A Magnificent Scilla Peruviana In a Vase on Monday

Earlier today I was walking around Dryham Park with friends from our club's 'Bloomin Fun' Group, and before setting out the weather was very gusty and some rain, but it was glorious on the other side of the Mendips. The outing with lunch to follow on the way back put me in such a good mood, that I felt energised and went out to select a few stems of things from the garden to arrange for today's In a Vase on Monday. IAVOM is a creation of Cathy, and in this weekly blog several of us join in showing material from our gardens.

As I had been chatting with my friend Jane who is designing some new beds with grasses, I mentioned that I had a large clump of Carex Comans Bronze and when divided I would be able to offer her some clumps.  I therefore had to include a few snippets of this to help show off the bloom from Scilla Peruviana.  

Just to add a green note, I only needed to have one of the now very large leaves of the Arum italicum 'Marmoratum'. This vase, a Charity Shop acquisition from a few weeks ago, is heavy and can take the weight of this large bloom.  The Art Deco Black elephant is there to give a little balance.

Scilla Peruviana

Not long ago I read 'The Maid', and so enjoyed this I ordered the sequel 'The Mystery Guest' by Nita Prose.  It is quite a easy going style and read, and again if you enjoyed the Maid you will enjoy this.

I've been interested not surprisingly in food, how it eaten and prepared, its  rituals, and the changing landscape across the world and in time, for almost ever.  This book by Bee Wilson is very much about the sociology of  food availability,  inequalities, preparation, and the way different people eat, and the pressures on our time particularly in the last fifty years, which has meant far many more processed foods are being pushed and consumed, on the time spent preparing food and whether we eat as a family or not.  

I do remember 'works canteens' and was priviledged to eat lunch in some very good ones such as the one at Hambro Life as it was know in those days, where a 25p free luncheon voucher could buy such exotic main courses as grilled rainbow trout and almonds, usually on a Friday, plus veg and a pudding!  We had exactly the same menu as enjoyed by the Directors . Plus we had an hour to enjoy our lunches in groups or on our own. In the evenings a quick 'high tea' would see any spaces filled before going out.

Six on Saturday - 13 April 2024

 Finally some dry weather, yesterday it was sunny, but still with a stiff breeze, pictures taken were not as crisp as I would like them to be, and they were quickly taken with my mobile. Looking forward a few dry days are promised, and hopefully I shall have days when I can enjoy 'playing' around with plants and preparing the garden the summer time. I'm sure there will be plenty of April joys on Jim's post, aka the SOS garden spot where we hang our posts and ruminate over matters gardening.

1. Several gardens ago we used to enjoy a magnificent Rosa Canary Bird which I had planted near to the dining room window, and finally last year I got to buy one and planted it as a bare root plant early last year.  Although its shape is not particularly to my liking at the moment, a good pruning after it has finished flowering should set it up for future years.  For now I am content to enjoy its beautiful open single blooms, already being visited by bumble bees.

2. Nearby another yellow is from a good clump of cowslips.  I had planted up a couple of self seeders  last year in the Conservatory bed, but decided that a group would better than having them dispersed across a couple of beds.  I've now moved them, but it will only be next year that they are as glorious as this clump. In each of my gardens I have purposefully grown a few of our native plants.

3. This little row of spring perennials  catches the light beautifully, and seems to love its spot in the conservatory bed.  I've had Tiarella Spring Symphony for years, well not these as I do divide them, discard older portions and reposition them.  I did this last year and they are looking all the better for that.

Tiarella Spring Symphony

4. Another spring beauty which does very well here in the garden is this little Primula juliana 'Port and Lemon' which is another one that has passed the test having been planted first three years ago. Again dividing every year or two keeps the plants in good condition.

5. As I was getting close to the ground, I noticed just how many small spiders were moving along the ground.  There were several varieties in different parts, but this one was still enough and I was able to look it up in 'Britain's Spiders' a Filed Guide and found out a little more about it. This is I believe an Oblong Running Crab Spider.  Now I realise what all the wrens, robins and even gold crests are searching for along the ground and in the shrubbery.

6. Finally this  Geranium malviflorum, which is a Summer dormant variety, is just starting up in flower.  This is one that will just disappear down to its underground tubers when flowering is over. Its strong coloured flowers are nicely positioned above its attractive and finely divided leaves, which have helped cover the bare earth over the winter. 

That's it for this week.....

Towards a better Chelsea Bun

 By the time I had faffed around with various things yesterday, it was not till 10:50 p.m. yesterday that the Chelsea Buns were out of the oven.

Again I had not really researched my recipes correctly as I had an unplanned incident to deal with.  In the end I amalgamated 'Classic Chelsea Buns by Tamsin Burnett Hall, and Chelsea buns by Dan Lepard in his book The Handmade Loaf book which is on my shelf. So the verdict:  my friends this morning enjoyed them, but I would have liked a little more spice.  Maybe I had just not grated sufficient nutmeg on them.

It was interesting to read this article where Felicity Cloake discussed the merits of different recipes for the beloved Chelsea Bun.  Then again just by coincidence I happened to read that MP Greg Hands has lent his support to promoting this most English of Buns.  Of course other special local buns such as the Cirencester Butter Buns, are also much loved. 

In a Vase on Monday - 8th April 2024

With the Storm Kathleen battering us for a long period over this past weekend, for longer than I've known such high winds, I count my blessings in that we had no serious damage,  I had the foresight to do the tiniest bit of 'gardening' on Friday.  Apart from moving all vulnerable pots off shelves etc, I did a little division on a new Primula vulgaris 'Treborth Yellow'. 

The flowers are nicely shaped, and with red stems make a pretty addition to the Conservatory Border.  All the stems were cut and here the largest are in a small vase with a few snippets of the Chamaecyparis pisifera var. Filifera  maybe ‘Filifera Aurea’

There were a few even smaller flower stems and these went into the tiniest of ink bottles along with a few snippets of Pittosporum Tom Thumb with it dark reddish leaves.

What was strange during the storm was that it was really warm for this time of the year, with temperatures in the high teens.  I photographed these in the Conservatory but now the larger arrangement is on the mantleshelf in the sitting room, and the little ink bottle in the middle of the kitchen window looking out towards the garden.

Since 'Treborth Yellow' it absolutely delightful and very floriferous for a small plant, I saw the potential to have three good plants for next year by lifting and dividing the plant, but of course all the flowers were cut off first, which is how I came to have undamaged blooms for this morning. For more arrangements from our gardens, pop over to Cathy's blog, where if you wish, you too can join in by posting your arrangement this week made up from material from your garden.

Six on Saturday - Triumphs and Expectations

 Just when you think the garden is as wet as it can get, and expecting the weather to improve, it has continued to rain.  When the sun does break through it is a relief to feel its warmth, and we have even donned coats to sit and have our morning coffee in the garden. I expect that during rainier moments, more gardening thrill, notes of interest etc, can be enjoyed via Jim's post to which I and other gardeners link in our Six on Saturday Posts.

When some of my gardening friends and I were touring Broadleigh Gardens last week, they were impressed by the species tulips growing in the beds and along the long alpine/grit gardens.  Most of them had only grown the large tulips which on the whole were discarded after flowering.  On a visit a few years ago,  after having seen the Parrot Tulips at Yeo Valley Gardens, many of us grew them in pots. This week I am delighted to say that the species Tulips in their own little way are triumphs in the front 'Mediterranean Garden' chez moi! 

1. Tulipa Whittalii Major

The Major has to be my favourite tulip and this year where there was one bulb planted you can see several smaller flowering ones. This is their fourth year in flower and though slower to increase than I expected, I am delighted both with the situation, form and colour.  I had thought in my usual way to lift and divide, but I would rather this clump continue to grow from strength to strength, and simply add a few more to the garden.

2. Tulip Clusiana Chrysantha

I would say T. Chrysantha is a worthy runner up, again a few more of these species tulips would be a great addition.

3. Tulip Clusiana 'Lady Jane' has probably been the tulip to fare better in terms of increase in numbers, however in the poor light we have been having it appears to have been drawn out and is not as neat and strong as the former two. 

To give its due it has been in flower for a couple of weeks or more, and in its early stages its outer pink petals were far more obvious.  This clump may get moved to the back garden, to make room for more of the new tulips with a more yellow or orange aspect. 

4. Scilla Peruviana arrived as a purchase from the members' table at my local HPS and was divided into four and this is the second season in flower in the Mediterranean Garden. These are large flowers and unlike its smaller cousins which had been planted in many different areas, and not survived, it looks ready to be divided again this year.  I shall have to look perhaps at the planting depth for this species.  It hasn't faired that well with its blooms being lashed by wind or rain, and I expect next year, its nose will be put out of joint by the newly acquired Scilla hughii, bought at Broadleigh Gardens, which is now repotted, and receiving a balmy beginning in the Conservatory.  When I read up about Scilla hughii it rad that it should be potted with its nose just above soil level. When I replant these S, Peruviana, I shall try different depths and see which suits it best.

5. Just when I thought the garden was full, I succumbed again! The excitement of unpacking new plants is a mark of my expectation of things to come.  One has already been planted out in the Mediterranean garden: Cistus 'Thrive', 

Cistus Thrive just unpacked

and the  Ribes Gordonianum,  which has been planted up in a larger pot to await planting out into the garden when I have worked through the arrangement or rather rearrangement of a section of the garden. I first say this again at Broadleigh Gardens. also known as ‘Gordon’s Currant’ or ‘Beatonii’, it is a deciduous shrub that is a hybrid between Ribes Odoratum and Ribes Sanguineum. I now wonder whether I would have been better buying a larger plant, at the same time realising that often smaller plants settle and grow away better in this garden.

Ribes Sanguineum

6. Phlox bifida Ralph Hayward a cutting of which I planted up in a pot, is now taking centre stage on the garden table.  I think I ought to have cut it back hard earlier in the year, but now it has started into flower it seems a shame to do so.

This is its second year in flower in this pot, and I am just wondering how best to treat it: should I repot it after flowering?  I expect a few cuttings will be taken.  Meanwhile the older plant is doing well in the gravel garden.