Graham's Blog

 The garden seems to be getting its summer roasting earlier than usual this year with temps. today (27/6/10) predicted to soar into the 30's. That'll be fun.

For the most part our plants will be taking this baking in their stride - one of the benefits of gardening on clay where a source of valuable moisture lies not far below the surface. The garden then is now really getting into its stride with all this warmth. What's more, the nursery is brim full of super plants and most of our grasses are also now ready for sale.

On the subject of grasses, a contender for our star plant in the garden is Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, on its day an easy rival to Stipa gigantea (not gigantica! -  lets get it right) and yet how many of you know it? We came across it on holiday in Spain in the Penedes region, famous for its wines in the north east of the country. Growing by the side of the road, we were immediately struck by its size (2m+) and its fine architectural line. It has nothing of the gauze like effect of the Stipa - this is a high drama plant with great arching stems supporting (in the form we collected) white flowers. It is spectacular and adorns a bank to tremendous effect. It also cocks a snoop at the Stipa for its beauty persists long into the winter months. It's a plant worth googling for it is also a plant tied up (literally in this case for its name means 'a tye for vines') with the culture of the mediterranean and has been for millenia. Google image and you'll find out what it looks like too!

Enough for now. Off to water!