Saturday, June 26, 2010

Around Midnight

Earlier this week I spotted this little gem at the back of a border.  In the spring I thought it had died as there was no sign of life anywhere, but eventually the leaves appeared but no flowers.  I fed it with tomato feed and it has rewarded me with 2 flowers.  They are tiny, but beautifully marked, (and are actually darker than in the photo).  Maybe if I look after it a bit better, and cut back some of the surrounding shrubs to give it more light, it might reward me with more flowers next year?  For the moment though I'm very happy that it's alive!

Iris Chrysographes Around Midnight

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Nemo Finds Some Friends

When I moved here I inherited a pond, and after several weeks I discovered I'd inherited a fish too!  This fish, named Nemo because of his colouring, had obviously escaped the net when the previous owners removed the rest of the fish, and had survived without any attention whilst the house was rented for 3 years.

For the last couple of years I've been thinking about getting some more fish to keep him company, but I was worried that I'd have to feed them (I've never fed Nemo as he'd survived on the natural food in the pond for 3 years and was perfectly ok).  Two weeks I asked the man in the Aquatics part of Mill Race Garden Centre if I'd need to feed any new ones and he said I wouldn't as the pond was big enough.  So Chilli and Dora came home with me and took up residence with Nemo.
 Nemo (top) Dora (middle) Chilli (bottom)

Since I introduced them they've all been swimming round together.  Initially I felt mean that I'd kept Nemo on his own for 2 years, but as someone said to me the other day "he doesn't remember that he was on his own, all he knows is that he now has friends!".

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Pretty In Pink

Different seasons have different colours associated with them don't they?  In my garden we are definitely in the "pink" season at the moment.  I love all the different shades, from almost white to cerise.
 Abraham Derby





Variegated Weigela
Tanacetum Coccineum
 
  



Unknown inherited clematis
Mme Alfred Carriere





Anisodontea Capensis



Scepter'd Isle







Patty's Plum



And finally - 4 of these beautiful very pale pink plants have appeared, I'm guessing they're some kind of allium.  I didn't plant them and they haven't appeared in previous years.  They have no scent.  Can anyone help to identify them?