Garrya | Davids Garden Diary

South side

Just when you think you’ve got everything in the garden under control, Mother Nature slaps you in the face to remind you she is in charge! One of the key shrubs in the middle garden and an essential part of the structure planting is Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’. It was already established when we moved here so I guess it might be forty years old. Unusually, it is planted as a free-standing specimen and not against a north wall as was the tradition. In my re-design, I have worked around it to create a sweeping bed under-planted with Japanese Anemones. It also provides a permanent backdrop to the ornamental pond and casts late afternoon shade which the fish enjoy in summer. This is known to be a tough shrub capable of surviving sub zero temperatures for sustained periods despite it’s origins in the temperate regions of the western USA and central America. Indeed, it chooses to flower in the depths of winter which is a big part of its appeal, the long pinky green catkins giving it the common name of Silk-tassel bush. However, over the last month, the southern and west facing sides have turned an alarming dead brown colour.

North side

The north and east aspects are fine and healthy new growth is already appearing.So what’s different all of a sudden? Could it be last four winters have gradually taken their toll and weakened the ageing plant beyond its pain threshold? But if so, why only on the south and west sides? Perhaps it was the harsh pruning last year to re-shape and lift the canopy to promote the under-storey? Given the sustained cold weather for three months followed by a sudden period of warm sunshine I am going to assume it is frost damage and nothing more serious at this stage. There is new growth appearing from behind the crispy brown exterior so I think it’s out with the ladder and secateurs and keeping fingers crossed time!

Garrya elliptica catkins in the snow

After 3 bitterly cold days, it warmed slightly and the snow arrived. Not much, 10cm or so, but enough to keep us indoors. Most low lying shrubs and emerging bulbs are now sleeping under a warm blanket but tall shrubs like the Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ look even more stunning when the long catkins are covered in snow.

Eranthis hyemale, the Winter aconite

These little aconites are reliable early winter stalwarts, emerging before everything else and gradually spreading to all parts of the garden. I must have disturbed them during the renovation because they are appearing in the strangest places. I think this one must have been in the root ball of the primula I transplanted last year.

The woodland path!

Just outside our bungalow, the one you can see in the distance in this photo, there is a lovely woodland path which winds it’s way up the hill on to Charlton Kings Common and then into the old stone quarry and beyond. Most of the year it is an enjoyable, dry and interesting walk but in recent winters, and particularly this one, it has turned into a stream bringing flood water and debris down from the hill and depositing it on to the road. More worrying is the fact that the first storm drain it reaches is the one outside our drive, 200 metres from the end of the path. By the time it reaches that, it is more of a raging torrent than a stream. So far it has not caused any significant damage but ……….. we’ll see!

Echinacea seed heads stripped by the birds

I only saw the finches a couple of times but it seems they made a meal of the Echinacea purpurea seed heads I left in the front border. We also had some strong winds which must have blown more away to be eaten by the Wrens, Dunnocks and Pied Wagtails which are always scratching around looking for stray seeds. Who knows, some may even germinate and give me some free plants.

Frosted Echinacea

This image is not one of mine but I thought it was nice to end this piece. I guess this must have been taken in a place which suffers very early frost because all my Echinaceas lost their petals weeks before our first cold snap in October. It reminds me of crystallised fruit dusted with icing sugar!