Sunday, 5 October 2025

Not The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event


 Yes, that's right, this is NOT the Infomaniac Garden Photos Event.  Because, as you all know, the GPE doesn't begin until the end of this month - Hallowe'en, in fact.
 It is, however, a reminder to most of you - and a wake-up call to one or two - that I'll need your garden photos by Wednesday 29th October if you'd like to take part.  Your Terrifying Triffidery photo/s MUST be submitted by the 29th so that I have time to put them together for the Hallowe'en post.  I may allow a little leeway for the main event photos because I'm a soft touch - BUT NOT TOO MUCH!
 More on that at the end of this post, but for now, here are some photos from Thursday's visit to the Old Vicarage Gardens at East Ruston: 

(In the vicinity of the) Winter Garden #1
 
(In the vicinity of the) Winter Garden #2
 
East Park fruiting trees - including the biggest hawthorn berries I've ever seen! (top right)
 
Diamond Jubilee Walled Garden #1
 
Diamond Jubilee Walled Garden #2 (with some Salvias for Jon)
 
Inside the Diamond Jubilee Garden's glasshouse - I thought of Mistress Maddie and her autumnal mood boards when I saw the box of squashes.
 
Diamond Jubilee Walled Garden #3
 
This massive, pink Salvia (at least, I think it is) is just outside the Diamond Jubilee Garden (at the pointiest end near the fruit cage).
 
This little path to a small dog kennel/guinea fowl coop(?) is somewhere south-west of the fruit cage.
 
I spotted this dragonfly not far from the kennel/coop.
 
Between the Fruit Cage and Diamond Jubilee Garden is this lush, dahlia-festooned walkway.
 
Heading north-west with the Diamond Jubilee Walled Garden on the right.
 
I'm not overly fussed by dahlias usually, but these are stunning!

And looking back down the dahlia walkway
(I made sure to nab some seeds from the giant pineapple lilies {Eucomis comosa} before I left.)
 
It was rather a warm day so there were quite a few late butterflies out: Red Admiral on the dahlias, a Peacock on verbena, and a Wall Brown warming itself on a stone.
 
A selection of blooms: a heavenly scented rose; hibiscus; passion flower; a very late iris; marigolds (hello Mr Tonking!), and something I can't remember the name of (does it begin with a C?)
 
Amaranthus in the Vegetable & Cutting Garden
 
The south border of the Desert Wash with bright orange California poppies (hello Savvy!)
 
The photos stop here at the Desert Wash because Camera's battery ran out!
 
☙❧
 
 Now, on to the
I N F O M A N I A C
Garden Photos Event
technical stuff:           
 
 Infomaniac Bitches should already know the score, but for the muddled, forgetful, and easily startled or distracted - not to mention anyone new who'd like to take part - there's a potted history of the Infomaniac GPE on its own dedicated page at the top of this blog so you can see what you'll be letting yourself in for/getting involved in.  And despite some comments to the contrary, the GPE is NOT a contest, so your gardening efforts (or lack thereof) will not be judged and there will be no winner.  This means you, Savvy!  You too, peenee.
 
 There's no particular theme this year - we'll accept photos of pretty much anything garden-related, whether selected prize specimens that would make Monty Don weep or breathtaking vistas of your expansive grounds, to the potted dwellers on your balcony/windowsill or a resilient plant that you haven't managed to kill yet (I'm looking at you, Mago!). 
 
 The Terrifying Triffidery 'guess who/what' exhibit is returning again this year.  So, if you'd like to take part in that too, please send in a photo(s) of a particularly horrific horticultural specimen - either the whole thing (taken at night, while drunk, with a filter, artfully/partially obscured etc.), or a close-up - and I'll display them in a Hallowe'en post then you can all guess who sent in which triffid and what they mutated from.
 
 And if you have a straggly and unruly bush that you suspect may be a weed but fascinated you enough to wonder what it is, the Official Plant Spotter of Hexenhäusli Device and its Extensive Witchdom, nay, All of Blogdom Itself, Jon, should be on hand to identify your unmentionables.  (We don't pay him, so don't take advantage!)
 
 Please email your photos and captions (as terse or verbiose as you like/can be bothered) to this blog's gmail address which can be found in my profile at the top of the Sideboard on the right there.  Alternatively, if you have The Host's hotmail address use that instead. 
 As mentioned at the top of this post, I'd like your main garden photos by Wednesday 29th October (give or take).  But if you're taking part in the Terrifying Triffidery pre-event exhibition, your triffid photo/s MUST be emailed to me by midnight on the aforementioned Wednesday - no dilly-dallying!
 
 If you have any questions and/or suggestions, please sound off in the comments.  Happy gardening! 

39 comments:

  1. What an idyllic place! I love it all.

    The "massive, pink Salvia" is indeed S. involucrata. The Boys from Essex got me one for my birthday, and it is in bud - can't wait for those dramatic flowers to come out! [And the "C" plant is the rather faboo Cleome.)

    Thanks for the "Nanny Stern" reminder about the Infomaniac GPE; will be working on it this week... Jx

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    1. Cleome, yes! Thank you, Jon. I'm looking forward to seeing photos of your birthday Salvia soon!

      And thank you for your Terrifying Triffid photo - yours is the first to lurk in my in-box.

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  2. You have made me happy and content with this post and we didn't even have sex. Yet.

    You know I LOVED Diamond Jubilee Garden glasshouse! Now I best get my ass in gear to get you my pictures....or dare I risk getting spanked?

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    1. Oh, Dear Mistress! Has the country got you in such a tizzy you'll fling your baubles towards any nice foreign gentlemen? I could pretend to be appalled, but honestly if you could get absconded by a Canadian or any other foreign national, I would cheer in support!

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    2. Ah, Maddie, there are so many secluded and hidden areas in the Old Vicarage Gardens where I might encourage you to send in your photos. Or punish you if you don't!

      Now, Melanie, perhaps we can set up some sort of international relocation service for 'enthusiastic' US residents? Baubles and all!

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  3. The CONTEST is back!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!! When do you need the photos by???????
    Sxx

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    1. Looking forward to seeing what Devon has to offer for the event!
      as long as it's Jam First ! in the tea room.

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    2. Jam first??? You mean there are cream first people?!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    3. The late HM The Queen agreed. However, the confusion remains - clotted cream first is described as "the Devon method", yet Madam Arcati is from Plymouth, which is actually in that venerable county. I conclude, then, that Plymouth adheres to "the Cornish method" of jam first..?! Jx

      PS Apologies, Mr DeVice (and indeed to all "non-West-Country" readers, myself included) - it would appear your comments thread has now become the location of a new "Cream Tea War" in the making...

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    4. Always cream first - just because it's the logical way to do things!
      Sx

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    5. You see, it's situations like this that prevent me from visiting the UK. The Devon vs. Cornwall method. What if I do the wrong thing?

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    6. You can do no wrong, Ms Mistress - though you’re either on my side, or you’re not! I’m sure you will be.
      Sx

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    7. My dear Ms Scarlet, I can not express my disappointment, nay horror that you do Cream first!
      I was born in Devon (Close to the Cornwall boarder) and have always maintained that not only have I never seen but have never heard of anyone doing Cream first.
      North Devon is another world to me
      They do things differently up there.
      Jam First - Proper Job me luver.

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    8. Where I'm from it's jam first and we pronounce them scones to rhyme with stones.

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    9. I will reply properly to everyone tomorrow, but I felt I must weigh in on the Cream Tea War (thank you, Jon).

      Ms Scarlet is correct: (clotted) cream first - well, after the butter, which should go without mentioning - then jam on top.
      Jam is too slippery to put cream on top of - it just slides off! Whereas a properly sculpted scoop of cream can easily and safely contain a generous portion of jam (blueberry is my current favourite).

      Mitzi is also correct: scones rhyme with stones.

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    10. Exactement, Mr Devine! And I also agree with the pronunciation. For a moment there I thought I was going to be stoned.
      Sx

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    11. I think the tea room may have to be partitioned into two areas to prevent stoning: A Cornish side and a Devon side.

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    12. This is from Devon Live
      The age-old debate of 'jam first' vs 'cream first' on a scone has long divided the nation, pitting friend against friend, sibling against sibling and county against county. However, it appears that the correct way to dress a scone has finally been settled in a national poll

      According to data shared by YouGov, the Cornish method of applying jam before cream is favoured by almost all of England, Scotland and Wales, with very few regions choosing to put cream before jam, as is preferred in Devon.

      Cornwall = 86 percent opting for jam first

      Devon = 49 percent of people do cream before jam and 46 percent jam first

      YouGov conducted a poll involving over 54,000 Britons
      The British public at large clearly prefers jam first, with 62 percent favouring this method compared to 28 percent - cream first.

      The late Queen Elizabeth herself took a stance in the age-old cream tea debate, according to former Royal chef Darren McGrady. He shared on X that at Buckingham Palace garden parties, the choice was clear: "Jam first" !
      link
      https://www.devonlive.com/whats-on/whats-on-news/scone-wars-settled-its-going-9490297

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  4. Lovely! As usual, all I've done is nothing!

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    1. That makes two of us, Norma dear.

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    2. Well then ladies, I look forward to seeing photos of your overgrown wilderness.

      Oh. Hang on...

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  5. What a joy to read and scroll through.
    So much going on it hard to know what to talk about.
    I love Salvias too and probably love Dahlias more than most; those were amazing. Now we have some sun in the garden perhaps we will give them another go next year.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the now sunlit extensive grounds of Delargo Towers are ripe for Dahlias!

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    2. We very much hope so. we didn't get one flower this year.

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  6. Was that cloud of blue a Ceanothus? (I'll have some pics for The Main Event if I'm allowed to include some from my Australian garden, which would agree with the date)

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    1. I'm pretty sure that "cloud of blue" is Phlox paniculata, dear Dinah! Ceanothus in the UK is generally over by May... Jx

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. Oops! it went through before I finished! (ahem..) I was looking at pic #1 and still think it looks like ceanothus. Too big and bushy for phlox?

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    4. I had a look through my photos to see if I had a clearer one of the "cloud of blue". I do, and can confidently say that its not a Ceanothus. It may be a Phlox (or lots of phloxes)? I'll add the photo to this post for you to determine.

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    5. Actually, the the third photo (with the red hot pokers) is the "clearer" one - just right click to embiggen (if you haven't already done so).

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  7. Hooray! Gorgeous pictures! Those roses in the second picture are my favorite, so lovely! I'll see what I can scare up. Animal sightings? I've got something special to offer this year! (Note: Not a bear, but there's a few more weeks and they are very active right now...)

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  8. Replies
    1. I thought I could feel your gaze upon me, Mr Mago!

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  9. Love the dahlia photos, looks like a personality test that dreary people put on Facebook. What does your choice of dahlia say about you?

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    1. I couldn't pick a favourite dahlia, so out of desperation, I googled "What does your choice of dahlia say about you?". You may be unsurprised to learn that there is a Facebook Dahlia Growers page which pretty much addresses this topic!
      "Dahlia meanings: elegance, strength, and commitment.
      Dahlias symbolize elegance, inner strength, creativity, and dignity. They are often associated with commitment and a lasting bond."

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  10. I am SO GLAD the cream/jam thing has been decided. (pix forthcoming!)

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    1. It is Victory for Cornwall but the joy of Clotted Cream knows no bounds and should be enjoyed however one wishes, Just enjoy.
      Proper Job and Gert Lush.

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    2. PS. (pix forthcoming!) I am intrigued by that and look forward to it.

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Tickle my fancy, why don't you?