May Garden Highlights Archive

Davidia involucrata. In full flower now, opposite the peat walls and by Logan's border. Noted for its large white bracts, hanging down from the flower parts
D. i. var. vilmoriniana Pond stream beds by the centre road. The bracts have a light lime green tinge
Prunus maackii Pond lawn, native to China and Korea. Pendulous racemes of white flowers
Halesia tetraptera "Snowdrop Tree" Growing near the east gate. Salmon pink in bud the flowers open white, hanging down on last year's growth.

Herbaceous Paeonies

Paeonia mascula Carmine red petals full of yellow anthers. Mediterranean to S.E.Asia
P.m. ssp. triternata S.W. to S.E. Asia, pink petals to this sub species
P.wittmanniana White petaled species from the Caucasus. Down covered style with a pink stigma like a cock's comb
P.tenuifolia Still in tight bud, expanding red petals. Attractive deeply cut foliage. S.E. Europe, Turkey, Caucasus

Two Tree Paeonies

Paeonia delaveyi Sunflower like faces to the blooms. W.China
P.lutea var. ludlowii LS&E collection from 1948, S.W.China. Buttercup yellow petals on woody growth to a height of 9 feet. Smell the flowers, musty

Rhododendron 'Loderi' and Rh. ‘Loderi King George' A 1926 introduced hybrid between R. fortunei x griffithianum. These are both from the Leonardslee crosses of the early 1900's by Sir Edmund Loder. Huge plants that dominate this area of the upper woodland garden just now, pink in bud, opening pure white and scented
Rh. 'Roza Stevenson' Dark yellow in bud opening a lighter shade. On the corner of a bed so strikingly visible from the road
Rh. luteum, two beds of the fragrant yellow flowered species on the junction of the Azalea lawn at the front range.

And a follow up on the Paeonia species.

P. mlokosewitschii Soon to feature in a Della Purvis pastel. Better in bud than fully open, spring yellow petals. Central Caucasus

Morea spathulata, a Hilliard and Burtt collection from Temperate South Africa in 1976. Bright yellow blooms on strong stems, to 1metre
Ceanothus sorediatus, USA, California, corner of lecture theatre. Tiny blue flowers massed on tumbling branches
Rhododendron 'Mrs E.C.Stirling' A hybrid of R. griffithianum. Huge purple trusses of bloom
R. ponticum, in front of Inverleith House. Introduced to Britain in 1763, now naturalised. Caucasus.

A selection of Rh. from the top of the Azalea lawn working down to the road.

Rh. atlanticum E.N.America Bud colouration darkens to pink and flowers open white with pink striations. Scented
Rh. 'Strawberry Ice' Gaudy red with orange splash to top petal
Rh. 'Frills' Orange blooms
Rh. 'Persil' White flowers
Rh. 'Mrs L.J. Endtz' One of the Mollis hybrids, bright yellow flowers that strain the eyes.

Paeonia suffruticosa Another 2 metre tree paeonia. Pink / purple flowers the unfurling petals hold a delicate scent
Papaver orientale 'Olympia' This mass of growth in the herbaceous border flowers reliably as an orange splash. More subtle is the silvery outline of the unopened flower buds

The alpine wall and scree in the rock garden are full of colour.

Hypericum cerastioides, carpet of yellow with spicy scent exuding from the plant
View from the road coming from the East gate takes in the Rhododendron 'White Pearl', (mass of pink blossom), at the edge of the upper woodland garden
Halesia carolina, west of the pond. Later flowering than H. tetraptera, also not as impressive in stature. White flowers

Magnolia sieboldii Wild collected by Holmberg and Strindberg, Japan, Korea. Spicy scent from the flowers
M.s. ssp. sinensis Larger plant, native to China, S.W. Sichuan. Flowers hang down, leathery white petals, no scent from this Chinese subspecies
Magnolia acuminata The metallic sheen on the outer face of the petals makes the sweetly scented flowers just visible from the leaves

Aquilegia formosa W.N.America. Reflexed red petals form 5 perfect circles with yellow throat, extended flower parts
Paeonia mascula ssp. russi Big pink blousy blooms
Ceanothus dentatus mass of blue and C, spinosus "Green Bark" White flowers and distinctive green stems
Libertia tricocca ICE 90 Chilean collection from 1996 two square metres of dazzling ice white bloom

Helianthemum croceum carpet of primrose yellow, W. Med. & Portugal
Aciphylla glaucescens New Zealand. Two metre spike of honey coloured insignificant flowers
Thymus zerausharicus Central Asia. Massed carpet of light purple flowers
Salvia microphylla Mexico, Arizona. Stunning red flowers, highly aromatic foliage

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