In The Dark



Excuse my recent absence, it's been the busiest period ever for me, but now things are calming down I can ease back into a gentler routine and pick up where I left off. Of course with it being so hectic recently, needless to say there's been been a good deal of, errrm, healthy neglect. That's me below, tying in the roses along the pergola. The Stipa calamagrostis has been an absolute star. I can't reccommend this grass enough, if you don't mind managing it from time to time. It spreads easily so a little garden editing avec a spade keeps it in check!




Below are three tubs of Bacopa - a tender perennial which I'm treating as an annual - and which has grown so profusely that the pots are simply smothered now. I like this plant. The small white blooms are subtle, the foliage gently spreading, if there's one drawback, it likes water, but then I'm pretty much resigned to a watering regime during Summer, so nay bother.



The Hollyhocks look just lovely right now. I posted about them here but unfortunately not one of the 'Nigra' have flowered, hopefully next year. As insurance, I purchased six ficifolia types which as I understand are more resistant to rust, they've flowered and flowered well.



The Cosmos below is 'Versailles Tetra' and it's a self seeder from last year. I seem to have lost a lot of Cosmos plants this year, but lo and behold, the volunteers have romped away. Isn't that always the case?



Always a welcome sight, the Autumn anemones, I think the darker pink is 'September Charm' but am not a hundred percent. I like them down by the steps, there was Borage growing in amongst earlier, but that went 'over' and has been pulled.




The grass growing in the pot is 'Feather grass', stipa tenuissima, it looks great between the Verbena bonariensis and the yellow rose, 'Golden showers'.




So there you have it, a bit 'o' this and a bit 'o' that, but I'm back in circulation now and will be visiting soon. Be afraid, be very afraid!

Comments

  1. hi rob,

    these are beautiful pictures. the stone walls look incredible. my beloved hollyhocks did not do well this summer at all. glad yours did.

    i hope to see your garden about this time next year. fingers and toes as they say.

    ~janet

    ReplyDelete
  2. Neglect may be in the eye of the owner Rob, looks pretty good to me. especially after a very strange weather year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's always a pleasure to visit; your pictures are always beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Janet
    The stone walls to the buildings are a metre thick! If you do get over here, I just hope Le Jardin lives up to expectations

    Hi Hermes
    Thanks, it's been a very dry July and August over here, finally had some decent rain last Wednesday and it's starting to green up.

    Paula you're too kind, I invested in a cheap tripod hence the night shot

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great photos and your garden is looking pretty good to me. I love the Bacopa. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rob, the garden looks beautiful! So glad to see the photos. My own is a mess right now...weed filled, drought stressed....so I especially enjoyed your photos!

    ReplyDelete
  7. As usual, inspiration abound!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Rob! We missed you! I agree with Hermes: sometimes, our plants do well without us disturbing them on a regular basis. Love the night picture: so romantic... Love the arbor in the second picture too! All the flowers look very summery yet.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful views of your place and gardens.

    Richard and I really need to have enough time to make it to the Dordogne to see you on our next visit to France. Still haven't made reservations for anywhere as the airfares are too high.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love that first photo Rob! Yo are so lucky to be in such a scenic place. I like the grass choice too. Unfortunately our Stipa looks good through the beginning of summer then pretty much looks brown the rest of the year. I should cut it back more often than I do!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Everything looks beautiful. How is the rainfall situation there? It is truly awful here.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Terrified. I might shut down my blog to keep your visit from happening. Seriously.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I wish I could step into your first photo, Rob *sigh* Though waning, all still looks amazingly fresh. Pat yourself on the back, pour a glass of good wine, kick back, and enjoy the remains of summer.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I hardly understand the neglect... your gardens look fabulous as always Rob. Situated near your lovely buildings ... well they are utterly charming... in the best sense of the word. I love your pergola!! I have missed your beautiful posts but understand this is your busy season with guests. Lucky ones! Looking forward to seeing more of your paradise this fall... through your photos. Someday I hope to see the real thing. ;>)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love the first image especially. So dramatic!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh my Rob, how lovely it looks at night! And during the day of course! Glad to have you back in the mix, we always adore seeing what you are up to. That Bacopa is something else. Good that you were extra busy though. :-)
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great to see you back Rob ~ everything certainly seems to thrive on 'healthy neglect' in your garden :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great to see you back Rob ~ everything certainly seems to thrive on 'healthy neglect' in your garden :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. How great that this season has been the busiest ever for you! The economy around here is still depressed, and many business owners have way too much free time on their hands.
    Don't cosmos photograph well? The deep pink of your is striking.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The pink hollyhock and night shot are lovely. I love Stipa too but I think I killed the last of mine this summer -- for texture there's nothing quite like it!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Beautiful bits of this and that, Rob, specially the night scene of the house, wonderful!!!!
    cariños,
    maria cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your garden doesn't look like it's been neglected too much. Looks lovely. I adore your pergola!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Rob, your property is amazing and I have never before seen bacopa grow so profusely!

    Gardening in the challenging climate of western Canada (Alberta to be exact), I popped over from Hermes' blog.

    Hope you post again soon!

    Shirley

    ReplyDelete
  24. All of it looks simply beautiful. Even if there are stragglers here and there they look as if they belong.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment