My favourite time to enjoy a garden is just when the sun is coming up. Of course this means one has to get up earlier and earlier as Mid-summers day approaches. Luckily I’m an early riser and as the dawn chorus starts up and the light peeps under the window blind I start to wonder what gardening delights the day holds. When I do venture into the garden I’m rewarded by all manner of wonders as the light is just perfect at this time of day and everything looks so radiant and soft.
Kirkcudbright 18/05/2019
Never fear though if you don’t make it up for the sunrise because the time before sunset is equally perfect for enjoying the soft light on your blooms.
Twos Company Three’s divine
Nature throws up all sorts of weird and wonderful combinations both in the wild and the garden. Of course we have the choice of planning things down to the last detail in the garden but I often feel the best partnerships happen by chance.
For instance on my drive wall is a great pairing of Cotoneaster and Fairy foxglove, or to give this plant its’ Latin name, Erinus alpinus. Both have self seeded and been allowed to do what they wish. That’s my version of events, however the truth is I’ve been so busy they were just there when I looked. Either way I enjoy them.
Recently I saw this combination of Blue Alkanet and a Clematis montana
Another happy accident is this combination of Azaelea and Lupins,
I know this because I planted the Lupins which the gardens’ owner had grown to fill the gap. He grew them from seed someone had given him. We didn’t give it much thought but hey presto a few years on and it looks like they have been there forever.
Here’s another chance Azaelea with fairy foxglove lovely isn’t it!!
You may like to have a walk around your own garden looking at how things combine. I recommend taking a chair and changing your position to see how different plants relate. Back to the Lupins once again, you can see how from a different viewpoint they combine wonderfully with an Acer in the background.
Happy hunting.
A Garden Gem
Speaking of Azaleas I heartily recommend you acquire one or two for your garden providing your soil is acidic and well drained.They really are an amazing plant that come into there own in the late spring garden. Coming in a range of colours they can be deciduous or evergreen. I have a particular fondness for deciduous Azaeleas as they offer not only colour but in the case of Azaelea lutea, fragrance as well.
As if that wasn’t enough in Autumn you get spectacular leaf colour.
Here are a few more examples to tempt you.
A Sight for Sore EyesÂ
I had a wonderful surprise one morning as I arrived to work in a garden. For there in a border was a gorgeous red oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). As you can guess it was straight out with the camera for a few shots.
What a great way to start the day!!
All Change Please
At this time of year I’m busy getting containers ready for their summer stint. My spring bulbs which were resplendent recently have faded
So it’s time to replenish them with fresh compost before adding summer plants. The old compost I use on top of flower beds or sieve it onto the lawn to give a thin layer for grass to grow through. The bulbs I put into any available space in the garden or pot them up for next spring.
Now all I need to do is to visit the nursery and get some plants to fill the containers.
A timely tip
I recorded a short video to show how to pinch out Sweet peas to get lots of flowers over the summer. So if you’re not sure how to do it give the video a look.
Bye for now
Well I’d better be on my merry way. You won’t be surprised to hear it’s all go at the moment in garden-land and I’m doing my best to get all my gardens ready for Mid- summers day. But before I go Just a taste of things to come as the roses are getting fatter everyday.
I Can’t wait to see what the roses look like in a fortnights time. Okay, bye for now, happy gardening and best wishes, Dave.
Tales from the garden 
Lovely pictures !
On Thu, 23 May 2019, 07:32 Tales from the garden, wrote:
> davesgardeningtales posted: ” My favourite time to enjoy a garden is just > when the sun is coming up. Of course this means one has to get up earlier > and earlier as Mid-summers day approaches. Luckily I’m an early riser and > as the dawn chorus starts up and the light peeps under the wi” >
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Hi Dave, we are just back from Scotland,thanks for the places to see Bluebells, Carstrman wood was to die for.We saw some strange growths on the Blackthorn along the river Dee walk,they are a bit like pea pods,the Blackthorn in Manchester has the same things on it. Do you know what it is?We are back in September,might see you then. Irene and Tony.
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Hi Dave, I think we found your mystery garden while we were in Scotland.I don’t want to give the game away, but is it in Gatehouse of Fleet.Irene and Tony.
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