An unusual colouring in this Trillium erectum hybrid in the foliage garden. Trillium ovatum in front is just going over. #fairviewyearround

This chaffinch was ‘knocking’ on the door for several hours this evening, clearly upset by his reflection in the shiny door handle. Wasn’t at all bothered by me.

This Sainsbury's is WASTE. You harp on about reducing plastic packaging, but what is the carbon footprint of countless dead plants, caused by utter incompetence? Every year I tweet about this at your Oxney Road Peterborough branch and yet you NEVER learn. FUMING. 🇺🇦 Constance CraigSmith 🇮🇱

Maianthemum racemosum is just starting to flower. A versatile woodlander for foliage and scented flowers plus autumn tints. Despite a close affinity to Solomon’s seal I have never seen sawfly on it. #fairviewyearround

Lathyrus vernus ‘Roseus’ in the foliage garden. #fairviewyearround

Lunaria annua ‘Corfu Blue’ (at least that’s what it started off as) is threatening to take over this part of the garden, but who cares. #fairviewyearround

Last week I asked one of our students to go and weed in the borders. He’s just been found north of Berwick with a bucket and trowel.

Ulex europaeus ‘Flore Plena’ in full flower today. A lovely and underrated shrub with a delightful coconut scent. It will tolerate the most brutal pruning and deter vandals with welcome efficacy. What is not to love? #fairviewyearround

Luscious lewisias… come and visit our Plant Heritage National collection this Saturday (27th April 2024) between 10am-2pm.
Open greenhouse!

bit.ly/JGSpr1ng

#plantheritage #plantcollections #alpines #lewisias #plantsofinstagram #springflowers #nccpg

Lunaria rediviva, a perennial honesty with sweetly scented flowers. The last photo is of a variegated form called ‘Partway White’ obtained some years ago from the excellent Cotswold Garden Flowers. #fairviewyearround

I posted a picture of this plant last week in the hope that someone would recognise it and guess what, I’ve already forgotten what it’s called.

Lamium orvala, the balm-leaved red deadnettle/archangel. The pink-purple form of this well-behaved species is less vigorous here than the white form, seedlings of which have been planted on the banking leading to the pond. #fairviewyearround

The log store green roof a couple of months after completion. The cowslips and most of the pulsatillas were seed raised. #fairviewyearround

Tulipa sylvestris (I call it the Medusa tulip because of the way the emerging flowers contort) is putting on a lovely show in the woodland borders. Soundly perennial too. #fairviewyearround

The Pieris and Cercidiphyllum are untouched by the two recent frosts but the top most rhododendron flowers have suffered some damage. #fairviewyearround

The emerging flowers of Tiarella and foliage of Polygonatum verticillatum ‘Himalayan Giant’ amongst clouds of Lunaria annua ‘Corfu Blue’ #fairviewyearround

A superb little subshrub (it’s neither woody or herbaceous) with a long flowering period, Veronica umbrosa ‘Georgia Blue’. A Roy Lancaster introduction from Georgia in 1979. #fairviewyearround

Lysichiton x hortensis is the delightful cream coloured hybrid between the thuggish L.americanus and the more refined L.camschatcensis. I obtained this from Beth Chatto Plants & Gardens before they stopped selling it due to The Invasive Alien Species Order. #fairviewyearround

The rather lovely Pleione Ueli Wackernagel ‘Pearl’ in flower in the greenhouse. A good doer here and a firm favourite. #fairviewyearround

Pollarded willows and summer snowflakes by the boardwalk plus a new planting of candelabra primulas. #fairviewyearround