Wisteria

three plantersIt’s so tricky with these new larger pictures.   I wanted to add them to the last post, but there was no room.

The courtyard now has seven large planters. One one side there are three magnificent roses, and on the north side I have tulips, lilies and now mint.

But the star of the show right now is the wisteria.

It takes an age to flower; but that is the altitude and the variety. My small purple wisteria on the south side of the house is out and almost over.   But the white wisteria on the east side of the building takes its time. wisteria 2012

But when it finally flowers it is breathtaking. And the scent is so surprising.   My first instinct of course is to try and trap it and bring the scent and flowers indoors. But it flowers about 20 feet up the building and cannot even be pruned without taking your life in your hands up a ladder.   So I admire it from afar, and pray it won’t attack our newly installed gutters.

thalictrumOh yes, and another surprise for this year: the thalitcrum has flowered. This time last year we had a drought.   And this woodland plant does prefer things moist and shaded.

I can’t claim I did anything on purpose; but the shrub is happy and flowering like mad.   The shade garden has never looked prettier or fuller or more colourful.   I have great trouble photographing it.   I need to get up at dawn to do it justice.   And as I spent too many hours last night listening to thunder storms around 220am I was not keen to get up early and record my work.