Continue reading “Three From Southport’s Floral Art Marquee”
Allium and Echinops | Nature and Art
Jenny Pickford’s allium sculpture is perfectly placed at the Sir Harold Hillier Garden in Romsey, Hampshire. The echinops flowers reflect the shape of the artwork, creating a visual echo.
Sunlight Attack II
The last few days, we’ve had enough rain to kickstart the process of re-greening the North of England’s meadows, and I started to feel a little celebration of sunshine might not go amiss. Isn’t that the way it always is?
My first is a decidedly strange (for me) shot of roses growing overhead – so high, they ruled out the little dead-heading needed for a conventional shot. At the time I took it, I was half-imagining some form of caption in the top left: a concise one like Dog Days or Wine & Roses. As the end result captures more of their spirit than I expected, I’m leaving it alone. For now. Continue reading “Sunlight Attack II”
Hydrangeas With A View
Pink and blue hydrangeas on the edge of a cottage garden in the English Lake District encourage passers by to linger a moment to enjoy the view. Continue reading “Hydrangeas With A View”
Wordless Wednesday: Bees
Rudbeckia Summerina ‘Orange’: Garden Plant Plus Prairie Native Equals A Heavenly Daisy
A plant with bold colours and daisy-style flowers effortlessly commanded my attention in the marquee at the recent Tatton Park Flower Show. Several plant nurseries had chosen to feature it prominently on their display and this is not a plant to hide its light under a bushel. Identified as Rudbeckia Summerina ‘Orange’, it’s a relatively new hybrid and one to watch. If it seems deeply familiar, that’s perhaps because both of its parents, Rudbeckia and Echinacea, are so widely grown. Continue reading “Rudbeckia Summerina ‘Orange’: Garden Plant Plus Prairie Native Equals A Heavenly Daisy”
Heleniums at Bluebell Cottage Gardens
We’d been meaning to visit Bluebell Cottage for a while and weren’t disappointed. There were some signs of flowers going to seed earlier than usual due to the long hot and dry spell, but the overall effect was glorious and the pollinators were having a field day – literally. I can hardly believe I managed to take this picture of the garden without a butterfly or bee in the foreground (there is a blurry bee a few rows back). Continue reading “Heleniums at Bluebell Cottage Gardens”
Susan Rushton 