Coming to a house with a sunny garden has been a little shock to our system. Our garden of the previous 35 years was a woodland garden, set on a hillside. We grew shade and moisture loving plants there. Sun lovers didn't last very long! So, all the plants we brought with us have had to be squirreled away in the few shady spots we have, and watered regularly in the drier free draining soil we have here. It is odd that there should be such a difference, as we have only moved about a mile down the road from our old home.
I am rather enjoying learning about plants that enjoy the brighter side of life. We also have a a rockery and a long planted wall to jazz up a bit. I'm learning about dwarf and miniature plants and experiementing on what like these conditions and what doesn't. The previous owners liked lawns and container gardening, which looked lovely, but being a perennial fan, I had to put in some borders.
The soil is sort of less dense clay than in our former garden, and it is full of stones, so it's hard work digging it. It also needs a lot of structural improvement as there is very little organic matter in it, so the compost heaps are at capacity at the moment, and there will be a lot of manure going in too.
Fortunately the Iris ensatas that I brought with me, don't mind the sunshine, as long as they are watered regularly and are given a regular feed. I plan to buy some more this summer from the Gobbet Nursery this summer. The Beardless Iris Society are having a socially distanced event there in July (Lockdown rules permitting), and I am looking forward to enjoying the delightful plants that this nursery produces.
Iris ensata are a bit of a passion of mine. I know that people wonder why anyone would bother with irises - they don't flower for very long, and are often fussy about cultivation conditions. But then you look at the flowers and you are lost. The veining, the graceful forms, the subtle shading - not everyone gets it , but once you are hooked you are hooked for life!
