Virtual Garden Tour

So very damp and overcast here in Southern England, but a leaf of my Fagus sylvatica Black Swan made me smile. Its not all about quantity!!!

 

Before the birds strip my Ilex aquifolium marginata of all its berries, I thought I would take a photo and share. We bought this for our 10th wedding anniversary, so it has some sentimental attachment. Yes a very long time ago, Lol.

 

Last evening just before the sun set and a very heavy downpour, I noticed my Carex Bronze star was looking quite nice and floaty for the time of year, so took a photo to share.

 

We have all been posting our Autumn colours from our gardens, but how about a shout for the evergreens. These I took today, always give me interest after the maple leaves have dropped.

 

Another day and a few more this morning that are 'mostly' green in my garden. Plus my Cornus kousa China girl that is still holding some leaves.

 

I thought I would share some of my evergreens now my maples are in wintermode ;-) Pictures are of:
Cryptomeria japonicum Dinger
Pinus schw. Wiethorst
Abies procera bizarro
Acer shishigashira still in leaf
Kohouts icebreaker
Picea omorika Pendula bruns
Pinus contorta chief joseph
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana wissels suguaro
Picea pungens st mary’s broom
Japanese black pine thunderhead
Picea pungens the blues
My first helleboris in bloom
Pinus parviflora bergman
Fatsia japonica in bloom

 

@MapleMO good morning M, so important for we maple growers to have some Winter interest and they also go so well together when they have leaves. Lovely selection you have there.

 

Well this is the first time in several weeks that I've wandered through my gardens - packed a little straw around one of plant, checked for wind damage and a general health check - and I'm still surprised to find that as much as I'd expect it to be, my garden isn't drab or dormant. In fact this is just a lull before the next round of blossoms appear...

evergreen spindle tree - first time it's flowered for me
ornamental cherry - still showing colors with lots of buds forming (flowering will occur from late November until March)
blue passion vine - still going and will continue until the first hard frost
paper bush - setting flower buds for late winter blooming
cornelian cherry - setting flower buds for late winter blooming
weeping larch - fall colors before dropping its needles
witch hazel - setting flower buds for late winter blooming
winter jasmine - setting flower buds for winter blooming
dwarf palmetto - still flowering
china blue aka sausage vine - fruit was harvest today (rather bland tasting)
cranberry - fruit is ready to harvest
medlar - fruit is currently "bletting" but is almost ready
last two photos are primrose - flowering year round.

 

I have been trying to expose as much rock as possible next to our second floor back deck, removing quite a bit of clay soil. The soil was covered in moss, but it just didn’t look right.
A year later, the mosses and lichens are already taking over, just what I expected.

 

Back in the 60's and 70 's to have lichen and moss welcomed in a garden in England would have been frowned upon, how everything has moved on and your posting N, highlights how all our thoughts about gardening has changed, for the better IMO.

 

That is beautiful —- is that a manufactured lumber like Trex Deck? The color is fantastic w the (granite?) rocks

 

AZEK composite decking, here in the first snow for the season a couple of weeks ago.

 

I know this is off original topic slightly — tho garden tours include hardscape don’t they

Is this AZEK material slippery in rain or winter frost?

Does it stain if you put a plant pot on the deck?

I see internet says we can get this material out west here in Canada (greater Vanc)

 

It does retain a lot of moisture on top when wet, but about the same as a wood deck. It just takes a bit longer for the water to evaporate, because it does not penetrate the material.
It is better than Trex, because it does not retain heat. Thus, you can walk barefoot on it on a hot sunny summer day without feeling any discomfort.
We love it, and they have many different options for color, railing style, etc. So far we are very happy with it.
Forgot to reply that the rock is granite, pink granite, this is what it looks like without any growth on it.

 

It should not stain if you put pots on it.

 

A rotting log in the yard with interesting texture.

 

Natures art, wonderful N, thankyou for sharing it.

 

It has been relatively mild temperature-wise these days. It was raining all night and all morning, and now the stream that runs next to our house is quite full. It is our only (and natural) water feature. At its closest it is about 5 meters from the front deck. Last photo is the big rock outcrop next to it.

 

Nothing can beat a natural water feature N, no matter how anybody tries. Love it !!

 

Beautiful! I would love to have such a feature in my gardens, but that's kind of hard to do in the city :)

 

All I have to do to our back yard is to wait for the fallen branches and trees to be picked up (mid Dec was the first opening for the company we use) and blow the leaves off the moss afterwards.