It’s a late post today, the forecast is for showers this afternoon and there were some gardening jobs that had to be finished off. I was very happy to have plenty of rain this week and the water butts are now full again. Everything is looking very lush and about to burst forth into a froth of colour. I am becoming slightly impatient as the roses have been promising to burst forth for a few weeks now. But I have managed to put that impatience aside and enjoy what is moving along in the garden.
One
I’m giving myself a little pat on the back for managing to overwinter the scented leaf pelagoniums in the greenhouse. Probably not a difficult task in truth but when I tucked them away for the winter there was a great sense of trepidation. Well they made it and the beautiful flowers are emerging. This one is ‘Pink Capitatum’.
Two
Unfurling majestically in the garden is the geranium ‘Phaeum’ which I also noted is happy enough in its spot to start self seeding. Self seeders are much appreciated when a new garden is being stocked.
Three
Also self seeding very happily is astrantia major. I moved some of these over to the north facing border, amongst the geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ and had plenty left to share some with a friend.
Four
One of the first plants I put into the garden was zantedeschia aethiopica ‘Crowborough’. A beautiful arum lilly that I was hoping to enjoy for many a year. It came to nothing for two years. Today I noticed these tiny leaves and also the most likely reason for its coming to nothing – slugs. I am thinking I might dig this up and treat it to the luxury of a well protected pot.
Five
Nearby I noticed the new leaves of rodgersia aesculifolia coming through. It is being crowded out by a clump of siberian irises that need to be taken in hand once they have flowered.
Six
The nasturtium seedlings are ready to be transplanted. I’m not going to pot these on. They will go straight into their own designated space in two batches, just in case there is a late frost.
Looking at the small things in a garden keeps us going until the big adventure of summer arrives! To see what else is opening up in gardens around the world go to The Propagator’s page for all the links to this weeks #SixOnSaturday posts.
n20gardener 
Hope the lily makes it. I’ve been keeping an eye on my coneflower. Last year it was almost eaten to nothing so I dug it up and pampered it. It went back in the ground but it looks like the slugs have found it once more.
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My coneflowers and delphiniums have been completely ignored. They are in aborder that gets mulched with a mix that leaves a dry top covering and I’m beginning to think it’s acting as a barrier. I’m watching closely!!
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That sounds good. Not risked delphiniums for a few years because of the slugs and snails. Fingers crossed the mulch continues to work.
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Great success your nasturtium seedlings! You give me the idea to sow mine … About the arums lilies, I also noticed that mine had not bloomed for 2 years. I dug them up to lift them up, and added some manure : it looks like this year would be better. I also have slugs trying to see through their leaves but everything is under control (until now …)
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I think digging it up and looking after it is the best idea. I think I’ll buy some copper tape for the pot too. Good wishes for the nasturtium seeds.
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I went with a phaeum in my six as well. Second year and starting to find self seeders. Good reliable plant.
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I like them for the shadier areas.
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Lovely geranium and good to know that Astrantia self seeds. The one I planted in the autumn is coming up now – hopefully it will have babies in a year or two.
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It can be very prolific! At the moment I can use them all!
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Geranium ‘Phaeum’ is a beauty, I might be tempted. I also love self sowers! I have two Arum lilies, one in bud at the moment. They both got wiped out by the snow last year and I thought I had lost them, but no, back they are. Can’t see any slug damage as they grow among a load of irises.
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Mine is growing with irises on one side but otherwise open, I thought the slugs must have been hiding in the irises. It’s good to hear they are survivors.
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Snails like hiding in flowers. I found baby ones inside tulips!
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Bugger! Thanks to you I just remembered that I’ve totally forgotten my old pellies which are still up in the attic wrapped in newspaper. Yours is the second phaeum I’ve seen today. Both seem to be totally different to mine (which was in my last week’s offering) whose foliage is far less dense, indeed I would say “open”. Though it flowers away like anything once it starts. I’ve got a couple of Crowboroughs in the pond (I think). Odd thing is that if it freezes over during the winter they come back but if the pond doesn’t freeze I have to replace them. It didn’t freeze last winter …….
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So sorry 😀 Will a good soaking do it? Interesting about the Crowborough, they are tougher than I thought…or not.
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I have neglected to sow nasturtiums this year, but I have no doubt they’ll make an unbidden appearance at some point. They usually do!
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Those are nice geraniums. I’ve not seen ‘Phaeum’ before. There is not much to choose from here because they are rather obscure plants for us.
Nasturtiums always get sown directly in my garden. Frost does not often get cold enough to bother them, and certainly would not happen this late.
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