Paradise Plants Open Weekend - August 2010
Written by Sandy Marker
The usual profusion of early spring flowers, which start in August was a tad late at Paradise Plants this year. The Magnolias were just coming into flower. The Wisteria walk showed no evidence of bursting into life but the huge selection of camellias weighed down with buds and a carpet of colour under them was evident that they had been flowering for some time.
Collars of Alyssum (Sweet Alice) all along the pathways produced a perfume rekindling visions of warm summer days to come, which are just around the corner. Polyanthus of every imaginary colour were scattered through the gardens like jewels but the double two toned Primula flowers were a new sight to be seen.
Four Sogetsu members took advantage of the abundance of material to select from, and the generosity of Bob Cherry, which always makes it a pleasure to pick material from his garden. What to choose is always hard, but the Green Goddess Lilies were the size of dinner plates making it very hard to go past them.
The camellia, ‘Reflecting Wave’ propagated for the 50th Sogetsu Celebrations was in full flower and looking very grand. The plants have grown and it has been wonderful watching this special camellia develop from a small seedling.
Paradise Plants is an outing not to miss and the next open day is the first weekend of May. Even if you have been before there is always a new vista to see, an arbour to walk through or a new plant you have not seen before. I look forward to seeing you there in May.
Click on images below to enlarge.
