Sunday 11 October 2009

Wildflowers

Still camera-less so thought I would catch up on some of the things I meant to post this summer but never got round to. I know I'll be stating the blindingly obvious when I say that the midgefarm is not a manicured garden. The bonus of the untidiness is all the wonderful wildflowers that pop up.

Spring starts with banks of primroses on the first tier before even the azaleas are out.
Just as these start to fade, the bluebells in the grass above are reaching their prime. Of course this means I don't cut the grass (yippee) and there are daisies in abundance.

Then as the bluebells die back the foxgloves start waving for attention.
I have two grassy banks on the third tier. I have planted a blue ceanthus, a periwinkle and a pale yellow potentilla on the first bank. I had visions of the blue and pale yellow growing in a mix together. But nature put together a much prettier mix. This bank was covered in cuckoo flowers in spring which the orange tip butterflies loved. This slowly gave way to hawkweed, selfheal and clover. The bank was constantly buzzing with bumble bees and hoverflies and all sorts of grasshoppers singing. I think I may have to move my plants and let nature have her way.
There are other more secretive plants hiding in little clumps. This sweet forget-me-not lives on the second bank.




I didn't tidy the grass round this old tree stump as there was a speedwell looking very pretty growing through it.
And those are just the few photos I could find (my files are as tidy as my garden). There's so much more, several types of St John's wort, creeping Jenny, ferns, willows, hazels all unplanned but all very welcome.

8 comments:

  1. Luverly.
    Are not 'forget-me-nots' the sweetest wildflowers to herald spirng into summer!

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  2. I love your garden! My personal style is an unstructured garden. Your wildflowers are just beautiful.

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  3. This cat is so cute, I'd like to reach out and touch it. I like its soft shiny fur. I certainly cannot these lovely forget-me-nots.

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  4. Hi Alice, yes I think the the forget-me-nots are my favourites. They're gorgeous, such a pure, delicate colour.

    Thanks Noelle, I wish I could take credit but the wildflowers do it all by themselves.

    Hallo Autumn Belle, you're welcome to take handfuls of the fur. She leaves trails everywhere in the house and garden. The birds love it in the Spring. I imagine their nests look like they're lined with mohair.

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  5. Yes, I do like our way of making space for the wildflowers to blossom in your garden.

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  6. little flowers are usually cute and beautiful but we really have to squat down and view them like ants and butterflies. Close-up photos of little flowers normally bring out the best in them... Lovely flowers you display. ~bangchik

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  7. Love the foxgloves! I have no luck with them so I am so jealous of your huge patch.

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  8. Hi Bangchik, thanks for your comment. I agree the little ones often get overlooked but are very beautiful when you take the time to squat down and view close up.

    Hallo Sylvana, I love the foxgloves too. I would like to take the credit for the display but they look after themselves. They are very, very popular with the bumble bees.

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