Paeonia lactiflora - Madame Gaudichau

Paeonia lactiflora - Madame Gaudichau which has beautiful red foliage in addition to superb single red flowers.

Sedum - Purple emperor?

Not absolutely sure which sedum this is, probably Purple Emperor, will check later.

geranium grandiflorum

Ordinary geranium grandiflorum, a bit of a weed and rather thuggish, but beautiful for a short time and loved very much by the bees.

Iris Sibirica Summer Sky

This one I do know, as it is a new acquisition. I think I'd hope a summer sky was a little more azure blue, but I guess the rather pale colour is probably more accurate! It's a little pallid for my taste, would look much nicer against yellow foliage I think. Slightly short for a sibirica too, I prefer the taller ones that float above other foliage.

Iris Sibirica - unknown variety

I don't know the name of this variety but it is a very deep purple, really not caught by this photo. Came from a plant sale at the University of Oxford arboretum, label long lost now but was something like 'purple emperor' (could be 'Emperor' but doesn't quite match the photos of this variety I've seen). Still a very beautiful, tall sibirica.

Onoclea sensibilis

Onoclea sensibilis and the last few caltha palustris, reflected in the pond

Iris Black Swan - sport?

One crown of these irises opened with very strange flowers in comparison with the normal ones, with only the central 'ribs' of the petals and sepals. I think the bud was probably damaged by the very severe frosts we had abotu 2 weeks ago, rather than being a true bud sport. If it happens again next year I might change my mind though!

Irish Black Swan

May 2010

May 2007

So much has changed in this time. The garden was badly affected by the floods of July 2007, and many plants were lost.

Matteuccia struthiopteris, various iris sibirica, and Camassia leichtlinii semiplena.

Green dock beetles

These had infested one of my rheum palmatums; although very pretty I have squashed all the bright yellow eggs I could find, obligingly laid on the upper surfaces of the leaves.

Damselflies

My duck swamp!

Caltha palustris - marsh marigold

Acer japonicum aurem

Papaver orientale - Patty's Plum

Iris - Black Swan

Allium afflatuense

What is paradise?

"The Persian paradise garden is one of the handful of fundamental original garden types from which all the world's gardens derive, in various combinations. In its simplest form, the Persian garden consists of a formal rectangle of water, with enough of a flow to give it life and movement, and with a raised platform to view it from. A pavilion provides more permanent shelter than the original tent, and strictly aligned, formally arranged trees, especially the chenar or plane tree, provide shade, and the perimeter is walled for privacy and security".

At least this is how wikipedia describes paradise. It also describes my own garden, though with a circle of water with a wooden pier to view it from. A wooden conservatory instead of a pavilion and enormous poplars and willows to provide shade. Formality and structure are provided by decorative fruit cordons.