More things are flowering in my new back garden, the previous owners had certainly made it colourful.
From the left, standing by the living room back wall across the lawn to the shed........................
Now here's a strange happening. Can you see the small tree with purple leaves and pink clusters of flowers in the top left of the photo below? 3 weeks ago it was looking fine - another Elder or an Acer - not sure
But look at it this week - suddenly dying and almost dead! I can see no reason.
Thank goodness everything else is OK including several climbers on the fences and trellises, mostly roses but also two honeysuckle, a jasmine and hidden away there are a couple of clematis, one climbing through the magnolia and another struggling through a rose and this honeysuckle.
There hasn't been one of Cecily Mary Barkers illustrations on my blog for a while so here's the Honeysuckle Fairy and his song
Thank you to everyone for comments yesterday about the film Nomadland. I'm no good at writing reviews - books or films, so end up just copying paragraphs from other sources. And I wasn't at all worried about going to the cinema, knew it would be fine, there were about 20 people there spread out around 50 or so seats for Screen 3 - I'm just pleased that it's open again after the refurbishment. They've got The Dig on next week - might go and see it, but Not planning to see a couple of futuristic horror things - the trailers were LOUD and scary!.
Those photos of your garden are lovely. Everything seems to being growing like crazy in ours at the moment, especially the weeds, so am trying to get out there for an hour each day and work my way around.
ReplyDeleteI watched The Dig a few months ago on Netflix and really enjoyed it.
The garden has lots of colourful plants all round the borders - too much grass at the moment - it will be better when I get a greenhouse, veg beds and a raspberry bed.
DeleteThat tree thing just looks like it's changing colour to me, not dead. But what do I know. The cinemas here are great with social distancing. I am going again today.
ReplyDeleteThe leaves aren't meant to be hanging down - it's very dead! It looks like it's been caught by a late frost or something. Very odd.
DeleteIt was so good to go to The Regal, I was really interested to see how they'd converted it to 3 screens and a posh new Cafe 1936 (year cinema was built)
No idea about the acer/elder, it does look a bit sorry for itself. Hope you get to the bottom of what's wrong with it. The garden is certainly full of plants. Have you any more plans to change any of it?
ReplyDeleteMore grass than I would like but the greenhouse, veg beds and raspberry beds will take up some room and I have ideas for a arch walk and more shrubs
DeleteWe enjoyed The Dig, so can recommend that.
ReplyDeleteYou have a well-planted garden there - the woman who was here before was into low-maintenance, shrubs and elderly Lavender. I am for Roses and the Cottage Garden look . . .
Your tree does not look at all happy - something nobbling the roots perchance? Or just too dry? I guess you may end up hoiking it out which gives you a space for something new anyway.
Can't see any sign of critters around the roots and soil was damp underneath and all around it is OK - so a mystery
DeleteCheck the soil round the dying plant for chafer grubs (that eat roots). We have had some plants go like that and found an infestation of grubs had dined on the roots.
ReplyDeleteI wondered about ants so looked and no sign of ants or any sort of grubs
Deletewow, your garden looks lovely. Can offer no advice re your plant as my fingers are most definitley not green !
ReplyDeleteThe previous owners had planted all sorts and I will be adding and changing a bit at a time
DeleteYour garden is looking so good it's nice that there is some beautiful plants already in it. Shame about the tree/shrub is dying but an excuse to but something new in. I pulled up the forget me nots in Tuesday (7 big bags full) I don't intend to have so many next year.
ReplyDeleteHazel c uk🌈🌈
I like Forget me knots until they get mildew-y and spread like crazy so tend to take them out the minute they've finished
DeleteDid you catch any of the recent gales? I've lost a clematis exactly the same way, and a neighbour has lost her rowan and one laburnum, another has had one apple tree go the same way. It's bizarre, one plant or tree here and there. We put it down to the direction of the wind and bad luck
ReplyDeleteWeather is the only thing it could be as I've ruled out everything else although we haven't had any late frosts in the last two weeks we did get wind and heavy rain
DeleteOoh, I did enjoy The Dig overall. I'm a bit conflicted as the story/ characters aren't quite true to life. A couple of characters and their input into the archaeology of it all absent and replaced by a more "juicy" but wholly fictitious subplot which all seemed a bit of a shame and unnecessary, but I still enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI think Ralph Fiennes did a lovely job of the accent (as well he should, as an Ipswich chap!) and I think they really captured the 'feel' of the area despite the house and surrounds being filmed I think in Surrey.
Although you're not keen on writing reviews I'd love to hear how you find it!
In total agreement with RH - and I think you will enjoy it
DeleteI'm not sure about going to see The Dig as the book from which it was taken wasn't good but the cinema re-opening has fired up my enthusiasm for visiting there.
DeleteIf I go it will fill a blog post!
When I was house hunting, I was shocked by how few people had made any effort at all with the garden, so lucky you. Dead shrubs, hmm. I have a Clematis montana which last year covered part of a fence with flowers. This year it seems completely dead and I've no idea why. I thought they were indestructible.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you will enjoy the Suffolk landscape in The Dig; it was the best part for me.
It's the most looked-after garden I've ever moved into!
DeleteYes I've had things suddenly die for no reason before. We had a huge pink flowered Hawthorn tree at the smallholding which looked lovely every spring and then one year it just stopped and died
It could be verticillium wilt. Veronica
ReplyDeleteThank you for that info.
DeleteLooked it up and it says it can be sudden in hot weather and Acers are one of the most affected so I reckon thats what it is. I shall have to take it with as much root as possible. There is a list of plants that are resistant but as there are several other things in that area it doesn't really need replacing
You've certainly got a good selection of colourful plants. I can't think what's wrong with your acer/elder. As others have said, maybe check the soil and leaves for grubs/disease. You never know, it may recover, if it's just frost damage. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks to Vonnie's comment above I thing the mystery is solved!
DeleteYour garden borders are beautiful. I agree, something has mysteriously attacked your acer/elder. I love a trellis and have several. 2 with honeysuckle and 2 with clematis and 1 with fall blooming clematis. Your new shed along with veg and fruit beds will be spectacular. You have an amazing new property.
ReplyDeleteI'm so lucky the previous owners were keen on colourful planting
DeleteThe Dig is a really lovely movie. We stayed at Woodbridge probably quite near where the boat carrying the remains of Raedwald would have been rowed across the river and buried in the mound to lie hidden for all those years. When we went to Sutton Hoo they had guides giving talks and walks through the burial mound area. That is very odd about the small tree. Definitely a mystery. Your garden looks lovely, very peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI've not been to Sutton Hoo since they redeveloped the visitor centre and museum and put in a viewing tower in 2019/20, so will go and have a look sometime. It's not far away and was even closer when we lived at the smallholding
DeleteSomeone has put a lot of effort into that lawn.
ReplyDeleteIt's the first time ever in umpteen house moves that I've had a lawn rather than just grass!
DeleteYour garden is beautiful! I haven't been to the movies in over a year now but I think it's time to go. Let us know how you like The Dig if you see it. I've been wanting to see that movie as it looks interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is the prettiest garden I've ever moved into so I shall try to keep it looking good.
DeleteI will write about The Dig if I go sometime next week
I'm glad you were able to go see a movie. It's nice that things are starting to open back up, even if I'm still a little nervous about doing things. I watched The Dig on Netflix and it was really good.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so nice. I have so much to do to get my garden looking good again. Too many weeds and too hot now to get out and pull them!
ReplyDeleteThe Dig was great! I saw it on Netflix too!
How lovely to have an already established garden. If your plant is a Sambucus Nigra there are stem borers which cause it to wilt and damage it according to Google. Arilx
ReplyDeleteYou look to have inherited a really nice garden Sue bt shame about that shrub.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful back yard and garden. I don't know about the pink bush unless it needed more water. (or less?)
ReplyDelete