themagnoliatreeblog

Although I want to grow plants which are edible, annual flowers bring a lot of pleasure by sight and smell and can leave you with a general sense of well-being. Last summer saw an increase of hoverflies in the garden and although I had plenty of flowering plants, I felt I could do with some backup. This was good enough reason to increase some of the flowers for the front garden.

I have a dislike of ‘twee’ gardens with the swathes of manicured lawns and uniform plants in uniform rows. That’s too organised and too much like hard work. I like the cottage garden, where you never know what will appear next. Plants grown, not quite randomly, but every space is filled with interest.

I am adding to my floral collection with new varieties I’ve never really seen before, so it will be interesting to see if they have the will to survive against the odds of me killing them off (accidentally of course).  

Gilia tricolour (Bird’s Eye).

Nigella papilloss (African Bride), quite tall at 90cms Linum Lewisii, (Blue Flax).

Lobelia (Fountain Mix), together with Canterbury Bells, they will bring a bigger variety of colour into the garden.    

Odorata grandiflora (Mignonette) 40cms tall, not exciting to look at, but is grown for its incredible smell.

Linum Lewisii, (Blue Flax). Another small blue flower, slightly taller than Gilia and which will open out in the sun. Slightly taller than Gilia and which will open out in the sun.

Lobelia (Dark Blue) which was a gift included in a purchase on the internet. 

 Canterbury Bells (Calycanthema) mixed colours growing to about 70-80 cms tall.

You can never get enough nasturtiums, and I’m adding Black Velvet and Yellow Troika for next year.

The delicate lace of Didiscus caeruleus (Lace Flower) adds a gentle touch to the flower garden, contrasting with the deeper, more flamboyant colours reminiscent of sipping wine in a sun-filled cottage garden.

Last but not least, is Physostegia virginiana (Grandiaflora Rose) also known as The Obedient plant. Apparently you can twist the flowers round the stem and they will stay that way.

It would nice to say the photographs are my own but I haven’t even opened the seed packets yet, so I have the seed suppliers to thank for photographs.  Of course I also have new vegetable seeds but I will deal with those later. 

Chilternseeds.co.uk
Nigella, (African Bride), Odorato (Grandiflora), Lace Flower, (Didiscus Caeruleus).

Plants of Distinction.co.uk
Nasturtiums, (Black Velvet and Yellow Troika), Gilia (Bird’s Eyes).       
Linum Lewissi, seed from a plant swap, photo from the internet.

Seed Parade.co.uk
Canterbury Bells, Lobelia, Fountain Mixed.

Seedaholic.co.uk
Physostegia virginia (Grandiflora Rose).