It can’t be autumn already!
Posted on | August 19, 2011 | 4 Comments
Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne' in full bloom and proudly standing at 8ft plus tall – thankfully I staked it really well this year as it has a tendency to flop all over the place! These are growing in front of an old grove of the hardy banana Musa basjoo.
Thank you to all those who braved the road works outside my garden entrance over the last two Sundays; you did well to find the garden! Thankfully all the work is now finished and ready for you to visit the garden over the Sundays to come.
At one point in the early afternoon last Sunday the entrance to the garden was completely blocked by heavy road work vehicles!
The evenings are really pulling in now and it is starting to feel rather autumnal as some plants seem to think it is autumn already! Some of the Parthenocissus quinquefolia more commonly known as ‘Virginia Creeper’ that covers my house here at the Exotic Garden started turning red in patches by mid-August which seems exceptionally early to me! Maybe it was the fact that our very early and hot spring has moved the seasons along a pace! Normally this doesn’t happen until well into September.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia more commonly known as ‘Virginia Creeper’ is turning red exceptionally early this year!
Thinking of shortening evenings, I had the pleasure of Salhouse & District Gardening Club visit the Exotic Garden on Monday and it was almost dark by the time they left though they all enjoyed their visit as the garden does look rather magical at twilight! Gardeners are always such a happy bunch and this group was no exception as they had such enthusiasm and interesting stories to tell as they enjoyed a glass or two of wine and tasty nibbles. My good friend and organizer of the event was Ian Roofe, well known for being on Radio Norfolk’s Saturday Garden Party.
Cakes and wine at twilight in the Exotic Garden…
Another friend of mine Sandra Pond gave me a few plants grown from a packet of mixed Ipomoea ‘Flying Saucers’ seeds in the spring. They have now grown into glorious specimens that really shine out on those dull days we have had recently lighting up the garden with their tantalising beauty. This particular Ipomoea is quite variable as it can be white with bright blue to purple striations, or like the ones I have grown, white with a touch of palest blue with a yellow eye on 4ins wide flowers. The blooms are produced in abundance from morning to early afternoon for just one day, though there are always lots of buds ready to follow on the following day.
Ipomoea ‘Flying Saucers’ ejoying a rather dull day...
Another one I was given to try out is Ipomoea ‘Carnival di Venizia’, a vigorous climber producing masses of spectacular, striped blue and pink blooms with intricate markings, as if painted individually by hand. Mine seem to be mostly white with blue striations on delicate flowers about 2ins across.
Ipomoea ‘Carnival di Venizia’
There are many Ipomoeas worth trying in the garden as they are such easy annuals to grow from seed and comparatively cheap to buy. Apart from the well known and very traditional Ipomoea ‘Heavenly Blue’ which as its name suggests has rich, sky blue flowers.
Thompson & Morgan photograph of Ipomoea 'Heavenly Blue'
There are lots of others worth trying such as Ipomoea alba with large 5ins wide purest white blooms that look superb grown en-mass up a fence or pergola, growing as most annual Ipomoeas do from 5-10ft tall in one season. For intensity of colour though Ipomoea ‘Crimson Rambler’ is outstanding as it sports vibrant crimson blooms with a contrasting white eye. Ipomoeas can be found in a large range of colours from white, purple, red and blue with some having mixtures of all these colours. There is also a very desirable double form Ipomoea ‘Sunrise Serenade’ which has large double flowers that are a deepest cherry-red with a contrasting white base to the petals.
I couldn’t resist this rather funky packet of Ipomoea ‘Crimson Rambler’
Of course, these are all related to that pernicious garden weed and bane of most gardeners, the common bindweed Calystegia sepium formerly known as Convolvulus sepium. I say most gardeners, as I do allow it to grow up a hedge in my driveway which easily twines up 20 feet or more every year. As long as it doesn’t get into my herbaceous plants, I leave it alone to do its own thing and besides I do like its beautiful pure white flowers – I just don’t like it’s ridiculously long which if allowed too, will get into everything and will soon take over the whole garden if not kept an eye on!
Common bindweed Calystegia sepium formerly known as Convolvulus sepium - I have masses of this if anyone wants a root!
There are many other Ipomoeas available including the well known ‘Sweet Potato’ Ipomoea batatas which has several ornamental forms that can be readily obtained from our larger garden centres. ‘Blackie’ was the first ornamental sweet potato cultivar to make its way into the nursery trade and there are now several forms which are becoming increasingly available in the British Isles. The ornamental Sweet Potato is a vigorous grower in a warm summer easily trailing from 24-36in in one season forming a dense ground cover during the summer months until first frost. They look excellent trailing over walls, in containers and hanging baskets. They prefer moist humus-rich, free-draining soil in full sun for the best colour. ‘Blackie’ has dramatic deep purple-black foliage and deeply cut lobed leaves.
Ornamental Sweet Potato – Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie' – unfortunately small snails and other chewing things find the foliage rather tasty
Another good dark form is ‘Black Heart’, with virtually black heart shaped leaves.
A large container with a specimen Pygmy Date Palm, Phoenix roebelenii surrounded by Plectranthus, Coleus (Solenostemon) and Ipomoea 'Black Heart’
I do like ‘Marguerite’ though as it has the most delicious looking chartreuse lime-green foliage with heart-shaped leaves.
Ipomoea potatas 'Marguerite'
Ornamental Sweet Potatoes growing in the foreground
Ornamental Sweet Potatoes growing with other summer exotics
‘Tricolor’ is an interesting multi-coloured cultivar with green, pink and white foliage on the same plant, though it is not quite as vigorous as the others however it is never-the-less alluring as a trailing plant with smaller leaves. Two more recently introduced compact forms are ‘Sweet Caroline Purple’ and ‘Sweet Caroline Light Green’. One of my favourites though is a fairly new introduction to the UK from the US; Ipomoea ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’ which, as its name suggests has bright bronze rusty brown foliage – wonderful!
Ipomoea 'Sweet Caroline Bronze'
There are of course many more members of the Ipomoea Family: Convolvulaceae worth trying in the garden from annuals to perennials, so my suggestion is to get several seed catalogues or go on line and see what you can find to grace your garden next summer!
On one of my open days I was given a gift box containing six exotic flower themed cup cakes made by Tania Simmons who brought them all the way up from her shop in Cornwall named ‘Cakes Beautiful’, where she specializes in handmade edible decorations. I have to admit that they were so attractive that I didn’t want to eat them, but now after having photographed the contents of the box I only have two left, so I think I will eat them both now with a nice cup of Earl Grey tea!
A box full of awesome cupcakes made by Tania Simmons
Hmmm - only two left!
And of course a blog must have a picture of at least one cat!
Tink – my Chocolate Havana…
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4 Responses to “It can’t be autumn already!”
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August 20th, 2011 @ 6:53 am
Thank you for shareing your fantastic garden, Tink the cat is beautiful.
August 23rd, 2011 @ 7:35 am
I hope the early autumn colours isn’t a sign of early aproaching winter weather.
August 23rd, 2011 @ 11:39 pm
There is definitely an autumnal feel in the air of late. Glad you enjoyed your cakes!
August 24th, 2011 @ 12:29 am
Once again so lovely to look at your plants , flying saucers look wonderful , great colours. Yes August has that autumnal feel , I love the colour that it brings like the virginia creeper Oooo the sun shinning on it , nothing better. And the cupcakes !!!! Interesting what you eat first ha ha but joking apart they looked wonderful .and your Tink pussycat to end , many thanks I do so enjoy the news .