Dirty Hands and Sore Feet

Saturday was a day to enjoy.  The new Magnolia "George Henry Kern" is in full bloom and looks fabulous with Clematis montana "Rubens" as a backdrop. 

The front garden had a once-over, removing the spent flowers of tulips that had gone over and removing any weeds.

There are a few frost damaged leaves on the Acer and hydrangea, but they'll provide a wee bit of protection in the event of further cold snaps and will be dropped from the plants in due course.  It's just bad luck.

Rosa "Maigold" is really finding it's stride now, and Rosa "Margaret Merrill" is beginning to bloom. 

New growth on Pittosporum tenufolium "Tom Thumb" is green but it eventually turns to rich purple/brown.

Sunday was a day for dirty hands and sore feet.  We had picked up 3 matching pots, one to replace the very old plastic containers either side of the patio arch, the last was for a new Rhododendron for the Yen Garden.  

To begin with we emptied out the containers either side of the patio arch and removed the old wallflowers.  The Man That Can drilled drainage holes into the new containers and we then mixed 50/50 garden compost and John Innes no 2 before replanting the Viburnums into the fresh soil.  

One had managed to layer itself and was growing away very well so I cut it from the parent plant and potted it up separately! 

I do like something for nothing, don't you?

Next up we replenished the compost in the two rattan containers, giving the heucheras a bit of a tidy before replanting them.  I also potted on the Photinia "Red Robin" into the next size up.

Down in the sunken Yen Garden, TMTC enriched the soil and planted a new Fastia japonica.  This will begin to create a more shaded area in what is essentially the sunniest part of the garden, with its exotic looking leaves.

In the final pot will be a new Rhododendron "Christmas Cheer".

It is yet to be planted however because time was against us.  It has finished flowering now, but it blooms December - May with pink flowers fading to white.  It will pick up the cherry blossom colours and the apple blossom, before the  other deep pinky red Rhododendron comes into bloom.

Stunning rhododendron in full bloom. 

The Azaleas turn to shine. 

Clematis "Shikoo" and Ceanothus, also in the Yen Garden. 

In the Pink Garden:

I've cleaned the old bark from the birch tree and TMTC moved the stake into a more upright position.  It's not yet ready to go it alone, but the trunk girth had increased and was rubbing on the stake. 

On the terrace I've removed the violas. 

The terrace pots have yet to be replanted.  The violas are pretty much exhausted now, having flowered for pretty much 6 months non-stop. 

But that is for another day.  Time to stop and enjoy.