Aberdeen Gardening the final countdown (Spring)
Final countdown! a little dramatic, ah well our house is sold and we move out on November 29th.
The final two posts from Aberdeen will take a look at how the garden performed in 2013. Starting off with Spring and then closing the curtain on this episode of our lives with our Aberdeen garden in Summer.
Due to the reluctance of Spring to arrive the Daffodil February Gold had to wait until April before coming into bloom this year.
______________________
Jack Snipe on the left Jetfire sitting next to it, well apparently that depends on if the resolution on your monitor is the same as mine.
_________________________
Grand Soleil above gave a good show, perhaps a little on the tall side for tubs.
______________________________
The Daffodil Reggae on the left is later in coming into bloom than most of the others it doesn’t half give a good show though. Tete e Tete on the right an early flowering all time favourite.
_________________________
Spring also gave us a great show of Tulips this year. I treat them as annuals, it may seem a little extravagant but most of them are very inexpensive.
The creamy white blooms of Albion Star were at their best in early May.
________________________
Apricot beauty also didn’t disappoint.
__________________________
The double flowers of Calimero grown in a tub were outstanding. I plant up the tubs of Tulips in early October leaving them outside in the situation where we want them. They have never let us down regardless of the severity of the Winter.
___________________________________________
The brightly colored blooms of Cape Cod on the left gave a good show in May. These ones were planted directly in one of the borders in the back garden. Grew to a height of about 45cm. Perhaps a little garish, but nevertheless appreciated.
Tulip Johann Strauss on the right started to bloom in early March in spite of the weather.
________________
I have always been a sucker for red and the tulip Double Viriflor didn’t let me down. This one bloomed in April nice and compact for a pot, growing to a height of a little more than 30cm.
____________________
Honky Tonk, soft yellow with a hint of apricot. This one only grows to 25cm and is said to be good for naturalizing.
______________________________
May 14th and the garden was starting to look good and the Summer weather ahead was to be the best we have had in many years. Very pleased and sad at the same time that our last years memory of our Aberdeen garden is one of the best.
Well, this post is about how our garden was in the Spring, A lot more than just Tulips and Daffs, here we have some more of our plants which were blooming then.
The Hellebore, Party Dress Picotee was the first to bloom in early Spring. Last year the blooms started to open in late January. This year it was late February although it wasn’t until April that they came into their own.
_____________________________
I purchased a number of Auricula seedlings last year. This is the only one which has put on enough growth to produce blooms. (Curry Blend) I rather like it and will look forward to next year in the hope of seeing some of the others.
________________________________________
The checkered nodding heads of Fritillaria Meleagris always grabs the attention of visitors to the garden.
______________________________
Osmanthus Delavayi on the left alongside the Skunk Cabbage
The Osmanthus planted in a pot is happy enough being left outdoors without protection from the Winter chills.
Lysichiton Americanus (Skunk Cabbage) a marginal plant in the garden pond looks good in April, however the leaves in mid Summer can look a little unsightly.
________________________
The Bergenia Bressingham White introduced to the garden in early Spring looked so good that I am tempted to lift it, pot it up and take it with us.
______________________
Another two white Spring beauties are the Trillium Albidum on the left and the Viburnum Juddii with the beautiful Spring fragrance, Myra was just saying how she will miss this one.
________________
The blue Anemone Blanda looks equally good planted in the border or in tubs.
______________________________
The small Cherry tree Cheals Weeping is smothered with blooms every April without fail.
Brunnera Macrophilla is a sight for sore eyes from April continuing until the end of May.
________________
Camellia Donation, the most dependable one you will find for the Aberdeen garden, I will stick my neck out and say, I guarantee it.
_________________________
The mature and magnificent clumps of Erythronium Pagoda make this Spring plant my firm favourite.
Thats all for now, I will return once more with a look at the Summer garden in this our last year in Aberdeen.
I will then be back again in 2014 all going well. It may not be until well into the year as we are having an extension built and decorating throughout. Its sort of downsizing with an agenda of having it as large as the house we are leaving, I guess you get the idea of where this comes from.
If you happen to leave a comment I will be sure to visit your site and do the same
Hi Linda
The house and garden of the new house is much smaller, we will make it more special than it is at the moment, I will continue with the blog, eventually..
Oh my, I just clicked on the link showing your house, it’s beautiful! I imagine your new home is going to have to be something amazing to leave your glorious home and garden behind – your buyers are very fortunate people.
Cheshire is going to open up a whole new plant index for you in the garden, though you have done amazingly well in Aberdeen with plants most of us wouldn’t try.
I live in caithness and do like to experiment with plants but i do miss my English garden and the froo froo plants I just can’t even entertain here.
Good luck in your new home and your new venture, I do hope you will continue with your blog so we can see how your new garden develops (assuming it has a garden of course?)
Take care
Janet, the sale of our house includes the garden plants in the borders. We do have a lot potted up which we will take, many of these will go in our daughters garden, she is walking distance from our new house in Holmes Chapel. I think I will dig up some of the Erythroniums. After we move in late November I will be off the radar for quite a long time. Plantaliscious is a sensible name for your blog, can be used wherever you move to. Aberdeen gardening, I cant lose my website address but it is complicated.
I see what you mean AListair, I hadn’t noticed the date on the hosta post. Congrats on the move, good luck with the extension and other Great Works. Will really look forward to getting to know your new garden and watching you turn it in to somewhere with your own signature. Will you take plants with you or just start again? I really hope that life in your new home is everything you hope it will be. In the mean time, aren’t erythroniums beautiful? I will have to get some here, but I am taking it slow with bulbs, and might not get ‘Pagoda’ this time.
Thanks catmint, everything has its day. Fortunately I have good health terrible eyesight though.
dear alastair,Fabulous spring garden, looking forward to seeing the summer garden, before being introduced to your new garden project. You are a model for me – eventually I will have to downsize too, because this garden will get to be too much to handle.
sold, moving, wait?! I need to catch up here …
We have several plans drawn out b-a-g, haven’t come to any real decisions as yet.
Thank you Deb, look forward to keeping up to date with you.
Thank you Pam. We will have to get stuck in with the new house before the garden receives attention.
Thank you Carolyn. I will look forward to getting back to some sort of normality when we get settled.
Hi Jennifer. I suppose we will expect the same sort of weather next year, hope so anyway.
Hi Alistair, Spring was indeed glorious in your garden. This is a great time of year to be looking at spring pictures and sorting out plans for fall bulbs. I have never grown tulips in pots, but am thinking of planting up some pots for next year. I can see why Erythronium Pagoda is your firm favourite- they are really pretty!
Oh Alistair, I don’t want to say something sad so,I will say that I am happy you have sold your house quickly and found a new place because that is what you needed to do. The reprise of spring is indeed bitter sweet. I know the new garden is small but you will definitely be able to stuff all those bulbs in it. Don’t stay away from blogging too long. Best wishes for the coming months, Carolyn
Wishing you and your wife the very best of luck in your new home, Alistair! The new owners of your house in Scotland are so lucky!! I envy them. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your new garden. P. x
I am glad your house has sold. It sounds like you will be very busy in the upcoming months! I enjoyed looking back at your spring garden and look forward to a reminder of your lovely summer garden as well. I am also excited to see what sort of garden you will have in your new place! Best wishes! Deb
Hi Alistair – they are all lovely but I can see why the pagodas are your favourite. It will be interesting to see how you approach a smaller garden (without a lawn as smooth as a bowling green?) – less is more as they say.
That would be good Greggo, but I remembered that it was piddling which you did in the garden.
Alistair, you are going to invite me to the house warming, right? That way I can go puttering around the garden. Sorry I haven’t kept up with you moving and all. I’m sure your looking for the next adventure. Good luck with all the details of the move.
Thanks Tatyana I will be back once more from our Aberdeen garden, and then resume my blogging sometime next year
Healthy, cheerful, absolutely gorgeous plants! Your garden always was an inspiration for me. I’m glad you are taking some plants with you and I hope you’ll resume blogging soon.
I am not happy that you are far away Linnie, I like dominant woman, (joking) well Myra is no shrinking violet. We have at least eighty tubs and containers which are coming with us plus a few split ups from the borders. I don’t know where everything is going as the garden is teeny compared to our present one. Ah well one more post from Aberdeen then it will be farewell for a few months. take care Alistair
Thank you Andrea, appreciate your observations as always.
Am glad the house is sold so fast. I hope there is a premium for the beauty of the garden. If i were the buyer i will buy the house because of the garden! With those photos the more i feel sad, i am also affected by your moving because we have been looking at your plants for a long time now, they are already a part of our consciousness and we already give our love to them. Oh never mind, i am not putting salt to your wound! Just enjoy and have a wonderful life beyond Aberdeen.
Wow congrats on the quick house sale Alistair! But you should totally be out there digging up stuff–there is so much, you could take maybe 40% and they’d never miss it. Or anyway some cuttings and bulbs and small things. Really this is more important than all that furniture you know. And I’ll be missing your blog when you move so get the computer set up right away too, don’t forget. (Aren’t you glad I’m far away?) Can’t wait to see the new house and garden!
Thanks Angie. Its all been a bit of a rollercoaster. Myra at times feeling low at leaving Aberdeen and then happy that we will be near our daughter. All positive at the moment.
Was pleased to read that the house sold etc. Alistair. Property seems to be moving quite quickly at the moment, I’ve noticed houses round here are going quickly too.
What a lovely look back. There are some very special plants there. Are you taking many of your plants south with you – it would be a shame not too.
Good luck to you both with the move. I hope all goes smoothly and I know I am looking forward to your new chapter and how your smaller garden morphs into something as beautiful as your Aberdeen Garden
Thanks Holley, hope Fritillaria does as well in your garden.
No time for faffing around. The Erythronium is my favourite.
Gosh! You don’t hang around, do you?! This is a lovely post – and well-timed given that it’s bulb-ordering time. The Erythronium Pagoda is gorgeous. All the very best with preparing for the move!
You sold fast! I know that this is such an exciting time for you, but a bit bittersweet, too. Good to look back at your garden and all the joy it has given you. Thanks to your past post on the Fritillaria Meleagris, I have ordered one for my garden. I hope it looks as pretty as yours. You had a beautiful spring, and you just may have convinced me to splurge on tulips – they are always an annual here, too, but as this post shows, they add such color and beauty to spring’s arrival.
All systems go Donna. Too much stuff to see to though.
I had to catch up on the news by going back a post first. I wish you well in your new home and like others, will miss seeing this garden. I hope the new owners are as caring. I bet you are planning your new home’s garden already!
Thanks Astrid, I will definitely be starting up with the blog again once we get all sorted out.
Thanks Bom, I must say I am very taken with the Auricula Curry Blend.
Hello Susan
I am going to take great pleasure in giving you a little more information. First of all I refer to my website as information on plants for the cooler climate. Well to be quite honest the majority of plants which grow in England and even the London area will grow in Aberdeen, two which struggle are Magnolia and Wisteria. If you happen to be within the city boundaries the Winter is not that much colder than London, inland can be a different story. Summer here has more sunshine and less rain than the North West of England, it can be cooler though yet there can be many comfortable days in the 7os. I will keep my blog going with a secondary title showing that we have relocated. Why are we leaving? well to be nearer close family members and some health issues. Good luck if your move goes ahead. Oh by the way Aberdeen won Britain in bloom for so many years we were asked to step down at one point. (Britain, not just Scotland)
Hello Alistair – just dropping a line to say how much I have enjoyed your Aberdeen gardening blog.
I currently live in the north west of England and am possibly moving to Aberdeen in the New Year – the house I will be going to has an 85 feet long garden which is begging to have something done to it. However I was told that nothing grows in Aberdeen!
Finding your blog has been like a breath of fresh air and has given me hope! I just hope that you leave the blog up so I can learn from it!
I hope your move goes well and you enjoy your new house and garden.
Best wishes Sue
What a wonderful recap of your beautiful garden, Alistair. Thanks for these gorgeous photos. And I’m pleased to hear that house sold relatively quickly and now you are ready to move onto Step 2. We’ll miss your posts – do think about starting the blog back up again once you and Myra get settled in England. Best wishes!
Wonderful spring showing, Alistair. My faves are the curry auricula (for its color), checkered fritillaria (for its pattern) and the bergenia (overall look). I will miss your garden but look forward to seeing your new one. I am sure it will end up looking as wonderful. Anything done with passion shines, doesn’t it? Looking forward to your summer show. As it will be the last for Aberdeen, I’m sure you have quite a treat saved for all of us.
Hi Sunil. The new garden will have no resemblance to what we have at the moment. It is much, much smaller for a start. Plans are already in motion which will include the removal of the current lawn.
Thanks Helene. Plans are already in motion for our new garden. We will concentrate on whats to be done with the house first.
Thanks for this lovely reminder of spring, it all seems such a long time ago after the extraordinary summer we have had. I will miss your amazing garden but I am sure you will pull up your sleeves and make something spectacular in your new garden, and when it comes to gardening it is not all about size, it’s what you do with it – I have over 1000 trees, shrubs, plants and bulbs in my tiny back garden 🙂
Good luck to you both!
Hello Alistair, that’s a stunning set of spring bulbs and plants, your overall garden shot looks as though it came from a Chelsea Show Garden press pack. Will you be re-creating a similar garden in your new home? At least you have the late Autumn and Winter to plan it before tackling it head-on next Spring.
No I do not have a blog
Thank you Brenda, do you have a blog?
Alistair Myra
Will miss your Aberdeen Garden look forward to seeing your Cheshire Garden
You are coming to a lovely County but living in Cheshire I am maybe biased
Hope all goes well in your move
Brenda
Never thought I would see the day Larry, I am feeling quite content regarding it all. I do intend continuing blogging but it will be quite some time before I get back into a routine.
Hi Alistair… I don’t know how you can manage giving up your glorious gardens… I’m sure there is some tremendous excitement in starting with a fresh canvas but personally I’m not certain I could handle the energy it would take to start afresh. I wish you the very best and anxiously await seeing what this huge change leads to, assuming you plan on continuing to blog… Larry
Thanks Donna, truth is the new garden is rather small but we will make the best of it .
So happy to hear things are moving along for you…house sold and a house bought. All falling into place as it should. Thank you for this incredible wrap up of spring…I will miss your garden, but know your new one will be just as gorgeous. Good luck with everything!!
Stunning cavalcade of spring bulbs ! And yes, it might be easier to treat some tulips as annuals.