COSMOS

The floral kind, not as in the night sky.

I have a small bed of cosmos outside my summerhouse. They have grown much taller than I anticipated but the wave of pinks and white on tall feathery, delicate stems is a delight.

PRIMULA VIALII

Primula vialii (or P viallii depending on your choice of spelling) is one of the loveliest of flowers. Not a traditional primula by any means, it is also known as Turk’s Turban, Vial’s Primrose, Orchid Primrose, Red Hot Poker Primrose, Chinese Pagoda Primrose and probably a dozen other names besides, and all very descriptive. The starry lilac flowers open up from tight red buds, and gradually the flowering head lengthens to accommodate more flowers.

I love this primula and am lucky enough to be able to grow it in my garden, though it has – up to now – proven to be relatively short-lived for a member of this family. So it is definitely a case of ‘making the most of it’.

SEMPERVIVUMS

I love succulents, I have lots of them lined out by the back door and outside the greenhouse. I like the different colours and types, and that they are low maintenance!

 

Apologies again for intermittent posting. The above picture was taken on my tablet due to severe computer and internet problems. A new computer has been acquired (though there’s nothing I can do about the lousy internet) so once I have mastery of the new tech I shall (hopefully) be able to upload some photos from my camera.

MOTH

This attractive black and white moth had spread its wings on the inside glass of our greenhouse. And it stayed long enough to be photographed.

REBUTIA

This is the oldest cactus in my collection. I must have had it about 25 years now. And until last year it resided sullenly it a pot. However, last year it was planted out into my new cactus garden and, oh, how it has grown. But this gem has always flowered and this year is no exception. Golden flowers adorn this Rebutia in abundance.

NOT-SO FAMOUS GROUSE

Up on the moors above Howden Reservoir in the Peak Distric my friend and I met this grouse doing its best not to be photographed. After a bit of stalking I managed to capture it, on film, of course. The red eyebrows are clear, but not the white woolley leggings.

COWSLIP

Many years ago we were given a clump of cowslips and we planted them under an old apple tree where they grew moderately well, until the rest of the garden began to grow even better. The vegetation swamped these delicate plants and we thought they had disappeared. Until this Spring when this brave specimen popped up in the middle of the lawn, quite some distance from the original site. It will now be nurtured like the treasure that it is.

 

 

CENTRE OF A POPPY

This looks more like something alien rather than a poppy. We are so used to see the flash of colour on a flower and not stooping to look closer, which is where it turns from beautiful to fascinating.

Prickly Cushion

I have a cactus garden in my greenhouse. It’s fairly new, only about a year old, though I’ve had some of the cacti a long time. Just now some are bursting into glorious flower, yet they are interesting at all times of the year. Here is one, pre-flower, with beautiful white spines in whorls. Sadly, it’s one I don’t have a name for.

TWO FLOWERS

This is a perennial variety of the Osteospurmum or Cape Daisy. I’ve had it in the garden for years but it had become swamped by more vigorous plants. So I moved a tiny shoot to a new, clear spot and it’s rewarding me now with lovely sun-facing flowers.