Ordering new bulbs mostly from Avon Bulbs

I have just ordered last night 100 Triteleia Rudy, We have the odd self seeded down in the par terre, Deep blue and coming up they look like miniature agapanthus and come from north west America, Plant in well drained soil, and they flower a long time, They arrive in June and are 18ins tall, I think they are a curiosity but we shall see, I have now come across a recommendation from a great friend of mine called Eric Tsu who lives in the States and works at Chanticleer. It is a dwarf tulip and called Praestans Shogun, I liked it when he recommended it, He has very good taste, and it is an apricot colour, It is like anything else, it is important where you put it. It makes the whole difference in the world as to where it goes. That is why I like the pictures so much, because I can see it in my mind,, and one day I would think of the right place.

I have rung to order bulbs from Avon Bulbs and I have been going there for a very long time. They are the best. Unusual and beautiful, This is an exciting time of year as they have an eclectic catalogue, and lately I have been cutting out the coloured photographs and pasting them in a large green book, I wish I had done this before as it really helps when it comes to planting them, I remember kissing Alan Street at the Chelsea Flower Show because I was so excited by the nursery’s exhibition as it was so good.. After three years we have changed the layout of our tulips in the parterre, Three different Triumph tulips, Black Bean, all Venetian looking have gone to my friend Philip Astley Jones. The three replacements are Slawa. Paul Scherer which is dark black, and Amber Glow. I am going to recommend Triumph tulips, they are robust, and seem to flower a long time, and put up with variations of weather. The new layout is a similar colour scheme, but the actual tulips are more interesting looking, We will see. This is why I love the pictures, because I can see it in my mind, and I would so love to go to Chanticleer. I have also ordered Narcicuss Stint, I think 100- of them. They are going in my small Winter border which is full of Salix and finally we have got the right plant Salix irrorata. It is very white stemmed. And is totally covered in small red bits and is in the Botanic Garden,, Salix irrorata was totally silver. I was very impressed by the Botanic Garden, and loved the Fitzwilliam Museum, Next door to my Salix Irrorata I have planted a small tree of winter flowering Cherry prunus subhirtella autumnalis, it is totally covered in small white flowers at the moment.

Salix irrorata, Cambridge Botanic Garden, well worth going to:

Arch, present from James, with pots in the curve:

John Singer Sargent, the beautiful sitter is Dorothy:

Klimt border on the left in the Autumn, cornus Controversa going over:

Autumn border, miscanthus sinensis yakushima dwarf, sorbus Joseph rock, and euonymus planipes:

Autumn border, i love the colours: