The Wicken

Just back from a lovely visit to a friend who runs a garden up near King's Lynn. The Wicken is a privately owned garden (open sometimes for NGS and special events) and expensive shooting lodge. On a sunny day in May it is simply beautiful.

The formal part of the garden, with loose, informal planting

Rose arch flanked by two Pyrus salicifolia

How's this for a lairy combination?
Dark purple tulip and bright yellow Molinia (of some sort)

Ed and Paul strolling along the (extremely effective) Ha-Ha.

Hosta 'Praying Hands' in the newly planted stumpery.
A tiny, unusual Hosta with narrow, tightly folded leaves resemble hands folded in prayer

A glimpse of the startling yellow Oilseed in an adjoining field.
Damn I love this time of year.

chocoholic

This plant is looking fabulous at the moment, growing on an east facing wall of my house. It is Akebia x. Pentaphylla, a rare-ish hybrid between the two species Akebias: A. trifoliata and A. quinata. Like other chocolate vines, it can get a bit raggedy towards the end of the season, but its lush lime green leaves look glorious in spring and early summer, and it looks fantastic against red brick walls. It's nice and vigorous too, and will thrive in almost any situation. The chocolatey flowers have a lovely, spicey vanilla aroma - and i've been told that this hybrid fruits more freely than other Akebias. We shall see.

greening up our Fine City

Went trolling about in Norwich at the weekend and was delighted to discover a "living wall" on the newly extended Marks & Spencers store on Rampant Horse Street.
According to the EDP, it covers 152sq m. Plants quite happy to grow vertically up this British institution include:  

Armeria maritima
Blechnum spicant
Galanthus nivalis
Galium odoratu
Geranium macrorrhizum
Hebe pinguifolia ‘Pagei’
Helleborus argutifoliu
Luzula nivea
Phyllitis scolopendrium
Sarcococca humilis
Thymus vulgaris

Yes please, Norwich. More of this and less ghastly winter bedding.