Early June n the garden

Early June has been astonishingly hot but the last 24 hours have brought some relief. Despite liberal use of the watering can the roses haven't lasted quite as long as we had hoped but ornamental onions have flourished, none more than Allium christophii; the plant that we grow is probably the form known as 'Star of Persia'.

Allium christophii is a stunning species of onion.

Our garden, Stefen Hill, Daventry. 4 June, 2020

Allium moly has done well too but this is such an easy and popular plant that little more needs to be said. The delightful blue Allium cyaneum is a different matter. This is quite a small plant from hillsides in China and Tibet and accordingly likes quickly-draining soils. We grow ours in a wooden trough in a gritty mixture and it seems to be doing well.

At the other end of the size scale, Allium cyaneum is only

100 cm. high. Our garden again. 4 June, 2020

It spreads by short rhizomes and if it puts on sufficient growth I may try it in the front garden.

The front garden was intended to be a gravel garden with small, cushion-like plants growing between rocks. It hasn't quite worked out that way and accordingly I am gradually removing over-robust plants. One plant that shouldn't be there is Bunium bulbocastanum, but I will be loth to move it.

Bunium bulbocastanum is too big for our front garden - but it stays for now

4 July, 2020

Sometimes called the Great Pignut it  is very obviously related to the carrot and has occasionally been used as a vegetable, particularly in central Europe. It is a rather rare British native, growing in the Chiltern Hills (where in places it can be quite common) with the occasional plant reported from elsewhere - but never from Northamptonshire. I also grow the related Seseli montanum, again in the front garden and again rather inappropriately. Known as the Mountain Moon Carrot it grows in Spain, France, Italy and North-West Africa but not Britain. It is not yet in flower but when it does so I hope to gather seed, both from this and the Bunium.

Speaking of seeds, our Woad plant, Isatis tinctoria,  is fruiting and I hope to gather seeds from this too.

The fruits of our woad plant hang from their arched scape*.

Our back garden. 4 July, 2020

The fruits of woad are unusual for the cabbage family in being pendulous. Their weight is causing the stem to hand down in a rather graceful arch.


* Scape  Strictly speaking this stem is not a scape as it does bear a few small leaves which have now withered and disappeared - so it is currently scape-like.