JEARRARD'S HERBAL
Thats enough introduction - on with the plants!
To navigate this site, use the links above, or the detailed links at the bottom of this page.
... out in the garden.
4th May 2008
Roscoea cautleyoides 'Early Yellow' .
The ground has given a tiny shudder and up has popped the first of the gingers of the season. The Roscoea are a delightful gang of tissue paper hooligans
and I lurk expectantly around the pots through April willing them to emerge safely. Through the winter the legion of bare pots have an emptiness about
them as frightening as a shopping centre on a sunday evening. There is a little bubble of fear that builds through the cold months that they will all have died,
but the cheerful spears of growth puncture it in May without a sound, but with a flood of relief. 'Early Yellow' is a misnomer, 'Earliest Yellow' would be a fairer
warning of the extended anticipation to come.
4th May 2008
Rhodohypoxis 'Kiwi Joy' .
Just to emphasise the advanced state of the season, the Rhodohypoxis have started to paint the town red (and pink, and white). In the last few years I
have left them standing in water through the summer, and they seem to appreciate it. 'Kiwi Joy' is the most perfectly awkward name for a perfectly
awkward shaped flower. The doubles hover between inelegant excess and monsterous distortion, with a strong leaning to Godzilla-ness, but if this potted nightmare
died, I would stonk around the garden in a tantrum swearing at the singing birds. Rather like pickle, I don't like it much but I would hate to do without it entirely.
4th May 2008
Iris cristata 'Alba' .
is one of the odd Iris in the Evansia section of the genus. Tight clumps of delicate little growths produce far fewer flowers than might be expected, but
every one is a perfect unfolding wonder like opening a letter and finding an origami kiss from a lover. Light shade and some moisture suit it well.
4th May 2008
Urtica dioica 'Good as Gold' .
And while I am stonking I would be glad that I planted this wonderful golden leaved stinging nettle. The herbaceous border is full of weeds and crying out for
a good day weeding, but this golden shriek weaves its way through in a delightful fashion. There are masses of precious little poppets in every little corner
here but in the garden it is the thugs and the giants that are calming and settling. When I finally get the time to weed the border this little bugger will sting the shit out
of me and I have forgiven it already.
To find particular groups of plants I grow, click on the genus name in the table above. Click on the "Index" box at the top of the page for the full list.
I have a lot of good intentions when it comes to updating this site, and I try to keep a note
about what is going on, if you are interested.
If you want to contact me, the address is infoMONKEYjohnjearrard.co.uk
When typing the address in, please replace MONKEY with the more traditional @ symbol! I apologise for the tiresome performance involved, but I am getting too much
spam from automated systems as a result of having an address on the front page.