GPE #11 : Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...

 

I D V

 

 No, I'm not getting married.

 

Fatsia japonica flowers from two weeks ago

 When I was trying to decide which of my plants to include in this year's Infomaniac Garden Photos Event, I knew I wanted to show some existing specimens that didn't make it into last year's event ("Something Old") along with my latest acquisitions ("Something New"), and the plants I'd rescued or been given by friends & family ("Something Borrowed").  I've tried not to feature anything that appeared in the previous two years - so no pineapple lilies (Eucomis comosa "Sparkling Burgundy"), no Fuchsia "Blacky", and no Green Gate (the latter two didn't do as well this year, anyway) - but you may spot them in the background of a few photos (and they've already been featured in the GPE reminders leading up to this year's Event).

 As for the "Something Blue" - I'm somewhat colourblind and they look pretty blue to me...

 

Something Old...

 

My potted Magnolia did very well this year, putting on loads of blooms.  Here's a particularly nice one from early April.

The Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) did pretty well too, but I didn't take very many good photos of it - this one of the (relatively) large female and tiny male flowers (also from early April) was the best of the bunch.

Another early April bloomer, this pot-bound, neglected dog's tooth violet/fawn lily (Erythronium californicum "White Beauty") surprised me by producing a nearly a dozen beautiful flowers.

The wild flower border up my side return at the end of May - mostly foxgloves and toadflax.

The Astilbe in the Gardener's Retreat (AKA the shady patch behind the garage) didn't do very well this year - too dry, I suspect.  This feathery plume in July was about the only one of note.

(It has since been split up, with half of it moved to the border next to the pond lake where I'm hoping it will do better next year.)

Protected from being devoured by muntjac deer, this double day lily (Hemerocallis somethingorother) up at the allotment was an absolute stunner!  I'll be moving it into the gardens of Hexenhäusli Device in the spring.

 

 

Something New...

 

I debigulated myself to take this photo from underneath a new(ish - it was purchased last year, but hasn't featured on the blog until now) Acer back in May.

The not often seen North Lawn (with winter flowering cherry, left, and hawthorn, right) with its new uncut "meadow" area from No Mow May.  Last year I left the whole lawn unmowed from May to October, but due to a couple of veiled comments from neighbours, this year I've mowed the edges so it's obviously deliberate rather than neglected.

I must admit, it did look rather scruffy last year - not helped by the nieces and nephew trampling through it and rolling down the slope onto the pavement.

These gorgeous, heavenly scented lilies (Lilium formosanum "Pricei") were a purchase in July.  They're going to stay in a pot on the table away from slugs, snails and Bitey.

The August bloom from a new Agapanthus "Royal Velvet".  In the border behind it is my existing agapanthus.

About the best of the early October blooms from my new, very late planted (late June/early July) gladioli "At Night".  Almost all the other flowers were speckled with white patches and looked a bit stunted.  As with the astilbe above, I don't think the gladis got enough water (they're in a pot).

 

 

Something Borrowed...

 

A pitcher plant (Sarracenia somethingorother) rescued from my sister, Inexcuseable, back in March/April.  On the left is how it looked after being in my care for a couple of weeks or so, and on the right how it looked in mid-September (it's been in the pond lake since summer - and I've only just noticed the little frog on the far right).

Someone at work gave me a single, rather shrivelled silver squill bulb (Ledebouria socialis) - the only one she had left after thoughtlessly selling all the good ones.  Here's how it looked back in April and September.

After I helped a friend split up and tidy her iris bed last summer, she gave me some of the offcuts.  These beautiful flowers in May were the result.  I'm hoping for more flowers next year.

[Note the damselfly resting on the top petal, far right - I only realised it was there when I put these photos together the other day.]

 

 

Something Blue...

 

"Love-in-a-mist" (Nigella) up at the allotment in July.

An Agapanthus I've had for years (that was spared being drowned in Bitey wee, unlike last year) managed six flower spikes in July and August.

I'm not sure what this is, but it grows near the pond lake.  And I expect it's purple, not blue.

 

☙❧

 Right.  That's enough of that.  Gardening season is over - at least it is here in the Northern Hemisphere (we'll hand over to you now, Dinah) - as this photo from Wednesday illustrates:

[It didn't last long - 20 mins, if that.  A brief but surprising flurry at lunchtime.]

☙❧

 So, that's it, the final garden of this year's Infomaniac Garden Photos Event.  But the event isn't over yet.  There's one more stop: The Finale, where we can look back on highlights, triffids, trivia, gossip, and maybe even some more Big Pink Bushery, so do join us in a couple of days or so for the floral fun!