This Month in the Garden October 2021 with Derek Cox

During late August my daughter Louise and her husband James drove us down to my son Mitchell’s large house on the South coast for a family gathering. Mitch’ and his wife Chris made us all so welcome and as Chris is such a good hostess and cook we lived like kings.
One thing I did notice in the gardens along the coast was the lack of native trees; no doubt this is due to strong salt laden winds that come in off the sea. Every garden seemed to have small trees of the New Zealand cabbage palm (Cordyline australis) that was introduced to the UK during 1823 also the occasional Chinese Trachycarpus fortune.
Mitch had two three feet (90cm) tall Trachycarpus very close to a bay window so I advised him to move them as there is one in Goscote Nurseries showground that is now 12 feet (3.6m) tall and still growing. It is amazing how these seem to be able to withstand the salt laden wind on the South coast.
Two years ago I purchased Cordyline ‘Torbay Dazzler’ which has burgundy and pink sword shaped leaves, but since then I have found its true name is ‘Pink Sensation’, pictured left. I took this for Mitch in its original container to stand in his garden.
Mitch drove us to Worthing to show us the pebbly beach which for miles contained large clumps of coastal cabbage, see picture right. These always amaze me as to how they survive growing just in pebbles and being washed with salt laden wind.
For those who are interested in carbon free electricity, in the distant out to sea Mitch pointed out a huge wind farm that covered an area seven miles long by as much in width. This wind farm contains many hundreds of wind turbines which produced electricity for part of the South Coast.
Back at home I was so pleased to see my garden lady Caroline had kept my containers watered.
On my patio there are two troughs containing a beautiful yellow variegated Pelargonium (geranium), pictured left, that since June has given me a colourful display not only for its foliage, but also for its bright orange-red contrasting flowers, which if the weather holds out, will still be in flower during late October. Then they will go into my greenhouse to overwinter.
Many years ago I purchased a plant of Thalictrum kiusuanum which I planted at the side to a step up into my garden. This is an elegant perennial with 12 inch (30cm) tall arching stems that from early September until late October are clothed with numerous, small lavender-purple flowers. This is a tough cold resistant perennial for a well drained soil. If it has one fault it is that it is difficult to photograph, see right.
My garden is currently a mass with Cyclamen hederifolium which seed not only into my gravel screes, but also beneath the dense shade of trees and shrubs.