Sunny Weekend
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What a beautiful weekend it was. On Saturday we went to the Botanical Gardens in Ventnor to take out the in-laws. It was great for me as it is one of my favourite places. Bearing in mind it is December and there have been a number of frosts I was amazed at the number of plants that were happy and in flower. Firstly the King Protea was in bud, if it with-stands the rest of the Winter it will probably flower again next year. There were large numbers of Callistemon and Banksias in flower and a beautiful shrub with small dark green leaves was covered in small white flowers which looked like snow. I didn’t have my camera with me so I can’t ask any other members. Echiums, Isoplexis, salvias and huge buds on the Magnolia Grandiflora gave me a good feeling of things to come next year. Not to mention a Brugmansia suevolens which was planted in the ground was huge and flowering happily!!
About 100mtrs along a path from the Botanics is a gorgeous little beach called Steephill cove where we went to take in the sea air
On Sunday after the in-laws had gone home we decided to tackle the end of the garden. I had 4 or 5 branches on top of my apple trees that I couldn’t reach so I got my hubby to climb up a ladder and with my guidence we gave it a prune.
There is a large Copper Beach in the garden and I am going to create a woodland area in that area of the garden. It was absolutely strangled by tree ivy which in some places the vine was nearly 9" thick. A good hand and tree saw sorted that out
I even caught the sun!!! An my face is brown! Not many people in the UK can say that during December. Job well done.
Just to say these are old pictures and weren’t taken over the weekend.
8 Dec, 2008
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Good photos, even if not from past weekend.
What more plans do you have for the woodland garden ?
Will it be a shady area ?
Sounds good. :o)
8 Dec, 2008
I have a banksia currently in flower too. This is its third year - one flower the first year, three last time, haven't counted this year but it's more than three!
8 Dec, 2008
Thanks for the nice comments. I am lucky enough not to live too far from the Botanics and I think one of my Xmas presents this year will be a membership to the gardens!
I am planning an ecclectic woodland area, I have 3 tree ferns, a mixture of native ferns, there are holly, ash and a copper beech there already so I will limit the amount of other trees i plant, i'm undecided at the moment. I do have a 12' Mexican Weeping pine, a ginko, a paulownia tomentosa and a monkey puzzle to find room for as well as 2 large gunneras. I have a large Cordyline and 4 phormiums, 3 acacia baileyana purpurea and I am busy collecting woodland bulbs and smaller shrubs to add to the collection.
It will take a fair bit of planning as it needs to include Jenny's craft shed, a summer house and my utility area for compost bins. It will be shady at the back of the garden and will turn into a hotter collection as it moves towards the front of the garden it will be a challenge!
I am planning to get some banksia, I have discovered a fantastic supplier The Hot Plant Company www.hotplantco.co.uk
8 Dec, 2008
Wow, that will take some planning.
Seems like you might need to make a very careful drawing of where everything is intended to go. :o)
Thanks for explaining all your plans and plants. Very much looking forward to a progress report next year.
8 Dec, 2008
I certainly envy you your climate, Andrea. I know it's milder than most of the rest of the UK. You are growing such great shrubs! (or will be,,,)
8 Dec, 2008
No, you do not have to pay entrance fees to the Botanical Gardens in Ventnor, Isle of Wight, however there is a car park which charges a parking fee. There is a visitors centre, botanical library, beautiful cafe, childrens play area, the beach of course ( the crab pasties are to die for in the summer), a hot house which houses a Victoria water lilly, and most importantly a place where you can buy the plants you see around the gardens.
I go in the hot house when I have a chest infection or my asthma is bad and the steam really helps!!!!
9 Dec, 2008
Liked your blog and photo's
9 Dec, 2008
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You brought back memories of a visit to Ventnor years ago AndreaR.
We went to the Botanical Gardens . what a fantastic place , they had a Callistemon in flower then , I asked if they had any seed from it, the very kind lady said ," no , but if you give me your address I will send you some " I didn,t think anymore of it untill a year later when an envelope arrived with the seed in it , honestly i,m not joking I grew so many I was giving them to anybody that would have one I still have about 6 in the garden .
8 Dec, 2008