Month: February 2021

Six On Saturday: February round up

/ n20gardener / 20 Comments

I have a letter excusing my absence last week, it says I was on plant ordering duties. I am preparing for a new border and of course added in one or two plants for other areas in the garden that need an uplift. More to come on the new plants but this week is a contemplation of February. The garden was not a pretty sight. The weather was not good: one week of rain followed by a week of cold weather followed by a wet and windy week. These were not the conditions to lure one out into the garden. This week has been drier and warmer and when I did venture out there was plenty of damage to see. I think there will be losses and set backs but spring is on its way and that thought lifts the spirits.

One

A much loved pot that has been with me for many years now has a crackled look. It is home to some fabulous lilies. I could break the pot up and replant the lilies but first I am going to see if I can repair the damage with some milliput terracotta repair putty. Ever the optimist I think!

Two

My first venture out the week after the cold weather was thwarted. I had planned to empty 2019’s leaf mould onto the raspberry beds but the contents of the bags were still frozen solid. I had to wait a few days but now the job is done and the soft fruit beds have also had a dusting of fish, bone and blood feed.

Three

Two years ago when pruning the rose ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ I decided to plant some stems to see if they would take. Now why would I want more of this vigorous climber? Do I even have a suitable place for it? The cuttings were doing very well until the cold weather came, now the leaves have crisped up but the new shoots look good. If they survive a permanent place in the garden will be the reward.

Four

The tête-à-tête daffodils are popping up thick and fast now. Even those in the shady and colder borders are being forthcoming. I was ruthless last year and streamlined the daffodils to tête-à-tête, pheasant’s eye and thalia. I have not missed the larger daffodils.

Five

This beautiful group of crocus picks up the early morning sun in the front garden and were stunning on this particular morning. Note to self: must add more of these.

Six

Pulmonaria, from a clump shared by a friend, dug up and divided many times since. There is always a little piece that remains in the original planting sight which doggedly sets off to clump up again.

I’ve also sown some tomato seeds which are for the greenhouse. The chilli seeds were poor germinators, two out of twelve! Four more were sown and two have come good. If I can keep four going that will be plenty. The rocket seeds in greenhouse are struggling along and other greenhouse autumn sowings are waking up. All is moving in the right direction.

I’m sure The Prop will be moving in the right direction too, he will be running, sowing or hosting the SOS threads. Take a look and if you would like to join in then explore the participant’s guide. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Idle thoughts

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

Thwarted from posting last week and with the garden frozen over this week, I am going with last week’s intended post with a few updates: Good news that February is here and because it is such a short month there are only 22 16 days to go before March arrives. This week Last week I was happy to see the very first tops of the chilli seeds pushing through and although I said I wouldn’t I did, sow sweet peas that is. One lost packet from who knows where was found and sown. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. Three have germinated. So much rain fell this the week before last that most gardening was done by staring out of the windows giving the thumbs down gladiator style to plants that offended the eye. Here are the top contenders and some stayers.

One

The snowberry that had a mention a few weeks back is in a direct site line from the kithchen window and does nothing to enhance the view. I leave it because I don’t think I can successfully rid myself of it and what else would grow in this dark corner? I hanker for hamamelis but would it thrive? At the moment the snowberry is in line for the chop. And a week on, still is.

Two

Out the front the dry north facing border is host to bluebells, forsythia, and that shrubby honeysuckle with the tiny leaves. Underneath that the periwinkle runs riot. It is gradually spreading along the border. encouraging because at least something will grow there but actually getting out of hand. I will definitely be trying to confine this to a smaller space.

Three

The front garden is also home to a mahonia which was slowly being suffocated by an hypericum. The hypericum has been cut back several times now and gradually the mahonia is re-establishing itself. This has given a bit more interest to this border and the reddish foliage is looking pretty good now. More nuturing to be done here.

Four

While the parsnips were a little erratic in their germination last year some late sown parsley took very happily to a spot in the greenhouse and has been providing a generous supply throughout winter.

Five

Last week so many SOSers were presenting stunning sarcococcas. This week I can sort of join in. Sarcococca hookeriana, planted up in Februrary 2020, has opened its flowers and if I get really close I can smell the scent. I think it needs some time to establish.

Six

Its time to give some love to the primroses, steadfastly fighting off the slugs and providing a sunny smile in so many corners of the garden. I’m going to move some of these out front to go with the bluebells.

The early sun has gone and with it that uplifting sense of warmer times to come. The temperature is falling and there maybe snow here again tomorrow. Snow came, not as much as before but it has been a week of cold weather with temperatures in the greenhouse falling to minus 4.8 degrees. All change for next week and then surely it will be downhill all the way to Spring! For now it’s time start enjoying the inventiveness of fellow SOSers as we meet the command of Mr P to find six things in the garden this week. It’s a wide brief – it could be anything! All welcome to join in.