Month: February 2024

Six On Saturday: February ends with a frost

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

Cutting back in the borders continues when the weather allows and the heavy rain of this week did not allow for anything. This morning there was a crisp frost which the sun is now sending on its way. The perennials are pushing their way through and it will be interesting to see what has survived, at the moment I am a little nervous for the gaura lindheimeri. Maybe I should be growing these from seed as annuals. One to think about. Here’s six from this morning’s frosty survey of the garden.

One

The bronze foliage of last year’s epimedium leaves looking glossy after the frost. The green leaves of the new growth are coming through so the time is fast approaching for a cut back of the old growth before the flowers arrive.

Two

The first flowers on the clematis armandii have opened, the stems along the wall are packed with buds which will soon provide a wonderful display.

Three

There are no concerns for this penstemon, moved to this position last year and clearly flourishing. It seems hard to believe that all this growth will be cut back in April. I checked the RHS advice and see that they recommend a half way cut in the autumn, something I might consider for next year.

Four

The viburnum tree is underplanted with primulas and anemones which brighten up this corner of the garden. There is new growth on the aquilegias too.

Five

Tulips are popping up everywhere which presents a challenge when cutting back some of the perennials in the borders. These in pots, are protected by the wire cage from the squirrels who like to bury acorns here. There are three layers of tulips in the pot, the first time I have tried this method. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Six

I was too late too capture a frosted gem but here’s a euphorbia wulfenii to end on, gently warming up in some sunshine.

The seed potatoes should have arrived at my local allotment shop this weekend. I’ve been collecting egg boxes to chit them in so I’m raring to go. Sunday morning looks like being dry and I hope to be out in the garden doing one or two jobs but the borders are so wet that I will be limited to working from the paths. The grass could do with a cut but it is unlikely to be dry enough for that task. Jim poses an interesting question this week – how do we double or even triple up our growing spaces? Stop by Garden Ruminations for all the answers. Happy gardening SOSers.

Six On Saturday: Wilful nature

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

I’ve been reading some Thomas Hardy of late and I was very much in sympathy with his portrayal of nature always throwing something unexpected at us poor humans. His wilful nature was solely the weather, mine is the weather, although rain is not so unexpected these days, weeds and slugs. It’s a gardener’s lot I suppose and as such acceptance must be learnt. Here’s my six for this week.

One

Now is the time for tête-à-tête daffodils, much loved here by me and the slugs. No sooner do they flower then out come the munchers. I am in despair!

Two

Crocuses – tommasinianus I think and possibly ‘Ruby Giant’. Did I make a note? Not that I can find and will they too be eaten, probably.

Three

The viburnum is flowering giving me some encouragement.

Four

A few weeks back I confessed that the bellis daisies bought as winter bedding had not been planted out. That job has been done now and bless them, the daisies have responded well to being released into a more generous growing space and have thrived after a few balmy days.

Five

Way back when we arrived at this house, coming up to eight years ago, I planted out symmetrically four euphorbia wulfenii. Each year one of them took a turn to die off. Only one of the original four survived but generously it seeds itself everywhere. I now have self seeded versions in six other corners of the garden. This one is doing superbly well in the path edge. What can I say?

Six

And sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself and nature’s designs on the garden. For a few weeks now I have been admiring, from the kitchen window, new growth in the pot of mint on the terrace. I’ve been out and about in the garden a few times lately but only today did I stop by the pot and look more closely. Yes, I have a flourishing crop of bittercress that is now flowering. I will have to be out there asap to rid myself of those beauties!

Nature is sending more rain this weekend but temperatures are rising and there have been some good gardening days so jobs must be done. I’m down to my last few grasses to cut back and ever the optimist I am dropping pot grown tête-à-têtes in to gaps in the borders. Raspberry canes have been cut back and blackcurrants pruned. My seed potatoes are not available until end of February but I do have sort out my seeds for the year. Jim, our host, shares his garden ruminations and hosts the links to other SOS posts. Enjoy the chat and the gardening!

Six On Saturday: Slow out of the blocks

/ n20gardener / 9 Comments

I am indebted to Dan Pearson, the garden designer, for pointing out that February sees us halfway between the winter and the spring equinox, his post for the second of February is beautiful. My garden is not offering the same delights but it is full of promise. The garden is beginning to fill out again and I can see that I have been slow to tackle a few jobs. Nothing serious, nothing that can’t be caught up on, whenever the rain stops! Here’s my six for this week.

One

These hellebores really caught my eye this morning. The grey light seemed to work just perfectly with their colours. 

Two

Just a few pots of things waiting to be dropped into gaps. The bellis daisies were intended to go into pots for winter bedding but only a few made it. I’m hoping to finish that job off this weekend!

Three

I have absolutely no snowdrops left to show as the pigeons have eaten all the flowers. I think they are also working through the crocuses so I am snapping this little group while they are still here. 

Four

All sorts of plants are making their presence known, here is a group of day lilies but I’m not sure if there is something else growing alongside them, oh how easy it is to forget what is in the garden!

Five

I was taken back by the growth on the clematis. This one is storming away, while others are only just in bud. This is a job to tackle this weekend.

Six

I always regard this corner of the garden as a difficult one.  I should really find some interesting shrubs that will grow high enough to hide the fence and give winter interest. Instead I have a trachelospermum, a collection of tulips and one or two other bits and pieces. I think there is work to be done here, but in a couple of months it will be colourful. 

The lawn is squelchy and the borders soggy but at the moment it is dry so I plan to do a little more rose pruning from the paths and there are one or two grasses that need to be cut back as I can see green growth pushing through. Tomorrow I hope to pick up some seed potatoes from a local allotment shop. I may have been slow to start but now I must pick up a little speed. Out host, Jim is going all out on camellias this week and who can blame him? I hope the weather is just perfect for a little gardening time where ever you are this weekend.

Six On Saturday: Getting going

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

Here, the garden always gets going before the gardener. But last weekend’s gentle weather was put to good use. It was evident that the garden was gathering momentum, weeds of course but encouraging signs of more snowdrops opening, the first leaves of spring bulbs emerging and plentiful growth on the roses. I had some jobs to do so the weeding has to wait. Here’s my six for the week.

One

The major job for the weekend was the taking down of the rose arch and two side trellis panels. I think it was only the rose that had kept it upright through the recent storms. All the legs of the arch and the panels were rotten at the base and it was a relatively easy job to pull it to the ground and dismantle it. I might be able to salvage the trellis panels for elsewhere in the garden but for the moment everything is propped up against a fence.

Two

Taking down this structure opens up the view of the long border and I have decided to leave it open to see how this outlook will work over summer. I’ve bought two rusty steel obelisks for the clematis to grow up. I managed to salvage them but a honeysuckle was collateral damage. The climbing rose will be dug up and relocated further along the wall on the left hand side. I’m hoping it won’t object.

Three

The lemon tree is no more. The scent of the foliage as I cut it back was wonderful but it was in a very sorry state so I have no regrets. I bought some compost to use for refilling the pot which now houses a hydrangea that has moved around the garden three times now. The compost was left outside overnight and the foxes swiftly moved in to investigate. Thank goodness they didn’t do too much damage. 

Four

On to some flowers! The birds freely seed iris foetidissima around the garden and here they are working well with the blue of pulmonaria officinalis. These complementary colours on the colour wheel provide a great splash at this time of year.

Five

I’ve decided to include this slightly artistically out of focus shot of a hellebore because it is also a self-seeder. One that I transplanted last year and I am delighted to see it in flower this year. 

Six

These are the flowers of sarcococca hookeriana ‘Purple Stem’. A new addition to the border, this is a shorter growing variety which the RHS describes as being tolerant of dry shade and neglect. Sounds perfect.

The weather is holding fair for this weekend too. Jobs to do: begin cutting back the grasses, sprinkle some Fish, Bone and Blood around the apple trees, of course some weeding and I will spread some leaf mould around the soft fruit areas. I hope you enjoy your weekend and don’t forget to stop by Jim’s place to catch up with all the SOS news. Happy gardening.