for gardeners interested in art. Sculpture to enhance the garden
The hardy perennial geranium is a good ground cover plant with many varieties to choose from. Many varieties are derivatives of Geranium sanguineum or Geranium cinereum. They all have seed heads that look hooked like a Crane’s bill hence the common name.
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If snowdrop leaves are showing can the delicate white flowers be far behind?
Snowdrops for me signify the end of Winter rather than the coming of Spring. Tucked under this hedge row the snowdrop is left to multiply naturally by seed and by division.
Phlox adsurgens a mat forming evergreen with a cheery springtime display of star-like flowers in pale pink.
Phlox subulata a rockery favourite
Various Phlox are available from Thompson & Morgan Including:-
Phlox drummondii ‘Phlox of Sheep’ an annual
Phlox subulata,
Phlox douglasii or Moss Phlox for fragrant ground cover.
Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’ also known as Wild Sweet William, Blue Phlox or Woodland Phlox
Phlox Hybrida Compacta ‘Peppermint Candy’
Zaluzianskya capensis Night Phlox with a honey fragrance in the late evening
Phlox: A Natural History and Gardener’s Guide by James H. Locklear
Downy Phlox pilosa
Phlox hoodii var. canescens aka Carpet phlox
Phlox stolonifera at UDA National Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Garden.
Phlox longifolia
Phlox opalensis flowering in the Davies Alpine House and in the wild in Wyoming and Utah.
Photo and other Credits
Downy phlox by eleanord43 CC BY-NC 2.0
Phlox hoodii var. canescens (Carpet phlox) by Tony Frates CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Phlox stolonifera (Photo Credit: Dexter Hinckley) by samantha.schipani CC BY-NC 2.0
Phlox longifolia closeup DSC_0320 by Tony Frates CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Opal phlox in the Alpine House by Kew on Flick CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
moss phlox　シãƒã‚¶ã‚¯ãƒ© by microwalrus CC BY-NC 2.0
masses of Moss Phlox subulata
A mass of purple flowers show that Hosta can produce the goods. They are also good for flower arranging.
These flowers stand proud of the leaves which are just beginning to suffer slug damage. Flowers from June to October with funnel or bell shapes.
White flowers on this larger leafed Hosta are shown off by the blue-green leaves.
Another clear white flower – I am thinking I should consider Hostas for flowers not just the shape, form and colouring of the leaves. White flowering Hosta plantaginea is strongly scented.
Flowers are not as succulent as the leaves and snails and slugs go for the easy meal. Hosta flowers are  members of the lily family and some folk say they are edible (but I will leave them for the slugs).
Not as floriferous as many varieties the stems are shorter and few in number.
Hostas can be worth growing for the flowers alone – look at these flowers and see if the leaves are just useful extra features.
Colchicum speciosum produce autumn crocus flowers before any leaves. These plants were grown in a pot for display at alpine garden shows and competitions.
Colchicum speciosum is native to mountainous areas of northern Turkey. Do not collect wild specimens but acquire from cultivated stock or grow your own from specialist seed suppliers.
Other names for Colchicum speciosum include “Naked ladies” and “Meadow Saffron”.
Growing Colchium as Alpine Pot Plants – Colchium have 6 stamen crocus only 3.
True autumn crocus
Calatheas are a group of plants native to the tropical Americas. They are popular as pot plants for the house or conservatory due to their decorative leaves that often react to touch or light.
Calathea Photo Credits
Korbmaranthe, Calathea bachemiana by Dandelion And Burdock, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Calathea majestica ‘Albolineata’ by tuis CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Calathea makoyana by Bárbol,CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Calathea zebrina (Sims) Lindl by adaduitokla CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ‘Calathea zebrina (Sims) Lindl. Marantaceae. CN: Zebraplant. Native of southeastern Brazil. Ornamental. Low rosette herb with striped pattern on leaves; leaf texture velvety. Growth habit clumping up to 90 cm tall.’
I was convinced my latest photos were of Strelitzia or Bird of Paradise flowers – that was until the horticulturalists at Kew Gardens made me rethink.
I had never come across the Parrot flower until I saw the Kew photo below and now I realise how ornithologically challenged I am.
I love going to the Palm house at Kew where this photo was taken by their staff.
The variety of plant life hints at what you could discover in better weather conditions than we experience in the UK.
These Cornish flowers were also under glass in the tropical dome at the Eden project.
Strelitzia alba White bird of paradise
Strelitzia caudata Mountain Strelitzia
Strelitzia nicolai White or Giant bird of paradise;
Wild banana or Blue and white Strelitzia
Strelitzia reginae Bird of paradise, or Crane lily
Strelitzia juncea African desert banana
S. × kewensis hybrid between S. reginae and S. augusta (alba)
Checking my old holiday photos I found this Strelitzia which threw my identification skills into question.
These leaves look like banana leaves but the flowers fall short of Paradise.
Insects are having a good lunch on this flower photo.
Photo Credits.
Parrot’s flower in the Palm House by Kew on Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ‘This parrot’s flower, Heliconia psittacorum, was collected in Brazil in 1974. Find its striking orange flowers in the Palm House.’
Heliconia platystachys (multiple flowers) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Our photos from the Eden Project Cornwall
When you start looking there are Parrots everywhere!
There are over 100 species of Heliconia found in rainforests or tropical wet forests where they are sometimes referred too as False Bird of Paradise flowers.
Sorry if you feel badly done too by the head line. The shrubs in question major on one colour but as there are three shrubs I called them three coloured shrubs. It seemed logical at the time but I recognise you could have been expecting tri-coloured shrubs.
The red leaves of the Photinia fraseri is often called Robinia which is really best reserved for the False Acacia or Robinia psuedoacacia ‘Frisia. In the spring the new waxy leaves are a vibrant and shiny red only slowly aging to light green. This plant copes well in the shade in a clay soil. I give it no special treatment and it forms a key part of my low maintenance area.
Behind the Photinia fraseri is another garden stalwart the Lilac. This small tree is just coming into flower and with a bit of sun each blossom will open a lighter colour and almost match the sky behind. As with the other shrubs here the Lilac likes the clay soil.
The Berberis Julianae has been very good this year which I put down to the sunny dry March and the cooler climate since then.
The angle of this photograph has changed and emphasis is placed on a white Hebe still to flower and the conical evergreen Picea.
The shrubs at the front cover the trunk of the Lilac that can be a bit uninteresting other than when the Lilac is in blossom.
Do not forget the evergreen shrubs like Osmanthus which has red or white young shoots often with colour variations to go with the leathery green leaves.
Last year I looked at the naming for one of my good doers under the title ‘Senetti, Cineraria or Senicio? No Pericallis’. Pericallis is the small genus of Daisy like flowers and Senicio is the name I will use until I know better.
I updated the post with my growing and flowering experience.
Now I have some colourful photographs of related Daisy plants growing as indoor pot plants.
Daisies with salmon petals with white inner rings and yellow pollen are one of my favourites.
Senicio Daisies come in a variety of strong colours including deep pinks above, purples and electric blues.
Pericallis is not a common genus in horticultural use. These Daisy like plants have been bred of retail sale when in full flower so in those circumstances they need a trade name.
Whatever the name the inner disc displays the Compositae attributes of the daisy family.
Shocking Pink almost fluorescent pink on the plant below.
Daffodils in flower in Oxfordshire.
Helped by good spring, daffodils have sprung into flower. These are some of our favourite daffodil pictures.
Daffodils by ruins of Bolton Abbey
Daffodils by River Cherwell, Oxford
Daffodil mixture
Daffodils in front garden
Daffodils against backdrop of Yorkshire Dales
A magical carpet of Daffodils
Naturalised daffodils
Daffodils close up
next to a see of bluebells.
Tips on Daffodils
