Wow nearly a month has gone by since my last post and things are on the move again. I’ve started to take out lots of overgrown shrubs giving me lots more room for more perennials and bulbs. Gone are the Garria, a Philladelphia and a Forsythia. Can’t believe I’ve left these shrubs in for so long. Among these was a fushia that had also outgrown it’s spot, this was originally Fushia Sharpitor, but it had reverted to a plain green leaf, luckily I had taken cuttings a few years ago and now have a lovely healthy variegated leaf plant.
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All this space is getting me ready for our foray into North Wales soon where we will be visiting Crug Farm Plants and possibly coming home with more goodies.
Some interesting plants flowering at the moment are,
Roscoea Brown Peacock, great looking dark stems setting off huge purple and white flowers.
Another Roscoea possibly Auriculata. This is good reliable plant with lots of paler purple flowers with a white hood.
Cautleya Crug Canary looking at it’s best now with lots of flowering stems, plus I have grown a lot from seed from this plant two years ago and they are now reaching flowering size. I love the dark red stems, they have been looking good with the Crocosmia Lucifer and other hot colours in this bed.
Eucomis Freckles, this is a stunning short eucomis, I thought would be hard to place. Here it is looking good with the thin strappy leaves and soft orange / red flowers of Anomatheca laxa. Sadly the A’Laxa refused to want it’s picture taking.
And now my Surprise Invitation.
A couple of weeks ago I was approached by the National Gardens Scheme asking us if we would like to open our garden with them. I was quite daunted by this at first as I was worried my health might be a hindrance, but with encouragement from friends and family we have agreed. So last Monday I had a visit from two lovely ladies who had quite an in depth walk/talk around the garden, pointing out a couple of issues that were of my concern and assuring me that all is well. So along with two more gardens in the area we have been accepted to open sometime next year. This evening I will be meeting with the other two gardeners to discuss what sort of time of year we will be opening. It’s all very exciting if a little scary, I know we open most years for our local trail, but this is BIG and I don’t want to let people down. So I think we will have to have a day off tomorrow and celebrate quietly with a meal and a drink…. till next time …
from sewing room to potting shed 
It is quite an honour being asked to open your garden but at least you have the practice of having opened it locally before and enjoying that. I think a garden should be for sharing.
I find it so hard to do anything about plants that have outgrown their position. Sometimes you don’t even realise it has happened. I struggled hard to get established shrubs and I find it hard to cut them back to size or worse – dispose of them. Amelia
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Thank you and you are right, I love sharing especially plants. I give more away than sell. As for overgrown shrubs, I can sympathise with you on finding it hard to get plants established but here I turn my back and they have taken over leaving little precious room for anything else. I do love my perennials. Sue.
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I love your Cautleyas. I have just bought a new one called Cautleya beesiana ‘ Monique’. I am intrigued about your seedlings, I wonder if you will get some interesting new hybrids.
Congratulations about the invitation to open for the NGS. I am not surprised, I used to be a County Organiser for the NGS and yours is just the sort of gardern that I would have been delighted to secure. I get the organisers went off feeling really pleased with themselves for finding such a beautiful garden.
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I hope the seedlings produce something a bit different, you never know. If they don’t and they are the same as the parent you may have one. Thank you for your nice comment about the garden, that’s a compliment from someone who has never been…. 🙂
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Thank you Sue, how lovely.
No, I have never seen your garden, but I feel I know it from your blog. And I certainly know you have lots of wonderful and unusual plants.
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Well done Sue. Your gardens always the best. Sure you’ll fine.
Speak soon. Mary Turner x
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Thanks Mary. Still a bit daunting though. xx
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Well done you! I am sure your visitors will have a wonderful time!
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Thank you I’ve got a year now to ponder and renew some areas. 🙂
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Well, you’ve certainly been busy, and congratulations on your garden tour invitation. If I lived closer, I’d volunteer to come help with the prep work. 🙂
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Your help would be welcome… shame about the long journey… 🙂
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Great news, I am sure you will be a hit with all your visitors. Love the roscoea 🙂
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Thanks Gill. Had a meeting with the other two gardens opening…. !!!
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Congratulations! Is there a specific season you’ll be hoping for or are you entirely flexible?
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Well with me opening with two other gardens it seems they are not as flexible as me. I would have liked an early date and a later one, but it has been decided that we will be opening in May as we already open as a local trail in June. I’ll give in a try next year but if it doesn’t work out as a group I might try to go it alone. Still looking forward to it though. Thanks Sue.
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How exciting – and to have been approached by the NGS rather than the other way round!! Well deserved though – I really felt at home in your garden so am thrilled for you even though it means more hard work. If you have seen my blog recently you will have seen that I have been making enquiries too and will have another visit next year after a bit of tweaking before a decision is made.
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I think congratulations are in place!
So lucky to be able to visit in person Crug Farm – maybe you’ll post about the visit? I can only visit ‘virtually’ but it’s always interesting.
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