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Special Plants Nursery (Chippenham, England)

Our third day was a busy one as we left our first hotel in Bath and traveled to Wells. There were several stops along the way, the first being Special Plants Nursery in Chippenham, England. It was a warm day. The nursery is owned by former Oregonian Derry Watkins, who moved to England decades ago when she married an Englishman. She is a plant collector and has traveled all over the world, her favorite place being South Africa.  That is Derry in the above photos talking to our group. The house and garden are located on a steep hill with idyllic countryside surrounding it. She says the garden was designed by her architect husband and she has filled it with her favorite plants, mostly tender perennials that she has collected from her plant-hunting expeditions. Most of the beds are terraced and many plants are grown in gravel. The garden is also enhanced with some striking ornaments - Lower island beds proceed downhill - A bog garden - At the bottom of the property is a woodland walk....
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Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - October 2022

Aster 'Purple Dome'

It feels more like September here and tonight the weatherman gave a startling statistic for this area. So far, during the month of October (and we are only halfway through it), we've had 10 days over 80 degrees. In the past decade, the most days with 80+ temps was 2 days. 

Here what's blooming in the garden this month -

Gaura 'Beeliza Dark Pink' - my favorite Gaura and so well behaved.

Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' - Bought on a whim from Annie's Annuals, this is a really nice one.


Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet) 'Charles Grimaldi' - I thought it would never bloom this year but it is finally showing off.

Aralia 'Sun King'

Western Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)



Anenome


Goldenrod (Solidago 'Fireworks')


Clematis 'Josephine'


Pennisetum '24 Karat'


Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel'


Mahonia 'Soft Caress'

Fuchsia 'Cardinal'

Fuchsia 'Voodoo'

Hardy Begonia 

Dahlia

Another Dahlia

Datura 'Double Purple'

Dicliptera suberecta (Uruguayan firecracker plant)


Check out what is blooming on other blogs at May Dreams Gardens.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. LisaOctober 15, 2022 at 9:01 AM

    I am amazed by that gaura! Its flowers are so huge compared to my Siskiyou Pink and Rosy Jane.

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  2. Kris PetersonOctober 15, 2022 at 11:14 AM

    If my asters had formed a nice clump like that instead of attempting a takeover of half my back garden, I wouldn't have pulled them out last year. (They're still attempting a comeback.) You've got a great range of blooms. The only thing we share this month is Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', which I've grown for years (and also came from Annie's), but mine are currently in need of a good pruning as they're scraggly.

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  3. AlanaOctober 15, 2022 at 3:03 PM

    I love your Starfire Pink Cuphea - the only ones I have grown are orange and yellow. This year I grew Vermillionaire and our hummingbird loved it until it migrated in the first week of September. (The cuphea didn't make it to my GBBD post). I have never had luck with pink anemone so enjoyed yours. That hibiscus is majestic, too.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverOctober 15, 2022 at 6:41 PM

      Alana, I grow Vermillionaire every year in a pot just for the hummingbirds. I think it is their #1 plant here.

      Delete
  4. LeaOctober 15, 2022 at 3:50 PM

    Beautiful! I especially like the Clematis and the Dahlia

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  5. HorticatOctober 15, 2022 at 11:22 PM

    Lots of beauty in your garden at the moment, Phillip. That Datura 'Double Purple' really is something else. It reminds me of the icing on an elaborate cupcake!

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  6. Hoover BooOctober 16, 2022 at 4:14 PM

    That is 1 heck of a beautiful Gaura. Your garden looks wonderful...maybe it's okay for the summer to linger a bit longer up north?

    ReplyDelete

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