Spruance's Garden - 2009

[Spruance]

I see that my original thread has made it into the 'Best of' category so let's start again for 2009...

There is not a great deal going on in the garden at the moment but here are some photos I took this morning:-

NB: Clickable thumbnails...

New blossom on Viburnum farreri.


Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' in full bloom.


Mahonia aquifolium (bottom left), Pieris forrestii (top & right), Choisya ternata 'Sundance' (centre).


Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape) close-up!


Laurus nobilis (Bay Tree) unscathed after spending the winter on the patio.


New growth on Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Aurea' (Irish Yew).


Helleborus sternii 'Pink Beauty' looking rather fine at the moment.

[hollyberrylady08]

All I can say is... Spruance!!!

That Verburnum Ferreri is simply gorgeous!!! It just doesn't get any more beautiful than that!

...and that bay tree!!! Stunning!

Thanks for all the terrific peeks. You sure have a lovely display.

[Spruance]

Thanks HBL.

I actually remembered to hit the macro button for the Viburnum close-up. Usually I forget and they come out all blurry.

I think this is the second winter that the bay tree has had to overwinter outside. It's just too big to move into the greenhouse now so it has to take its chances although it is fairly sheltered on the patio.

[hollyberrylady08]

Hi again Spruance:

You are very welcome!

I just can't get over how healthy that bay tree is!
I was trying to grow bayleaf from a cutting indoors, but it just didn't work out too well.
I am going to get another one this year, and try growing it in a pot outdoors, like you.

Thank you again for all your lovely shots - pictures are so great.

[Christy]

great pics spruce!!
i love the Viburnum farreri !!! beauitful!!

[Spruance]

Time for an update I think.

Here are some photos (clickable thumbnails) that I took last Saturday when it was absolutely scorching here. It's cooled off a bit now helped by the violent electrical storm we had this afternoon so at least the garden won't need watering for a few days.

'Opium' Poppy in rear garden. The flowers are quite spectacular but very delicate and so best captured when they first open, as here.


The first bloom this year from our Hybrid Tea Rose 'Just Joey'.


The front garden just prior to mowing the lawn, hence the daisies. It's looking a little bare in places as having pulled up the last forget me nots we still have the summer bedding to plant out.


This is the other side of the front garden. All shrubs and perennials and so much easier to manage.


Ceanothus in rear garden in the rather full south facing border. This photo doesn't do the Ceanothus flowers justice as they are much darker than this.


This is a better colour match. The Aquilegia must have self-seeded and has struggled through the side of the Ceanothus.



Finally, this is one of the rear garden island beds, with still a few square inches available for a few bedding plants. ;D I have no idea why the Yew tree (Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Aurea) leans over like that but it seems to be getting worse. Perhaps a carefully concealed stake might be a good idea.

[rivervalleymama]

Gorgeous! I'm just GREEN with envy!

[Penny]

Absolutely gorgeous!!

[rivervalleymama]

I love the Ceanothus, I've never seen anything like that before. I wonder if I could find one around here......

[alphacat]

Spruance your garden is lovely and sooooo full of gorgeous plants.

[Penny]

I agree, can we see some more.

[ghoststomper]

Absolutely beautiful Spruance. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful work you did with your flowers.

[Spruance]

Thanks everyone.

Couleekeeper, Ceanothus is otherwise known as California Lilac, so it surely must be available in the USA.

Have a look at this link...

www.laspilitas.com/groups/ceanothus/california_ceanothus.html

[Spruance]

It is a while since I updated this thread so as it was a mild sunny morning today (Monday 26th October) I took the opportunity to take a few photos. This is still the 'summer look' with the continued absence of frosts meaning that the Tagetes and Cosmos are still doing well.

(NB: Clickable thumbnails)

Back garden from bedroom window showing autumn tints of the Hornbeam at the bottom of the garden on the right. Also just visible to its left is the 8ft tall Cosmos!


Another shot from the window but this time including the runner beans on the veg plot to the left, and the cherry tree with its canopy of Clematis Montana.


Back to ground level, this is a broad view of the bottom corner with the changing leaf colours of Viburnum Opulus in the foreground and the Hornbeam to the rear, and that unusually large Cosmos again. On the right is a Fuschia which is flowering very well at the moment. The Buddleias by the wall have already had their autumn haircut to prevent wind damage.


This is a slightly narrower view than the previous photo.The Dahlias in the bed have finished but the Tagetes are still worth keeping for a little while yet.


This is a closer view of the Fuschia (variety unknown) by the bird bath.


Whilst on the other side of the bird bath, this rose is doing remarkably well for the time of year. (I don't know what this one is either).


This Cosmos is from the same packet as the giant one and again is still flowering away nicely.


After a quiet week last week when it was cooler the runner beans (Enorma in this photo) have started up again. We had a creditable one pound off them on Saturday and there are still plenty more to come.

[Penny]

You have such gorgeous gardens.

[ghoststomper]

That is absolutely beautiful Spruance.

[Spruance]

Thanks both.

I have had to lift the Tagetes and Dahlias from the circular Viburnum bed today as I need to get my Wallflowers and Stocks planted out before the forecast rain arrives on Friday.

At the moment we are basking in unseasonably warm daytime temperatures of 66F - not bad for the end of October!

[Penny]

Same here, its been warmer then normal for this time of the year, for us anyway.

Again, beautiful gardens.

[Spruance]

Normal service has now been resumed on the weather front with the first snow of winter overnight and throughout the day. I would guess that we have easily had six inches so far with a forecast of more to come.

These photos (clickable thumbs) were taken around 11am today:-







Because of the heavy snow we cleared space on the garden path and lawn to put moistened bread out for the birds. No sooner had this been done when a large female sparrowhawk took immediate advantage of one of the large plump blackbirds that she evidently thought had been put out for her.

Unfortunately there wasn't time to dash upstairs for the camera but all the same it was fascinating to see how the hawk 'dealt with' the blackbird before struggling to lift off from the snow and just about making it to a nearby tree.

[jerseycub]

Sorta Killing two birds with one stone, ops I mean feedin two birds