Inspiration station
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Inspiration station *
This is where you’ll find all the ‘pretty’ to help you feel inspired about the possibilities.
Christmas lilies
Pacific Glory rose
Red alstroemeria with Polka Time orange daylilies, Miscanthus Sinensis Gracillimus ornamental grass is in the background and my go-to red obelisks to add vertical interest to the garden. The hedge is Hornbeam.
Polka Time orange daylilies (Hemerocallis), looking over my perennial borders.
Hot Chocolate rose in the foreground with Annabelle hydrangeas and Cappuccino rose in the background. The red bamboo poles were made by me.
Hot Chocolate rose. Also known in New Zealand as Kiwi.
A snowy August in 2024 creating magical winter scenes in my garden, punctuated beautifully with the red of the obelisk.
Cappuccino rose looking over Annabella hydrangeas and my homemade red bamboo poles.
Bearded irises galore!
Giant Lime zinnia with Amaranthus Crimson Fingers in the background, and Melody Harmony pink dahlias.
Beautiful self-seeded foxgloves (Digitalis)
Lily Landini surrounded by Annabelle hydrangea.
Cercis Canadensis Forest Pansy trees in autumn. The low hedge is Viburnum Emerald Beauty and the taller hedge to the back is Escallonia.
Red tulips with Viburnum Davidii in the background and a red obelisk, my go-to for adding height to the perennial border. The hedge along the rear is Hornbeam - just starting to leaf up in spring.
Peonies! Sarah Berhhardt, Festiva Maxima and maybe Elsa Sass (or Duchess de Nemours).
Delphinium from the Magic Fountains mix.
Sarah Bernhardt peony with burgundy Iceberg roses.
Beautiful pink daylily that I can't remember the name of.
Cornus Alba Elegantissima in the foreground with ornamental weeping silver pear trees in the background. Liquidambar Gumball is the autumnal colour in between.
Agapanthus, a feature pot, feature red obelisks to add height, and a Liquidambar Worplesdon in the distance (with Alder hedge in the background)
White aquilegia in the perennial border.
Jebediah and Clementine, the two resident scarecrows in the greenhouse. Maybe that's why there's never any pests on my veges!
The Whitehouse - my greenhouse. A bead curtain stops birds getting in and the vintage styling means this is my happy place any time of the year. I use companion planting to keep my veges pest-free without using chemicals.
Rhododendron Black Sport.
A mix of Princess tulips.
Petunia.
I love a bit of garden art that also has function. This is a plant stake too.
Blue bearded iris.
Unknown variety because it appeared from nowhere and I have no idea how it arrived. But I love it.
Pacific Glory rose.
Unknown name intermediate bearded iris planted en mass in my perennial borders. Weeping silver peer trees in the background.
Dutch irises in the foreground with aquilegia behind and a fastigiate copper beech tree behind. The hedge is Hornbeam.
My homemade bead curtain - keeps the birds out of my greenhouse.
Mr Rabbit. You shall not pass!
Hellebore - or winter rose.
Sunflower in a colour I like - not yellow! (no, it's NOT yellow. It's cream!)
Another snowy photo overlooking my paddocks.
Miss Pebbles likes to plant herself in my pots - it doesn't matter if it has a plant in it either.
Dahlia Night Butterfly.
Quirky birdhouse surrounded by burgundy Iceberg roses and pink Sarah Bernhardt peonies in the background. The tree is a weeping ornamental silver pear tree.
White agapanthus and red obelisk in my shade garden.
Yucca Filamentosa. Ugly foliage but amazing flowers on tall stems. I put them at the back of the border, so I don't see the foliage.
Sage
Ornamental grapevine - autumn colour
My grandmother's gates - now adorning my garden 'vista'.
Marigolds - a fantastic companion plant.
Tupelo tree - the most amazing autumn colour of all the deciduous trees.
Peony Festiva Maxima.
Liquidambar - autumn colour.
My tomato plunder - one of many - from the 2024 season.
Dahlia Diana's Memory. Gorgeous!
Deck living. Ornamental grapevine over the pergola.
Garden art with a purpose - it's a plant stake.
Smoke Rings Bearded Iris.
Peony Sarah Bernhardt - my favourite.
Planter with a dahlia that I cannot remember the name of.
Dahlia Blue Bell.
Angel's Wings - loves dry soil, so it's great for pots.
St Mary's rose - named after the high school I went to in Stratford, New Zealand. (Now Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls.)
Angel's Wings.
Tulip display at night.
Dahlia Eveline. It got crushed by a downpour a few days later. Stake your dahlia's! I am still kicking myself.
Acanthus Mollis - lovely for foliage texture, but can be a prolific spreader. Be careful where you plant it.
Mr Rat in the summer shade.
Bead curtain made by yours truly.
Wisteria Black Dragon.
Delphinium Magic Fountains mix.
You can do some crazy-cool stuff with ChatGPT!
This one didn't work out so well. "Make me a winter queen in my garden" I said. Hmmmm.
Mr Rabbit is cold.
Sunflower in the shade of 'buttercream'. Not yellow. We don't like yellow.
Prunus Thundercloud spring blossom. It has burgundy foliage all summer.
Hellebores - the queens of winter.
Dahlia Cafe au Lait.
Blue Agapanthus
White Sedum
Winter wonderland.
Snug little birdhouse.
Oakleaf hydrangea blooms. This hydrangea has beautiful burgundy foliage in autumn and winter. It's a magnificent hydrangea.
Angel's Wings.
Unknown pink daylily, with burgundy Iceberg rose in the background.
Dahlia Cafe au Lait.