They promised a heat wave. Lasting the whole week, with blistering sunshine and record temperatures. The scoundrels promised me! So what did we get? Rain. Not a shower or a mist of mizzle, proper heavy soaking rain all morning and well into the afternoon. As a gardener I should be pleased. As a human beingContinue reading “Heat wave, what heat wave?”
Author Archives: offtheedgegardening
Treacle
My morning was spent extracting couch grass from L&L’s geranium border. Unlike yesterday there was little sun, just thick and heavy air with the occasional teasing drop of lukewarm rain. It was like running in treacle. Although the weather made it rather a gruelling task, I was reinvigorated by “all you could drink” MexicanContinue reading “Treacle”
Sleep or not to sleep
The hottest day of the year and we are told it won’t get much cooler tonight. This concerns me. We all have skills, things that come naturally to us, we excel in activities that others may struggle over. This might be watercolour painting, tightrope walking or ventriloquism. Mine is sleeping. Generally it takes approximately 30Continue reading “Sleep or not to sleep”
Salvia “Violette de Loire”
In the Rodgersia Queen’s garden this Salvia “Violette de Loire” gently smoulders in a sunny corner. Not only is she sophisticated, but earthy and sensual, quite at home reclining on a chaise longue in an 18th century French boudoir. The violet and deep purple flowers are as sumptuous as the velvet suit your dad woreContinue reading “Salvia “Violette de Loire””
Giant
Did I mention that Lord Mantle has extremely large hands?
Pathway
This is a pathway doing what a pathway should. It entices you with its curves and luxuriant planting, drawing you in like a horticultural magnet, eager to discover what delights lie beyond. There is an intrepid explorer in all of us and a little bit of the unknown is both exciting and entrancing. So ofContinue reading “Pathway”
Not Just Another Buddleja
Since I began my journey on the freelance highway (posh way to say I became a jobbing gardener) in November I have often been gardening blind. The gardens were in winter shut-down and I had to depend on the memory of owners as to what was what and where was where. More often than notContinue reading “Not Just Another Buddleja”
Cornflower
Really, truly, can you do much better than a cornflower? It is blue in the best possible way, tough as boot leather but supremely delicate, reliable as a pimple before a hot date but never tedious, fits in well with everyone in the border but stands alone as a special one. If one flower couldContinue reading “Cornflower”
Deception
They say, “Confession is good for the soul”, so in an attempt to salve my conscience I will admit that I wasn’t being strictly truthful yesterday. You may have got the wrong impression as to the success of my day as a whole and more specifically Hero’s and my trip to Holbrook Garden near TivertonContinue reading “Deception”
Expedition
Today myself and Hero went on an expedition to Holbrook Garden/Sampford Shrubs. I know exactly what you are thinking and I can assure you this was definitely not another jolly. I can assure you that there was absolutely no joy associated with our day. None whatsoever. At great personal risk we undertook this daunting andContinue reading “Expedition”
Off The Edge Gardening 