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Mum's the word

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Category: Garden | Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:14 pm

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It's my mother's fault! All the chasing about after special plants, buying more than I had planned, ordering plants by the dozens from the spring catalogues, and counting my money afterwards, with a slight tinge of desperation: Where do I put it all?

When mother moved from the wind-swept island to her present home, she thought she had entered paradise. She planted roses - five and five together, in soft gradations from white through to deep red, lovingly composed to their advantage. After a few years she gave in and admitted rose defeat. She discovered the rhododendron, then the primroses, meconopsis, lilies, heathers, hostas, paeonis and lots more. She's made a veritable oasis of her clay-soiled, flat property and I have trouble pronouncing the names of some of her stuff. She, on the other hand, knows where every plant is, their common name, latin name, natural habitat and special requirements. I call her my Gardening Encyclopedia, and must, unwillingly of course, admit that I would be far less successful without her.

She's also got an eye for composition that I didn't inherit, but I'm trying to learn. I'd like to share her garden with you, and hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do:

Wide view to the west:



The big border:



Her clematis grows to the top of a tall birch:



Azaleas, iris and rhododendron:



The azalea and smilacina racemosa smell heavenly:



What I call the Swedish border:



A sweet miniature arrangement for late spring joy:



The only cat tolerated in her garden these days:



Rhododendron yakushimanum and bumble bee:



One of her rare, little gems, Campylogonum var charopoeum,



I mentioned paeonies:





There is more. Much more! But I hope you get an impression on what her garden is like. I've got something to live up to, haven't I?


This blog entry has been viewed 121 times

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Netty wrote on Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:23 pm:

What an amazing garden Droopy!
Wow!

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bsewnsew wrote on Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:42 pm:

What Mom you must have.
You better start now.......Just beats me, how does she keep the weeds down? I had more weeds than flowers this year..
Tell her she is excellent.

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eileen wrote on Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:51 am:

Do you lend your mother to other gardeners 'cause I could certainly do with her design flare and knowledge here in Scotland!! What a wonderful and colourful garden she has created. You'd never guess it was clay soil and flat. Neither wonder you've become a plant lover too.

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Droopy wrote on Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:02 am:

Thank you for nice comments. She nips the weed before other people are able to identify them as weed, and she's out there every day regardless of the weather.

I don't think she'd take too kindly to being lent. *lol* However she lends her knowledge to her neighbours and family.

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coolalaskan wrote on Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:21 am:

Oh, Droopy, Your Mom's garden beds are gorgeous! How much land does she have to "play" on?

I come from a gardening background, too. So true that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,,, ;-D

Looking at your flower pictures really gave me a boost tonight!!
Thanks a bunch for posting such beautiful photos...

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Droopy wrote on Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:41 am:

You're welcome coolalaskan. After thorough conversion I find her property is about 1 square yard, less than 1000 square meters, and the house is on there too.

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glendann wrote on Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:22 pm:

Wow!!!!! What a gorgeous garden.It should be in the gardeners magizines.I sure wish I had the energy she has put in that beautiful area with her loving hands and green green thumbs.

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Droopy wrote on Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:20 pm:

Thank you glendann, so do I. :) Hers is a collection of plants, not focused around lovely ornaments or a theme, so she'll never be featured in a magazine. I don't think she wants to either.

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dirt2diamonds wrote on Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:04 am:

I would love to run and romp in that heavenly place that your mom has created. How marvey! Your mom is awesome. Love all of the pics. Mom Rocks.

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Palm Tree wrote on Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:06 pm:

I can only say "Absolutely Gorgeous"

And to think that she manages that beautiful garden in less than 1000 square meters.

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Droopy wrote on Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:38 pm:

Thank you! I've sometimes wondered how many different species she's got in there, but I don't think she knows herself. I might challenge her to make a list, that would be fun!

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Frank wrote on Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:03 pm:

Beautiful garden Droopy, wow!

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Droopy wrote on Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:44 pm:

Thanks Frank, wish you could see it for real.

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Sjoerd wrote on Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:35 pm:

COR! These are wonderful piccies. What a garden your mum has...and you took some spectacular fotos. She has so many lovely flowers there. I'll bet it keeps her quite busy. heh heh heh.
That foto that you took of the white peony is an excellent one.
Thank you so very much for posting these... and forgive me for not seeing it on time. What am I like!

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Sjoerd wrote on Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:36 pm:

BTW... what is the name of that pale blue Clematis?

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Droopy wrote on Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:50 pm:

Thank you! Sjoerd, it's a Clematis alpina. It's easy to photograph when the motifs are so many and so pretty to start with. I like paeonies, and spent some extra time on them.

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