  |  After commenting on the fact that many of our tulips do not do well, this old variety, brought from Amsterdam by a friend, has done wonderfully. Narrow, tall and dainty, it greets the sun every morning and opens wide! |
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My dwarf iris were found by accident, grown through a tray and into the earth below. They had been ignored for a couple years under a display in the nursery. I fell in love with them immediately. Only one was in bloom, so I took the tray without knowing that I had 3 varieties. The two above are my favourites, and the third is a purple dwarf which I have seen in the wild. I have paired them with Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster' and they compliment one another beautifully.  A group of these favourites!  After many years, I am taking the chance to share what has become my passion. Budapest may, or may not, be familiar to you, but I thought that a walk through a year may be of interest to some. I wanted to begin in early spring but this year it came very early. Winter never really arrived as is the case in this country sometimes. The blessing is that we have been enjoying the garden for 3 weeks already. The downside maybe a long and hot summer. Let's see.  To the seasoned gardener, this may look like a boring shot. It is nothing compared to the lanes of England that are lined with daffodils in spring. Lansdown Road north of Bath springs to mind, as one passes Beckford's Tower by car. Not many daffodils to speak of, and dull. Yes, but it is early spring and the daffodils are a new addition. There is a problem with the bulbs in my garden. They have not well behaved. Consequently, I have had to add them each autumn. The gorgeous salmon pink tulips have disappeared, Kyoto yellow tulips were 4 and are now only two. So I am not sure of the reason, but I am thinking that they must be eaten or too wet in summer. I have not lifted them, but the bulbs in our former garden went on for 16 years without a problem. So, I shall continue to experiment. In any case, these remind me so much of my Grandmother who had a row planted across the front of her house in Saskatchewan for all the years that I can remember.....
Ginny's Stone
As an aside, the stones used here, and on the architecture of the house, are local. They are numerous and not difficult to find. I have collected many larger specimen to use as focal points. This upright stone was placed when a very dear friend visited with her family. She watched as I coached the team to place it point-up, so that it can act as a terminus to the views from inside. Lit at night, it can be seen through the house from the front door. I have used this type of composition at several points in the garden. The planting acts to soften the hardness of the stone.  Sometimes in life, you have to take a chance. We did. Living in this country has been a mixed blessing, but the truth is that it has become home.
When we had the chance to purchase a house, we decided to take the opportunity. The garden here has been built twice. Once with my own hands and with the help of a friend. That garden was destroyed two years later in order to renovate the drainage system, however, much of the plant material was stored for a winter and used to restore the garden in spring. The ornamental apple pictured here was the only piece spared. What you see above has had six years to mature. This garden is my experimental plot; the place where I tried out plants so that I could make recommendations to friends and clients. It has taught me a lot. We will explore this vista in detail as the next couple of months go by. I hope you enjoy it. |
DouglasHas lived in Budapest for many years. He loves the climate and the gardens that flourish there. He has travelled extensively in North America, Europe and Asia in search for gardens of inspiration. Archives
February 2018
Garden Design |
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