18th August | The Garden Diary

Next Day >< Previous Day

CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

The South African Cyrtanthus elatus (Scarborough lily) flowering well again in a pot at The Cottage in Yorkshire. It lives in a greenhouse in Borrowby for the rest of the year.

Also in The Cottage garden are Elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’ and Salix udensis ‘Golden Sunshine’ growing side by side.

Huge clumps of Rhododendron ponticum cut back from beside The Cottage to make room for the scaffolding needed to reroof the place.

Trevor Green’s columnar oak tree, planted in 2018 to commemorate 100 years at The Cottage, continues to grow well.

Plenty of Lesser Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) in full flower on the bank outside The Cottage.

Stachys officinalis, more commonly known as Betony, is rather different to the form I photographed recently at Caerhays. There are several forms and species as I discover.

2023 – CHW
Attached are 3 lists which record the Carpinus, Tilia, Lindera and Litsea collections currently growing here. I wonder how many will survive 30 years and how many will prove to be worth growing. Also how many name changes the taxonomists will impose on us along the way and how many new wild species may yet be introduced into cultivation.

Carpinus – click to download
Tilia – click to download
Lindera & Litsea – click to download

2022 – CHW
Then I have a look at the Knapweed in the field to try and compare it to the Caerhays forms inspected 2-3 weeks ago.

Although the flowers were long over, except in full shade, all the plants are, I think, Centaurea nigra or Lesser Knapweed. The dried seed heads are much browner than our form of Centaurea nigra or Centaurea debeauxii. The leaf formation tallies to the reference book as well.

A cottage mouse caught in the open.

2021 – CHW
Sam Turner & Sons at Piercebridge is not much of a garden centre in the strict sense of the term and really a clothing and sundries store like our Griggs in Cornwall. Not much of interest plant wise.

Kniphofia ‘Orange Vanilla Pop’

Coreopsis ‘American Dream’ and Lysimachia ‘Alexander’

Hypericum inodorum ‘Magical Beauty’ which I first saw in flower at Bodmin Garden Centre. Impressive seed heads now as well.

Allium ‘Millennium Lavender Bubbles’

Geranium ‘Hocus Pocus’ with near black leaves.

2020 – CHW
Sloes forming up nicely but only just colouring up at the back of The Cottage.

2019 – CHW
The start of grass cutting in Old Park reveals a fungus the size of a dinner plate. Again I wish I knew more about fungi!

2018 – CHW
Head Gardener Jaimie has been keeping up with the daily diary while I have been away in the north.

A wander in Old Park with the terriers after a week of grass cutting. A couple more days and we should be finished, then back to the main gardens.

The weather has been on our side for grass cutting this season, but not so kind to the plants. Illicium lanceolatum from Mark Fillan, that we planted here, did not make it this year.

Gunneras seem smaller this year, and less of them. The snow and cold we had in February/March took their toll on them I would imagine.

2017 – CHW
View from the new planting area which is now complete. New seats needed!

2016 – CHW
No entry.2015 – CHW
Rubus tricolor covers the bank outside the flat and is one of the best ways of covering up weeds on a steep bank which can only be maintained with a long ladder. The fruits are orange and delicious both to birds and small boys. Much enjoyed with my cornflakes.

Evidence of the German film makers’ fake flowers in the Hydrangea seemanii.

1984 – FJW
All corn harvested – very high yield – driest summer yet.

1983 – FJW
Fire at Barton. Delia in charge and dealt with problem superbly.