A Competition Between The Rosa Banksaie 'Lutea' And Wisteria Floribunda

On The Left Wall, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'

On The Right Wall, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'

Two of the spring flowering plants in the college gardens seem to be trying to upstage each other. The two in question are the Lady Banks' Rose, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea' and the Japanese Wisteria, Wisteria floribunda. On two of the walls of the Provost's lodgings the roses are covered in clusters of small, double primrose yellow flowers, producing the best floral display ever seen on these plants.   

Covered In Clusters Of Small, Double Primrose Yellow Flowers

Side by Side, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea' and Wisteria

Wisteria Floribunda (Top Terrace)

However, the many wisteria are also putting on a very impressive display and, as they are greater in number, seem to be tipping the balance in their favour. As can be seen by the series of photographs, the more flamboyant wisteria may well be the winner. This year, as with previous years, the displays have been covered on the blog, here are the links to show how they just keep on giving:

27th April 2011 'Wonderful Wisteria'
29th May 2012 'Wisteria 2012'
29th May 2013 'Wondrous Wisteria'
16th May 2014 'Worcester's Wisteria'
26th May 2015 'Marvellous, Magnificent, Majestic Wisteria'
31st May 2016 'Wisteria Hysteria'
19th May 2017 'Wisteria Old And New'

• Note how early the wisteria flowered in 2011, a month earlier than most years, this was due to an exceptionally warm and dry spring, (March, April and May), quoting The Met Office:

 "It was the warmest Spring across the UK in the last 100 years, just warmer than Spring 2007, and the second driest Spring across England and Wales, with 1990 marginally drier. April was an exceptionally warm, dry and sunny month - the warmest and third sunniest April on record for the UK."

Provost's Front Door

Like A Waterfall

Trailing Over The Railings

Far End of The Quad

Over The Arch

A New Irrigation System For The Tree Ferns

Unwrapped

Wrapped up for whatever weather was to come over the winter and, as it happened, it was not until early spring that brought the cold, freezing temperatures. Storm Emma, freezing rain, minus daytime temperatures, the 'Beast from the East' and heavy snowfall all seen and felt in March, (For the wrapping of the tree ferns see blog entry for the 28th November 2017 'Protective Hessian Collars').
'

New Frond Unfurling

At the end of April, with the weather now warmer, the decision was made to unwrap the tree ferns. The protective hessian was removed and the old fronds were cut off exposing the young fronds hiding in the crown, the protection has worked and the tree ferns are alive.

Young Frond In The Crown

All Unwrapped

A Heathy Crown

New Drip Feed Irrigation System Kit

With all the ferns unwrapped last month the key for caring for them is to keep them watered so a new drip feed irrigation system has been set up today to provide water directly to the crown where it is needed the most. A sufficient length of 4 Bar MDPE pipe was cut to reach all the tree ferns in each group and the water source, a tap connector placed on one end and a stop bung on the other. Cutting the pipe at the location of each tree fern in the group, a barbed reducing tee was placed in the space reconnecting the pipe. (Why the photograph of the jug of hot water? Placing each cut end into the water softens the rigid pipe and makes it easier to insert the hard plastic barbed reducing tee into the pipe).

Barbed Reducing Tee

Jug Of Hot Water

Connecting 5mm PVC Spaghetti Tube to MDPE Pipe

Lengths of 5mm PVC spaghetti tube were then cut sufficient to reach the top of the tree fern crown from the MDPE pipe below. One end of the tube is then fixed to the barbed reducing tee, secured to the tree fern with florist wire and the other end at the top of the crown fixed to a loop of 5mm micro bore pipe using a 5mm barbed tee completing the circuit. With the tap turned on the water drips out of the micro bore pipe down into the crown.

5mm Barbed Tee

Looped 5mm Micro Bore Pipe

Watering The Crown

Spaghetti Tube Fasten With Florist Wire

This new irrigation system has been set up on both groups of tree ferns and tested, a timer will be connected to the tap so regular watering can be given throughout the summer. This system is more efficient than using a hose or a sprinkler system, less water wastage delivering water to where it is need the most.

New Watering System

Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii' (Japanese Snowball Bush)

By the bridge, the Japanese Snowball Bush, Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii' ,

Planted a few years ago next to the bridge the Japanese Snowball Bush, Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii', is putting on quite a show. Its many tiered horizontal branches, which were bare during the winter, are now covered in creamy white, flat lacecap flowers, it is said they give the the illusion of the branches being weighed down with heavy snow. 

Illusion of the branches being weighed down with heavy snow

Creamy white, flat lacecap flowers

New lakeside border of the SNSC (Left)

This stunning floral display can also be found in two of the lakeside borders of the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre (SNSC) where a number of these shrubs were planted last year during the landscaping of the new building, their snow covered branches tipping gently towards the water's edge. 

Japanese Snowball Bush, Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii'

View across the new lakeside border of the SNSC (Right)

Left and right lakeside borders of the SNSC

Ten Years Of Colour In The Corner

Snow 2nd March 2018

Wallflowers Covered In Snow

Two months ago the planting in the 'border in the corner' was covered in snow, a blanket of white hiding what lay beneath and would eventually create the colourful display that can be seen now. 

Wallflowers and Tulips, 1st May 2018

The border, planted in October, see blog entry 10th October 2017 'From Summer To Spring In Just Two Days!'  contains Wallflower 'Sunset Bronze', deep red with a gold edge on the petals, and the double late tulips Tulipa 'Uncle Tom' and Tulipa 'Antraciet', maroon red and  magenta red respectively.  

 

Bold and bright colours this year but this hasn't always been the case as can be seen by the previous nine years which were captured on camera for the blog. These series of photographs show the different colour and planting schemes every year from the use of tulips, wallflowers, bellis, viola and polyanthus back in 2009 to wallflowers and tulips in 2018.

Tulips, wallflowers, bellis, viola and polyanthus, May 2009

May 2010

May 2011

May 2012

May 2013

May 2014

May 2015

May 2016

May 2017

Present Day, Wallflowers and Tulips, May 2018

A Vibrant Splash Of Colour From Tulips And Wallflowers

A Cross Of Seven Oak Planters, 28th September 2017

Seven months have past since the oak planter display was changed from summer to winter, see blog entry for the 28th September 2017 'Seven Oak Planters In The Form Of A Cross'
The plants used to create the winter display are:
Small planter x 2, Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' (1/4 Standard), Phormium tenax 'Verneer' (New Zealand Flax) and Wallflower 'Sunset Orange'.
Medium planter x 3, Ilex aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata' (1/2 Standard, Silver Margined Holly), Ilex x altaclerensis 'Camelliifolia' (Highclere Holly) and Wallflower 'Sunset Orange'.
Large planter x 1, Laurus nobilis (Bay), Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Webb' and Wallflower 'Sunset Orange'.
Tulips in all planters: A mix of Tulipa 'Antraciet', Tulipa 'Blue Diamond' and Tulipa 'Orange Princess', magenta, purple and orange respectively.
As the tulips now start to fade the display will soon be changed again for this summer but over the last month the mix of tulips and wallflowers have given such a bold, vibrant splash of colour beneath the evergreen shrubs. The team have loved this combination of colours and it has received many favourable comments from visitors, staff and alumni. 

A Cross Of Seven Oak Planters, 23rd April 2018

23rd April 2018

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' (1/4 Standard)

Vibrant Colours In The Early Morning Light

Tulips and Wallflowers

Tulips and Wallflowers

Wallflower 'Sunset Orange'

Tulipa 'Antraciet'

Tulipa 'Orange Princess'

Tulipa 'Blue Diamond'