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I was so pleased to recognise the leaves of these foxgloves earlier in the year, and hoped they would flower for me. The one above is just across the path from the other two. The path itself is invisible at the moment being completely hidden by all the growth that everything has made - finding it again will be my next job.
This lovely pale one is as tall as me - I love watching the bees climb up inside the trumpets, but there were no bees on these and as the lower flowers are beginning to fall I imagine all the nectar has already been taken.
This much smaller one is alongside. I have tried to grow foxgloves for years without success. I sowed seeds and bought established plants but none of them would establish for me. Suddenly this year up popped these three and I think there maybe another one in the front garden which hasn't flowered. Will they stay and appear another year? I shall leave the dead heads in place and hope they sow their own seeds and start a little colony for me.
The handsome teazle here has gathered water in the little 'bowls' created by each leaf where it joins the main stem. I love teazles but they are not suitable for a small garden and it was dwarfing my baby acer tree so I had to dig it up. I apologise to the goldfinches who love teazle seeds, but we do put out niger seed for them.
This pretty yellow flower grows profusely all over the place and I pull it up by the handful if it is in the wrong place, or leave it to do it's own thing. It tolerates quite deep shade and awful soil so is a godsend.
This wild fern will eventually hide the ugly base of the fence at the bottom of the garden. It too is growing where little else will tolerate the conditions so I am very grateful for it..
I have done so much work in the garden this week that I'm having a day off today to recharge my batteries. There are still some zinnias to plant out and if it was just a case of popping them into the soil I would do it, but the area needs to be cleared first so I'll leave that for another day. Have a good weekend.
14 comments:
you do have a lovely garden Heather. love the insides of foxgloves. nature is amazing.
So glad (well not GLAD !) that someone else finds it so hard to grow foxgloves. I always thought they'd be so easy to sow and cultivate but I havent had any success after about 5 years of trying.
Yours look lovely :O)
What a shame that you had to remove the Teazle, they are magnificent plants. Your Columbines are a lovely colour, mine have all turned varying shades of pink this year, white when planted. I have Foxgloves and, like you, love to see bees entering them. Do you know the name of the yellow flowered plant? It's very pretty. My path, too, has become hidden by Variegated Sage and three type of Mint but it does smell wonderful when walked upon.
Cusp: You may have to wait for the birds to bring you a free gift!
Toffeeapple: I believe that plant is Yellow Fumitory. I thought long and hard before removing the teazle but I really couldn't cope with a colony of them, even though I think they are very attractive.
The foxgloves are beautiful Heather ...I can see why you want more :-)
I love foxgloves too, a friend gave me mine years ago. Last year they were everywhere in my garden this year they are very sparse. I hope yours self seed, nature is wonderful isn't it.
Your foxgloves are just beautiful Heather - I love them too - they pop up all over the place in my garden. You probably have some lurking already, ready for blooming next year. Don't be too hard on the weeding!!!! Your garden looks so user friendly.....
Foxgloves are lovely Heather as they always seem to take me totally by surprise. Not so sure about teasels though - they seed everywhere and have fiendish roots.
Love the foxgloves Heather, we only have a couple this year, I think some must have been 'disappeared' during the winter!
I love foxgloves too Heather. They do seem to grow in my garden from year to year but I think the plants get smaller. I usually let them go to seed and them shake the seeds about a bit ;-)
Heather, your garden is looking really lovely, you must put a lot oftime and effort into it. Foxgloves remind me of my childhood in a much colder climate - no hope of growing anything like that up here. I have just been checking your previous post, I must get out my embellisher, which has been sadly neglected of late and try the lutradur on it. I am waiting for my copy of Wendy Cotterill's book to arrive. Cheers.
Hi Heather - Thanks for dropping by this morning. Do you have an email address by which I could contact you?
How's Facebook going - are you enjoying it! Val
Hi Heather, can you e-mai me your address if you still want some of the bookplate labels
carolmcfee@aol.com
The foxgloves are lovely as is the rest of your garden. I just wanted to thank you too for always leaving such kind and generous comments on my blog Heather (I know I don't always reciprocate but I do always read!) I usually try to reply to comments by email when possible but I know I can't do that with you so just wanted to say a BIG thank you as it is much appreciated!
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