Ebbs and Flows - Part 3


Just when we thought we wanted some order to the plantings here, we turn and go a little silly.

Christmas is often termed the Silly Season, and we have been lulled into a false sense of security over spring and early summer. The heat of the last five years, this season has given way to delirious cool with the promise this may afford us.

Filled with hope, we sprayed a large section of the south garden, mainly chocked with multiple Cyclamen species and varieties and Moraeas. These were all competing for the limited space that a small city garden has to produce the necessary flowers of happiness each year.

I guess we are somewhat spoilt, instead of being satisfied with the mediocre, repeat flowering, year in and out; once a plant or bulb has flowered, we begin thinking what else can we grow in that space?

We decided to go down the Lilium path again and structure this tiny patch of cityscape with tall puncuations of Liliums darting up to the heavens through the remaining weeping trees. More than two thirds have been lopped over the years.

As we have to wait for Lilium ordering time, we busied ourselves with transplanting some cream, yellow and orange clivias along the outside south walls to our bedroom and library.

  • Then our what if.... snapped in again. What if our summer this year was short and sharp for a change? What if, with the changing patterns under Greenhouse, the summers become cooler here?

  • Could we establish a wall of hydrangea as a living hem to view the street from our windows. Can we remember to prune them so we can see the liliums when they bloom?

    To protect the Hydrangea involucrata Hortensis we have lugged around with us from State to State we purchased, as many of you who have visited know; some rather tall weeping evergreen alders, which I think was a huge mistake because one is forever pruning their skirts to keep them from becoming too wide and blousey. But they do protect from the scorching sun of summer and help break up the chilly winds of winter. The only Hydrangea paniculata we have left standing in the garden is Hydrangea paniculata 'Floribunda' which flourishes out the northern side along with other hydrangeas species grown. Again before doing anything, we asked ourselves the question, will this work?

    The copyright of the article Ebbs and Flows - Part 3 in Alpines and Bulbs is owned by Gary Buckley. Permission to republish Ebbs and Flows - Part 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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