News from Brickwall Cottage Garden

Latest News
January 2012

A month has passed since the last ‘News’ from the garden.  The weather has been mild which means that work has continued fairly regularly.  Many flowers are appearing earlier than usual - it has almost felt like spring.  However this week-end has brought sharp frosts and much colder weather which might hold things back for a while.

Last month I mentioned Vinca diformis which flowers every month of the year.  It looks stunning at the moment - a mass of delicate blue flowers.  Like all periwinkles it can be invasive but I keep it under control by growing it next to a grass path so it gets mown back regularly. 

Early snowdrops are flowering well - I think they are probably Galanthus ‘Atkinsii’.  There are about 20 different ones in the garden - not many by galanthophile standards but I add a few more each year. 

I have been busy cutting off the hellebore leaves thus exposing the flowers and preventing the spread of disease.  I have one Christmas Rose - Helleborus niger which is flowering well.  The Garrya elliptica has wonderful long catkins and the Chimonanthus praecox is covered in sweet smelling flowers.  I had to wait 7 years for this to flower and now every year it gets better - certainly worth the wait.  Iris unguicularis has been flowering on and off since the beginning of November.  I love picking them in the bud and having them in the house - they too are fragrant.  Cyclamen coum continues to flower and there are even one or two winter aconites.  I find these are very slow to bulk up - I would love to have a carpet of them!

It is always a joy to walk into the greenhouse early in the morning.  I have a sand bench with some special slightly tender plants plunged into the sand - the greenhouse is not heated. One of my favourite plants is Oxalis versicolor. The flowers only open in full sun but the tightly coiled buds with red stripes are very striking.

Sue Martin

In May, 2012 the Garden will again be open to the public
under the National Garden Scheme
on the following dates, and times:

Sat 29, & Sun 30 April, Sat 6, & Sun 7 May,
Sat 13, & Sun 14 May, Sat 20 & Sun 21 May,
and Sat 27 May & Sun 28 May.
All from 11.a.m. to 5 p.m.