The Garden Curator · The Garden Curator

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Garden: A place where plants are grown for pleasure
Curator: from Latin: one who cares, from curare, to care for

The most recently planted perennials beds, just in

The most recently planted perennials beds, just into their second year. We're heading for a scorching weekend, so I'm out here in my pj's capturing them before they ( and I) face the elements. There are more videos in stories if you fancy a virtual garden wander!
Happy weekend all, stay cool (or warm for northern friends!).♡♡♡

Have you been inundated lately by the tiny bugs th

Have you been inundated lately by the tiny bugs that squeeze through fly screens on warm nights in search of light? In the morning they're a carpet on the floor, countless tiny dead and barely alive bodies scattered like black confetti. I curse them, but they must serve some purpose in the scheme of things.
The design of these minuscule critters can't be seen with the naked eye, well not mine anyway. I wonder if their wings are like translucent stained glass windows, just like so many of their larger cousins? I'll think about that when I sweep them into the dustpan tomorrow morning. Any entomologists out there, do tell!

A morning moment with the roses and the birds. The

A morning moment with the roses and the birds. The deep purple blue ground over is Veronica spicata, commonly known as Speedwell, masses of cheery spires in late spring and early summer. A favourite given to us by Mum years ago, travelling with us through a few moves and now happy here.
These mornings before the heat settles are bliss!

The simplicity of the five petaled white roses Sil

The simplicity of the five petaled white roses Silver Ghost (top right) and Wedding Day (bottom right), is a vast contrast to the voluptuous blooms in my last post, but every bit as lovely. Wedding Day rambles over our chook pen, giving them shade in summer and an annual flush of blooms a little like poached eggs, vivid white with a yolk coloured centre.
Silver Ghost is new to the garden this year, 10 planted on the front terrace with the intention of replacing the Japanese wind flowers that I adore, but collapse in the heat. I chose them for their beautiful circular petals in crisp white and constant masses of flowers. They're babies, but already smiling. Interestingly though the wind flowers are standing their ground, loving the spring rain and pleading to be retained. I'll let them mingle with the roses and see what happens.
The Campanula on the left is Boule de Neige. icy white with a flush of green atop rigid upright stems. It's also on the front terrace, just settling in after scraping through the drought. I'm glad it survived, it's quite lovely.
White flowers are a bit like the white linen of the garden, fresh and timeless!

The roses are the current garden queens wearing ve

The roses are the current garden queens wearing velvet skirts and sweet perfume. As they fade there's a bit of "off with their heads " as spent blooms are snipped away to make room for new ones. My favourite way to "deadhead " is to cut big bunches to bring inside, the falling petals are as lovely on the table as the bunch in the vase. Otherwise when deadheading, I usually cut just above the first set of five leaves I find beneath the flowers, (you'll see the first leaves just below the flowers are in sets of 3, further down you find 5). If the branch is leggy I'll cut them lower. Where there are plenty more flowers to come I just pinch away the old blooms to give the new ones some elbow room.
When done you're left with a basket or barrow full of crepe paper petals in a wash of aging colour. Beautiful Now what to do with such a bundle of loveliness!

Hydrangeas are blooming in the studio this week, a

Hydrangeas are blooming in the studio this week, and just about to pop in the garden too. Did you know that in Victorian times Hydrangeas were thought to represent vanity and boastfulness due to their big showy blooms and lack of seeds - all talk no action? Thankfully we've moved on and these old fashioned flowers are loved for their voluptuous blooms. Here the Annabelle Hydrangeas are budding up on the front terrace, along with a few of the traditional H.macrophylla. They'll be flowering their socks off by Christmas, surrounded by the fabulous twisted spires of Lysimachia clethroides ( see image 2, taken last summer).
I do love them, but they are a bit precious when it comes to needs - in our climate protection from afternoon sun and hot wind is a must, and they demand plenty to drink. The few here are tucked beneath the canopy of a Chinese Elm on an east facing bank and I just managed to get them through drought. This year they'll repay the care with flowers for our Christmas trestle tables. They've lived to boast another day!

Why is it that the best time of day to be outside

Why is it that the best time of day to be outside in the garden is the same time that dinner needs to be cooked, washing brought in and things coordinated for the day to follow? At least the clothesline is in the garden, the kitchen window looks over it, and the family gathers around the kitchen table to discuss the day.