Sunday, June 21, 2009

The plants wot I bought

As I've mentioned in a previous post, Gardeners' World Live doesn't have the charm of some other garden shows, but what a shopping opportunity! Lots of useful tools, lots of tat, and lots and lots of plants.

Sanguisorba obtusa 'Alba'

I went a bit crazy for species pelargoniums, including...

Pelargonium sidoides

Pelargonium 'Renate Parsley'

Pelargonium ardens



Polygonatum curvistylum, which I'm hoping to hide from the hoardes of Solomon's Seal sawfly which are currently devastating my Polygonatum x hybridum. I spent half an hour picking the little blighters off them this morning. The birds don't seem keen on eating the ones I left on the bird table.

Trollius chinensis 'Golden Queen'

The Sanguisorba have now got a home in part of the front garden which had a major tidy up and replant this morning - hoards of self sown Love-in-a-Mist were ruthlessly removed, some rather 'anaerobic' (i.e. pongy) homemade compost added and I even 'tickled' the soil after, to remove footprints - thanks, Toby! Normally, SomeBeans complains that I leave planted areas like the Somme. If I keep this up, I'll have to rename the blog to The Almost Tidy Gardener.

13 comments:

Victoria Summerley said...

I can completely relate to going crazy for species pelargoniums. They are so beautiful - P. ardens is like a jewel of a flower. I like the trollius, but I'm fascinated by the huge leaves behind it. Is it a Rodgersia?

Anna said...

Some lovely purchases HM. Funnily enough I bought pelargonium sidoides last Thursday at our local Country Market. I love stroking the leaves, their scent and the colour of the flowers. Not so funny I bought the same plant last year but managed to kill it off. Too much stroking maybe? Will be interested to hear how yours progresses.

Owen said...

Love species Pelagoniums too!

I managed to overwinter P. ardens outside here in London (even with the winter we just had!)- but would love to try the sidoides- it looks beautiful!

Rothschild Orchid said...

Happy Birthday!

Hope you've had a lovely day :o)

I really like the pelargoniums, I've developed a real liking for them this summer. Once the new greenhouse arrives I think I may have to go on a little shopping spree!

Amusingly I almost bought a Trollius chinenis at Barnsdale Gardens this afternoon. They are lovely plants.

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

I love the look of the bloom in the first photo... like a guy refused to comb hair for weeks.... We do have something similar in the our garden ... a tamed wild weed, hairs very much similar, but its a little bit purplish pink.....

~ bangchik

Kate and Crew said...

Dainty flowers always make me miss England. We don't have anything dainty that blooms for very long here in Florida. Everything has to be thick and intense to survive our hot weather. Even the blades of grass are thick and menacing.

Sigh.

Nice photos...

HappyMouffetard said...

Victoria - yes, it is a Rodgersia - when I get home I'll look at the larger photo to read the cultivar.

Anna - I shall be careful not to over-stroke!

Own, I think my plants are going to have to have a nice cosy stay inside over winter.

RO - thank you very much! New greenhouse - exciting! Ofcourse you need a spree to help fill it! Yes, the Trollius is lovely.

Bangchik - what a great image I've now got in my mind!

Kate - I suppose we take our temperate climate for granted, even if we are forever cursing it.

Helen/patientgardener said...

I do like those pelagoniums, we were admiring some at Barnsdale yesterday but sadly there didnt seem to be any to buy

HappyMouffetard said...

PG, I hope you didn't come away empty handed.

Victoria, the Rodgersia is 'Irish Bronze'.

Bay Area Tendrils said...

Memories of Trollius.... beloved & beautiful flowers in my Chicago garden. Alas, they do appear here. In fact, seeing your mention of 'Golden Queen,' I can't recall seeing Trollius in any California gardens. Perhaps they need colder winters, and like many lovely perennials, cannot survive, or at any rate, thrive, with more constant, warmer temps.

easygardener said...

I love species Pelargoniums and P. Ardens and P. sidoides are gems because of the flower colours. Ardens in particular reminds me of red velvet.
Luckily they can go in a pot so are not counted as impulsive plant purchases!

Joanne said...

I love the dainty peragoniums.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Love your pelargoniums, very pretty! And the Sanguisorba is a great buy I have the same one too and it's started flowering this week. I bought mine at Piet Oudolf's after I'd seen it flower in his garden.