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GBBD: Gunnera standing tall

A torch during tonight’s night garden walk in the rain revealed soggy flowers from Japanese Anemones and Astrantia – their white, pink and deep red flowers are fading with each day just now. Osteospermum ‘Stardust’, the hardy geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Gentiana sino-ornata all had one folded flower nodding as if asleep in the rain.

The level of the wildlife pond has swollen with the heavy rainfall of late. Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ is trying to flower around its edge. Almost black berries from Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ are nearby. Deep purple berries on the recent planting of Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ are shrivelling away. At the same time the intense red berries on two small Cotoneaster trees are proving too tempting a treat for Blackbirds and Woodpigeons – how long will they last?

Meconopsis and White Campion not flowering in my garden today.

Odd white flowers are like tiny bright lights in the night garden. An upright variety of Campanula hides in a sheltered corner away from the winds, a Jasmine scrambles up through a trellis and Bacopa ‘Snowflake’ tumbles down from a container. Out in the open, flat caps of pink Sedum flowers are fading fast – no butterflies or bees will feed from them now.

Holding on a bit better, this dark November Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, are the flowers of Lavender, Erysimum ‘Bowles’ Mauve, Hardy Fushia ‘Mrs W P Wood’ and Field Scabious. Catching the rays of light from tonight’s torch were the tiny, pretty pink flowers of the heather ‘Peter Sparkes’ (planted to attract Bullfinches).

The star of tonight’s night garden stood tall in almost defiance of the rain and wind. Not your typical GBBD flower style either. The two flower spikes of a Gunnera looked in perfect condition and in complete contrast to their wilting, soggy leaves falling to the ground around them – a strangely surreal sight tonight.

This post was published by Shirley for shirls gardenwatch in November 2015.

5 thoughts on “GBBD: Gunnera standing tall

  1. It is easy to tell why the plants that need moths to pollinate the flowers have white flowers isn't it?
    I quite enjoy going out and taking photographs at nightmare with the flash you get a really different effect.

  2. You are lucky to have anything to photograph considering the weather of late. You can get some interesting pictures at night with or without the flash.

  3. Your night patrol sounds not only fun Shirl but also a chance to focus on plants from a different angle. That meconopsis is such a glorious shade. I have a severe case of I wantitisis.

  4. Hello again to you all, thanks for popping by and leaving your comments. Sorry I’ve been so very slow to reply. I’d like to wish you all and happy and heathy 2016 🙂

    Shady, hello again! I always love to see you pop by as it reminds me of your lovely shady garden with lush foliage and hostas. I am a hostsa fan too 🙂

    Sue, it certainly is. None of these images were taken in the dark but I do agree that you get a great effect with the flash. I bet you have lots of night images 🙂

    Brian, yes, the weather was bad back when I posted this. Out of the three plants in my French flag montage only the berries were real time. Yes, it’s fun to play with different light levels when taking photographs in the garden 🙂

    Anna, yes, that’s true. The three images didn’t reflect my garden at this time. I was using a bit of creative license here. The list was accurate. Ah… that wonderful meconopsis that has resided in my garden for many years… it does no more 🙁 I have wantitsis too 😉

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