Oh, the garden is so nearly at lift off time. There has been some sunshine and even on a cloudier day the temperatures are climbing. I’m not worrying about poor germination this week as I can see that the borders are filling up nicely. The roses are just bursting with buds and the grasses are beginning to come through again. There seems to be an amazing number of self-seeders this year and I don’t mean those never-ending sycamores. The alchemilla mollis is doing rather too well. The astrantias, aquilegias and geranium psilostemon are definitely settling in and I even have a few seedlings of tellima grandiflora which I will treasure. Here’s this week’s six:
One
There are some plants I look forward every year and these siberian irises are probably top of the list. The first ones opened this week. I just love the colour of the flower and the promise of the buds. I was very happy to see these again.
Two
This is luzula nivea, a new plant to the garden in 2022 as part of a revamp of a dry shady border. So far, it hasn’t self seeded but it does have that attribute. I like it and so a few extra clumps wouldn’t go amiss.
Three
It’s always lovely to see the first strawberry flowers. I threw out all the old strawberry plants last year, they were inherited and so I have no idea how old they were but they were not fruiting well. Here’s hoping the new ones will do better.
Four
These are bought in aquilegias, ‘Alba’ to be precise. I collected seed last year and forgot to sow it! These are also in a dry shady border and seem to be coping quite well. I need a few more to fill out the space, in the meantime I added in some foxgloves. Rookie error – they provide a perfect home for the slugs who then shred the hosta ‘Thomas Hogg’. The foxgloves will go once they have flowered.
Five
The ubiquitous ‘Purple Sensation’ has self-seeded but there’s a long way to go before those bulbs are big enough to flower. I’m impatient so I will be buying in more bulbs in the Autumn. A cheerful plant and so easy!
Six
Lastly, can you believe it. The dead and bedraggled scented leaf pelargoniums have sprung back to life. These have been with me for several years and all have survived. Two new ones I bought last year were not so fortunate. So there I was, thinking I could add some new combinations to the summer pots but the pellies have other ideas. I’m just wondering whose garden it is!
Jim at Garden Ruminations is our not so new host. Please stop by to visit his wonderful garden and see the links to other SOS posts. I am feeling more and more confident about wishing everyone a Happy Gardening weekend. There is much to be done and much to enjoy.
n20gardener 
Dang! I thought that I neglected my weekly Six on Saturday. Because I am presently on vacation, I easily lose track of the days. Your Aquilegia (which I know as columbine) is awesome. I happen to like the species or various species of Aquilegia, but do not even try to grow it anymore. Only the scrawny native performs well here, and even that wants to live in the forest rather than in the garden. It is very pretty in its natural bright orange, but white is still my favorite color. ‘Purple Sensation’ Allium is not so ubiquitous here. I think it should be, since the climate likely suits it better than it suits Aquilegia . . . which never performs well, but is actually more popular.
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I have caused some confusion. Completely lost the plot!
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. . . but most have no problem with it, . . . or are somehow on your same schedule.
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Er… have you been teleported? I am sure it is still Friday here…
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Completely got my dates mixed up! And couldn’t do much about it by the tone I’d realised😂😂
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🤣🤣
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I also have several Aquilegia sp (Columbine) that i really enjoy. They are self seeding but I keep them all. My Siberian Iris has also just begun to bloom. This year’s Bearded Iris did not perform well. It may have been the dreadful winter hard freeze.
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Bearded irises are not open with me yet, I’ll have to wait a bit longer to see. Our freeze was nowhere near as bad as yours.
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I don’t think I’ve seen a white Aquilegia before, it is lovely.
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I wish I’d remembered to sow those seeds, I love to have more.
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Purple Sensation is ahead for you, here the “balls” are not yet formed.
Pretty white aquilegia (I have lots of colours and no white ones)
I’m sure you’ll have strawberries this summer: a little patience!
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Patience is part of gardening isn’t it!
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Strangely I was just thinking that there seem to be a lot of self-seeders this year, I wonder why that is? Interesting. I am also a big Iris sibirica fan, in fact I just planted some in my garden the other day. So good for early season and such delicate flowers and of course I love blue. Gorgeous white aquilegia. Have a good week. 🙂
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Yes I’m wondering too! Enjoy your new sibiricas and I hope you have some good gardening weather for the weekend.
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It is lush! Bit hot so I have just come in to catch up on my messages before lunch. It is going to be a warm week and I am working a lot so I am sure I will have had enough of it by the weekend. Have fun x
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Such good news about your Pelargoniums.
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Clever little scented pelargoniums! ❤ That allium is superb, I can't grow them so I look in in awe!
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You are lucky with the pelargoniums. I’ve had to buy some new ones as they didn’t put through. Lovely Siberian iris (why don’t I have any I ask myself each year?).
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