Linum perenne

Penstemon heterophyllum ‘Shock Wave’

Princess Cypripedium reginae!

My stands of Aconitum glisten to show their displeasure

with the near constant humidity….. close to 95 degrees!

Heat and humidity arrived last week…

lets just say that many of the Shaded Walk

children were quick to show their

displeasure!

The squeal of pleasure upon seeing

Cypripedium reginae’s unfurled slipper

could be heard clear across town!

Arisaema ciliatum

The Asian species of the genus are much later to emerge,

but tend to bulk up over night. I now have six stems!

My favourite time of day is referred to as

‘the Gloaming.’

Everything shimmers around the edges,

and maintains a clarity that often

appears as a trick to the eye.

The tropical foliage of

Disporum cantoniense ‘Night Heron’

that at maturity will resemble a stand

of Bamboo, with 3m spears that

emerge a dark purple with a papery sheathing!

A Dan Hinkley discovery!

Even my Astilboides tabularis is about to bloom!

A miniature rose from a Memorial display

given to me when my Grandmother passed away.
Her spirit floats through the gardens, keeping her

memory close to me!

‘Rosa Abby’

Sun lovers now have a border of their own.

Dracocephalum ruyschianum is a guaranteed

conversation piece when in bloom

The Shaded Walk is turning into a Jungle!

Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavander Towers’

is close to rivaling Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’

in stature!

White star shaped flowers bring a

delicate presentation to the garden!

Last year’s additions bring a smile to my face!

One day, it will be a 2.5m shrub with

wonderful white flowers dancing

on brilliant red petioles

Gillenia trifoliata

Heat is helping to ensure that Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’

is filling out in the corners of my container that houses

Acer palmatum ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa.’ I went with a decidedly

Oriental presentation.

My first container!

The Shaded Walk never ceases to amaze me

with it’s lush, textural tapestry year after year!

Dear Anna:

I was thrilled to see your latest instalment – and fear not my friend, I am scrambling to get my own edited in time! I so thrill to the wonderful photos that accompany your letter and could picture myself sitting on the bench at Chavasse Park, taking in it’s beauty with nary a worry in the world to distract me…. but that would require a pair of eye-glasses with rose coloured lenses would it not?

The ‘superlambanana‘ that opens your letter made me smile. How utterly original and the wonderful floral pattern, not to mention her name. I love the British sense of humour! I am glad you were able to afford a visit with your parents. Longevity is such a reassuring quality that we hope to inherit from our parents! My Grandmother lived to 92, and was active throughout her life! I am sure that you will have great success with the African violet. I was never one for roses ( Gasp! I know what you’re going to say!) but when I planted a miniature rose that was part of a memorial display from said Grandmother’s funeral, I could hear her telling me that it would do much better out-of-doors. True to her ‘message’ – it blooms prolifically throughout most of July – a display I look forward to every year!

The Arley Hall Garden Festival looks so divinely tempting….. I think I would need a truck to take home the innumerable treasures I would surely find. Imagine, forty nursery vendors with their wares for sale….. I’m somewhat relieved that I am not tempted with the likes of such here in Canada! I should be broke and living on beans and bangers the whole growing season long! The double herbaceous gardens, not to mention their being the first in England are stupendous in depth, texture and beauty. To have a large estate whereupon to garden in such context….. when my days upon this Earth have passed, I should like to come back……

I was waiting for your mention of Wimbledon! I love watching this most Grand of tennis slams! I was a huge Agassi fan, he with the blond mane and less than subtle tennis apparel, and in recent years have been equally smitten with Rafael Nadal. He brings a new personal strength to the game, which I am encouraged will bring new ‘blood’ to the sport. It doesn’t enjoy a strong following here in Canada, the land of ice, snow and HOCKEY! With Rafa not defending his crown, I wonder who the new crowned Prince will be? Something says Federer – and while he is very talented, I don’t think he would be my first choice. Alas….. may the best man win! Time for some Garden chatter:

June is one of my favourite months in the garden. By the end of May I have completed my yearly inventory, and can sit back and watch as the garden fills itself with the wonderful, if somewhat eclectic collection of plants. Of course the highlight of June was the return of my most beloved Cypripedium reginae – better known as the ‘Showy Lady Slipper’ orchid. If it were the only bloom in the gardens, I would still be a very happy gardener.

We started off the month with unseasonably cool, wet weather, and while many of our fellow Bloggers were bemoaning the fact, here in Teza’s Garden, the results were nothing less than sumptous! The ‘children’ were stretching their limbs, sending forth new growth that helped to create a gorgeously lush tapestry – if I may say so myself! It’s so very easy to bet carried away, to the point of boasting – but one has to remember that ours is a very short gardening season! Frost up until the last week of May is always a dangerous threat, but this year it seemed as though it only toughened up the brood!

And then the rains came – torrential downpours that drenched the gardens, or a few drops that could be counted on one hand – but the point was, it remained cool and wet for much of the first two weeks. My Corydalis thrives in these conditions, and this was the first year that all of them rewarded me with astounding floral displays. My first aquisition, Corydalis elata seems to be languishing, only a third the size of last year, but I notice that the tips of his stems are weighted down with buds yet to open.

I was honoured to receive so many wonderful birthday greetings on the 2nd, and spent the 3rd taking photos of my favourite shade garden – lovingly created and maintained by two wonderful people who were happy to let me wander through their true Shaded Sanctuary. I was honored to hear that they were intrigued with the results – another personal view of their garden creations!

June has been somewhat slower than expected at the nursery, but with the cooler, damp weather, many gardeners were happy to stay inside watching the raindrops coursing down the windows! The recent heat-wave will hopefully trigger more activity, but for this gardener, it also heralds in a time of heat inspired misery! I do not deal well with heat and humidity, and unfortunately, there aren’t many shaded retreats at LittleTree.

Of course Sunday evening shortly after dinner, saw a storm system move through the area, dispensing winds rain and HAIL! There is no other weather element to strike the fear into this gardener than the razor sharp hailstones that vary in size! It can shred a garden filled with lush and tropical foliage in no time. Thankfully it didn’t last longer than six or seven minutes, and the actual stones were relatively small. The only one of my treasures to be damaged was Heuchera villosa ‘Brownies,’ whose leaves are an unnatural hand’s width across. Luckily they will quickly be replaced with new growth within the next couple of weeks.

The 1st is our nation’s birthday – we are a relatively young 142 years old! Our’s is a country with a relatively peaceful historical existence. It would also have been the birthday of Diana. Is her memory still honoured? I followed her star power from the time she became engaged to Prince Charles, and was one of her staunchest fans throughout the ‘tumultuous’ years! It’s been a tragic week for the passing of celebrities this week, all of them far too young!

Alas, the ‘children’ beckon – the rains have subsided long enough to go check for weeds and slugs! Do not worry about the deadline for August – we’re all entitled to a vacation now and again, but I would enjoy photos of your journey! Pretty please! Have a most enjoyable July and we shall talk again soon!

Friends in Gardening,
Teza

Greetings Teza – I hope that this finds you well and enjoying life and your garden. On this side of the pond June has seen our first real touch of warm summer weather – as the month draws to a close it has turned very hot and humid.However after the wash outs of the last two summers we are not complaining. I am getting to the allotment before 8.00am so that I can get in a couple of hours of work before it becomes too much for me to cope with. At the moment the afternoons are set aside for watching the tennis from Wimbledon which is one of my favourite spectator sports.

We have had a fairly quiet month here after rushing about here and there in May. We had a few days away visiting my parents who live in the hotter and dryer south east of the country. They are now both in their eighties and fortunately are still enjoying their garden although sadly they find some tasks difficult now. I enjoyed a stint of deadheading and weeding in my mother’s alpine bed. Their garden was looking colourful but I forgot to take any photos. As usual I came back with some cuttings and divisions. On my visit prior to the last one I returned with a little bit of one of Mum’s African violets which has just started flowering this weekend. It is a dainty little thing and I am hoping that I will not kill it. Unfortunately I have not inherited my mother’s success with houseplants. Hers flourish whilst mine sulk and are not long for this world.

Before we left it was a scramble to get the last of my seedlings up to the allotment and planted. Now after much tying in stems, watering, weeding and talking to plants there is not much spare room. I grow in raised beds which were crafted lovingly by himself. A couple of them are given over to permanent planting – one of herbs and the other of a mixture of grasses, perennials and annual flowers. Elsewhere I grow what takes my whim. At the moment I have garlic,red onions,shallots,various lettuces,purple podded peas and ordinary garden green peas,climbing and dwarf French beans,chard, beetroot, carrots,sweet corn,courgettes, pumpkins,vegetable spaghetti and patty pan squashes,strawberries,raspberries and gooseberries. I am also growing tomatoes,sweet peppers and cucumbers in the greenhouse. Last but not least there is an indoor vine which produces some edible purple grapes though not in great quantities. As you said in your last letter it is “wonderful to be able to pick it, bring it home, wash it, prepare it and enjoy it all in one day!” I hope that you get the chance to have a go at growing edible crops at some time in the future.It is hard work but most rewarding !

Closer to home I enjoyed a trip to Liverpool and a wander round the newly landscaped Chavasse Park. Liverpool is only a twenty minute train journey from here so I do quite a bit of shopping there. With benches and planting like this to enjoy I will nip into the park regularly from now on to revitalise myself.

I have taken a note of the book you mentioned in your last letter ‘Christopher Brickell’s Garden Plants’ and will keep an eye open for it. Truth be told I do not do a lot of serious reading in the summer months but save it for the long winter nights. I have however recently got ‘Shade’ by Keith Wiley out from the public library after reading the review on your blog. I am certainly enjoying the read. We have been lucky enough to visit the Garden House twice but I have yet to visit Wildside. Perhaps fingers crossed next time we are down that end of the country

I enjoyed reading about your plant inventory system – it sounds most impressive and has encourages me to improve my recording. You asked ‘Do you suffer from the same dilemma of ‘losing’ or ‘mis-identifying’ plants that grow in your gardens? I do not usually have ‘mis-identifying problems’ but do suffer from some losses. This last cold winter put pay to a lovely Japanese painted fern and an astelia. I can blame myself for the latter as I should have taken it into the greenhouse or even the house. It was a very fine leaved one which I have not seen for sale anywhere since. I also have suffered one or two losses of plants in my cold frame which would have been better off being in the ground. My fault for being too greedy !

The last Sunday in June saw us visit the Arley Hall Garden Festival which involves a twenty minute drive or so. This event is now in its fifteenth year and we have seen it grow from a very small affair into what is now a two day festival with nearly forty nurseries in attendance as well as other stalls. We were pleased be greeted by a familiar looking creature close to the entrance – one of Liverpool’s famous superlambanas who you can see at the top of my letter. Isn’t she beautiful ? I would have liked to have taken her home with me. Her name is Flora which is most apt we thought. The garden is famous for its double herbaceous borders – they are the first such borders to have been planted in England. The alcove at the end was completed about 1790. The borders were looking absolutely fabulous but unfortunately there were too may folk for me to get a full view from top to bottom. So here are one or two snippets to give you an idea :

Of course there were the inevitable plant purchases which I will blog about soon

They did include some hardy geraniums.

Well I must sign off now. Tis time for me to do a brief impression of being a domestic goddess before I succumb to watching Wimbledon with a bowl of strawberries to nibble on. Best wishes and happy gardening
~ Anna.

The tall lupin like foliage of Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’

Tomorrow my Lewisia is being potted up

( Thank you Grace for the pep-talk!)

Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ has become a huge seller

The rain brings out the best of Hakuro Nishiki’s

pink ribbon catkins!

I have read of Botanical gardens that highlight a specific genus!

How exciting would it be to create a Corydalis garden?
( Easy there Teza!)

I love the foliage of

Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’

and cannot wait for it to

attain it’s mature height of 2.5m

This is but one of the plants that will be

divided this fall. I know that Joy will be

happy to offer one a new home!

The Thalictrum are all very happy this year!

Helleborus hybrida ‘Mrs. Betty Ranicar‘ is

my first double.

Can you spot the aphids?

Sometimes the camera has a mind of it’s own!

Campanula latifolia ‘Macrantha‘ is a tall

and statuesque plant with light mauve to pink

upward facing bell shaped flowers!

Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’ foliage is

a wonderful treat after the rain!

Campanula ‘Sarastro‘ is a rambunctious

spreader, but I love the combination of

pleated jewels (before opening) and their

true regal glory once they have opened. This

one will bloom prolifically for the next two months,

bringing a rich icy purple to the Shaded Walk.

‘Don’t you forget about me!’

In two months time, large white mop-top flowers of

Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ will greet visitors to the gardens

The only rose in Teza’s Garden

I love the foliage of Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Woodside Gold’

and recently discovered it is a wonderful

contrast for Corydalis elata!

(but already the leaf miners are up to their dirty work!)

The latest but most prolific bloomer of the bunch -

Corydalis elata amid the foliage of

Tricyrtis ‘Tojen‘

No Grace, I’m no Salvia but I sure could pass as one! I think

you need to add me to your gardens.

(Dracocephalum ruyschianum.)

Hosta ‘Nigrescens‘ has maintained

it’s true upright

vase shape growth habit.

The whorled flowers of
Salvia viticella ‘Purple Rain’

The companion planting of Cassia marilandica

combines well with the unique whorls of the Salvia. I can
hardly wait to see how tall the Cassia will reach

this season!

I could spend hours documenting the

wonderful foliage patterns of this

plant alone!

Raindrops on Penstemon is

one of this gardener’s

Favourite Things!

( Come on, hum along!)

I’m struggling with whether to relocate

the Cornus alternifolia ‘Golden Shadows’

and replace it with it’s more regal cousin

Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’ which has

green and white variegated foliage with a

decidedly denser, tiered growth habit that

resembles a wedding cake at maturity!

It grows to be 3m tall and wide

Any comments or suggestions?

It has rained on and off all day, no torrential downpours, just a gentle caressing rain that leaves the garden looking cool and refreshed. I’m the odd duck in the pond in the sense that I welcome this cooler, damp weather. Of course tonight, while admiring the statuesque stems of Campanula latifolia ‘Macrantha’, I discovered the stems were almost black with aphids! This is one of the pitfalls of cool, damp weather.

They seem to come out in droves, and are entirely selective with the plants they choose to infest! I haven’t used sprays of any kind – including the home made remedies – as it’s my belief that I’ve encroached upon Mother Nature long enough, and if a few plants provide nourishment for hungry insects – a fair shake of the cards for me. I try and include a few ’sacrificial’ plants each year…… BUT, this year may see the dishsoap and water as even the leaves of my beloved Kirengeshoma seem to have fallen victim! On the other hand, I was shocked not be to inundated with slugs this year…… cool, wet, with lots of large foliage plants to hide and slither amongst….. knock on wood! I think the presence of a family of toads is assisting me with their diligence, for which I am most grateful.

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow will herald in the month of July! As Grace said in response to my last post that included a photo of a hail shower….’Where the hail has the Summer gone?’ I, over the years have discovered that while I love to witness the full-tilt summer burgeoning of the ‘children,’ I am really patiently awaiting Fall. I love the last ‘all-or-nothing’ floral or foliage display that most plants bring forth! The fiery colours on the Disanthus cercidifolius and Fothergilla gardenii ‘Blue Mist’ are enough to make my heart soar. And who can forget the gorgeous helmet shaped blue-purple flower racemes of Aconitum! Alas, I musn’t rush the season, and admit there is still a lot of interesting things happening in the gardens.

Next year…… it’s always next year…. but I seriously have to consider cleaning out the back six feet of the Shaded Walk. Right now it’s a holding spot for leaf compost, pots, a dilapitated folding table that held my perennial divisions and new purchases last year! I waited too long, as I have to be able to walk from the front of the house to be able to lug things forward, and well. once the children started their growth spurts……. it was next to impossible to traverse the narrow space without being able to see where I was going. Sound like a plausible excuse to you? Alas, thus ends my month-end musings from Teza’s Garden

An abundance of moisture has ensured
a wonderful presentation from
Rodgersia ‘Chocolate Wings’

Peek-a-boo with a Cobra!
(Don’t try this at home!)

The chocolate foliage of
Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’

The first flower buds of Kirengeshoma palmata

The first flower of Helleborus ‘Mrs. Betty Ranicar’

Aruncus dioicus ‘Kneiffii’

My Lady, oh my Lady!

Lewisia cotyledon

It’s another hot one today, so decided the best time to be out in the garden was early – eight thirty-ish saw the sun gently carressing the plants.

The Asian species are so very slow
in breaking dormancy!

Imagine a 3.5m climber with wonderful
blue hooded flowers!

Another of my ‘Three Year Quests’

Alas, the climbing stems of Aconitum hemsleyanum!

Astilbe and Viburnum flower buds

Penstemon ‘Elfin Pink’

Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace.’

My $3.49 Canadian Tire Special: Lonicera nitidia ‘Baggesen’s Gold’

The Mystery Plant!

This is the actual Gillenia trifoliata….

a much smaller, airier, shrubbier plant with wonderful

white butterfly like flowers on delicate

red petioles!

Alas, while an elegant and handsome plant,

I would like to be able to refer to it

by it’s real name!

Any ideas?

A most unique star shaped flower of Polemonium caeruleum ‘White Ghost’

‘Teza: Protect us from

the hot sunny weather

that will portend our

sad descent into

Summer Dormancy!

(and we’ll only return if it is cool and moist in the Fall!

Maybe not even then!)

We don’t want to see you Sad!

Salvia verticella ‘Purple Rain’

Lychnis ‘New World Wonders’ hybrid

Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’

Corydalis needs shade and cool, damp conditions

to ensure it doesn’t fall into dormancy too early!

Dracocephalum ruyschianum

,

Penstemon heterophyllum ‘Shock Wave’

Aconitum lycoctanum

Bracts of Euphorbia polychroma

The yet to unfurl slipper of Cypripedium reginae

P is for Patience Teza!

Oh my Goodness….. I feel as though I am melting. Almost overnight, the weather has gone from damp, cool, moorish weather, to sunny, hot and humid, and this gardener is not a happy camper. I garden in the shade to get away from the burning sun and humidity, and now I am wallowing in it!

Of course, many of the plants in the sun filled border will be happy to feel the warmth of thus sun, and there are many wonderful plants that I will appreciate when they burst forth. Already three of the Penstemon species have burst forth, and if they follow the lead of P. ‘Elfin Pink’, I will have repeat tubular blooms all summer! My Dracocephalum ruyschianum is another heat and humidity lover, and for the sake of it’s wonderful dragon-head shaped flowers, I will be contented for a week or so of this intolerable weather!

Truth of the matter is that with every passing day of heat and humidity, it is one day closer to the dreaded ‘D’ word for my most beloved genus, Corydalis! Already I have noticed that my very first blue flowering species is starting to languish, and it is supposed to be the one that resists early dormancy! I simply cannot live without my blue flowering beauties!

I was thrilled to see that my slow to break dormancy Arisaema ciliatum is bulking up by the day and that a wonderful magenta spathe with startling bright white vertical stripes is on the way! Another rare gem is my climbing Aconitum hemsleyanum that will eventually develop tendrils after it’s stems have reached the 1m level. I will have to find a new obelisk to showcase it’s beauty!

I am seeking the assistance of Grace to see if yet another mystery plant (I am always learning something new about the children!) is a Eupatorium or not. It’s leaves are similar, but most have seven lobes. It was labelled as Gillenia, but only one of the three 4″ pots turned out to be the real deal! Any ideas? It’s close to 3′, and is a rather handsome and elegant plant irregardless of it’s identity!