talking colour, oranges and sunset pinks also dominate some of my containers. These lovely urns contain tangerine and pink nemesias with a very pretty nasturtium.
Nasturtium ‘Ladybird Rose’
Grown from seed, nasturtium ‘Ladybird Rose’ is a dusky orangey pink. They’re growing strongly and should soon spill over the sides of the urns.
More new Hostas
Hostas
An upside of my garden open day was the bring and buy plant sale. These pretty unnamed hostas were brought along and I made a quick purchase. The lady that brought them along turns out to be an huge hosta fan and grows many in pots to elevate them away from the slugs and snails. It’s not a foolproof deterrent but it does help a bit.
Remarkably, the hostas in the woodland garden, whilst nibbled here and there, remain pretty intact. Ever the optimist I’m thinking maybe the slimy beasties are yet to colonise the woodland neighbourhood in great numbers.
This seasonal diary is part of a weekly link-up of garden bloggers from around the world, called Six on Saturday. For more information and links to other blogs crammed with gardening activity, check the blog of host The Propagator.
Amazing Himalayan rose climbing that tree!…
Good job with the King Protea… I’m looking forward to seeing the flowers now.
Take care Katharine
Thanks Fred. If I get a flower on my Protea I will be doing cartwheels.
I like red hot pokers and those ones are lovely.
I’m so very happy with the red hot pokers – the colouring is divine.
Covid Corner looks like a lovely place to relax. I hope the self isolation period races by. Wow to the Himalayan rose. It’s a pity fragrance can’t be shared digitally.
It really is a shame that we can’t share scent but think a lovely damask rose scent and you understand what they smell like.
Your urns are lovely with that colour combination and the unusual nasturtium.
I like those hot colours so much and consequently very happy with those urns.
Sorry to hear about your self isolation and your daughters cancelled driving test. I have a son learning to drive at the moment and I know it seems harder than usual to find instructors and tests. But a lovely Six despite those difficulties. Your Tender Shrubs display is very impressive. I do like Proteas, and all those other interesting South African plants.
Yes, the more time goes on the more attracted I am to all these tender shrubs. I’ll be delighted if I get any to flower!
I tried and failed to get Rosa brunonii ‘Betty Sheriff’ to go from cuttings last year. Almost certainly a good thing since yours is likely R. brunonii and I don’t have a sacrificial larch tree to grow it up. I can’t quite believe I currently have no Proteaceae in the garden, you’ve prodded me towards changing that.
Hi Jim. Thanks so much for the tip on what the rose might be. So far larch is standing up well to such a large interloper!
‘Ladybird Rose’ is a lovely colour. I must buy some nasturtium seeds next year, mine are all orange, unless some of the dark red ones I had reappear. And your container looks gorgeous. Did you grow the nemesia from seed too? Regarding your tender shrubs, do you keep them in a heated greenhouse over winter? As for the covid isolation I feel for you, my grandson is still waiting for his driving test which was cancelled twice last year and not able to rebook until August!
Hi Jude, I didn’t grow the nemesia from seed – they came as plug plants from Sarah Raven, were very good quality and were even sent in recyclable cardboard packaging. Good news is that since I last wrote my daughter managed to get a driving test cancellation and passed! She spent a lot of time on those cancellation apps waiting for something to come up and it did.
What a pain Covid is still proving to be, but you have a very nice corner to self-isolate in. I love your urn and the plants in it, the Nasturtium especially.
Yes the nasturtium is a very pretty one indeed and very easy to raise from seed.