Six On Saturday: In the sweet shop

/ n20gardener

I seem to remember being a little excited over recent weeks, contrary to national sentiments at this time. This week I’m in the sweet shop anticipating a sugar overload whilst of course maintaining social distancing. The garden is throwing out new delights at every turn and some of the sulkier seeds have come through. I will definitely have enough courgettes – how could I have doubted that? The Eschscholzia have germinated and even though I am on the third hopeful sowing of parsnips I am optimistic. Here’s my six for the week.

One

I love it when the Siberian irises open up.  The combination of purple and green is just perfect. I divided these last year and spread the joy to friends.  They came to me from a division and it is only right that tradition continues.

Two

The first clematis flower arrived.  I have no idea which one it is, it came with the garden and this year I am very thankful for it.  I was a little tardy in cutting the clematis back so the bottom half is a bare but fortunately hidden by geraniums.  Must do better.

Three

Going back to reluctant seeds, two years ago I sowed an entire packet of euphorbia oblongata.  Four germinated, three survived and last year I squeezed them into small space in the border.  They looked pretty feeble and I did not expect them to survive a winter.  Well they did.  It was a lovely surprise to see them even though they are in the ‘wrong place’ in terms of the border layout. Perhaps they are in the right place for them.

Four

Dazzling away in partial shade is thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’, one of the Prop’s recommendations.  Good sir, I thank you for mentioning it.  This is its second year and it has definitely got its feet in the right place. 

Five

The just about to unfurl, perfectly curled, rose bud of r. Jacqueline du Pré.  When open the rose reveals beautiful golden stamens.

Six

Oh how I wish I could share the scent of this rose with you.  It is  ‘Madame Isaac Péreire’.  I also wish I could capture the rich shade of pink that this rose truly is but you will have to make a mental adjustment to compensate. I confess that I often walk down the garden just to inhale its fragrance.  Bliss. 

I hope you are finding bliss and a kaleidoscope of delights in your gardens this week.  It was a cold one with the early part of the week best forgotten.  Here’s hoping we are on the up from now on.  Mr P will have all the links to the SOSs of the week and of course his own inimitable gardening highlights.  If you have a moment stop by. 

20 thoughts on “Six On Saturday: In the sweet shop”

  6. ‘Black Stockings’ is fabulous! How well does it cope with S&S attacks? I have the euphorbia oblongata and it has come back for the third season, even though I think it is a short lived perennial. And ‘Madame Isaac Péreire’ looks lovely. As OMAHGT says, if it smells as good as Gertie then you have a winner.

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  7. Sweet! Even though they are not in pictures, it is sweet to know that California poppies are as popular as they are elsewhere. They are less common in the wild these days. You know, in the wild, on the chaparral and desert, they are only brief spring wildflowers. They only extend their season in home gardens because they get more water. In some climates, they do not dry out so much through spring. Individual plants do not live long, but they are happy to replace themselves if they get water.

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    • I have seen them here spreading in the drier corners of front gardens. I love their colour and I’m hoping they’ll self seed in a dry spot I have. I love the idea of them growing wild on the chaparral – sounds romantic to an English ear!

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      • It really was awesome. I can barely remember them blooming over the hills south of San Jose in the very early 1970s. The lower portion of the hills were bright orange. By the time I left for college in 1985, they had been mostly displaced, leaving only a slight orange blush in the meadow below. That same area is full of monster houses now. California poppy is still happy out in the Mojave Desert, and is quite spectacular briefly in spring. They do not look like much while out where they are (looking down on them), but they are spectacular on the horizon! I do love them so. A few grow here. There are some in the vegetable garden. I do not pull them like the rest of the weeds. They bloom for quite a while there because they get water. I see all the modern varieties in odd colors and forms, but none are as excellent as the original. As much as I prefer white flowers, I want my poppies to be bright orange.

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      • Well, as a Californian, I can not brag about poppies enough. They are like bluebonnets are to Texans, or sunflowers to Kansans, or dogwoods to Virginians.

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  8. glad you are enjoying black stockings, mine are splendid this year. i’m also glad you love Mrs IP, i recently planted one, among a few i got from Mr Stone. In my mind’s eye I can see it topping the trellis and wafting great guffs of lovely pong across the patio. my mind’s eye is a couple of years ahead of reality, i fear.

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