The geometry of this is beautiful and shows how we cannot improve on nature. Is your garden “standing up” better this year because of the lack of rainfall? Here in the south-east it has been a mostly dry winter, but maybe you have received an average amount of rain for the season so far?
It’s a much drier winter here too. Miscanthus sinensis and calamagrostis put up with extremely wet weather in winter, so I don’t notice any difference with them even in the windiest borders. However, this is the first year that I’ve noticed Stipa gigantea flowering stems still looking intact this late on.
Wow so pretty – don’t get frosts in Auckland. Havent lived with frosts for 40 years. I can remember when I was a kid waking up and marvelling at the patterns on the window above my bed with the sun coming up – in christchurch NZ
These seedheads are so pretty even without frost so are really accentuated by it. What sort of phlomis is it? I am trying to grow P tuberosa from seed this year
This is (probably) Phlomis fruticosa, an evergreen shrubby form with yellow flowers, grown from soft wood cuttings. Herbaceous forms, like tuberosa, make the same handsome winter seedheads too😉.
That’s a good point. I guess the herbaceous ones are more compact … on the other hand shrubby ones can be pruned quite hard in spring. If you’re tempted, P. tuberosa ‘Amazone’ is a choice form, lovely soft pink/purple flowers.
I wonder which ones you have in your garden … I didn’t realise how pretty they were until I planted these cuttings close to the path to the front door. (The parent plants are tucked away in a corner of the garden I rarely visit in the winter months).
Brilliant – frost just enhances those seedheads. I am so enjoying your blog. I’m a great fan of grasses and am gradually introducing more into this garden. Am taking inspiration from reading your past posts.
I don’t seem to be getting your posts in my reader. No idea why. Anyway glad I scrolled through your Wednesdays. Your phlomis looks worthy of a jewellery design. We’re talking diamonds!
Barn House Garden 
Like a bejewelled headdress!
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Such a lovely description 🙂.
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The geometry of this is beautiful and shows how we cannot improve on nature. Is your garden “standing up” better this year because of the lack of rainfall? Here in the south-east it has been a mostly dry winter, but maybe you have received an average amount of rain for the season so far?
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It’s a much drier winter here too. Miscanthus sinensis and calamagrostis put up with extremely wet weather in winter, so I don’t notice any difference with them even in the windiest borders. However, this is the first year that I’ve noticed Stipa gigantea flowering stems still looking intact this late on.
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Wow so pretty – don’t get frosts in Auckland. Havent lived with frosts for 40 years. I can remember when I was a kid waking up and marvelling at the patterns on the window above my bed with the sun coming up – in christchurch NZ
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That sounds magical, Yvonne.
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These seedheads are so pretty even without frost so are really accentuated by it. What sort of phlomis is it? I am trying to grow P tuberosa from seed this year
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This is (probably) Phlomis fruticosa, an evergreen shrubby form with yellow flowers, grown from soft wood cuttings. Herbaceous forms, like tuberosa, make the same handsome winter seedheads too😉.
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I hadn’t come across P tuberosa till last year and it really appealed to me in a way that the more common yellow variety never did
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The pinks are pretty aren’t they? I shall look out for it in your Monday vases, Cathy😉.
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No germination yet, sadly… 😐
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Seeds can take several weeks or more to germinate (maybe try info at Chiltern Seeds?).
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Yes indeed, and I will check out Chiltern’s website as Plants of Distinction where my seeds came from had conflicting advice
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Beautiful
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Thank you, Christina.
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A beautiful picture,I would never of recognised it as a phlomis flower.
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Phlomis works really well with grasses, I wonder if you grow them Brian.
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I have never planted them, in my garden, they do become quite large plants.
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That’s a good point. I guess the herbaceous ones are more compact … on the other hand shrubby ones can be pruned quite hard in spring. If you’re tempted, P. tuberosa ‘Amazone’ is a choice form, lovely soft pink/purple flowers.
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Note to self-leave the spent phlomis flowers until Spring. They look even more lovely when frosted.
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I wonder which ones you have in your garden … I didn’t realise how pretty they were until I planted these cuttings close to the path to the front door. (The parent plants are tucked away in a corner of the garden I rarely visit in the winter months).
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On of my favourite winter seed heads. How pretty those stars look rimmed with frost.
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Mine too 🙂. As you say, they’re perfect winter stars and I love the pale sage green of the felty foliage too.
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Brilliant – frost just enhances those seedheads. I am so enjoying your blog. I’m a great fan of grasses and am gradually introducing more into this garden. Am taking inspiration from reading your past posts.
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Thank you, Sue, what a lovely comment. I popped over to your blogspot, the frosted grasses in your garden look beautiful 🙂.
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Godiva makes chocolates that have that look! Ooo! :-)
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Flowers and seed heads jeweled in frost are very beautiful. Great photos, Kate!
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Thank you, Lavinia, This is a timeless winter shot but still one of my favourites, I look forward to seeing the refft every year.
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I don’t seem to be getting your posts in my reader. No idea why. Anyway glad I scrolled through your Wednesdays. Your phlomis looks worthy of a jewellery design. We’re talking diamonds!
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How intriguing, and lovely.
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