Despite the fact that it has been a pretty mild (and on occasions glorious) spell of weather lately, the Spring and summer of 2024 in London were mainly pretty grotty. As I recall, we had a couple of days of sun in June, and in late July/early August we had a proper blast of heat, but then it once again went to shit until October.
Regardless, the extensive gardens here at
D O L O R E S
D E L A R G O
T O W E R S
still managed to provide us with some stunners – the ferns [every one of which has self-seeded, so we have dozens of new plants], lilies, clematis, begonias, hemerocallis. thalictrums, daffs, tulips, brodiaea, taro, aquilegia, lobelias, pelargoniums, hesperis, verbena, agastache, tradescantia, brunnera, veronica, geraniums and roses all did us proud (and of course the salvias, impatiens and fuchsias, which continue to do so); but the phloxes (all varieties), hydrangea, campanula, dianthus and dahlias all struggled compared to previous years. It was probably just too gloomy for them – what with the preponderance of grey days, and the encroaching canopy of bastard weed trees that blocks more and more light off our garden every year.
So, on with the show… In a melodrama akin to “Sophie’s Choice”, I have slimmed down the myriad photos we’ve accumulated since the beginning of the year to one “Star of the Month” each month to date. And here they are:
Jan 2024 – Ipheion uniflorum
Mar 2024 – Narcissus Thalia
Apr 2024 - Doronicum orientale 'Leonardo'
May 2024 - Scilla peruviana
Jun 2024 - Rosa 'Veilchenblau'
Jul 2024 - Lobelia speciosa “Starship Scarlet Bronze”
[Must get one of these next year - IDV]
Aug 2024 - Fuchsia 'RAF'
Sep 2024 - Salvia 'Rockin Fuchsia'
Oct 2024 - Geranium 'Rozanne' [which has been in flower since May]
But there is a “Star of the Year”, of which I am particularly proud:
RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2023, Agapanthus “BlackJack”!
Roll on next year...
☙❧
The next stop on our tour will be in Melanie's neck of the woods, so make sure you pop back on Friday to have a wander around.
These are fabulous! (Not that I would expect anything less from these two green thumbs!) That Ipheion uniflorum is angelic!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melanie! The Ipheion is a real joy, early in the season. It comes back year after year without problem, too - which is more than can be said for other bulbs like crocus, iris or tulips. Jx
DeleteThank goodness for something cheerful this morning - thank you Jon, and Madam A!!
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome, Ms Scarlet! Are we going to see yours this time around, I wonder? Jx
DeleteThere may be something lush and pink in the offing, Jon.
DeleteSx
Everyone looks forward to getting a glimpse of your bush... Jx
DeleteMuch like the local Longwood Gardens here....the gardens of the Delores DeLargo Towers never disappoints. And always something of inspiration to be found.
ReplyDeleteTrust you to mention long wood...
DeleteThanks for the compliment, Maddie! Considering your garden's been looking so fab this year, we're honoured to think you are ever inspired by ours. Jx
Sensory overload of the best sort. Each one of these flowers is truly a calendar girl.
ReplyDeleteBut who's the centrefold, Mistress?! Jx
DeleteThe Gardens of Dolores Delargo Towers are an inspiration and an absolute joy to behold, sweetpea! Well done, Jon and Madame Arcati! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you, Savvy! They're looking very sorry for themselves at them moment, as the leaf-fall continues to bury the poor plants under a layer of brown... Jx
DeleteWow! You really do excel in potted things. I love them all, with the exception of that Agapanthus! I have bought and lost 3 (yes!THREE) of the buggers. Apparently, they don't like it here. The old-fashioned aggies are toughing it out valiantly all over the place, but not this wimp!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the garden shares throughout the year. xx
Thank you, Dinah!
DeleteIndeed, the only plant featured here that is actually in anything resembling "the ground" is Rosa "Veilchenblau". Everything else is in a pot or trough (and with it being such a wet Spring, we didn't do what we needed to to replenish every one of them with new soil and to split up overgrown ones; that's going to be a priority next year...) - so it is remarkable how much "blooming joy" we get back from the plants in spite of everything.
Agapanthus are notoriously fickle and unpredictable - we lost one this year, but another came through the worst of the winter wet unscathed, and they were in identical conditions. I keep my fingers crossed we can cosset "Blackjack" enough to survive to bloom anew... Jx
Agapanthus Blackjack is definitely this year's head turner. The first photo does it have a strong smell of garlic? I have something similar in the front garden, I pull them out in clumps and yet they return year after year. Primulas often make me gag as do begonias, reminiscent of council planting, roundabouts etc, but I do like your purple one.
ReplyDeleteI think what you have in your garden is probably Ramsons (wild garlic), Mitzi. Ipheion doesn't smell of anything in particular to me.
DeleteI'm glad you feel the same as I about Agapanthus "Blackjack" - it's a marvellous thing! Jx
Narcissus Thalia. When it comes to Jon, I expect nothing else, but... those primula are spectacular and win the prize.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mr Tonking! Primula may be seem more of a "throwaway" Spring bedding plant, but their jewel-like colours really sing out on even the gloomiest days! Jx
DeleteThe joyous 'Infomaniac Garden Photos Event' is very much Jon's baby but I would just like to thank everyone for their kind and encouraging words.
ReplyDeleteI have spent ages trying to find a worthwhile garden calendar not realizing that we could have made our own which would have been better than the Kew garden one I bought