Now even the oaks are fully in leaf, our valley is a verdant paradise - the fields are dotted with fragrant pheasant’s eye narcissi and pink spires of spotted orchids, the verges froth with wild flowers – bugle, bluebells and stitchwort, buttercups, dandelions and wild strawberry.
The ornamental garden is at its most fresh and colourful too. A red-leaved japanese acer contrasts well with white wisteria, blue ceanothus and yellow Azara serrata. The latter shrub is invaluable for the delicious, heady scent of its pompom flowers that permeates the entire pond garden.
Another signature plant of the season is Allium x hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’. An inedible member of the allium family, that fortunately lacks an onion or garlic scent, I introduced a handful of the bulbs into a border eight years ago. They obviously loved the heavy clay, seeding prolifically so the front garden is now packed with glorious purple spheres, a great companion for both late tulips as they finish and hardy geraniums and irises just coming into flower. An added bonus, they are a great favourite with many different bees and the first butterflies of the year – if you don’t already grow them and have a sunny patch with moisture-retentive soil, why not place an order and plant some in the autumn?
The ornamental garden is at its most fresh and colourful too. A red-leaved japanese acer contrasts well with white wisteria, blue ceanothus and yellow Azara serrata. The latter shrub is invaluable for the delicious, heady scent of its pompom flowers that permeates the entire pond garden.
Another signature plant of the season is Allium x hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’. An inedible member of the allium family, that fortunately lacks an onion or garlic scent, I introduced a handful of the bulbs into a border eight years ago. They obviously loved the heavy clay, seeding prolifically so the front garden is now packed with glorious purple spheres, a great companion for both late tulips as they finish and hardy geraniums and irises just coming into flower. An added bonus, they are a great favourite with many different bees and the first butterflies of the year – if you don’t already grow them and have a sunny patch with moisture-retentive soil, why not place an order and plant some in the autumn?
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