Friday 4th July 2014

Sue and Vicky -our very talented path builders at work

Bridge was away and with Julia at the helm we had some discussion about gardens we had visited or other gardening recommendations. The Garden Gadabout had gone very well for group members that opened their gardens with lots of visitors and lots of very positive feedback.
Sue T had been on a good planting course at Great Dixter which was very inspirational, Katy had visited Parham House in Storrington and said the gardens are really worth a visit. Julia visited Hurstmonceux castle and gardens and again really recommended a visit. A bit further afield Hilary had visited Wallington Hall, a lovely NT property and gardens in Northumberland and closer to home the meadows and beds in Preston Park are looking rather spectacular at the moment.

Plant Identification:

• Geranium maderense, a giant herb robert that comes from Madeira. It is a robust perennial or biennial which grows to 1.5m with attractive leaves and large purplish pink flowers and can grow in either sun or shade.

Geranium maderense

• Geranium pyrenaicum 'Bill Wallis' is a sprawling perennial that grows to 30cm tall with open sprays of small delicate vivid purple flowers. It flowers from late spring to late autumn in full sun or partial shade.It self seeds and can provide effective ground cover or can also be used in pots.

Geranium pyrenaicum 'Bill Wallis'

• Sanguisorba officinalis or great burnet has maroon flowers in dense spikes in summer and early autumn -best in full sun or partial shade in well drained soil. A lovely plant for borders or prairie planting.

  

  Sanguisorba officinalis

  Activities in the garden this week:
• Feeding and watering the pots
• Clipping box hedges and taking box cuttings
• Weeding and feeding the border under apple tree
• Pulling out opium poppies and saving seed heads
• Pruning Rosa Banksiae
• Cutting back the willow in willow arch
• Planting out rest of tomatoes in greenhouse and harvesting lettuces