Saponaria

This is a new one to me. I love it's delicate colour and shape

Thanks maple I liked the way the photo turned out, so I am using it as a desktop background! The photo is of one bloom from a stem which has several blooms around it. The plant was put in 2 years ago, flowered with 2 stems the first August, and has spread to 8 stems this year! I believe you can get white ones, too, this one has 'Rosea' after the Saponaria officinale. (I found the plant label!)

Saponaria grows wild on the sand dunes at our beach. It flowers in late summer and I tried to pinch some, but it didn't take in my garden :(

Shame....I love it - I'd like a white one, double like this.

I think it was because i 'stole' it B and that's really bad form. If everyone took a bit, where would we be? they are lovely!

Yes, they are - and I'm amazed that they grow wild like that.

Thing is, the cottage gardens back right on to the beach and it looks like at some point the council have 're-claimed' some land to put the path on. Before that the gardens probably extended right on to the beach and so the plants may have originally have been in a garden......I would love a cottage on the beach but it would severely restrict my gardening!

Oh, I see - so probably not 'wild' really. Yes - a cottage by the sea sounds idyllic, but a garden is a necessity, so I wouldn't swap, either.

Now if we were rich, we could have both!!!

Preferably no strong salt winds coming off that sea, either ;-))

No - a gentle breeze will be sufficient, thank you. :-)))))

Exactly Louise! B, the saponaria is a wild flower though...it's in my wildflowers book, that's how I managed to identify what was growing on the beach....so it could be truly wild after all, not sure.

Really? Oh well. So it's a native...Am I bovvered? I love it, and versions of Campion, and various other 'weeds' Haha. I do draw the line at bindweed etc. though.:-((

Yes indeed! I like wildflowers, but not too many in the garden! Primula Veris of course and the thistles and docks keep sneaking in but they are not tolerated! ho! Did you see the landscape man on Sunday with the nutty woman who wanted a garden but didn't want to cut down any of the brambles....she was a scream....and not in a funny way!!

No? I forgot all about that programme. BOTHER!! Now I have two to try to watch - last week's Gardeners' World, as well. Not cutting down brambles? How strange! :-((

I forgot about the Primroses and Bluebells - I also planted a Cowslip this year in the hope that it might thrive and spread.

Well you see she was an environmentalist and seeing her hubby clearing all that wilderness away brought her to tears....she drove me mental.....couldn't make any decisions at all....finally got her act together in the end though and made a fantastic 'garden' with grasses etc. inspired by a visit to Beth Chatto. She is a wonderful woman....I would love to meet her, I was very envious of them getting to meet her on the programme and to see her gardens. One of these days...I could fly to Stanstead, she's in Essex isn't she?

Yes - I'm not sure how far from Stansted, though....she's at Elmstead Market which is between Colchester and Harwich. Her garden is fantastic - especially the dry gravelled part. :-)))

Yes, that was the part they were visiting in particular. I've never been to Colchester either and I'm sure it's worth a visit....you ever been?

Hmmm...yesss...not very thrilling....but the last time we were there it was pouring with rain, so we didn't hang around long. I think there are Roman ruins to see, and part of a castle if I'm remembering right.

OK well, thanks. I'm going to put it down on my list of things to do before I die!

Why not combine a visit to Beth Chatto's garden with the RHS garden...errr... 'Hyde Hall'?? That's not far at all. I haven't been there...yet...lol.

That sounds like a good plan B!