Persimmon

Write me down
As one who loved poetry
And Persimmons.
Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)

Masaoka Shiki
Japanese Poet

Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden

Beth Chatto's gravel garden in high summer
Elmstead Market, Essex, UK
(I need something to remind me of summer after a cold grey day here with everyone wearing scarves and winter black)

another Chilli Pepper post

Jalapeno for breakfast anyone?

or in the evening Dante's Martini from Hell.......
Take 2 & half ounces of gin, dry vermouth to taste, crushed ice, olive stuffed with chilli variety of choice. Mix gin and vermouth and crushed ice in a shaker.Pour into an ice cold martini glass, garnish with chilli olives............

Collectors' Plant Fair 2010

Florez Nursery at Collectors' Plant Fair 2008

The 6th annual Collectors' Plant Fair featuring 40 specialist growers from all over Australia will be held at 'Woodgreen' 27 Powells Road, Bilpin, New South Wales over the weekend of April 17th and 18th.

Stipa tenuissima, Mexican Feather Grass

Nassella tenuissima syn Stipa tenuissima

Mexican Feather grass made a brief appearance in gardens and nurseries here over ten years ago, until it was discovered that it had enormous weed potential. It was withdrawn from sale never to be seen again. I took this photo in Wisley Gardens in the UK where it remains a popular garden plant given its tolerance of cold conditions (minus 15C). It has incredibly soft flowing seed heads in summer and these move in the slightest breeze.
It is native to Mexico, New Mexico and Texas.

Postcards from Madras

The Conch Flower Creeper
 Clitoria ternatea

Madras is now known as Chennai and is the capital of the south Indian State of Tamil Nadu. A must see place to visit in the region is the Vedanthangal Water Bird Sanctuary about 75km to the south of Chennai. It comes alive with migratory birds from November to February.
These brightly coloured postcards are from the Madras Government Museum and feature common flowers of the city.

The Indian Laburnum
Cassia fistula

The Indian Madar
 Calotropis gigantea

Manoranjitham
 Artobotrys odoratissimus

Coral Jasmine
 Nyctanthes arbortristis

Anemone japonica, Japanese Windflower

Anemone japonica 'Alba' syn A.hupehensis 'Honorine Jobert'

I am growing a batch of the white 'Windflowers' as it is one of those classic garden plants which is fool-proof to grow; reliable and hardy, tolerating cold or dry soils and always putting on a great display of flowers every autumn. I prefer the white form because of its simplicity and it makes such an impact when grown in the shade of trees or in a dull garden corner. This Anemone gets ready to flower in late summer by firstly sending out a batch of new leaves which even have a slight gloss to them, then follows the flower stems which can eventually reach 1.5 metres in height. In the slightest breeze, the flowers wave and bend adding to their impact in the garden.
They can be propagated by division or by root cuttings taken at this time of year.

Anemone japonica, Pink form