RogWilko’s Garden

 The Geranium genus has endless species. Many tend to sprawl and can be a bit of bully. This one, apart from having the best flowers of any I’ve seen, has a pleasing upright habit and unusual reddish foliage. It’s just called G. “Dark Eyes”

  This is Sambucus nigra “Black Lace” which is a species of the common roadside elder tree. It is growing happily in almost full shade and, with that and its dark foliage and pink flower umbels, it has unsurprisingly become a common garden sight.

 This sensational shrub is really wanting to grow into a 6m high tree, but even if I can’t keep on growing it in a pot I will have had good value out of it. Its common name is Chile lantern tree, but its official moniker is Crinodendron hookerianum. Though very exotic looking, it seems to be quite hardy, despite being evergreen and not shedding its leaves in winter. RHS gives it Hardiness 4. It may not survive a really hard winter, but I lined the pot with some wall insulation and kept it close to the house, and it sailed through last winter. Apparently you can pull a flower to pieces and suck out the nectar, but I haven’t tried it yet.

 Just returned from a week in the Isles of Scilly. Lots been happening in the garden while we were away. This graceful shrub is about 4 years old and this is its first proper flowering. It is a spreading smallish shrub about a metre high and more in spread and is a member of the pea family Fabaceae. It is Indigofera himalayensis “Silk Road”, and its pink pea flowers are borne on dozens of wiry arching stems. In the same bed is a recently planted Deutzia x hybrid “Mont Rose” which has settled in well and is showing a mass of white flowers with a hint of pink

 Planted last summer, this excellent Thalictrum has made good growth and is already 4 feet tall. It’s called T. “Black Stockings”, presumably on account of its almost totally black stems.

 I used to think Erodiums were just diminutive rockery plants. Think again! This one was planted about a year ago and flowered all summer. It is now over a foot in diameter and the flowers, borne on long stalks, look very similar to geraniums. The name is E. manescavii

 Not quite middle of May yet, but here’s my first digging of potatoes for 2025. The variety is Sharpe’s Express.

 This beautiful Geum “Scarlet Tempest” seems to be rather more upright and proud of itself when compared with many others of the genus. It’s making a good job of brightening this pond-side corner while the nearby Rodgersia gets its a t together.

 This delicate looking flower defies appearances as it survives winter with ease and comes up reliably in spring . So far, slugs don’t seem to attack it. The flowers are a little reminiscent of Cyclamen. It is Dodecatheon pulchellums ‘Red Wings’. Dodecatheon pulchellum subsp.  pulchellum 'Red Wings'

 This evergreen shrub, Azara serrata, is really a tree, but it can be trained on a fence, as here. It is a vigorous and strong grower and can easily be trimmed after flowering without compromising next year’s blossoms. I have seen it growing and flowering in the shade of larger trees.

 Lots pink and purple around just now. From the front we have a candelabra Primula, Miller’s Crimson perhaps, then some Alliums and finally a Thalictrum, species unknown.

 First burst of flowers from this newly acquired shrub (in a pot) Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’. Azalea lutea trying to get in on the act.

 Not a very good picture but a big event. After many years of trying we have finally got a Meconopsis flower. Growing a pot, in the shelter of a hedge.  Not at all a sunny spot, but really quite shady. Is this the cause of this success? This variety is called Langholm.

 This rather lovely hardy perennial is Maianthemum racemosum, commonly known as false spikenard, false Solomon’s seal, etc., etc., It is also known as Smilacina racemosa. It is a member of the asparagaceae family, and is a monocot. Dies back to nothing over winter. Even before and after flowering the foliage is quite charming and the plant has the additional advantage of being tolerant of deep shade. Dappled shade in moist but well-drained soil, preferably on the acid side, is its preference.