Plants I just had to squeeze in
Obviously, there are rules when it comes to planting schemes. I get that repetition of the same species has a pleasing effect on the design. I also get that its best to stick to a considered colour palette. And our designer has done an amazing job of using these principles to create what I think will be a really stunning collection of beds around the patio and pool.
But there were a few single specimens I was desperate to shoehorn in. After all, it’s not often you get to start from scratch. And after a bit of back-and-forth, I think we’ve managed to create a balance between the design principles which will ensure the whole thing hangs together and my personal, diva-ish demands. For the most part, these have been for one-off shrubs that I’ve coveted for years and never seen a poor example of.
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Moerloosei’
A beautiful Japanese quince with flowers the colour of apple blossom. This will be trained against the wall of the pool house where it will get plenty of morning sun, and I’m hopeful that it may even bear fruit to scent the kitchen garden with on a warm day. Even if it doesn’t, the blossom lasts from March till May and will look stunning cut for vases.
Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’
This single-flowered shrub rose has petals the colour of fruit-salad sweets: they turn from pink to orange and are in flower for six months of the year so you get both colours together (and all the shades in between). We have a few other roses planned for the arches between the ‘rooms’ of the garden, but this is the one I’m most excited about.
Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’
Blue blossom makes a change from the norm, and this cultivar of Californian lilac has some of the bluest. There’s a Ceanothus in a local garden that is completely smothered in the most dazzling froth of flowers every Spring, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for from mine. A big, blue cloud basically.
Syringa vulgaris ‘Michael Buchner’
For something a little more refined, I’ve gone for the highly scented conical blooms of this popular lilac cultivar. It has double flowers which start as rose-pink buds above green, heart-shaped leaves, and I’m hopeful it’ll produce enough flowerheads for me to be able to cut some for arrangements.
Buddleja globosa
I absolutely adore buddlejas because we had one in the garden when I was a child and the smell of them evokes that time and place so strongly. However, I know they have a habit of taking over. I don’t think that’s such a risk with this more unusual species which produces ball-shaped yellow flowers. Not only do they look fabulous, the flowers are sweetly scented and they’re loved by bees and butterflies.