This Spring we had to take the top off our oak tree as it was becoming top heavy.
Our neighbour behind us is forever chopping the branches back on his side which makes the poor tree unbalanced. We reckon this tree is at least 150 years old! And so it deserves a bit of care and attention. Anyway Martin gave it a pruning and it looked a bit bare and forlorn 
but I am happy to say that it has come into leaf and is looking good. Also it is putting out new shoots at the rate of knots. 
At least it will not be a problem for another five years!
The dahlia has finally opened and it is a decorative one. I think the other one will be of the cactus variety though in the same colour. I planted several colours last year but the only ones to have survived the winter are all this rich pink.
I have this clematis (click to enlarge picture) climbing over an obelisk at the back of the garden. You can see the fern and honeysuckle in the background. It never flowers and I don’t know what it is. It is very pretty having delicate feathery leaves. If anyone knows I’d be grateful for any information. It isn’t evergreen!
The weigela (spelling?) is having a second flowering. This one is Bristol Ruby which is a dark red. The bumble bees love it!
And the Hydrangea is flowering but a lot paler than other years. Normally it is a rich blue or pink (depending on where in the garden it is) but it is very washed out. Perhaps it will darken up later. 
And it is raining. . . again!
I'm unsure which Clemtis you have, a few of them look like that - generally the alpine or lantern shaped clematis.
ReplyDeleteHmmm I never knew weigela have a second flush, mine doesn't seem to :(
Raining? It's been cold here and generally dull but very little rain, I've actually had to water the garden tonight as the sun today had pushed things that little further.
The dahlia is beautiful! I love the hot pink bloom! -Jackie
ReplyDeleteI love flowers and the way you show them! gardening is one of my biggest passions
ReplyDeleteHeavy prunning on such a big tree at the first glance look very cruel... But thats one of the things we ought to do, to make both the tree and people around it have a peaceful and tolerable life.. for a 150 year old tree, it has gone through a lot of things...
ReplyDelete~ bangchik
Your clematis could be one of many. i too had one that took about five years before it flowered. In fact I had decided to dig it out in the autumn and it then flowered just in time. So threaten it and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteLiz I think it depends on the variety of Weigela you have as my Mum's variegated one only flowers once.
ReplyDeleteJackie and Beth thank you for the kind comments on the flowers.
Joanne I shall do just that! We had a cow once that wouldn't get up until one day Martin told it that it was going to market. It got up! :-)
Bankchik the oak has recovered well and is growing like mad in all this rain!
A lovely dahlia. It's hard to tell what your clematis might be - I would give it another couple of years and then perhaps relocate it :)
ReplyDelete