FOR THE LOVE OF A GARDEN

Happy Six on Saturday everyone! Today I thought I would take a short tour around our apartment block garden so you can see the hardy perennials my neighbour and I planted a few years ago and how well they are doing. Plus a few of my own containers.

1. Pillar, filler, spiller

I love this little mantra from Monty Don and it’s so easy to remember. A few years ago I planted red gladioli into this half barrel container and they re-appear every year. Not quite out yet, but with a little more warmth they will burst into colour – so they are my ‘Pillar’. I planted red geraniums around the base – my ‘Filler’ and left the ivy tumbling over the edge – the ‘spiller.

2. A little overcrowded

I got a little carried away with this tub, overestimating how lush they would become and now it’s a bit full to say the least. It consists of white and cream tumbling double petunias with begonia ‘bonfire’ at the front. I’m not quite sure why but I added an orange osteospermum at the back, they are however beginning to give the planting a bit of height – so my ‘Pillar’ is taking effect slowly.

3. Tree Lily about to burst

This amazing tree lily is now over 5ft (150cms) and full of buds. Another plant waiting for warmth and sunshine to reach its full glory. It is 3 years old and still only has one stem, I was hoping it might have multiplied by now. The stem is trunk-like but I will stake it later today because the weight of the flowers may cause it to topple over.

4. Who loves an ‘Indian Summer’

I planted a small, frail, sickly looking alstroemeria ‘indian summer’ about 3 years ago and it took to its new home very happily. Each year it has produced so many stems I am never short of flowers for the lounge. Just love this plant!

5. Every garden should have an Eryngium

The camera doesn’t do justice to the fabulous blue of this plant. It certainly is not compact and grows very tall. Although the label has long gone, I think I recall it is called ‘Big Blue’ and certainly lives up to its name.

6. Putting it all together

I still don’t have the knack of transferring a fabulous view through the camera lens, but take it from me this side border to the front of the drive is stunning. The pink buddleia and the blue eryngium make a great backdrop, with the alstroemeria and gladioli (yet to flower) in the middle and a beautiful salvia which I think is ‘ostfriesland’. Along the border just peeping up at the bottom of the photo is an orange/yellow coreopsis. This has become the cottage garden border we were hoping for.

Thank you to The Propagator for hosting this weekly meme. Please hop over to his blog and peer over the garden fence at the other contributions.