
Silent Sunday: Bee

Southport’s Summer Flower Show is Back at Last

After a two-year hiatus, courtesy of the pandemic, the Southport Flower Show was back in style for its 91st year. This northern show has something for everyone – even well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. For those who couldn’t make it, here are some of my pictures:

Continue reading “Southport’s Summer Flower Show is Back at Last”
A Floral Feast For Your Eyes

This colourful floral fantasy is the winning design from Class No. 321 (Blooming Lovely) in the Floral Art Marquee of the Southport Flower Show by Ann Coulton. Continue reading “A Floral Feast For Your Eyes”
Biodiverse Planting Scheme by Stefano Marinaz for the EuroParcs Garden, Floriade

I’m not sure I’d have enjoyed my favourite garden at Floriade as much if I’d seen it in April, soon after Floriade opened to visitors. In pictures of the Europarcs garden taken before the deciduous trees had leafed out, The Rebel House commands the space. A broad, meandering path wraps around the clean, metal-edged outlines of flower beds. Newly-planted perennials are neat, well-spaced and picture perfect, like an architect’s diagram.
Three months later, the plants have bedded in and are relaxing out. Leaves and flowering stems mingle and mesh together, gently spilling over the path. The ‘Within Nature’ theme of the garden is emerging. Continue reading “Biodiverse Planting Scheme by Stefano Marinaz for the EuroParcs Garden, Floriade”
Pink Hollyhock-style Flowers on a Shrubby Plant

I wanted to title my post the botanical name for this spectacular plant, which is widely grown locally, but have abandoned my efforts after some research. An explanation would run into several hundred words, would clarify little to nothing and be tedious, so I’ve spared you that. The folk name, tree mallow, is used for several species too. Continue reading “Pink Hollyhock-style Flowers on a Shrubby Plant”
Review of Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere, NL

Floriade is an international horticulture exhibition / garden festival held in a different part of The Netherlands every ten years. While it attracts garden-loving members of the public, its aims go beyond that. Continue reading “Review of Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere, NL”
