Wild and Weedy Wednesday: Campanula patula

This Wednesday I am once again sharing a wild flower or weed that grows in our garden. Today it is most definitely a wild flower and not what I would class as a weed, although this one has popped up in one of the flower beds.

Campanula patula

We have always had a few Harebells in the garden, and this year they seem to have spread even more. Botanically Campanula patula, these delicate bell-shaped flowers love meadows, or the edges of roads or woodland.

They will grow in almost any soil, but prefer the very slightly acid soil we have here, which is well-drained sandy loam, and they like plenty of sunshine. In fact the flowers will turn towards the sun, like sunflowers.

Harebells, bellflowers – whatever you wish to call them – are usually about 30-40cm tall and sway prettily in the breeze.

Do you see them in your part of the world?

If you wish to join me in sharing a local wild flower or weed on Wednesdays throughout this summer, please do. And leave a link in the comments below. 😃

In a Vase on Monday: Oh so Totally…..!

I planted some long-sought-after Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ two years ago and this year they have really taken off. They are a gorgeous orange colour,  and the name is perfect. It was the natural choice for this week’s arrangement for Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme (Rambling in the Garden), and allowed me to use one of my favourite vases too.

I added another Geum, which may be Red Wings, but some of my labels have disappeared again! And some Spiraea ‘Magic Carpet’ which is looking stunning this year after all the rain we have had.

It has been a busy couple of weeks, with work on the new bed progressing. Here is a sneak preview, with my vase standing on the freshly spread woodchip mulch which will soon turn grey in the sun but is dazzling at the moment! (The plants still look so small!)

The complete bed will be revealed at a later date as there is still much to do. 😉

We have had some great gardening weather which has allowed me to catch up with chores… the runner beans are sown, tomatoes almost ready to go into their final containers, annual geraniums potted up. It’s beginning to look like summer here with no sign of any more frost, so fingers crossed. I have also finally got some weeding done today, just in time as some of the weeds were getting the overhand!

 

Now do go and visit Cathy to see what she and others are sharing from their gardens today.  And have a great week.

Happy Gardening!

Wild and Weedy Wednesday: Saxifraga granulata

I am resuming my weekly posts about wild flowers and ‘weeds’ – ‘Wild and Weedy Wednesday’ – that I started last year. I thought I would run out of plants last summer, after several months of posts, but found I was making lists of flowers to include this year! Anyway, if anyone wishes to join in with me and look at some of the wild flowers (or are they weeds?!) growing in our gardens, please do!

Last summer we did not mow the vast majority of our meadows at all, and have thus already noticed a difference in the wildflowers we are seeing. Today’s flower is a good example – we don’t recall having seen it here at all in 2023; Saxifraga granulata, or meadow saxifrage.

The creamy white flowers with striking yellow stamens have been bobbing around in the wind for over a week now, standing out on their dark stems at a height of around 40 cm. The flowers are perhaps 2 cm in diameter and have a kind of ‘vintage’ look to them.

They are found on hillsides of sandy dry grassland, where the soil is poor in nutrients and slightly acidic. I am very happy this native plant has made its way to our plot, as it is on the red list of endangered plants in Bavaria.

I wonder if you have ever seen this flower? Do share if it seems familiar, as I have no idea how widespread or rare it actually is.

Have a great Wednesday!

 

Silent Sunday: Clair de Lune

Peony ‘Clair de Lune’

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Viburnum ‘Aurora’ and ?

About two weeks ago, while we were still enjoying a warm spell, my Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ in the Oval Bed came into flower.

I love this shrub and have another one at the front gate. I also grew it very successfully in my old garden. It has a wonderful fragrance, pretty pale pink flowers and shiny leaves.

As you may notice on these photos there is a bud next to the flower, tightly closed. I thought this was odd and had already noticed the foliage of part of the shrub was slightly different. But, I am embarrassed to admit, I never really took much notice of it.

A few days ago the second lot of buds opened, and some ugly white flowers, with no scent, appeared. Now, I took a closer look! All of the thicker and more textured foliage – which was a similar shape to Aurora – and the white flowers were on a second stem at the base of the shrub. This is the first time this part of the shrub has flowered.

I looked online for clues, but found nothing. I then remembered that the other Aurora shrub I have here also had another alien stem growing at its base which I lopped early on last year. On checking it, lo and behold! That lopped stem is also sprouting new leaves that look unmistakably like the native wild Viburnum opulus that grows in our hedges here.

So, my conclusion is that the rootstock of this hybrid decided – for whatever reason – to shoot and try and take over! I did not consider that this could happen. Did I perhaps plant them too deep, as can happen with grafted fruit trees?

I have removed the offending part of the shrub now (great material for starting off my new compost beds) and Aurora has been given breathing space again. The whole Oval Bed looks so much better! I hope she will now put on new growth and form buds for next year.

This will not deter me from planting another ‘Aurora’ in my new bed, which will focus on scented plants. I will, however, be more vigilant from now on. (By the way, work is resuming on the new bed this week as our rain has stopped and the wind is drying the garden up nicely. 😃)

I wonder if any of you gardeners have experienced the same with cultivated shrubs? I would love to hear if this is common or if it only occurs on particular plants.

Have a great Sunday

and

Happy Gardening!

 

 

In a Vase on Monday: A Little Spring Indulgence

A beautiful blue Anemone coronaria has appeared in a pot I bought several weeks ago. At first I thought there were only pink ones in it, but last week it surprised me and some blue buds opened as well. 😃

I have admired these on other people’s blogs for years, and can only hope these will come back next year for me if I plant them out when they go over. Which may be fairly soon as we have had some very warm weather. The heat prompted me to cut one, to enjoy indoors. It will probably last longer in a vase full of cold water anyway.

The golden tulip was also cut to preserve it a little longer…

… it has been 25°C for the second day in a row, which is hot for April!

Muscari and Forget-me-nots, a Cowslip, some Narcissi ‘Hawera’ and a yellow Hellebore bulked out the vase a little, along with some Lady’s Mantle leaves.

I feel this vase is an indulgence, cutting such lovely flowers to put in a vase. Something I would probably not do if it wasn’t for Cathy at Rambling in the Garden hosting this meme every week! (Do go and visit!) I am sure I have said this before, but the encouragement and inspiration from Cathy and the other contributors has transformed the way I see my garden, and cutting flowers is no longer as hard to justify. 😃

There are other flowers and buds on the Anemone, and a few more of these gorgeous yellow tulips – can’t remember their name but I think it is something like Texas Gold.

But wait, there’s another vase today! (What an indulgence – TWO vases! LOL!)

Do you recognize this flower?

Yes, a rhubarb flower – well, bud. I noticed it the other day and decided to cut it as my rhubarb plant is still so small. I just haven’t found the right spot for it yet. A new one was planted at the opposite end of the garden this spring and perhaps that will do better! Anyway, the flower is a bit odd, don’t you think! I put lots of purple Heuchera leaves around it to disguise the thick stem.

Thanks for visiting, and happy gardening!

Primrose yellow

The primroses are wonderful this year and I wanted to share a few pictures of them before they go over.

There have been a lot of bumble bees in the garden, tempted by the pussy willow in our hedgerows and then discovering the primroses, apricot blossom and hellebores as they pass through.

I managed to move some seedlings before they started flowering, but will be digging them up and replanting them all around the garden this year to spread these gorgeous mounds of lemony yellow.

These are best established in the Butterfly Bed, which was the first bed made here in 2018.

And this is the bed with the most hellebores too. This one is Carlotta, my favourite at the moment.

But the Moon Bed is also very established now, and into its fourth Spring. Doesn’t time fly!

The Primula veris stands out well in front of the ‘moon’…

…as do the Chionodoxa ‘Glory of the Snow’ with their pure white starry petals surrounding a golden yellow centre. (Can you spot the bee?)

I must put some of the paler Primroses in there too.

However, the most dramatic splash of yellow in the garden right now is the Forsythia on the end of The ‘Edge.

The bees pass it by, but it makes me stop and stare!

What is making you stop and stare in your garden right now?

Have a great Sunday!