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Coastal Flowers Or New Perennials

The coastal flowers at Slapton Sands in Devon and the new perennials at Dove Cottage Nursery in Yorkshire are two of my favourite places for plants. They are completely different, yet their wild beauty give me the same kind of feeling…

Coastal Flowers at Slapton Sands

Early August this year we were camping on the higher ground overlooking Slapton Sands. Wild coastal flowers cover the shingle ridge, dividing the freshwater lake at Slapton Lee from the sea.

What a joy to see so many coastal flowers in early August ! Vipers’s Bugloss, Sea Campion, Fennel and Yellow horned poppy amongst 95 different species. This is a great place for  walk !  A couple of miles along the ridge between Slapton and Torcross bring the greatest selection of flowers and lichen. With the promise of a good coffee at the end and accompanied only by the odd jogger and beachcomber. This for us is a real find!

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PINK CENTAUREA NIGRA (SCABIOSA) AND WHITE HERACLEUM SPHONDYLIUM GROW AMONGST THE GRASSES AND TALL FENNEL

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THE LIGHT BLUE FLOWERS OF CICHORIUM INTYBUS (COMMON CHICORY) IN THE FOREGROUND FLOWER BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER. ECHIUM VULGARE (VIPERS BUGLOSS) AND ARMERIA MARITIMA IN THE MID GROUND ARE JUST GOING OVER.

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LOOKING OVER TORCROSS TO THE SAND SPIT AND FLOWERING SHINGLE,  DIVIDING THE FRESH-WATER LAKE OF SLAPTON LEE FROM THE SEA

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THE WILD FENNEL GROWING ABUNDANTLY TURNED MY MIND TO MY FAVOURITE NURSERY IN YORKSHIRE…

‘New Perennial’ Flowers at Dove Cottage Nursery Hipperholme

Over the past 15 years I have been making regular trips to this amazing little nursery. The owners Stephen and Kim, influenced by the dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf, set about creating a nursery and garden ‘crammed’ full of wonderful new perennial plants around 20 years ago. Their garden, showcasing many of their stock plants, was built on a steep, north facing slope. Clay soil.

It is such an amazing garden to visit, especially between July and September when it is a riot of colour and texture. Their plant combinations are spectacular, and their colour choices I think nicer than Oudolf’s. Of course, being able to purchase some of these lovely plants is a bonus. Impossible to come away without (in my case) a boot full ! The nursery has not been without some ‘heavy weight’ media coverage ( including Gardeners World, RHS Magazine,Gardens Illustrated). But I wanted to add my own appreciation. I hope that they will continue for many years to come ! Now back to the fennel and those coastal flowers……

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FENNEL, ERIGERON ANNUUS ( A TALL VERSION OF KARVINSKIATHUS WHICH SETTLES IN PAVING CRACKS) VERONICASTRUM AND DIGITALIS FERUGINEA JOSTLE HAPPILY TOGETHER

 

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SANGUISORBA, MONARDA, ECHINACEA, SEDUM AND ORIGANUM ARE EXPERTLY PLANTED AMONGST THE GRASSES IN A RIOT OF COLOUR, TEXTURE AND FORM

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TALL WHITE ERIGERON ANNUUS AND YELLOW FENNEL ARE EDGED WITH GERANIUMS,ORIGANUM AND SEDUM

 

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PLANTS THAT LIKE GOOD DRAINAGE ARE GROWN IN A RAISED BED… A DIAPHANOUS GROUPING OF AGASTACHE BLACK ADDER, STIPA TENUISSIMA AND ERINGIUMS FLOAT AT EYE LEVEL

July and August is a great time to see either the coastal flowers of Slapton Sands or the new perennial planting of Dove Cottage.

 

Take a further look Dove Cottage Nursery