Six On Saturday: Wilful nature

/ n20gardener

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!

18 thoughts on “Six On Saturday: Wilful nature”

  3. Something has eaten my snowdrops and winter aconites this year, I do hope they don’t start on the tete a tetes! And bittercress is everywhere! Have you tried eating it? The young plants have a very strong cress like taste. Bane of my life are wild onions and cinquefoil.

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  9. The daffodil and crocus look splendid for the picture at least, and at least the snails are happy. We all have different priorities, and they need to eat. Okay, I realize that does not help. I am impressed with the crocus anyway. Bittercress is one of my favorite free vegetables. As much as I like turnip greens, mustard greens and whatever other cruciferous greens grow out there, I eventually get tired of them. I do not get as much bittercress because I actually need to go a bit farther out to get it. You know, if I mix them with other fresh (uncooked) greens, I actually like the flowers and maybe even a few seed capsules. I know that they are supposedly not as good that way, but that is sort of how I like them.

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