June '13 trip to the Botanic Gardens

What a place to visit this weather!

As you know I do an almost monthly visit, to catch what's hot (and what's not), and honestly, it's like being in a different world to my April visit.

I simply couldn't make May, with demands of life and so forth, so figured a June visit would have to do.

It is interesting though, most of the Spring bedding that sat for so long doing nothing was being lifted and I only found one example a bed with late flowering Tulips and Spring bedding. In other beds the Summer display was planted, or being planted.

As you might know, my two main stalwarts to visit are the are the rockery and the herbaceous border. Both looked lush and green and there was plenty if colour in each.

The herbaceous borders seemed to have Geraniums stand out as the most prolific flowering family, and Hosta's as the most colourful leaves. There was other noticeable plants too, with bees buzzing about the variegated Borage and Lupins beginning to come into their own. Other plants showed plenty of potential, and, after seeing the big job done last Winter, we'll have to wait and see with these.

What did strike me, was the amount if staking and supports being put in place for the plants as they're growing. Something of a timely reminder for me. Because where we are, when the wind is calm, it's very very calm. , but when it's blowing, it's horrid, and this can really take its toll on the plants.

So, note to self, staking and supports at home this weekend ...

On to the rockery/ alpine area. Again, plenty of growth and some colour, actually was surprised there wasn't more, although what was there was lovely, done Helianthemums, Dianthus, Cerastium, etc.

What I did like was the Alchemilla that had almost naturalised itself along some sections of the pathways, poking out of nooks and crannies, softening the stone effect. Marvellous.

There was a fine example of the carpet bedding I referred to in one of my previous posts. And, of course, the Fuchsia and Perlagoniums were looking in tip top shape. Plants around waters edges were also fresh with some colour showing.

And to the veg garden. Really, this was the 'jewel in the crown' surprise! It was well laid out and planted, as you would expect, but whoever did this had a touch of style and good horticultural practice and technique. Just as it should be. Things were growing away, from salad crops, to veg crops, to herbs and fruit. Impressive on many levels.

Native plants are worth a final mention, and I know from my Twitter friends, and now more mainstream media outlets are picking up on it, the importance of bees to our lives, and how we can help. There was some nice examples of native flowers, growing and flowering away, and looking well too. Something I definitely need to learn more about from a cultivation point of view, maximising their use and impact on our gardens.

So, delighted to fit in a trip, catch all that lovely early Summer flowers and timely reminders of some tasks I need to tend to.

Happy gardening.

























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