Chalk by choice

Mother Nature can be a wonderful gardener - especially on chalk. Viper's Bugloss and Wild Candytuft (not Alison as previously stated) growing together on a chalk pit:


Viper's Bugloss - who needs delphiniums?


Candytuft is a garden escape that has gone wild


If I lived on the chalk, I'd grow nothing but wild flowers in my garden. So much more colour when grown on chalk - especially the wild roses

[ 20. June 2006, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: Hornbeam ]

 

News for you - Vipers Bugloss grows well on clay . I currently got a dozen growing young plants from the mother plant, which stunned me and the bees with its colour. Great plant, and stands up well to rain, unlike the delphs.

 

Yes mine are doing well also Fran, no flowers yet though. Hope mine are as intense a colour as those in Hornbeams pic.

 

I'm sure that there must be something in the chalk that enhances colours. Must remember to add some lime this autumn. Valerian seems particularly happy on this chalk cliff:




I MUST get some Alkanet seed! It does grow on clay but not like this!


Dropwort is a smaller relative of Meadowsweet, but only grows on unimproved chalk grassland.


I do hope I'm not boring you with wild flower photos :confused:

 

you are not boring anyone with your pictures..its nice to see flowers we may never see as you probably have to look hard to find some of them,,as a matter of interest which is your favourite wild flower?..

 

Favourite wild flower?? That is so difficult - probably the primrose. Do you have a favourite?

 

well if i had to choose one which would be very difficult ..it would probably be mullein not the cultivated ones the great mullein ..i had one once that grew over 6 foot and it grew arms i have a photo of it but not on digital..todays mullein!!

 

Great photo of your mullein and I love the way your plants grow happily together. I've got some mullein that has appeared in the front garden this year - not sure where it came from though. Its just about to open so hope to send photo soon.

 

mine are just opening also...if you smoke well the leaves are nice dried mixed with golden virginia..i have harvested my winter supply this morning!!

 

Hornbeam, are you really considering PLANTING Alkanet?! I spend half my life removing it, mostly from clay, but also sandy soils.

It is just a vile weed in my gardens, smothers everything, difficult to control, ugly when out of flower. I agree the flowers are pretty but surely not worth the candle? Also its not a native, though I have no idea as to it's wildlife value. Perhaps you can enlighten us?

BTW I love the photos and accompanying words

 

Alkanet is from south-west Europe and the name itself is from the Arabic meaning "little hennna" It was introduced into Britain as a source of red dye, being much cheaper than the real henna.

I love it and it will blend in well in my cottage garden

 

Well I can send you kilos of the beastly seeds if you insist!!