Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Purple and Orange Perennial Garden in Mid Winter

Nothing much has changed over the last few months in this garden, which is lucky, as I forgot to do the month by month post I planned on. What I did do about a month ago is chop lots of the perennials back to ground level - the Salvias, iris foliage, verbena etc. This makes it look pretty flat for a few months, but gives the young shrubs of camellia, fothergilla, and buxus balls a chance to strut their stuff without all the fuss around them.
Camellia Yuletide - very early flowering bright red - one of my favourites
I then spread pea straw around. I am not a huge fan of pea straw, but I do acknowledge that it is wonderful for the garden soil. I think it is messy, the birds flick it around, and it can smother smaller plants! SO - I have waited until the plants are big enough in this garden to hold the straw between them. Plus I didn't sprinkle it, I kept it in 10cm layers so it would be harder for the birds to pull apart. I have a friend who uses this on her vege garden, and to keep the birds off she puts netting down over the top - fishing net, I guess. So it is not offensively visible, but keeps  it all together. She is very clever that friend.
Mid-winter in the garden
Trusty old geums and primula still with a few flowers
The pea straw in the back areas, for soil replenishment
A few polyanthus add a spot of colour over the dullest months of the year.
Yikes - it has just started hailing here! I think our lovely mild winter might be transforming into the usual chilly beast. Bugger. Lucky I'm having an office day today!! Brrrr. 

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