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Miscellany 5

The rose "Octavia Hill" was planted at Alfriston in 1996 to commemorate one of the founders of The National Trust. Sadly, it always struggles in our poor soil and has never really done very well. 2004 was the first time I was able to take a picture of it.

On occasions, Anthemis tinctoria will produce these "Siamese twin" headed flowers with two flowers sharing a single stem.

Although modern, clove scented, Dianthus "Moulin Rouge" looks the part.

 (L) Although the white version of the perennial cornflower is much more refined than the blue, it is just as vigourous and has to be divided as regularly. (C) A fine example of luck. A pale pink annual scabious popped up amongst these drumstick alliums to give a really stunning colour combination that I would not have otherwise thought of. (R) Another annual scabious that I propagate every year.

I keep forgetting how useful Michaelmas daisies are for providing nectar. This is an old variety called "Climax". As its name suggests, it is always the last to flower.

Whilst this dandelion clock should not really be included here, it is important to stress the need to get down on ones knees occasionally, take it all in at ground level and wonder at just how beautiful things we take for granted really are.

Two picture of a valuable winter shrub. Viburnum bodnantense "Dawn" is incredibly scented as it needs to attract the very few bees still about, from far and wide. Given the right conditions it will grow into a small tree if space permits.

Daphne odora marginata aurea is perhaps the most highly scented shrub of all. Sadly it is a fickle thing that will die for no apparent reason -despite the gardener pandering to its every whim.

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