A Winter Homage to Finlay and Frosts
“Formal Gardens are (as it were) statues to Nature.“– Ian Hamilton Finlay 2 “Weather is a third to place and time” – Ian Hamilton … read more
Gardens
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The Gardens at Rosemary Cottage
These posts document the development of my garden here in West Sussex since I began building them soon after we moved here in 2007.
Gardens within gardens There are several different areas within the overall plot, each with its own character, micro-climate, planting theme and design ethos. You can use the filters below to find posts about each area.
Clematis alpina Alba – trained on wires
Virgin’s bowerClematis alpina AlbaSyn. C. Sibirica 8 ft (2.4 m) 3.5 ft (1 m) white Apr/May (Aug/Sep) full sun, part shade free-drained soil I … read more
Plant communities on my green roof
The green roof is ten years old, and the planting has matured into a fascinating naturalistic plant community. Any garden, as it matures, contains … read more
Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites)
throughout the year
In this post I look at the amazing design potential of this wonderful perennial which has a very long season of interest from January … read more
Four Artemisia varieties for Silver planting schemes
Artemisia abrotanum (top-left) Artemisia alba ‘Canescens’ (top-right) Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (bottom-left) Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’ (bottom-right) The Wormwood family (Artemisia species) include some very … read more
Fairy Thimble Bellflower
This pretty little alpine plant is Campanula cochlearifolia ‘Elizabeth Oliver’ also known as Fairy thimble bellflower, which is at its peak right now in … read more
White Lavandin Lavandula × intermedia ‘Edelweiss’
White Lavandin ‘Edelweiss’ is a beautiful summer flowering shrub that provides a long season of fragrant blooms later in the year than most lavenders. … read more
Aquilegia ‘Blue Star’
Aquilegia ‘Blue Star’ 18in (45cm) 14in (35cm) mauve / blue / white May-June Sun / Part-Shade This Aquilegia is one of the prettiest and … read more
Give Green a Chance The importance of foliage in planting design
Designing a planting scheme on a foliage-first basis is a sure-fire way to a classy garden. In this post I will show you how … read more
Early pastel colours for the dry garden
#rockgarden #mediterraneangarden #drygarden #gravelgarden #pastelshades Here are four less common perennials currently in flower in my new Pond Garden. They are highly floriferous, easy-care … read more
Double White Hellebore — Photo Study
⇧ I’m not sure of the variety name of this double white oriental hellebore, but it is one of my favourites and has flowered … read more