Itchy Fingers
August
July
On the face of it, not a huge amount has changed.
The Verbena in the foreground is almost over. The beautiful rose, ‘Alpine Sunset’ at the opposite end is having a bit of a rest too, although she does sport another couple of buds. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is that the sun has gone in. That’s been the story of August this year.
Persicaria ‘Orange Field’, Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Lacey Blue’, Echinacea ‘Pow Wow White’, Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’
I’ve done a bit of work at the far end of the lower level, clearing away a barrow load of ivy and relocating some of that London Pride. I wanted to put some colour into this area which, together with the sedum when it blooms, will create more late summer interest. Although it gets full sun all afternoon, this end of the terrace lies under the canopy of an enormous spruce tree. It is one of the drier places in the garden, hence the irrigation.
There’s plenty of room for all of the new arrivals to fill out and I suspect I’ll be dividing the Persicaria sooner rather than later, but it looks good in that spot for now. In the photo below it positively glows through the gloom, even in soft focus.
Sedum
I’ve no idea which variety this is, it came with the territory. The recipient of a Chelsea Chop back in May, it is satisfyingly compact and covered in buds. Insects have found it already.
Verbena rigida
Web building in progress.
Sempervivum ‘Pacific Hazy Embers’
In late Spring I planted a sempervivum vertically in a crack in the lower terrace wall. The experiment seems to have worked. Back in May it was just a single large rosette with a few tiny offsets. It’s had a spritz with a water spray every few days during really hot weather, but otherwise it fends for itself.
We bought this Dahlia as ‘City of Alkamaar’
Everywhere I’ve looked online describes this cultivar as apricot-orange. Which clearly it isn’t. Although there may be an orange flush developing at the base of the petals, just visible above.
The Hydrangea has deepened in colour and is starting to fade.. beautiful.
But didn’t I resolve, only just last month, to leave the terraces alone now? Shut the tools in the shed and throw away the key? Those were the words I think I used. The trouble is those fingers of mine they have been a-twitching.
The bright red azalea really would add a lift to that dark back corner in Spring.
Except the whole scene might then become bottom heavy. So I’ve been thinking about those two yellow variegated grasses, Hakonechloa macro ‘Aureola’. It’s time they were divided. Some bits could move up a level maybe, and the rest go towards starting a new drift up on the bank. I watched them this week, in the autumnal gale late summer breeze, performing their mexican wave. It’s exactly the sort of movement I’d love to see cascading down the slope.
The geums on the top level also want dividing. And the Lily of the Valley needs bringing back under control.
All of this will open up more gaps.. just in time for the autumn plant sales?
Salvia patens
.. My name is Jessica and I’m a compulsive plant shifter.
Linking up with Helen’s End Of Month View (here) at The Patient Gardener’s Weblog. Click through to find out what other gardeners are up to this month.
Maybe one day you’ll be perfectly happy with the way it looks, but somehow I doubt it… Things will always need tweaking as one plant thrives and another doesn’t.
I doubt it too. It would be nice if just ONE year it all came together and I could just sit back and admire it. But if it was all perfect and stayed that way forever what would I do?
It all looks great to me but why not change things around if you like? Carol Klein does it all the time.
Then I am in good company!
A garden is never finished is it. I love the sempervivum, Alys Fowler did a post on them recently, I don’t know if you saw it. The dahlia and the rose are beautiful, so dramatic and showy. It’s all looking wonderful, but I’ll look forward to seeing it when one or two things have been moved…
I will check out Alys Fowler’s blog, I hadn’t seen it. Thanks.
One or two? 😉
Love the colour of that last salvia. I’m not remotely surprised you’re thinking about moving the plants around- is a gardener ever really content o just leave be? x
Probably not. I think my failing is not leaving it long enough to mature, to get the full effect. I thought I’d reached the point where I could do that. But no. Perhaps after a few more tweaks..
So brave of you, Jessica – I never dare shift plants because I’m afraid I’ll kill them. My husband even accuses me of being slightly hysterical about it. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: that cottage of yours is ab-so-lute-ly gorgeous xxx
I can’t deny, I have lost some plants by trying to move them. But I’d rather that than look at something knowing that it’s in the wrong place. Thanks x
Isn’t that what gardening is all about Jessica ? A garden never stands still and very often, we plant something and then, after a couple of years, realise that it’s in the wrong place ……. I’m forever moving things as, what usually happens is, one plant completely suffocates another { because I planted it in the wrong position in the first place !! } so it has to be moved !!
You and Mike are doing a wonderful job …. it all looks wonderful. XXXX
I tend to plant things too close together because I don’t like looking at bare soil. Plants grow very quickly down here, provided they escape being eaten, but then so do the weeds that would spring up in between, so I don’t know what the best way forward is.
Thanks Jackie x
I adore deep bright blue flowers in the garden and your last photo of the Salvia patens is lovely – at least the ground is now very moist for those that are compulsive plant shifters.
We went up to a plant fair at Rosemoor today and I bought another salvia.. ‘Black and Blue’. The same blue flowers held in jet black calyces. Absolutely stunning. I’ve no idea where it’s going to go. Apparently it can grow up to 2.5m high!!! Not fully hardy either. But I’ll find somewhere. I couldn’t resist it.
Keep on planning & shifting Jessica as we love seeing what you create in your lovely garden – artists often paint over what they’ve done !
That’s true! I don’t have to wait for the paint to dry first, but I do have to use a lot more brute force.
Let’s hope September’s weather is an improvement on August’s as I can just see you on your terraces doing a bit of ‘tweaking’ whenever the opportunity arises. The sempervivum looks well established now so you must be pleased.
Two more sempervivums purchased today as well. I’ve consulted Man With Chisel, as the holes in the wall usually need enlarging a bit. I really hope the weather improves too, for all our sakes. This week isn’t looking too bad.. ?
You have some lovely late summer colour.
Of course you can’ t leave your plants alone, I don’ t know a single gardener who sits back and says: ‘ There, that’ s done !’ We lavish love and care on our plants but we never leave them in peace.They are like pampered children; obsessed over; constantly asked if they are too hot or cold, hungry or thirsty. They are like children who are always being dressed up in new clothes and taken around to different classes and have their friends chosen for them. They are never left in peace to get on with things their own way. Our plants are the spoilt brats of the horticultural world, they would probably be better off with a bit of benign neglect.
Yes, they are cosseted. But I am guilty of doing too much moving. The poor old things have just got their roots nicely tucked into the soil ready for the off and I come along and decide they need to go someplace else. I should plan more and buy on impulse less.
The terraces are looking lovely. As gardeners I don’t think we ever say that is it, I’m not moving anything else. There is always a little tweaking going on.
Thanks Linda. Tweaking does keep the garden looking fresh doesn’t it. And there’s always that new ‘must have’ plant that needs to be accommodated somewhere.
I am glad you have confessed! Now carry on regardless!! X
A little confession is good for the soul. I’m stopping after the gardening sins mind..
Go for it! The Japanese forest grass is stunning, but the color and form are so bold, I would think about other small grasses too. Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ is worth considering. Good year-round color plus buff-colored flowers in fall, and drought tolerant.
I just googled it. Love the flowers as well as the colour. The terraces are a challenge. There’s not that much space, but being so close to the house I do want to include plants that provide interest all year round.
Your garden is spectacular, really. I love all the color and the way you have plants of different sizes and heights. I think I have the same sedum and it’s at the same stage of blooming as yours is.
I still have a bit of juggling to do. The wall in the middle will be hidden eventually by plants growing up from the lower level. It needs to be because the flat stones on the top of it are wide, so it’s difficult to get things growing close to the edge, or cascading over.
If we didn’t change things around all the time what would we find to blog about! I was surprised to see your germ out when mine finished ages ago. I think I have the same sedum and it is at the same stage of opening too. Sorry, can’t help with the name though.
The Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ has really gone for it this year. I think it’s had about two weeks off since May. I must get more!
Hehe, I’m a compulsive plant shifter too. In fact, while reading your post I realized I have a Hakone grass that is big enough to divide, and immediately thought of several other spots where I could plant its bits. If I put it everywhere I want, I’m going to have to divide it ad infinitum. I was also reminded that I want to put some Semps in wall cracks as well. I love the colors in your Dahlia, although it is definitely more magenta pink than apricot orange.
I’m at that stage with the Hakone grass. It’s hard to believe now that I bought it as a few sprigs from a plant fair. I now have three huge clumps, all in need of dividing and still more in a pot.
What a fabulous post and great photos. Your garden is looking lovely and your Sedum is looking very healthy. I need to do some shifting this year, everything seems to be in the wrong place.
The sedum seems to have found the perfect spot. I learnt on Gardeners’ World this week that they prefer it dry. Thanks Ronnie.
excellent, you make my plant shifting seem normal! Some have commented that my plants must have wheels on them! I think that as your plants grow and you learn about them you can see how they will work better in the garden. Christopher Lloyd used to complain that catalogues and books never show the leaves or structure of a plant only the flower and I think this is true and not very helpful to us.
I think your plans will work great and if not you can always move them again!! 🙂
Lovely comment about the wheels! I think some of my plants must feel likewise.
It’s true that you learn more about plants as you grow them. And plant characteristics change between different gardens too. Certainly some of the specimens that moved with me behave very differently here. And yes, they can always be moved again!
Oh I am too…once I get out to the garden again I will have lots of notes too. I love these terrace gardens. And that hydrangea changing color is beautiful!
I like the coloured hydrangeas (i.e. anything other than white) a lot more as they start to fade. This one started out a very bright pink. Now it is lovely.
I bought sedum spectabile Brilliant as my November plant of the month last year and it’s done really well, it’s grown and it’s budding up nicely now so I’m really looking forward to it bursting in to bloom. I love your geum Totally Tangerine, that’s one I’d love for my garden, and the sempervivum’s looking fabulous growing in the wall, I do love to see plants growing this way.
I was talking to the guy that I’ve bought the sempervivums from at a plant fair today. Growing them in a wall mimics the conditions they have in the wild, growing in rocks on alpine slopes. So they do look quite natural and at home like this. Plus it’s the perfect way to protect them from the winter wet.
It looks lovely but I can see the attraction of moving things around 🙂
It’s knowing when to stop..
The sun came out here today. I’m itching ti get going in a new flower bed but we’re not yet in a position to start.
We even sat outside for lunch.. the forecast is not bad for next week. It will make such a difference, whether we can garden or not.
Hey Jessica,
Plant shifting is one of my favourite things to do in the garden, after collecting seed. I shall be shifting things around soon. I do like your grasses. I wouldn’t mind some of them.
Leanne xx
They will probably do well for you too. I brought them down here with me and they’ve just taken off. If we were nearer I’d happily bring you some!
Now I think it all looks rather lovely as it is….beware those itchy fingers!!! Having said that I’m a terror for moving things too.xxx
We are all our own worst critics are we not. And at least climbing up and down those walls all day is keeping me fit.
Most gardeners by nature have ‘itchy fingers’. We’re not an exception to this either, although not so much into moving around plans but always finding things to do. The grass would look great where you are thinking of moving them in to.
The Hakone grass rather dominates at the moment. Smaller clumps placed more centrally will give more room for flowers where I can get close to them.
I love the idea that you are a compulsive plant mover!! That is so funny. It looks beautiful though. xx
Sad but true. I can never leave things alone!
no rest for the committed gardener. (I’m so glad I’m not committed!!!!—-BUT, I love watching you!)
I am not as committed as some. Rather more of a fair-weather gardener actually. Happy to get full mileage out of the fact that clay soil should not be overworked, or even stepped upon, when it is wet.
And aren’t we all compulsive plant shifters? I think it comes with the territory of being a gardener!
I think you are probably right Dorothy! I just wish I could get it ‘right first time’ with a bit more regularity.
Sedum and London Pride. Two of my favourite plants that I can’t find out here! Lovely to see pics of yours 🙂
Oh what a shame! But I bet there are many times more plants that you can grow that I wouldn’t be able to find here. Happy first day of Spring… grrrrrr!! 😉
My husband once asked me why I move the left side of the garden over to the right and the right side of the garden over to the left every fall. I told him to walk quickly back inside and leave me alone. You are redesigning a work of art, editing a novel, rethinking accepted philosophies. It is never done so plant shift away.
Same issue here. The trouble is I thrive on change and Mike doesn’t. In that respect we are chalk and cheese. In his view a plant should go once into a hole and stay there forever. Needless to say he doesn’t garden.
Aren’t we all the same 😉 wanting to change things around in the garden.
Love that sempervivum experiment!
We are! And it’s good that we respond if things don’t quite work out as we thought they were going to. I’ve bought two more semps now.. the wall is going to look pretty good!
Let’s face it – we gardeners are never satisfied – always thinking there’s room for improvement – maybe one day we will get it right.
I kid myself that I am trying to achieve the impossible with the terraces, creating an all seasons garden in a small space. That’s my excuse in case I never get it right!
Hello Jessica:
You are a real plantswoman, and how splendid is that. What we so like about the way you garden is that you are never completely satisfied [and that is the way we think it should be] always looking for ways to create better effects, new plant combinations, or simply improvements. And with all of this you clearly care for your plants, conscious of cultivating them in the best possible manner.
Jane and Lance, you are too kind. I would love to think that as a plantswoman it was all done with skill and careful planning. In reality it’s more down to repeated trial and error. I do try to grow plants in their favoured positions where possible though. They face enough challenges in life as it is, mostly the threat of being eaten.
I never used to like sedum – I thought it was “boring”. How wrong can you be? It just comes alive with bees and it lasts long enough to offer a whole range of shape and colour.
Love the hydrangea and the dahlia.
A bit like hydrangea I tend to prefer sedum when it has faded a bit and taken on that luscious crimson colour. And in the meantime it can be completely covered with butterflies and bees. What could be better than that?
One day, Jessica, I shall also have some plants to shift!
And once you start you just won’t stop..
I wish I had the nerve to give the sedums the chelsea chop but am always worried that we might not get enough sun to bring it on later in the year. I really should bite the bullet one of these years!
I never stop shifting plants, I’m beyond help, I’m sure! Even after thinking about shifting something from A to B for weeks, then when I get round to it, find after a few days I don’t like it, it’s up again. Little wonder some of my plants struggle.
I love sedum and persicaria together – I used to grow them together but plant shifting put paid to that!
Even in really bad summers the sedums have done well after the chop. I would give it a try.
It’s usually just after watering a plant in that I decide it needs shifting a bit one way or the other. These days I walk all round it, several times, before committing water to the ground.
Ahh, yes, the August weather. I suspect that is a theme for all of us writing EOMV this month! I love that little Sempervivum in the crack. What a beauty and obviously happy there. They seem to survive on very little, as I’ve found in my alpine wall. It’s all looking good Jessica.
Compulsive plant shifter? Nah, just a good gardener 🙂
I’m amazed how little Semps need and hope I have not been too kind in water spraying it. But I’d only just planted it when the hot weather struck. The alpine troughs give me more concern, they’ve got really sodden over the last couple of winters with resultant losses. There’s a cunning plan afoot to protect them from the wet this year.
.. or bad gardener who should have got it right first time! 😉
Lovely dahlia but I agree about the colour. it’s very similar to a Vistoria plum I’m eating.:-) I’m another plant mover-it’s all part of the fun. I find I can’t really decide if I like a combination until I see them growing together, despite trying to get it right at the planting stage,and sometimes a combo that looks great at one season is all wrong at another. Head ’em up and move ’em out is what I say.
It’s awkward when you inherit a garden too, as you know. I was still finding new things popping up in odd places two years after we moved in.
But the weather looks to be improving this week. If I get half a chance I’ll be out there with a fork..
These terraces are to die for! How very lovery with all the small things tucked into the walls and the plants raised and so easier to admire.
It comes into its own in late winter and spring. I put tiny little gems on the top of the wall that I can get close to and plants that hang their heads, like hellebores, that I can look up into. But I’ve definitely not finished with it yet! Thanks Alain.
I got teased last year for ‘drawing’ on the photos in a post – but I think it’s a brilliant idea for showing exactly what you mean! Well done for coming to these decisions – that’s the hard part, but at least by blogging we are forever assessing and reassessing and then, for some of us, moving or hoiking things out! Keep it up Jessica 🙂
Thanks Cathy. It’s the only way isn’t it. And maybe a bit of root exercise encourages the plants to be stronger at the end of the day. Talking of teasing, how’s the mahonia? x
Hi Jessica, first of all I have to say that I think your terraced beds in front of your house look great! I really love the yellow variegated grasses, hakonechloa macro ‘Aureola’. They bring so much light into this bed at this time of the year. I also like the sempervivum ‘Pacific Hazy Embers’ very much.
I am totally opposite of you I am not a plant shifter. I guess, with my garden still miles away from being completely planted I am happy if somethings grows there where I stuck it into the earth :-).
Anyway, you shift plants to your hearts content and I am sure it will be gorgeous!
Wishing you lovely late summer days!
Christina
Shifting must be more difficult in your long hot summers. Anytime I move something I can almost guarantee, in the south west of England, that it will rain within a few days to settle it in. But it’s been lovely today, a few late summer days may yet be on the cards!
Great post Jessica. I think I have some plant shifting to do myself!
Enjoy it Simone, it’s the best time of year to do it.
If only rearranging plants was as easy as drawing arrows on photos! I am a compulsive plant mover too, it has always been an essential part of gardening to me, and I love the idea of spreading the grass and therefore the movement around, and of the azalea anchoring that darker corner and adding colour. When I get home I plan to move a phormium for the third time in 18 months, poor thing…
I’m not looking forward to moving the azalea. Wish I had a magic wand! But the day has dawned fair so today it is I think..
I think your terracing is beautiful, but I think we all see faults in our own gardens, whereas others just see the beautiful flowers.
I hope your rearranging goes well, I don’t think Azaleas have a very deep root system, wide but shallow is my experience.
Thanks Pauline. I think you’re right about azalea roots, my only worry is how much they’ve winkled their way into the walls
The sun has gone in indeed, let’s hope it comes out again in September. I think I am a rather different gardener much more content to do as little as possible/let the plants tend to themselves 😉
You are busy enough without having the garden to worry about as well. And good design (as opposed to my trial and error) makes up for a lot!
I can’t keep still in the garden and like you sit and think about what’s where and what could be better. I’m interested in these terraces of yours as our next home has a terraced back garden and will require some serious thoughts (and a bit of money) on how to make it work best.
Terraced gardens can be a challenge. I’ve got a bit of work to do yet to get the levels running smoothly into one another. But I think it will be worth it when I finally get it right, it’s a great feature. And far preferable to planting and weeding on a slope!
Well to my inexperienced eye your beds look absolutely glorious 🙂 I can see the attraction of tweaking though as you never know whether something looks better when moved. From my side I think it is better to try something than sit looking and wondering (like so much in life and yes I do wish that I had the courage of my convictions!). After all you can always “wheel” them back if you change your mind later 😉
I agree. If a plant is in the wrong place it will constantly offend your eye. Even if no-one else notices it.
Well, I have burnt my bridges today. The azalea has moved. I hope it survives…
Jessica it all looks good to me and your plans sound good, just need the good weather to carry them out, Frances
I think we have two or three dry days forecast.
The azalea got shifted this afternoon, it came out quite cleanly in the end so cautiously optimistic. Grasses tomorrow..
Wow … it is looking AMAZING. So much hard work has gone into that and it shows.
I find that some plants thrive on being moved to fresh locations, it does no harm, but once it looks right it’s nice to leave things well alone and I think you are almost there now.
Thanks Sue. It is getting there. Next year I really must leave things alone to mature, otherwise I’ll never see the plants in their full glory.
I enjoyed your August blooms Jessica. ‘Totally Tangerine’ seems to be a good doer – I’m sure it was in flower much earlier in the year in one of your GBBD posts. Still on my wish list. If you divide the lovely hakonechloa macro ‘Aureola’ and have not done so before be prepared for a wait as it takes some time to bulk up.
‘Totally Tangerine’ has been in flower almost continually since May. It is just now giving up. To be honest it would be quite good if the Hakone grass didn’t bulk up too quickly, it’s got overly dominant now. Thanks Anna.