End of the Month - May

The thing I love about the garden in May is that it turns from being about finding lovely individual plants or flowers to photograph, to being about combinations of plants, to swathes of loveliness and texture. Obviously this requires selective angles and focus - there's plenty of the garden that is unkempt or not working or frankly, out of control, but let's ignore those for now.

The shady side of the garden.

This side is generally the pink and white but mainly green bed, except when I forget and put random things in. This happens because I'm forever giving things a try here to liven it up - it can be a bit boring and green, but not at the moment.

Brunnera, Aquilegia foliage and Euphorbia cyparissias - leafy brilliance...

the same Euphorbia with a variagated Hosta (look nearly no holes!)...

the lovely purple foliage of a Sambucus Nigra with the zing of Euphorbia amygdaloides.

Self seeded and interbred Aquilegia rambling amongst everything with their shades of pink and purple...

the contrast of the bright bordered leaves of the Weigela and the cool blue of the big Hosta, set of with lovely flowers (the munching has started here - grrrr)

 

the less chewed side of the big Hosta with the Euphorbia and Aquilegia.

The sunny side.

This is largely purples and whites and can get really baked, but at the moment it's looking lush.

Allium Roseum, Iris, Erysimum Bowles Mauve - all intentional, orange Oriental Poppy - not so much, but I do love it and it will stay to add a splash of anarchy to my tasteful mauves!

Spanish Broom behind...

Allium Christophii, Allium Roseum, the mad poppy and the purple Abutilon and white Choisia in the background.

Alliums, dark Heuchera and Geranium sanguineum...

white Astrantia loving the sun...

Gladioli byzantinus, Rosebuds and Silene vulgaris bought as a bargain from a nursery about 5 years ago...

which looks gorgeous every year bobbing amongst the sage leaves and the Roses and requires zero effort from me.

The Viburnum (I think Opulous but it is inherited so can't be sure) is blooming. It is lovely now but very dull at all other times, grows far too fast and has such a prime spot that I am forever hacking great lumps out of it and treat it largely with contempt. This month it is forgiven it's inconvenient shade and galloping suckers (but I can't promise anything for next month!)

The bottom of the garden

The dappled shade area that's blue, white and yellow.

Gorgeous Aquilegia green apples...

Starry white Astrantia amongst lush Hostas and Forget-me-Nots...

Tellemia and Foxgloves (they were meant to be white but never are!) against Acanthus (which is getting huge) and Sambucus canadensis (which isn't).

Hostas, Astrantia, Aquilegia and Ferns. Even the compost bins at the top don't look too bad. The snails have well and truly started on these Hostas though - grrrr.

 The 'rockery' bed...

that isn't a rockery bed really, I keep removing stones because they are in the way so now it's just a slopey bed with the odd stone in it. I've never really liked rockeries anyway.

Ornamental Strawberry with dark Hellebores in the background.

The lovely combinations don't mean there haven't been stand out performers this month. My favourites have been...

Angelique Tulip - my only successful Tulips this year and they certainly performed!

and my Banksia Rose.

Gorgeous little flowers gleaming in the sun and perfuming the air.

Dripping with buds and flowers on arching branches.

And if we hadn't had the Beast from the East there would have been even more...



can you see the tiny frosted buds?

Grrrrr!



-x💛x-

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Polgwynne Open Day

Last Sunday was the annual open day of Polgwynne Garden in Feock just outside Truro.

It's a lovely garden that only opens once a year as part of the NGS and raises money for the Cornwall Music Service. With this in mind live music drifts through the garden from various performance points. They call it Magical Music in May.

I must admit I'm more a garden person than a music person but the two things go together beautifully. Visitors loll about on the lawns picnicking and listening, and others wander about  the gardens taking in the spring loveliness.

This year with the season being so late there were things missing that are usually glorious...

the Peonies just need another week or two and the vegetables were all still very small.

But there was still masses to look at and plenty of colour.

I indulged in my usual greenhouse/cutting garden/compost heap/fruit cage envy!

Cornus, Weigelia and the enormous Ginko tree in the background.

The house was humming with activity...

Pimms, tea and cakes being served whilst music played, surrounded by the glorious Wisteria...

that smelt heavenly!

Oh that rill!

Layers of new, fresh foliage and blossom.

The Clematis were in full flow, climbing up old trees...

my favourite, scrambling over a shed and wall...

and mingling with the Mexican Daisies.

A pure white Cistus with beautiful pink buds.

The palest of Abutilons...

and the fieriest of Ranunculi.

Mysterious doorways...

and river views.

Sadly the weather was dull and quite chilly, typical as the weather has mostly been glorious recently, but that didn't seem to deter people.There were lots of people there and more arriving as we left including more musicians. The afternoon was obviously far from over.

I hope they had enough cake!

🎶 🎶 🎶

x

See previous open days at Polgwynne here, here and here to see how the seasons vary each year.

Spring walk 2

You may have noticed my slight obsession with Bluebells in my last post but this weekend I got to really satisfy my craving at Enys Gardens at their annual Bluebell Festival.

Enys has an ancient Park Lye full of English Bluebells which according to the gardens own update, was at 80%. 

Sadly it was rainy when we went...

but that didn't spoil the colour...

or the wonder.

Photographs don't really do the Bluebells en-masse justice and I have to admit to boosting the colour of my photographs slightly to try and match the reality.

As far as the eye can see.

In places the Bluebells were mixed with snowy Wild Garlic drifting in-between the blue.

Right! I'm off to heave up the few remaining Spanish Bluebells in my garden so I can start some proper Hyacinthoides non-scripta or English Bluebells.

If you're not sure if you have English or Spanish Bluebells here are some of the differences I know of:

The flowers grow all round the stem on the Spanish and the stems are upright. The flowers grow only on one side on the English, which gives the English the elegant droop.

The bells on the Spanish flare at the bottom and will turn towards the sun. The slimmer bells on the English curl back and always remain 'hanging'

The Spanish Bluebell flower is a paler blue, through to pink and white, the English is a deep blue with a much greater scent.

The Spanish Bluebells are larger, more robust and dominant, and will tolerate more variation of position/light etc. That's why they will take over and push out the English if allowed. 

Thank goodness at Enys they seem to be successfully protecting the purity of their English Bluebells. I'd love to get some established in my garden - they are just so beautiful!

💙

Spring walk 1

 

St Anthony's Head on the tip of the the Roseland Penninsular is a pretty fab place at any time of year. With it's sunken paths  and terrific views it's always worth a visit. We ventured down there for the first time this year on Bank Holiday Monday and it was stunning!

The steeply banked paths were originally created during the war as part of the fortifications for a gun battery that was to protect the Carrick Roads. Now they teem with spring life.

 

Stunted oak trees shade the path with their so very new leaves and fluffy flowers.

Starry Mallow, tiny Daisy, frothy Cow Parsley and scrambling Silene...

and Bluebells!

Buttercups, Hop Clover and Gorse pumping out the smell of summer on the Cornish Coast.

Wild Parsnip and Ferns unfurling...

And every now and then you pop out to this...

the view across to Falmouth and the Pendennis gun battery.

Then back to the paths...

past Violets, Speedwell, Forget-me-Nots and more Bluebells...

bobbing Sea Thrift, Ragged Robin and creeping Vetch...

and out to another view...

looking up the Fal River.

And on past Three Cornered Leeks, Plantains and Dandelion clocks (I can appreciate them when they're not in my garden - they don't induce the same panic response!)...

and beautiful Bluebells to...

the bird hide which is a cool, dark oasis wedged between the rocks looking out on...

this! 

This cliff is full of nesting birds and the beautifully filled in sightings book is always full of things to look for and where to find them.

Most excitingly on the far right, three quarters of the way down there is what looks like a dark inlet and in there is a Peregrine Falcons nest. It was all very quiet when we were there, but then there were people and dogs on the beach below so that's no surprise.

Did I mention there were Bluebells?

In amongst the verdant spring abundance there are still signs of the more serious origins of the site...

and at the point there are the remains of the two gun emplacements that made up the battery...

both with a 180 degree sea view perfect for shooting at enemy ships - 

OR

 just sitting, watching the boats and listening to the birdsong!

-xx💙xx-