power plant

I love autumn. It is not only leaf colour, but also the softer light, the grasses, and the flowers that bloom at this time of year. Today I have chosen some favourites for my Monday vases, as I join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her Monday meme. I am making the most of the last flowers after our first (thankfully light) frost on Saturday night. Only a few Anemones seemed to have been affected and were hanging their heads first thing. So, first of all, the red berries and pinky orange foliage of Viburnum opulus, combined with the pure sunshine of the yellow Helianthus tuberosus (Topinambur). Both of these plants light up my morning amble around the garden with Anouk, and even on a dull day they brighten the view across the garden. (Click on any photo to enlarge) Then the asters and salvias. My special salvias that may or may not make it through the winter are showcased in this tiny autumnal vase. Let me see if I can remember their names: pale pink ‘Joy’, yellow ‘Golde...

I had no idea woodpeckers like hazelnuts. Ingenious nutcracking system! (But our poor oak isn’t happy…)

I’m back with another weed to share today, and it is one that I have seen regularly both in the UK and Germany since I was very young. Lysimachia arvensis (also Anagallis arvensis ) is known to me as Scarlet Pimpernel , and it pops up in gardens and meadows all over the place almost year round. The bright orange flowers have always identified it for me, but I have recently heard the flowers can be blue! Well, if you have ever seen a blue scarlet, do let me know! Its creeping habit means it can spread into flower beds sneakily. It is, however, an easy plant to pull up, with only shallow thin roots. The flowers are barely a centimetre across, and only open when the sun shines, while the soft green leaves seem pretty resilient to heat and dry weather. What I didn’t know until now is that it is toxic, and animals avoid grazing it due to its extreme bitter taste. It has nonetheless been used in herbal medicine for treating wounds, and even internally for treating depression or menta...

I was in the UK recently and attended my niece’s wedding in Norfolk, on the East coast of England. The location was chosen for the simple fact that our family loves North Norfolk, having spent so many holidays there since my sister and I were very young. It was such a romantic affair – the beautiful couple took their vows in a garden overlooking the sea, and the flowers everywhere were a dream. They came from a local florist that specializes in locally grown seasonal flowers. Here is a little glimpse of some of them: dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, hydrangeas, strawflowers, Japanese anemones… glorious!   Since returning home I have been thinking about those flowers and wondering if I will ever manage to grow such beautiful zinnias and dahlias in my exposed garden. I need to put my thinking cap on this winter! Well, I do have a couple of dahlias to share at least, as I join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly meme. I am still considering trying to save this parti...

Over the past couple of weeks, when we go out into the garden, we try to remember to take a bag, a bucket, or at least have empty pockets…. to collect hazelnuts! Our old Anouk will snuffle from one bush to the next, helping us find those that have already dropped to the ground. And a gentle shake or even a sharp tug will release those ripe enough to pick from the branches. And we have had hundreds, all of which are now drying and ripening in a net sack in the hallway. Treasure! This is what inspired the title for my vase today, as I join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her Monday meme. Some of the flowers available for cutting could also be considered treasure. The Topinambur ( Helianthus tuberosus ) for example. Its beautiful golden flowers are now opening, but beneath the soil the edible tubers are also ripening and can stay in the ground until you want them. Personally I don’t like the flavour, but some people love them and will pay a lot in a health food shop or at a ma...