There are some lovely bonuses to this meme. Shared knowledge from around the world and the weekly deadline sends me out into the garden nosing around in every corner to find out what is new for this week’s post. This also means I can’t avoid seeing the pests and diseases to be tackled and the jobs that really must be done! Here’s the six.
One
The first flowers on the viburnum have opened. The poor tree is riddled with viburnum beetle but it doesn’t seem to affect the flowering. Can anyone give a more specific identification on the variety?
Two
I was also very pleased to spot this first hellebore bud. It is Pretty Ellen Red which should begin flowering in February, so this is an unexpected early start. I have planted a small group of these in a shady corner at the back of the garden. The new growth is clearly providing a food source for the slugs. Just wish something would eat the slugs. Job for the weekend: cut back the old foliage – looks like hellebore leaf spot has a hold.
Three
This is in its second flush of flowering, it’s a common border plant but I just don’t know its name. It sprawls down a low wall. Can someone put me out of my misery?
Four
Apologies for the bright blue background. I was using a plastic trug to collect any spilt compost as I potted up these tulips. This year was the first time I have ever lifted and stored tulips. These were grown in a pot, stored in the shed over summer and I have just spotted that they had begun to sprout. Quick action required: out of shed and into pots immediately. Last year I used compost, this year it’s a mix of grit and compost. This year’s new tulips for the borders will be planted out in the coming weeks.
Five
The mulch has arrived. Mulched borders are so lovely. It’s like mowing and edging the grass. Suddenly the garden looks tidier and healthier. Some of this mulch is for the newly dug out border and the rest will gradually go to the other borders and the veg patch.
Six
Speaking of vegetables, here is my last productive strip in the veg patch. The parsnips. I grew Tender and True, sown in May. The weather is telling me that it is parsnip time and I’m looking forward to pulling up and roasting some of these soon.
I hope the weather is good to you and that there is some time, no matter how brief, for you to enjoy your garden this weekend. Thanks to The Propagator for hosting the wonderful Six on Saturday. Read his blog posts and all the other Six on Saturday posts from around the world at The Propagator my plant obsession
n20gardener 
Great 6 👍love the flowers on the viburnum tinus, certainly a lot of mulch there! Lovely job I love mulching such a satisfying job, the other plant is iberis sempervivrens or close to the spelling! Great plant as well👍👍
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That is what I was about to say. I was not sure about the Viburnum tinus, but I do not know what else it would be. It does not normally look that good here. The Iberis sempervirens can be cut back, and should regenerate.
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Thanks for the id – that is definitely it. One bag is top soil for new border and as much mulch as can go on top of that. Then the rest will get spread around elsewhere.
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Those bags are mulch are making my mouth water, looks delicious! Those parsnips look great, from the top anyway, I wonder what lurks beneath…… Great 6, now I must get on with doing mine. 🙂
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That Hellebore bud is a sight for sore eyes. How unusual to see it blooming at this time of year, though.
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I’ll be keeping an eye on it to see what happens next!
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Yes, let us know.
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The viburnum is tinus, probably the form that is just sold as tinus, without a cultivar name. Your parsnips look far better than mine, which are about the same size as my carrots.
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Thank you for id. My parsnips look good but I dug one today and it was on the mini veg scale! I’m hoping the ones further down the row have a little more on them.
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I’ve given up keeping tulips from one year to the next; they never seem to do as well for me in the second year. I see that you, like me, ignore the “advice” to plant them flat side against the outside of the pot. I’ve never been able to find out why this should be. That’s a lot of mulch. I guess you either have a large garden or a stepladder! 😉
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One of the bags is topsoil for the new border and a bag of mulch has been added on top of that. The rest has been used around the garden but I confess there is some left! I’m sure I can get through it in a week or two.
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I don’t have any hellebore. Must fix that. Got your mulch down yet? Keep up, got my veg beds done today, the parts not in use anyway.
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I’ve been outvoted on the Viburnum! I was going to suggest another possibility: Vib. macrophyllum “Autumn Magic” only because that’s one I have, which looks identical and is also just coming into flower right now. My Vib. tinus tends to flower in late winter/spring rather than autumn. I’m willing to go with the majority however, especially given the way the seasons seem to be a bit mixed up at the moment (see my previous Six on Saturday post!). I have also been battling the Viburnum beetles, but we’ll have to wait for spring to see how successful I’ve been: https://greenfingeredblog.blogspot.com/2017/09/viburnum-beetle.html
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A start has been made on mulching. Could take some time!
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Your thoughts on v.tinus were exactly why I wondered which type it was. RHS says flowering period is late winter and spring, but it does have black berries and the flowers are white with a pink tinge so I am going to accept the majority too. I haven’t spotted any of the v.beetle so squishing has not been an option for me. The tree is quite tall so they are going to be able to bask in the sun in complete safety!
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