Monday, September 6, 2010

The Urns of Darlington: Summer

As I have written in the past, we fill the metal urns at Darlington with new plantings every spring, summer, autumn, and winter.  And as I have also written, I plan on posting images of each of the seasons' plantings for your delectation, Dear Reader.  I've already published essays on our winter and spring urns.  Now I turn my attention to this summer's.


And it is a good thing that I do, since the summer is rapidly drawing to a close.  Even though we technically have more than two weeks to go before the autumnal equinox that marks the season's end, I, like many people, think of summer as drawing to a close at Labor Day.  Yes, the warm weather will linger for some time before the first heavy frost, but the rhythm of the school year beginning anew still lingers with me, even though it has been over three decades since I left the hallowed halls of academe.  And for me, the start of the new school year means that autumn has arrived.


Over time our gardening at Darlington has become more restrained than it was when we first acquired the property, and this summer we planted our urns with a more subdued palette than we have in years past.  As we usually do, we planted grasses in the two urns at the entry to the house.  But this summer we planted a type of grass that we haven't before.  Named Carex flagelliferra 'Toffee Twist', it is loopier and more subtle in its appearance than the grasses we've used previous summers, and reminiscent of the plumage of an exotic bird.  I'm mad for it.  In fact, I like it so much that I am reluctant to pull it out and replace it with something more autumnal in several weeks' time.  We just might leave it in the urns this fall.


Boy planted the larger urn on our terrace with a deep purple Coleus solenostemon 'Dark Star' and trailing Ipomoea batatas 'Sweet Caroline' vine for the summer.  It makes a handsome contrast to the green of the landscape surrounding it.  Fortunately the deer did not find their way to eating the vine this year, which they have done in summers past.


We planted a single Beschorneria yuccoides, commonly known as Mexican Lilly, in the large urn that stands at the front of the walkway to the house.  We generally choose to fill this urn for the summer with a hardy, heat-and-drought-tolerant plant, since it sits in full sun throughout the day, and its soil dries out easily.  This is a striking, noble plant, and I plan on repotting it to over-winter inside the house.  I've had good luck doing so in the past, and I hope this will flower during the winter, as several others have.

And with that, Dear Reader, you have Darlington's urns in all their summer finery.  Please stay tuned for the next installment in this series, the Urns of Darlington: Autumn.

19 comments:

  1. Love the urns - a lovely seasonal welcome to your beautiful house. I especially like the coleus - both color and shape. I look forward to seeing your new fall additions.

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  2. The corex is adorable. Rather like a Dr. Seuss character.

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  3. Dear Reggie and Boy, Now, I know that we have not even met, let alone been introduced, and I am very conscious that I am very, very new to commenting on your weblog, never, as you know, having done so before, but may I, in great humility, dare a suggestion or opinion? The grasses in the vases. It is, I fear, the colour which is letting you, and the containers, and Darlington, down. Tan. Well, what kind of a colour is that? Furthermore, if you look again, perhaps more critically, do they not, in the teeniest [ghastly word] bit resemble a pair of toupées gone awry?

    Enough said. I love your postings, am delighted to have found you and will attempt to sign myself as a 'Follower'. I say attempt, for I have read the warning which appears above your comment form!

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  4. Your urns remind me of Beverley Nichols' in Merry Hall. What a wonderful touch.

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  5. Reggie darling- I wish you had shared at the first of the season-dearest. that Mex Lil is so simple and perfect.whatever you do for fall-I am doing the same-so make it good. I have 3 urns, a pair of huge ones. Mine are terra cotta and stone & though I different look I would think whatever you do will work here as well. I lost a pair of overgrown uncared for pears this spring which I am rather grateful for -now I can not decide what to do (at all). When are we planting? pgt

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  6. Qintessence: Thank you for your comment. Coleus has been a favorite of mine since I was a boy.

    LPC: Absolutely! It is marvelously goofy, I think.

    Edith Hope: Welcome and thank you for visiting Reggie, commenting, and becoming a follower--all in one fell swoop! If you saw the grasses in person you may be surprised at how lovely they are. Not boring tan at all, but a mixture of brick red, sand, and green. And I think they look like the love child of Karl Freidrich Schinkel and Cousin It. Almost like human hair, the slightest breeze stirs them.

    Misstress Cynica: That is a comparison I am supremely flattered by. Thank you.

    Little One: Reggie hasn't shared his plantings plans so far at the beginning of the season, since it is only in their maturity that his urns merit a photo display for his Dear Readers. However, I am happy to share with you what we are thinking about for this fall: poor, dear, mundane mums. But all in one color, and probably a deep crimsony, brick red. Or maybe crazy big pumpkins perched on a bed of straw. I'll email you when we decide. And Reggie commiserates your loss of the pears. He really does.

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  7. Stately, restrained and in perfect taste, Reggie - precisely as one would expect from you. At our house all is sadness and gloom for we have just laid to rest one of the Celt's beloved buxus

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  8. Blue: Why, thank you. Please give the Celt my sympathy--the loss of a beloved buxus is a tragedy, indeed.

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  9. Your urns are lovely. I am enjoying every detail of your house and yard.

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  10. What a joy your blog is to read. Those urns and their contents are stunning!

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  11. Love the coleus in all its glory on your terrace...and the chair. A welcoming place to sit and watch the change of seasons.
    BarbaraG

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  12. Dearest Reggie,

    As a first-time visitor, I must say your "About Me" blurb is brilliant. And if it were all a fib, I might just fall in love with you.

    Hugs and inappropriate groping,

    Raina
    If the Lamp Shade Fits

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  13. Raina, welcome to RD...I hope you enjoy it with but a fraction of the pleasure I have had in reading yours. And I am afraid Reggie doesn't fib...at least knowingly. He blushes.

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  14. LPC - Do you mean the Lorax? You may be on to something! These beautifully maintained urns have inspired me to think about what to plant in my lichen-covered urns for fall. I'm tired of mums, any other ideas?

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  15. Indeed does remind me of "Merry Hall" -
    I would love to see them have some boxwoods or holly bushes during the holidays -
    pve

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  16. Gourmetmom: I'm tired of mums, too. I'll see if we can come up with something moe creative this fall.

    PVE: We've filled them with boxwoods in years past, but they got awful winter burn, I am afraid. Now, holly is definitely something to think about...

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  17. For Summer, I would love to see a classic fern, that is full, lush and lofty.
    We had the same winter burn with our boxwoods...
    pve

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  18. Reggie, great post as always. I'm with LPC on the urns. Thank you for sharing your home.

    Always, Bumby

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  19. Dear Reggie, your urns are absolutely regal, and I am particularly fond of your Mexican Lilly's! Looking forward to seeing your updated urns for fall as well. Found your wonderful blog a few weeks back via the one and only Preppy Princess, and have been meaning to come over and tell you hello. Wishing you a lovely early fall weekend! - Trish

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Please do comment! I welcome and encourage them, and enjoy the dialogue.

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