So it's September, the best month of the year! The weather is still warm and settled although the nights are drawing in. The garden is at it's peak, having had all summer to grow (even in this, one of the worst summers on record!) So even in the chilly north of England in a rather dull and poor year for growing plants, many things have done well. Here is a tour of my garden in photos, hope you enjoy and if you have any questions then please ask!
This is one of the most reliable gingers available, H forrestii, spidery flowers with a very delicate scent. Although I grow it in a pot it is pretty hardy as far as I am aware.
Here is one of my favourite plants, Lobelia cardinalis with Arundo behind. Strong red flowers really hit you in the face and scream exotic.
This is a shot of the shady, wet part of the garden with fatsias, tree ferns and a rather nice cactus still dahlia which was left in the ground from last year.
To the front and side of the garage is my alocasia bed with portora to the left, Mayan Mask in the centre and gageana to the right. The tall ensete banana is montbelliardii. The Phormium is making a recovery in the foreground.
My main bed with a mixture of bananas, grasses, colocasia and dahlias. Good growth in August after a very very slow start. The banana in the background, top right is called hiniba.
Here is my might Tetrapanax "rex" It has been totally hardy, not losing the growth point in the 3 seasons that I've had it.
Complete contrast in leaf form and texture here with the fine fronds of Dicksonia antarctica, the huge leaves of Gunnera and the numerous leaves of the Shirosima bamboo.
Newly acquired tree fern doing well under the dappled shade of an apple tree with shade loving palms and a polycarpa.
New flush on a fatsia
Colocasia Pink Stem, could be hardy here but not tried it outside here.....yet.
Would be without lilies even thought Lily beetles have finally arrived to this part of Yorkshire.
My biggest palm, a lovely Jubaea.
Butia with all Yorkshire grown leaves!
Brahea doing well, although only 3 new leaves so far this year.
My arid bed wouldn't be complete without Californian poppies.
Here is my only echium and will need winter protection if it is to stand a chance of flowering next year.
A general view of my front garden. Everyting you see is in pots apart from the arid bed in the foreground.
All the plants in this photo have been grown from seed, cuttings or overwintered plants from last season.
My ginger bed with greenii and Verity, contasting foliage with I adore.
Dahlias are cheap and cheerfull and keep on going and going till the frosts.
Here we have the black leaves of Diamond Head colocasia and red and green leaves of a small ensete maurelii.
The image would never be replicated in nature with the arid Agave medio-picta alba and the pink flowering Hydrangea.
Spikies and softies.
More arids, this time Aeoniums planted out for the summer with house leeks below.
This Dasyliron has survived the last three winters completely unprotected! Although the main plant rotted away, this is one of the offsets from the original plant. The blue echeveria is left out all winter.
Musa and figs growing happily together.
One of many pot displays.
Coryline and Coleus
Finally an overview of my back garden. I manage to cram a lot in such a small space.
Thanks for viewing. Soon my attentions turn to preparing for winter....
