Size Matters

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Size matters, or right plant, wrong place. I underestimated the size that some of these plants would make in a very short time.

Salvia sclarea, I put three of these perennials in different places in the garden, what a wonderful scent, but the plant is quite dense with huge leaves. They have now been removed, but I managed to relocate one to a more appropriate place near the evening bench, so the fragrance can be enjoyed. I did take seed just in case, and even the drying clippings filled the conservatory with fragrance. The verbascum on the left was a seedling that was overlooked, but apart from the basal leaves it is just spires of flower. It is truly perennial. After about 5 years the roots on the one by the edge of the patio was lifting a slab, that had to come out and the slab reseated. I now only keep one at the front of the border, but cut off the bottom leaves as they overhang the grass and cause it to die back.

Borago officinalis Alba, what prickly stems on this plant. Luckily an annual, so once seed was taken, out it came. I will grow one next year, but place it so that it does not scratch my legs when I am wearing my gardening shorts.

Malva sylvestris Windsor Castle, what beautiful coloured flowers. The plant shot up to 6 ft in a very short time then the stems collapsed across the rest of the plants in the border. If only it had leaned the other way, it could have rested against the conservatory. That was dug up and replanted in the front in a corner, behind the yellow Lupin Tree. It has transplanted well, but seed was taken as an insurance against lose.

Telekia speciosa is a plant easily grown from seed , but after 2 years has not flowered yet, and I have reduced the number of seedlings to one or two and cut the enormous leaves in half. If they don’t flower next year, it is the chop for them.
After years of growing Acanthus I believe I have managed to eradicate the roots from the two clumps that I had, I hope.

I might have mentioned before that I only keep Buddleja for about 3 years, pruning them hard each year, using a cutting to replace the shrub before the roots get enormous.
This year the white one got broken during high winds. The transformation to the openness was amazing, so a decision was made to remove the purple one completely, which had shot up to 8ft by the front wall. Much more light floods into the front garden now, so far better for Bearded Iris and Hemerocalis. Also neighbours stop to admire the garden now that they can see into it. Will have to see if the stem of the White Buddleja resprouts, then a decision will have to be made on whether to remove it,

I intended to remove the original Camellia, after layers had rooted, but could not bring my self to remove it so now I have three.

I have however cut out the lower branches to create a lollypop shape in order to grow shade loving plants beneath it.

The Eomecon, which although not tall is going to be rampant and will be relocated to here, where the ground is dry so that should curb its exuberance.

I have enjoyed growing these plants, but really need to restrict myself to more appropriate sized plants, so I don’t have the hard decision on wether to remove them.

• 20 Sep, 2016
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