Autumn colour in the Birmingham Botanic Gardens

Verbena bonariensis in the grasses area in the Botanic Garden ,I think its a history of horticulture garden but its mostly filled with grasses now. This was taken a few weeks ago but considering these plants come from Buenos Aires its amazing how long they flower for here in Brum. They are now grown in most gardens but still look fab, they are not long-lived perennials but they self-seed around the garden & thats great because the more you grow the better the effect. Plus they have that see-through look so they don't obscure everthing else.

Hydrangea quercifolia

Combination of Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia & Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'


Acer ssp.

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Phygelius ssp. is on the right with tubular pink flowers, I'm not sure of the full name but it looked fabulous growing with grasses) semi-evergreen, native to South Africa, needs a sheltered sunny position as its slightly tender in the U.K .

A Cleome with possibly a Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)?

First 'real' border design finished & planted up

On a rainy saturday the sun finally came out in the afternoon & I was able to finish planting up the pink (& purple & white) border (my first real design bought & planted woo hoo!).

The shrubs, perennials & weeping cherry tree, Prunus kiku-shidare sakura (Cheals weeping cherry) are all planted & today saw the final stage of planting cyclamen around the cherry tree & bulbs- Crocus 'Pickwick' & dwarf white narcissus (from Kitchen garden cafe in Kings Heath woo hoo!) Hopefully it'll have bags of interest all year round as well as a strong pink flowered theme in the summer.

Its a raised bed & with free-draining alkaline soil (a blended loam top-soil the landscapers tell me), the sunny position suits perennials such as Verbascum chaixii 'Album' & Salvia nemorosa 'Ostfriesland', Salvia officionalis Purpurescens', & Salvia 'Rose Queen'...& many more

Pics to follow, have so many now to upload as I've had fun going to a few great gardens recently, as well as the border design..although the proof of the pudding is in a few years time when I'll know whether I've really left enough room for every thing to grow & look good!. just need to find the cable that connects my camera to the computer. ..aah technology is great..deep breath.. stay calm & carry on...(thank goodness gardening can't get all technologised - although I have CAD to learn this year which will be fun, ha ha ha )