Epimedium x rubrum

judithegardener — Tue, 07 May 2013 05:58:39 +0000

This is such a stunningly beautiful little plant which deserves being viewed from down on your knees.. as I lift up its incredibly delicate flower heads to take in their beauty, they tremble on their wiry stems. The heart shaped leaves flush from green to red as spring develops and by autumn turn auburn red. These plants are perfect for shady borders and give every reason to be discovered in the cooler shadows of your garden.

Botanical name: Epimedium x rubrum
Other names: Red barrenwort, Epimedium alpinum ‘Rubrum’
Genus: Epimedium
Species: E. x rubrum - E. x rubrum is a herbaceous perennial with heart-shaped leaves and red and yellow flowers in spring held on wiry stems. Its leaves emerge red-tinted, age to green, then become flushed auburn in autumn.
Epimedium x rubrum is: Deciduous
Flower: Yellow, Red in Spring
Foliage: Flushed red in Spring; Mid-green in Summer; Reddish-brown in Autumn
Habit: Mat FormingAwards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

If you would like to talk with me about a new planting plan for your garden or a bespoke Dingly Dell, please do feel free to get in touch, my email is judi@judithegardener.co.uk. For gardening development and maintenance enquiries (North-East London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Enfield) please telephone 07818 005773.

Happy gardening!

Uncinia rubra (Red Hook Sedge)

judithegardener — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:29:38 +0000

I love this little plant and only recently discovered it whilst working on a planting plan for clients with brick raised beds. Of course, as in other aspects of life, I now see it everywhere and I can’t understand why I hadn’t spotted it sooner. Is it just me or have plantsmen and women in London decided this is the plant of the season.. I guess it helps that it is hardy and evergreen, a real keeper.

The colouring is absolutely beautiful and lights up when sunlight hits it. If you enjoy a high-contract planting scheme then try combining this plant with Alchemilla erythropoda (Dwarf Lady’s Mantle), Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ (Black Mondo) and Armeria maritima (Thrift) for a sunny raised planter or border. Absolutely gorgeous!

Botanical name: Uncinia rubra
Other names: Red hook sedge, Uncinia unciniata ‘Rubra’
Genus: Uncinia
Species: U. rubra - U. rubra is an evergreen, perennial grass with glossy reddish-green leaves and dark-brown flower spikes in summer.
Uncinia rubra is: Evergreen
Flower: Insignificant or absent, Brown in Summer
Foliage: Red, Brown in All seasons
Habit: Clump-forming

Happy gardening!

New beginning..

judithegardener — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 06:36:47 +0000

What a fantastic start to the spring term.. seeing everyone again was very moving and the delight at discovering the seedlings’ was clearly evident on all our faces. During the Prospects Project Easter break, I was worried that the sewn seeds might stumble but to our collective delight the results so far are fantastic or should I say “plantastic” as Elz, one of the group proclaimed!

I welcomed both returning and new group members, as our little band of allotmenteers is growing, I find it so deeply rewarding to see people light up at the prospect of growing both edibles and ornamentals on the Welcome Centre’s allotment. Our thanks goes to the generous donations of seeds and weed control membrane that has really helped get this project underway.

So far we have had appearances from cucumbers, tomotoes, lettuce, spinach and runner beans.. we are so looking forward to discovering which of the seeds will reveal themselves to us next week!

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I write regularly about my horticultural endeavours and if you have any questions or fancy a chat with me do please feel free to get in touch, always happy to talk about plants..

Happy gardening!

Pulmonaria officinalis

judithegardener — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:26:18 +0000

I love this plant, especially because it has endured so much in the way of harsh weather this unending winter, despite it officially being spring.. Still the will is within it to make an appearance up out of the soil and I am instantly all the happier for it. Not only does this plant have the most delicate pale purple and pink flowers, but its leaves host striking white spots and splodges that make it look even more charming.

I love having this plant in a partially shaded spot in my garden and often recommend it to clients and all its varieties, of which there are many, my particular favourites are P. ‘Blue Ensign’ and P. ‘Sissinghurst White‘.

I am currently working on a simple planting plan for a north-east facing border and have incorporated these and P. rubra. I find them all gorgeous and I bring out their colours by adding Alchemilla mollis, with its beautifully soft dusty pale green leaves and tiny star-like flowers held up above them. As planting companions I am also planting Camassia quamash and Aqualegia vulgaris ‘Alba’.. I can’t wait to see all that loveliness coming together.

Happy gardening!

My first ever interview..

judithegardener — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:08:54 +0000

My thanks to Anna B from ‘dig the outside‘ for finding me on WordPress, following me and inviting me for an interview about my work. I loved it and I hope you enjoy the read. Anna B is a very accomplished allotmenteer and blogger. http://www.digtheoutside.com/2013/03/23/meeting-the-people-judi-the-gardener/

Happy gardening!

Seedlings with prospects..

judithegardener — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:38:50 +0000

How absolutely thrilling to spot the first seedlings pop their heads up out of the compost and they are (drum roll please).. Tomato ‘Gardeners’ Delight and Lettuce ‘Toothed Crisphead’ both packets of seeds were very kindly gifted to the Prospects Project by Tim Palmer of Palmer Permaculture.

So not only did we see the arrival of our first classroom sown seedlings but we also took delivery of our outdoor shelving unit with cover to protect our little ones during the coldest days of early spring. It was great seeing the construction of the unit going on in the Welcome Centre’s garden and moves us on to the next phase of our project.

.. more next week. Until then, happy gardening!

Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’

judithegardener — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:06:16 +0000

I love these beautiful little plants which look perfect at the front of a cottage garden border. Already in flower in late February / early March. The delicate white flower heads, with their green mound and stamen shimmer up from winter’s residue. Plant them where they meet the sun and you shall enjoy them for years to come..

Botanical name: Anemone coronaria (De Caen Group) ‘Die Braut’
Other names: Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’, Garden anemone ‘Die Braut’
Genus: Anemone
Variety or cultivar: ’Die Braut’ _ ‘Die Braut’ is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial with divided foliage and pure white flowers in late spring to early summer.
Anemone coronaria (De Caen Group) ‘Die Braut’ is: Deciduous
Flower: White in Spring; White in Summer
Foliage: Green in Spring; Green in Summer
Habit: Compact, Erect, Spreading
Toxicity: Eating may cause mild stomach upset, and skin contact may cause irritation.

If you would like to talk with me about a new planting scheme for your garden or a bespoke Dingly Dell, please do feel free to get in touch, my email is judi@judithegardener.co.uk. For gardening development and maintenance enquiries (North-East London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Enfield) please telephone 07818 005773.

Happy gardening!

The 49ers get divvying-up

judithegardener — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:37:07 +0000

Great to be back outside on the allotment site after a good few weeks of doing practical workshops inside. What a fantastic day, not only did we start on divvying-up the plot into mini-plots, but the sun came out too! We actually worked on the soil in full sun and made all the warmer by the digging, raking and weeding.

I feel such a great sense of pride through these endeavours and of the participants; who have taken this activity so open-heartedly into their worlds. I hear and respond to various comments, questions and expressions of insight and discovery, which really makes me feel that I’m on the right track. I am still new at this and I need the feedback to ensure that people feel they are learning and being acknowledged for who they are and what they bring with their own life’s experiences.

We were quite literally making pathways yesterday and I realise as I read this back to myself and do a bit more tweaking, that actually we were making pathways into our own lives as well. Being in and amongst nature, working in the soil; really helps the mind to go quiet and the body to take over and in these feelings of completeness, discoveries and connections to earth, nature and each other begins.

There is a great deal of learning for all of us in this process. We have lots to do both inside the classroom and on the allotment, with spring just around the corner, I can feel the motivation rising as fast as the sap. We have broken things that need fixing and replacing and we have to decide where we are going to locate the composting area and water tanks.. All things in time..

.. more next week. Until then, happy gardening!

Our first seed sowing workshop

judithegardener — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:29:06 +0000

What a fantastic workshop we had this week.. not only did we get all our pots scrubbed, but we actually got to sow our first seeds, hoorah! The group were palpably happy to be getting to this stage and we began with our inside seed sowings of ‘Early’ Jalapeno Peppers, ‘Gardeners’ Delight’ Tomatoes, ‘Toothed Crisphead’ Lettuce, ‘Thai Long Green’ Aubergines and Spring Onions.. These are just some of the seeds we have been so generously gifted!

We spent some time talking about the compost mix we were going to make and then we found the perfect wooden box for all to get their hands into.. one group member commented on how therapeutic handling the compost felt and was delighted by the experience of running it through their fingers, as if in preparation for making a cake.

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As I said in my last blog I am aiming to keep the project organic and so I have used peat-free organic compost in the seed mix. I have been using Vital Earth’s products for the past two years and exclusively make all my seed sowings in this compost. I do add vermiculite and home-made compost when I’ve got some. In time, we hope to be able to make home-made compost for the allotment, our plan is to collect the fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps from the Welcome Centre and deliver them to ‘Plot 49′ for composting.

Next week we head out to the allotment ‘Plot 49′ where we begin divvying up the plot into mini-plots for each group member to look after and bring to life..

Until next week – happy gardening!

Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose)

judithegardener — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:22:44 +0000

My love affair started when Carol Klein enthused about these plants on Gardeners World some years back. Her beautiful Glebe Cottage garden has an abundance of them and I instantly loved them and had to have them in my own garden.

I am developing a woodland feel garden for the front of my house (North-facing) and already their deep burgundy flowers are making an appearance, just 18 days into February. Truly lovely. I am loving watching my new-look garden taking shape and seeing all the new autumn-planted delights, let me know that they made it through the winter and are ready to do their thing..

Botanical name: Helleborus orientalis
Other names: Lenten rose, Lenten hellebore, Oriental hellebore, Winter rose
Genus: Helleborus
Species: H. orientalis - H. orientalis is a clump-forming, semi-evergreen or evergreen perennial with leathery, deep green basal leaves with lance-shaped leaflets and, from midwinter to mid-spring, stout, branched stems bearing nodding or outward-facing, saucer-shaped, white, sometimes pink- or green-flushed flowers becoming pinker with age.
Helleborus orientalis is: Semi evergreen
Flower: White, Greenish-white, Pink, Purple in Spring
Foliage: Dark-green in All seasons
Habit: Clump-forming
Toxicity: Ingestion may cause severe discomfort; skin irritant.

Happy gardening!