Rosa 'Let's Celebrate' | Davids Garden Diary

We are currently enjoying a spell of good weather here in Gloucestershire and the plants have appreciated it. As per usual, the sturdy little Aster ageratoides ‘Stardust’ is already in flower and pushing its way to the front to be admired.

The ever-increasing clump of Helianthus ‘Miss Mellish’ is reaching new heights, no doubt thanks to the spring rain and mild temperatures. However, even a ‘Chelsea Chop’ in May doesn’t seem to hold it back for long, the side shoots sending up even more cheery bright yellow ‘suns’. Fascinating to glance over every hour or so during the day to see the flowers turning to face the sun!

A friend asked me for advice last week, and you can probably see why! She has, or rather had, a beautiful collection of neatly clipped Box balls, Buxus sempervirens, which have all been ravaged by the Box Moth Caterpillar. I gave her the name of the recommended treatment with XenTari, but I think the damage is done. So sad when years of work and dedication are ruined, but that is just nature at work.

Of the many echinacea I have tried over the years, these Echinacea pallida have been the best and most long lived. Perhaps because they are a species rather than one of the many cultivars now available, I’m not sure. I do also have a small clump of Echinacea purpurea which comes back every year, but I fear that is dwindling.

Looking down the front border the other way, A newcomer this year is Leucanthemum superbum ‘Edgebrook Giant’. a big, showy, Shasta daisy which I acquired from the Plant Heritage Plant Exchange last year as a tiny rooted cutting. Now in its second year, it is dominating this part of the border with it’s huge white daisy flowers with bright yellow centres.

The star of the roses this year has been ‘Let’s Celebrate’ which has flowered non-stop since early June and is showing no signs of letting up. Not a strongly scented rose but the clusters of fluffy pink and white flowers are much admired by visitors which is usually the sign of a good rose!

Finally, it’s going to be a very good year for the rowan, Sorbus hupehensis ‘Pink Pagoda’, which seems to produce fruit every other year. I love watching the antics of the wood pigeons as they edge out gingerly to the tips of flimsy branches to pick the berries. Amazingly, they never fall off!

Have a great weekend

David

The exquisite beauty and scent of Sweet Pea ‘Betty Maiden’ is overpowering as I walk down the path. She is certainly one of the strongest fragrances in my little collection of Sweet Peas and one I will always cherish.

The first Dahlias are in flower already including this ‘Union Jack’, also known as ‘Star of Denmark’, which I am lucky to be looking after and propagating for Plant Heritage. It is a rather sickly looking plant with spindly stems which flop under the weight of the rather garish flowers but it flowers profusely until the first frosts.

It is proving to be a very good year for roses with very strong flowering and lots of healthy foliage and few greenfly. This ‘Let’s Celebrate’ is a good example of the sheer quantity and quality of blooms. Much admired at my Tradescantia Collection Open Day on Thursday along with several others equally as good.

Just exquisite! Rosa ‘Isn’t She Lovely’. Yes she is! Perfection.

The Alstroemerias are beginning to flower with ‘Indian Summer’ the first. They took a while to get over the tough winter and fight their way through the 10cm of mulch I piled on top of them in November. I will start pulling them for the vase this weekend to keep them flowering. If you don’t already know, they are twisted and pulled like Rhubarb, never cut. The pulling stimulates more flower buds to form.

I do think these Nectaroscordum siculum are clever! When the drooping bells are pollinated by bees, they turn themselves upwards and close up like little pixie hats!

Couldn’t resist one more, the rock rose, Helianthemum ‘Wisley Primrose’, a sprawling sun lover for the dry garden which has incredible flower power for such a small plant. Not fussy about soil or moisture levels or nutrients but must be able to sunbathe all day!

Have a great weekend.

David