The torrential rain of Tuesday gave the garden a welcome soaking. Unfortunately steady showers followed on and the week had a wet and windy finish. I start this week’s six by paying homage to the roses which flower, get soaked by the rain, are defoliated by rose sawfly, and yet flower again.
One
This white rose ‘Jaqueline du Pre’ flowers at the far end of the garden and spotting a new flower in the gloomy mornings of this week was very uplifting.
Two
At the opposite end, in a sunnier spot, the climbing version of ‘James Galway’ is making steady progress up the trellis and keeps putting out new buds.
Three
Newly arrived in flower is Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’. These were part of last year’s autumn bulb order and one or two of them sprang into flower immediately after planting. This year I have more of a full presence but I feel the need for more impact. I feel another top up bulb order coming on.
Four
A top up because the second order arrived today. I’m not such a prolific orderer of bulbs as our host Mr P but somehow I have managed to total 110 in this order plus 150 crocus bulbs and 60 ‘Tete a Tete’ daffodils from earlier temptations. In this batch are Tulips: Dolls Minuet, Ballerina, Lasting Love, Mariette and Sarah Raven, Camassias and Acidanthera murielae. The last is related to gladioli, and is sometimes known as Abyssinian gladiolus. The recommendation is to lift over winter but I maybe tempted to leave them in. I did lift some tulips this year so I will see how much success I have with replanting them first.
Five
I have only one type of aster in the garden but I have two of them. The colour is perfect but I have them in the wrong place and I’m not sure where the right place is. The problem is they grow so high, easily outstripping any of my pathetic attempts at staking . This year one has remained fairly upright and the other has spiralled all over the place. Belatedly I realised I could have tried a wig-wam support system. The right place is probably somewhere sunnier and where their height can be enjoyed. Still thinking.
Six
This little fella was trying to wriggle away from SOS fame and fortune but he just didn’t quite fit into the gap. It has given me an extra nudge into finding a site for a pond. I am going to go small and cheap, buying a pond liner and an insulation liner. I have in mind a small area at the back of the garden that is currently being used to heel in plants that I have been dividing or moving. I might miss that luxury but this year the garden has been full of froglets, or possibly one very active one. I’m hoping I can offer them a permanent home. If it stops raining and I can start digging.
More rain is forecast overnight so I have low expectations of any productive work in the garden. I will be optimistically inspecting some sweet peas that were sown last week and thinking about seeds for next year. I’ll be finding out about other SOSers and their gardening ambitions by checking in with The Propagator and all the links he shares. Happy weekend whatever the weather.
n20gardener 
Does this simple white rose ‘Jacqueline du Pré’ last a long time? My white roses are ephemeral unfortunately; yours is very pretty.
I had planted Acidanthera murielae bulbs in late winter and they are now in bloom for 2 days! I will post the picture soon on Twitter first. Very pretty flowers. I hesitate to lift them for the winter too.( They are potted with eucomis and some other bulbs)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was wondering whether to plant the acidanthera now or in February when the worst of winter should be over. I’d hate to lose them without seeing them flower! When did you plant yours?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I planted it at the end of March if I remember correctly and I will lift up my bulbs like dahlias, as suggested in the internet (-5°C is the minimum and not too wet ….)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. That’s very helpful. Judging by this year wet winters may be the problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I forget to reply about Jaqueline. She is in part shade and I think the does quite well. Best in June July but keeps putting out some through Aug and September. I motuced one more spray of buds yesterday. I think she would be happier with more sun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What is it about bulbs that suddenly we find we have hundreds of the things to plant? I have to delete all the emails I get now offering me discounts! I bought Acidanthera murielae bulbs this spring hoping they would flower around now, but I only had one in flower. It was very pretty though! I shall bring the pots indoors during the winter as they do not tolerate freezing temperatures and I’m not sure about the wet either which is more of a problem for me. I’ll leave the pots dry and repot in the spring and hope for a hotter summer next year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is helpful advice. I’d really like to put them in the ground but it sounds as though pots are the best option. I’m planning to plant them in Feb – as long as I don’t forget. I’ve just had an email from my local garden centre offering me free daffodils – so hard not to resist!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know! All the discounted bulbs hitting my email inbox at the moment are hard to ignore. I would have thought February late to plant tulips – I used to aim for November/December in the ground though earlier in pots.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄it was the acidanthera i was wondering about. I’ll definitely have tulips done by end November. I picked up my free daffs but I’m donating them elsewhere!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent bulb ordering, well done! I used to get many froggy visitors from next door but the big (eyesore, tbh) pond affair has been removed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an impressive aster! (Well, the roses are impressive after their ordeal too, but I don’t often see aster.)
LikeLiked by 1 person