Changing Seasons And Hot Chocolate

This flower represents a triumph for me this year.I bought some Chocolate Cosmos tubers which I have grown on.They were so slow to start with that I worried that they would rot in the pot.Just as I was giving up all hope when it sprouted leaves.I have the pot on the outdoor table so I can smell the sweet smelling flower.It is a Mexican Perennial and one of my favourite Autumn flowers.Its dark looks and chocolate scent make it a winner.I replanted two pots with the Petunia plug plants that had survived being left in the trays.I love the vibrant colours.The first pot has a Scabiosa in the middle.The second pot has a Japanese Painted Fern.
Interestingly I read that there are more rare Japanese plants growing in the UK than there are growing wild in Japan.The plant hunters of the 19Th century took a lot out to feed peoples love of new and exotic plants.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15019834

People now still love buying new plants,and exotic new species.At least there are examples here of Japanese plants that could be returned to the wild,or cultivated en Mass then returned.

I love these Simple Pansy's.They have a myriad of paintbox colours, and combinations.They seem to grow well in Yorkshire,and have a long flowering time.

It is officially Autumn now according to the calender.I'm enjoying the colours of the garden that remain,dotted between the newly formed seed heads.There are more replacement plug plants growing on for the baskets and the sunken border.I have to work this weekend before more days off.

I hope Autumn Watch will be back on our screens soon.Chris Packham will be reunited with Michaela Strachan.Like the Really Wild Show that I watched when i was younger.

http://bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/2011/09/announcing-autumnwatch-live-20.shtml

I saw the Hedgehog in our garden last night snuffling around the bird feeding station eating the bits the birds dropped.He must be fattening up ready for the winter hibernation.I heard our resident Owls last night,and I think Foxes for the first time.Nature is bountiful at this time of year so everything is eating well before winter.I am trying to enjoy the gardens in this time of changes.

Double Choc

A tale of two Chocolate named plants flowering yesterday. I looked for inspiration to take some photos to blog and found my double choc plants.
These petite pale lilac flowers are on the leaves of the Chocolate Mint plant, bought from Harlow Carr this year. They have an intense minty smell, used for desserts it says on the label. I think a chocolate mint ice cream would be heaven with the chopped leaves of this plant. It has been easy to propogate too. Next years plant stall will have a lot of these for sale!

The Mexican Chocolate Cosmos that smells of the yummiest Belgian Chocolates. A garden is better when it touches all the senses. Sight, smell, touch, and sound.These flowers have continued for months and the fresh bloomed flowers have the most moorish chocolate smell, that you keep going back to sniff them (and then lick your lips remembering chocolates past).
These need to over winter indoors before being returned to the garden in spring. They are a perennial.
I am a chocolate lover, so i love both these plants for their looks, and scents.

Chocolate Cosmos

The gorgeous Chocolate Cosmos yesterday smelt of Belgian chocolates.Two days at work now before Tatton Park RHS flower show on Sunday.
the camera is ready to take lots of photos, which will hopefully be as sweet as this one..

Open Gardens

I watched a programme last night called Open Gardens on the BBC i player. It was presented by the Gardeners World presenter Carol Klein.
Members of the public in the UK were trying to get entry into the Yellow book, an annual handbook for the National Garden Scheme:
http://www.ngs.org.uk/gen/history.aspx
Four hundred of the best, most innovative peoples gardens are opened for a day to raise money for charity.
Regional judges come around and scrutinise the peoples gardens, to see if they are of high enough standard, without too many glaring faults, and are safe enough for the paying public to visit.
Eight hundred people had applied for a place in the yellow book, with only four hundred reaching the judges standards.
These are peoples private gardens, being opened to the paying public for a few days a year.
I think that in America, some Citys have a similar scheme to open private gardens.The NGS scheme raises money for charitys and has done since 1927.
It says on the website that the garden must keep people interested for 45 minutes including refreshments.
Would you be brave enough to let people pay to come into your private garden? For me my garden is a reflection of me, and designed to please me. My garden (it is only visible from the back gate and nobody except the neighbours ever walks past) is seldom seen, and from the front of the house there is no clue to the lush green of the massed planting at the back.
Only people who I have invited in have seen it in person. Although I guess blogging the garden and all its flowers is opening it up to the world.
The NGS scheme blurs the difference between Public gardens and Private ones. Does blogging count as a worldwide open garden scheme where visitors can drop in and take a look, and leave comments if they desired?

Ps (The photo is of a deliciously scented Chocolate Cosmos..Am off to bed soon..its the Great Yorkshire Show today in Harrogate!Expect a few animal photos :)

Chocolate And Roses

They normally go together well on Valentines day, or as a romantic gift for your loved ones.In the garden they are represented by two plants.The Chocolate Cosmos flowered on the day i came back from Cheltenham.It is a sumptuous velvet soft burgundy flower that looks darker in poor light.It has a bejeweled centre like a crown made of sweets.On a warm summerss day the scent is of rich Belgian chocolates.Read Joanne Harris's Chocolat, and smell this great Mexican perennial.It is in a pot by the rose bench so I can smell its sweet chocolate/vanilla essence!
Pure poetary in a flowers scent.

The Climbing Rose Iceberg, which was only a pound (£1) from Hampsons. It has grown superbly in the pot by the outhouse door. I have planted two marigolds below it but this has made no difference to greenfly!The white flowers smell like roses should, not strong but pleasant and pleasurable every time you bend over to sniff the flowers.
Scent is one of the senses that is hardest to describe in words. I think David Austin has a team of professional Rose sniffers to write the blurb in the catalogue about what each Rose smells like..
I love the heady mix of Chocolate and Roses, this will by my favourite scent combination this summer. I have five more Rose plants to bloom yet.

Chocolate cosmos in the scented garden

This is a Dark Flowered one, like Bournville Dark Chocolate...

The Chocolate Cosmos in the Mulched bed...

Flower in detail with jewelled centre..

The flower looks like it has had a slight dusting with confectioners sugar...

How great is Nature? Combining a perennial flower with the looks of a Dahlia, delicate sweet like centre, and reddish/brown Flowers that smell of Vanilla and Chocolate.

It is grown from a Tuber, so can be divided in the spring, or grown from seed. It is usually dug up and stored in a dry place, as a harsh winter would kill it.It likes full sun, and well drained soil I think.

I spent a long time inhaling the choclatey scent of these flowers, and have put on all my photos. I was going to buy a pot (£5.95) from the garden centre. I could not do it though in case the flat killed the plant. I need a garden of my own with soil.

The centres of the flowers look like a Joanne Harris inspired Sweet selection, Can imagine Vianne selling these in her Chocolat shop.

These have been on my wishlist, and to actually smell them is great.Its the first time I have ever seen them in the flesh :)

Chocolate and flowers...Heaven.