The newest garden is now part-planted…
Death to the Common Buttercup!
The Creeping Buttercup (ranunculus repens L. aka devil’s guts, granny threads, ram’s claws, sitfast or tether-toad) is on the way out of the garden! What a battle it’s been! Neither spraying nor repeated mowing has helped so it’s back to basics and trowel digging. The sloping area of ground doesn’t help either; not that easy to sit and dig. But worth the oh so sore hands and wrists! The newest area of garden now includes mostly natives, generally in drifts of three, chosen for drought resistance once established (if we should ever have a drought here!)…
Ajuga—the one with the giant flower (under the Albany Surprise grapevines), Penstemon ‘True Blue’ clear sky blue in colour and Gazania ‘Kiss Mahogany’
Sisyrinchium Striatium Variegatum (palest lemon yellow) – iris, Miscanthus Sinensis ‘Morning Light’ (Arching, silvery-blue, deciduous Japanese grass) I hope it grows to full height of about 2m.
Heliotrichon Sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass), Coprosma ‘Lobster’ a divaricating plant which is a favourite of mine, Dietes ‘grandiflora’ iris, Phormium ‘Platt’s Black and Carex Flagellifera—beautiful effects with bronze-purple colouring.
‘Oi Oi’ grass, Libertia ‘Taupo Sunset’, Cordyline fruticosa ‘Corbra’ – not surving too well with the heavy rain of a few weeks ago.
Can’t believe that two wheelbarrows full of plants from Roger H.’s (best supplier ever!) filled such a smallish area once planted. The white waterlily camellia is nearby and a few other plants are yet to go in. But it’s a start! Once fully grown there should be no space between; at least that’s the plan… Hey, they’re mostly natives! Not bad for a (previously) committed cottage gardener.
