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This morning, while Jackie continued planting, I shaved a curved line on the edge of the grass patch,
where Jackie had placed a group of petunias. Then, removing grass roots and us much moss as possible, I broke up the sods and mixed them with the Head Gardener’s fresh soil.
Of all the clematises in the garden it is perhaps pertinent to mention two today. This one is making its way across the arch spanning the Phantom Path on the other side of Margery’s Bed against which the above petunias have been placed.
The other, being the same white hue as the now faded Marie Boisselot now commands the attention that she had in her youth on the Kitchen Bed obelisk.
The same bed contains miniature kniphofias;
the stone urn standing beside them contains cosmoses and geraniums;
and almost fluorescent mesembryanthemums overlook the Waterboy’s fountain.
Gloriously scented lilies in the New Bed attract a myriad of flies.
Day lilies abound throughout the beds, but they are of just three varieties.
When Jackie discovered that a splendid collection of the plants is nurtured in Sway, just two or three miles up the road, it became imperative that we should pay a visit. Accordingly we took a trip to in Mount Pleasant Lane,
Along a winding gravelled drive we entered a lovely garden with a huge array of plants of all kinds. I rang a doorbell and Pollie Maasz, the friendly and pleasant proprietor, emerged to show us around her amazing collection, about more of which can be read on Day lilies .
A gate in the domestic garden led us to a splendid display of unusual hemerocallis flowers.
As Pollie searched among rows of potted samples for sale, through a wire fence, she chatted to her neighbour’s horse, tormented by marauding flies. The good-natured mare tossed her head in vain attempts to rid herself of the plague.
We bought two plants. All we have to do is create spaces for them.
This evening we dined at Lal Quilla. I enjoyed chicken jaljala; Jackie chose chicken shashlik; and we shared mushroom rice and a plain paratha. We both drank Kingfisher.
Just two? 🙂 I admire your restraint.
Only two plants THIS TIME, we were informed that the later flowering ones will be showing their true colours in a fortnight and we have promised to return! You know us too well 🙂
That’s more like it 🙂
🙂 Brilliant. I can’t match Jackie’s comment Mary. Thank you.
The garden looks gorgeous. You did a fine job of edging the flower bed. Harder than it looks.
Many thanks, Oglach. Curves are my thing.
How on earth did you decide on which two, Derrick? They’re all so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your magnificent photos with us. Cheers!
Thanks a lot, Jill. The Head Gardener picked the delicate one in the picture and the vibrant red one. Pollie couldn’t find the one I chose.
I hope Pollie put the kettle on.
I used to have a large collection of day lilies but but they all went west with all the house movie
I hadn’t finished typing when the comment sent itself. Was going to say they all went west with all the house movings. It’s certainly glorious at Pollies. However I’d personally go for your purple clematis!
Thanks, Bruce. The clematis lasts a bit longer, too.
🙂 I don’t think she had expected anyone on the hottest June day since 1976. Thanks, Bruce
I had a giggle at the line …”All we have to do is create spaces for them.”
The day lilies are just setting up buds here in Northern Ontario.
Many thanks, Maggie.
I’m not a big fan of day lilies Derrick – I once had a stream on my property that they bordered – masses of them and they were all orange and always seemed to have more shrivelling dead or dying flowers than bloomers …….. I have not heard of mesembryanthemums before – are they succulents? Very bright and eye catching! And of course the lawn edging looks most professional – could be a new career opening before you 🙂
Very many thanks, Pauline. Jackie wouldn’t have day lilies in her London garden for that very reason. In a big garden you don’t notice it. We think the mesembryanthemums are succulents – but hardy.
Wow, you’re lawn edging is…pretty immaculate. I’m impressed. The day lilies are such a pleasure–I love how they come on this time of year, and you have captured some delicately colored ones that would be nice to have. I look forward to seeing yours in their new places.
Thanks a lot. Lisa. I rather like curves.
Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Thanks very much, Arlene
I loved the clematises and mesembryanthemums. Hope the daylilies find a spot in your populous arbour. ‘Jaljala’ stands for earthquake in Urdu, or perhaps Arabic. That must have been quite a dish!
Many thanks, Uma. Described as sweet, sour, and hot. Fortunately for me, not really sweet. I enjoyed it.
Looking at all those beautiful flowers, you’d think it was some tropical garden!
And it was 31 degrees John. Thank you.
Lovely lilies.
Looks like all had a wonderful and colorful day – except the horse!
Yep. Thanks, GP
Amazing is right! And,yes, poor horses!
Thanks, Laurie
Beautiful lilies, and your garden does look very well looked after, that’s for sure.
Many thanks, Agnes
What beautiful variety of shapes, forms, and colors!
Many thanks, Cheryl. I think she has 1,500 varieties.
Would you like to come over here and edge a few perennial beds for me? You certainly have the touch! I have never heard the plural of cosmos as “cosmoses.” Sounds like a disease, but it rhymes with osmosis–could be a poem there.
Thanks very much, Brenda, especially for the compliment. You had me checking cosmoses, which is fortunately OK 🙂
and only one horses head, I was beginning to despair that there would be none 🙁
Thanks, Brian. There are no flies on you
The flowers in your garden are so lovely–and your photographs are wonderful. I’m sure you will be back to purchase more plants from Pollie’s. 🙂
That poor horse though. I wanted to reach into the photo to bat those flies away from her eyes.
Yes, to us the flies are agonising, but the horses seem to have infinite tolerance. Thanks very much, Merril
I love your gardens and always am amazed at the “brand new” (to me) photos you display.
Fabulous trip to check out Pollie’s own daylilies! Yours equal and may surpass hers, though. Just expressing my own opinion! 🙂
The flies bothering the horse especially around his soulful eyes made me wonder if they spray to rid themselves of them? I wish there were a natural way of doing this. . . Mom used spray bottles of water mixed with bleach on her paving stones to rid of weeds and vinegar water to deter other irritating pests, not flies, I don’t think. Well, maybe one day I’ll look this up!
We sometimes call those first set of flies on the white lilies: “sweat bees,” even though not related to real bees. 🙂
Many thanks, Robin. The photos are always new each day 🙂 Some of the domesticated horses have a kind of visored mask over their faces, but the wild ones have no such protection. Sweat bees is a good term.
Beautiful Flowers 🙂
Nice to read about Lal Quila 🙂 It is also the Red Fort in Delhi.
Red Fort – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort
Regards, Lakshmi
Very many thanks, Lakshmi. We are very fond of the staff as well.
Gorgeous lilies.
Thanks very much, Elena
I love flowers !!!
Thank you, Rita
Rita?
Sorry – I picked that up from your ‘About the author’
Oh sure, Rita is the author of the text written on the topic “About”, but I’m not her rs. My name is Aline, nice to meet you.
I’m pleased that’s cleared that up
“About the Author”***