Late May

Kelmscott Manor was the country home of William Morris, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement.  Read more here.  These photographs (taken with permission and copyright © Stephen Bigger 2015) were taken on 27th May 2015. Click on photographs to enlarge.

Picture of the week: poppies ornamenting the giant pannicles of the wisteria. My guess is that this is the Japanese wisteria Kuchibeni. The more common Chinese wisteria, wisteria sinensis, grows near the drive (see below). 

Near the shop, weigela 'Bristol Ruby' flowers for 6 months, though many weigelas give up after a month.

Wisteria sinensis, the Chinese wisteria.

Roses

Bearded iris, one of many at their best this week

One of the long beds, full currently with the purple/black aquilega vulgaris

A gracious aquilegia against a frolicking sky

Layers of white, thalictrum in fron, rose in the middle and vibernum behind.

Two studies of the mulberry tree

The rose rosa rugosa

Variegated weigela near the rustic walkway. The flowers vary from pink to white as they age.

The ornamental poppy

Three studies in Japanese wisteria.

Grannies bonnet or aquilegia

Centaurea

Hemerocalis or day lilies

Poppies about to pop

In front of the solanum (potato vine) these thalictrums are about to thalict.

Studies in white

Mock orange, philadelpus.

The 'old fashioned' Dunwich Rose, by the front wall.

Intimate picture of this yellow bearded iris

The geranium is called cranesbill and these, loved by bees, show their cranebills well.

Vivid lime green of the euphorbia

Giant alliums

Three pictures of the medlar in flower.

A blue corner, near the porch

The porch, honeysuckle over, London Pride beneath

Aquilegia with blue bearded iris behind.

The rose avenue.

Epimedium has a tiny but beautiful flower, by the wall near the rose avenue.

Climbing rose in outbuilding wall

Sunflower sentinels, with heuchera coral bells beneath.

Two quince flowers

Chestnut in flower, detail and tree

Interesting to see the structure of the mulberry tree before the leaves hide it

Choisa, Mexican orange blossom, with Virginia Creeper at the back door. A goldfinch was playing in it at the time.

The rustic walkway

The side wall border.

Apple blossom in front of the mulberry and house.

May

Kelmscott Manor was the country home of William Morris, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement.  Read more here. Click on photographs to enlarge. These photographs (taken with permission and copyright © Stephen Bigger 2015) were taken on 13th May. The Judas Tree, quince trees and bearded iris steal the show, but there is much more. The order represents a walk around the garden from the back door to the front, then through to the road and drive.

The rose Rosa rugosa, early blooms.

Hardy geraniums, macrorrhizum species

Several wisterias are in full bloom, this one of a very subtle colour

This is often referred to as the 'wedding cake' vibernum

A few camassias flowering in a meadow

The climber Solanum, related to the potato and with a similar flower.

An iris, unusually for this garden not bearded

A few bearded irises next, the yellow or white 'beards' can be clearly seen

Next, the medlar tree, in bud...

and in flower. The fruit has earned it the nickname 'dog's bottom'.

Bergenia

a late pheasant-eye daffodil in the middle of geranium phaeum

The 'Californian lilac' Ceonothus is at its peak

and a few more bearded iris by the front door.

and a dainty candelabra primula, primula japonica.

Out now towards the restaurant  and shop area, the Exochorda 'The Bride' is at its peak, sometimes called 'pearlbush'.

A nice colour mix by the restaurant wall

but pride of May are the quince trees in flower, looking much like a single rose flower

detail...

This shapely quince is set off well by the horse chestnut behind.

A wisteria of normal colour, visible from the picnic area

Out onto the road, this Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum) can be viewed with the best vantage. Reputed to be the variety of tree the 'false' disciple Judas used to hang himself in the Gospel story.

Seen here behind a quince.

and both behind a vibernum.

Lilac is good at the moment

another view of the wisteria wall

the Rosemary in flower in the old toilet garden

and informal eruptions of hardy geranium macrorrhizum.

as the path leads to a viewpoint of the mulberry tree and house

Farewell shots of the Judas Tree facing up to the topiary dragon

the new buds on the vine

a single rose, first of many

 and finally a clump of sweet cicely on the main drive.