Our Queen

Posted on 22nd September 202219th November 2022 by WestcountryNurseries

Memories of Her Majesty the Queen

Watching the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen brought back memories. I never had the privilege of meeting her but my flowers did.

I exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show many times when she visited over the years. But, to my knowledge, she never came to our lupin stand.

Lupins for a Queen

However, my lupins though went to her. Beefeater and Masterpiece were used by Rachel du Thame to decorate the Royal Barge for the Diamond Jubilee in 2002. It was an enormous honour and a source of great pride to all of us.

Although I didn’t meet her I did see her at Chelsea. She always wore brightly coloured outfits so that she would stand out. She was a constant at Chelsea and she will be greatly missed.

Beautiful garden flowers

It was lovely to see flowers from Royal gardens bedecking her coffin. I particularly liked the dahlias, pelargoniums and Sedum. Most of the nation I was transfixed by the little spider that had stowed away in the greenery.

Plenty of colour still

Gardens at this time of the year still have lots of colour. Another very reliable autumn flower is crocosmia. Rosea has delicate pink flowers. If you want a dash of red, plant Lucifer.

Preparing for Harvest Festival

Like many others our village is getting ready for harvest festival. We are no longer asked to provide fresh produce. It’s a shame as it has always been a good way to send some marrows to a new home. Instead, we are asked for tinned and dried goods for the local foodbank.

Room for flowers too

There will be flower displays too. I will contribute Echinacea. I have some very beautiful Hot Papaya which has orange pompom-like flowers on dark stems. Southern Belle’s dark magenta flowers are also striking. I will also throw in a few squashes, pumpkins and courgettes from the vegetable garden. After all it is a celebration of harvest. If the food bank doesn’t want them, I can always bring them home again.

Glorious year for apples

It has been a glorious year for apples. All varieties have thrived. I have never seen so many crab apples in every colour from pale yellow to deep purple. The cooking apple trees are groaning with fruit. And, I have more eating apples than I have ever had before. There are too many to eat, stew or press into juice or cider.

Fabulous penstemons

Penstemons are fabulous plants. They are easily cultivated and flower for months on end. They don’t mind drought, although this summer was a challenge. And they are not bothered by pests. As an added bonus they are robust enough to stand on their own without needing staking. What more could you want? The flowers resemble foxgloves and are from the same family. My favourites are the purple and white Charles Rudd and the scarlet King George V.

Gardening tips – Keep dead heading flowers to prolong displays. Plant bulbs including snowdrops, crocus and daffodils. Keep mowing the lawn. You never know when it will be too wet to mow until next spring. Water pots sparingly. Remove dead and dying foliage. Bring tender plants into the greenhouse or a cold frame to overwinter.

#chelsea #lupins #flowers #dahlia #pelargonium #colour #crocosmia #harvest #echinacea #penstemon #bulbs

NGS and other garden openings

Posted on 27th June 202221st November 2022 by WestcountryNurseries

Tis the season of open gardens

What a fabulous success the Jubilee weekend was. There were village lunches, fetes and concerts. Beacons as far as one could see. But, the highlight was the open gardens.

Around us dozens opened their gates to the public. Many for the first time. It was wonderful to be able to see these hidden gems.

Simply stunning

Some were simply stunning. Beautifully manicured with no sign of a weed or mildew. Others had aphids, slugs and black spot. It didn’t matter. This was a chance to peek over the garden walls and delight in the flowers and vegetables that were on display.

Fabulous lupins

It was wonderful to see so many lupins. One garden had ranks of Persian Slipper, Rachel de Thame and Blossom. The pastel shades of blue and pink really complemented each other. In a tiny cottage garden I spotted a magnificent red display consisting of Beefeater, Red Rum and Towering Inferno.

Elsewhere I saw Terracotta, Salmon Star and Masterpiece. It was great to see so many gorgeous lupins on my visits.

Other gems

Other gems in the open gardens included geraniums, astrantia and geums.

Tallest ever echiums

There were also the tallest echiums I have ever seen. They must have been well over three metres high. Their blue and pink spires were absolutely covered in bees. Truly magnificent.

As well as the flowers I enjoyed looking at people’s vegetable plots. I was reassured to see that my spinach was not the only one to have bolted.

Enjoying the warm days

It has been lovely to have some warm days. I do like sitting outside. First thing in the morning I take my tea out to a peaceful corner of the garden. I sit there watching the blue tits harvesting greenfly from my roses. Feeding their broods is a never-ending job. It might not be efficient as using chemicals but it is much better for all concerned.

I love the smell of early morning. The sweet perfume of lonicera wakens my senses. I have Simonet and Tellmanniana both of which are delightful.

Mid-morning coffee

If I get a chance I’ll have a coffee under the pergola mid-morning. It is currently draped in clematis flowers. The light-purple of Amethyst Beauty complements the deep pink of Barbara Harrington.

In the evening I might have a cheeky glass of wine in the sun.

Lovely country wedding

Last weekend I helped a bride decorate the church with flowers. She had grown them all herself. There were enormous creamy-white ammi. Beautiful cornflowers provided splashes of blue and purple colour. Glorious sweet peas gave a heavenly scent. The only things missing were lupins. But then I would say that!

Gardening tips

Feed tubs and hanging baskets regularly. Stake tall plants to prevent wind and rain damage. Plant out annuals and summer bedding. Start sowing seeds for next year’s flowers.

#gardens #flowers #warm #lupins #geranium #clematis #lonicera #echium #astrantia #geums

Platinum Jubilee flowers

Posted on 24th May 202221st October 2022 by WestcountryNurseries

Celebrate the Jubilee with flowers

At the beginning of June the nation will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I can think of no better way of celebrating than with flowers.

We’re celebrating the Jubilee here with an Open Day at the nursery on Friday, June 10th. Come and see us between 10am and 3.30pm. The lupins will be in full bloom and there will be lots of plants for you to buy.

Flower festivals

Up and down the country there will be flower festivals to mark the Jubilee. There’s one near here and I have the porch to decorate.

Good colour scheme

I’m quite lucky with the colour scheme. We have been told we can use any colours associated with the Queen for inspiration, I could go with silver and purple to complement the Platinum Jubilee bunting I have bought. Or, red, white and blue would reflect the national flag. If I don’t fancy those I could choose any of Her Majesty’s gorgeous colourful outfits for inspiration.

I think I will aim for a little bit of everything.

Lupins are the best

The best flowers for the festival are definitely lupins. For purple I can choose between Blacksmith, King Canute and Shirley Anne. Silver is more difficult but I could always pop a Cashmere Cream in the mix.

Red, white and blue is easy. Red Rum and Tequila Flame for the reds. Snow Queen and Polar Princess for the whites. And Persian Slipper for the blues.

I liked the bright yellow outfit the Queen was wearing for her trip on the Elizabeth Line. Desert Sun is the perfect match.

Need other flowers too

However tempting I can’t just use lupins. I will be turning to Geranium Orion for purple. Deschampsia caespitosa Golden Dew for silver.

Phlox divaricata Chattahoochee has bright blue flowers with a red centre. Imperata cylindrica Rubra will provide more red and give some structure to my display. There will be blue from the salvias, especially Cacaliifolia and Black and Blue.

Hopefully with all these at my disposal I will be able to make a suitable arrangement.

Thank you for the rain

The recent rain has been welcome. Everything was getting very thirsty. The rain has encouraged many plants to bloom including geums.

Geum Poco is a riot of golden yellow flowers.

Gardening tips – Cut back the foliage of flowering bulbs if it has completely died down. Plant summer bedding, including astrantia for colourful displays through to autumn. Keep tender seedlings and young plants watered. Keep an eye out for #colour #lupins #flowers #plants ##dierama #phlox #geum #salvias #geraniums

Autumn Chelsea

Posted on 27th September 202127th October 2022 by WestcountryNurseries

Plenty of colour in the garden

There’s still plenty of colour in the garden. My flowers have all benefited from the recent sun. Roses which I thought were over have sent out new buds. The dahlias are magnificent and will remain so until the first frost. After a miserable August, September has been a fabulous month.

Asters in full bloom

The asters are still in full bloom. My Monch have been seething with flowers all summer and they show no sign of stopping. Their beautiful lavender blue blooms are covered in bees and butterflies. I get a buzz from all the buzzing every time I walk past them.

Late summer show from the dierama

The dierama are also putting on a late summer show. The blooms wave in the wind like fairy wands. They have taken over from the pulcherrimum which are beginning to die down. However, there are still enough of their pink fishing rod flowers to add a dash of colour and movement in the garden.

Another plant which blooms into autumn is the salvia. Confertiflora has unusual velvety red flowers well into November. It contrasts well against the sky blue Uliginosa. Black and Blue is also providing some very welcome colour.

Start thinking about winter

Despite the warm weather and the colourful flowers I need to start thinking about winter. I have been digging up annuals which are past their best. My pruning shears have been sharpened ready for some serious cutting back.

The greenhouse is still full of tomatoes, peppers and chillies. I will soon need to take them out to provide space for pots which need over-wintering away from the dangers of frost.

Welcome spring visitor

I have a very unseasonal flower. A narcissus which has been dormant in an outdoor pot all summer has decided to bloom. It might be six months early but it is very welcome.

It has reminded me that now is the time to plant bulbs for next spring.

Mixed emotions for Chelsea

I enjoyed watching the Chelsea Flower Show on television. It was good to see it going ahead although I was sad not to be there. It has been a very difficult two years for everyone who grows plants for a living. But, fingers crossed, next year will be better. My lupins will be back where they belong.

Gardening tips – If it is dry enough mow the lawn. You never know when it will be too wet to mow until next spring. Plant bulbs including snowdrops, crocus and daffodils. Keep dead heading flowers to prolong displays. Water pots sparingly. Remove dead and dying foliage. Bring tender plants into the greenhouse or a cold frame to overwinter.

#autumn #bulbs #summer #lupins #dierama #salvia #winter #annuals

Lupins ready!

Posted on 4th May 202122nd November 2022 by WestcountryNurseries

The garden has burst into life

The garden has burst into life. Birds are pairing up. The dawn chorus is a symphony of song. There are new green leaves on the trees and hedges. Blossom season is in full swing. Daffodils have given way to tulips. The first lily of the valley is in bud.

And, we are nearly out of lockdown. What’s not to like?

Cautious optimism

As we come out of lockdown, I am cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. We will all still face challenges. For the first time for many years West Country Nurseries won’t be at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The organisers have moved it to September. I can’t delay my lupins for that long. The lupin choir will have sung its heart out by July. I am really sorry to be missing it. I love meeting customers face to face and sharing my passion for plants with them

Clematis are flowering

My garden is really colourful. The clematis are flowering like mad. My favourite though, is Armandii which has wonderfully fragrant white flowers. The perfume from them is really powerful. Armandii Apple Blossom which has pink flowers and vigorous mahogany-red twining shoots is also worth a look.

Lupins are on their way

More importantly the lupins are putting in an appearance. They are a joy to see. Lupins add structure and colour to any garden. They always make me smile.

This year I am growing Beefeater, Magic Lantern and Snow Queen. You can grow tree lupins from seeds. They can be sown anytime between February and September for flowers the following year. Lupins also come as individual 9cm pots if you want flowers this year. Whatever your level of gardening we can help.

Lupinus ‘Beefeater’ with ‘Persian Slipper in the background

Greenhouse is full

In the greenhouse I have row upon row of seedlings. Planting from seed is always a gamble. Sometimes I get many more plants than I need – does anyone need a spare cucumber? And there’s always something that doesn’t come up. My chillies and peppers are yet to make an appearance, but I live in hope.

Very dry

We have had a very dry April. The sun has shone, and we have had perfect blue skies. This means I have had to water more than usual. But that is changing. We have had 24 hours of solid gentle rain. This is perfect for gardens. Enough water to make a difference. Not so much it washes the soil away.

Gardening tips

Water young plants daily. Dead head spring bulbs once they have stopped flowering but do not cut back their leaves. Harden off tender plants. Once the danger of frost is over transplant vegetables and flowers from the cold frame or greenhouse into their final spots in the garden.

#colour #clematis #lupins #summer #gardens #seeds #shows #scent #planting #bulbs #gardens #flowers #leaves #daffodils #Chelsea #dry