Six on Saturday: catching up, looking forward and enjoying the present

/ n20gardener

I had some time to do a catch up in the garden and rather later than usual I have cut back the last of the delphiniums. I was showered with seeds as the stems were cut back. I doubt they’ll come to anything but it would be fun if they did! Having completed the cut back I can see that there are way too many astrantias, which do self seed very well. There has been some pulling up but there is more to be done. The garden has a scruffy feel at this time of the year but the roses are coming through again which helps hold things together. Here’s this week’s six.

One

The cutting patch is just beginning to deliver the goods. I planted half with seed tray sown plants and half was direct sown in May. The May sown seeds unfortunately had to compete with the verbena bonariensis seeds that came through in the home made compost. The verbena won hands down and so that half was dug over and given to some lettuce plants and some very late sown cosmos. These are the China Asters which I really do like. Now I just have to cut them, which of course I won’t as they look so much better here.

Two

The other side of the asters is a patch of dahlias grown from seed. This was ‘cactus mix’ and there does seem to be a good variety of shapes and colours. The bees like this yellow one.

Three

I have several large pots of deciduous agapanthus, the ones that need to be fleeced over winter. They flower on much longer stems and look fabulous at this time of year. I have a record nine stems in one pot this year and I try to remember to feed them once a week with a seaweed feed.

Four

All the apple trees were summer pruned for the first time this year. About three years ago I took the decision to bring in a specialist to prune the trees back to a good shape and I planned to take over again once that had been achieved. How weak am I? He makes such a brilliant job of it that I have decided to use him every year. And this year he did the plum tree as well.

Five

I could fill the late summer borders with this rudbeckia, it spreads that quickly. But I reign it in every other year. It does cheer the eye on a cloudy day though. It’s ‘Goldsturm’. This I would cut for the house as it is so floriferous.

Six

Yes, the roses are back so I am featuring Jaqueline du Pre again. So very pretty.

I have many plans to move plants around this autumn and will have to add some things in to take the place of some of the astrantias. I’ve made a start by, late again, dividing some bearded irises and there has been much reviewing of the wish list and checking of prices on the internet. I’m really trying to resist the sprawlers and go for more vertical height. Much more research to be done.

If you are also seeking inspiration then there’s nothing better than reading a few of the #SixOnSaturday posts. The links are hosted by The Propagator, who has got a very fab gladioli this week. Enjoy the weekend.

17 thoughts on “Six on Saturday: catching up, looking forward and enjoying the present”

  5. Very nice photo taken with the bumblebee centered on the dahlia.
    Apparently the pruner did a good job! This apple looks tasty and the leaves are perfectly healthy. Following Jim’s advice I pruned mine this week as well. We’ll see !
    ‘Golsturm’ are perfect!

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  6. Another one with lovely Rudbeckia! And those China Asters look good. I’m also contemplating moving lots of things around / digging things up / removing things. Maybe it’s a 5 year itch! After spending the last four years planting stuff, now I want to reduce the amount of plants I have. As for your aggies – “the deciduous types are fully hardy and can be grown in containers or borders in all parts of the UK.” (GW) It’s the evergreen ones that are tender and need to be brought inside over winter. Mine are in pots and stay outside all year round.

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    • Yes, I have two types of aggies, mine in the pots are the larger evergreen ones that I fleece every winter. Even so they look pretty bedraggled when unwrapped. Yes also to the five year itch! Throwing out the feeble growers and multiplying the strongest – survival of the fittest!

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  7. Are those asters common in England? I never see them in gardens, but they are sometimes available as cut flowers. Those who recognize them sometimes comment that they look so ‘English’. Yet, no one seems to know what is so ‘English’ about them. To me, they look ‘Northwestern’ because they are more popular in the Pacific Northwest.
    Are deciduous agapanthus popular because they are resilient to frost? Almost all of our agapanthus are Agapanthus orientalis. A few are Agapanthus africanus. Even fewer are modern hybrids with weird purplish color or floral variegation. I am not aware of any that are deciduous, although some may be deciduous species that remain evergreen here without frost.

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  9. Such an unusual but charming Dahlia you’ve got there. I do agree that the rudbeckia add a cheerful splash and having just bought a couple of plants I hope they will have as much impact as yours! A lovely rose too. It’s nice to be planning changes, I love that part of gardening.

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