How quickly things change. Last week I was gardening in dry soil and this week the garden had a good soaking. Yes, we have had heavy rain but thankfully we do not get flooding. Today there are glorious blue skies and it feels like a perfect gardening day. Hopefully the soil won’t be too wet. Here’s my six for the week.
One
Let’s start with some goodies. I’ve ordered a few things for different parts of the garden. Three hydrangeas to replace the sarcococca confusa that have been eaten (box moth caterpillars?). The sarcococca replaced the pittosporum nanum that was lost last winter. Let’s hope the hydrangeas will be more resilient. Then there are three ostrich ferns aka shuttlecock ferns, to fill out a shady corner, and then veronicastrum ‘Alba’ to give some height to the borders – these were chosen because the slugs did not munch those I already have this year. Finally there is a new calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’. I’m having another go at symmetry. This one will replace one that failed on the other side of the steps. All good solutions, I hope, to gardening challenges. Hardy, slug proof and in the case of the ferns space fillers!
Two
More goodies, just a handful of crocus bulbs that were purchased from a market stall. They always tempt me. These are white Jeanne D’Arc. Isn’t it always the way, you identify the perfect spot to squeeze in a few more bulbs and lo and behold there are already bulbs there. I was luckier on my second attempt.
Three
A few years back this pot suffered in a very cold winter. I tried to repair it but things got worse. This year I concede. It was home to lily bulbs which are always attacked by lily beetles. I’ll do away with the bulbs, I thought, and find a corner of the garden where the pot can look ornamental while empty. I unearthed far more lily bulbs than expected and will almost certainly be trying to find a place to replant them. The hunt for suitable home for a wrecked pot starts this weekend.
Four
Blue skies and roses are perfect. This one is the climbing rose ‘James Galway’ which intertwines with the clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. The clematis is winning.
Five
Speaking of clematis, here is the wonderful seed head of an unknown variety. So intricately beautiful.
Six
Lastly the astrantia are in flower again. Quietly getting on with things, always enjoyable.
I’ll be splitting overcrowded plants, re-arranging and re-planting. As the veg plot empties out I move any un-homed plants into empty spaces while I work things out. There are more bulbs to plant and I must decide whether to plant more tulips this year. Here’s hoping your plans are going well. Jim is also embarking on new projects, specifically on his allotment. Amazingly he also finds time to host the SOS links. For which many thanks.
n20gardener 
The mood has definitely shifted from this years struggles to next years triumphs. I am feeling just the same. Have a good gardening day.
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I love Astrantia. It is always reliable and has such a choice of colours.
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A garden favourite here too
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I didn’t know about calamagrostis: it’s an interesting grass, and it can give the same effect as stipas, or pennisetums.!? Do you know if it will tend to spread?
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The Karl Foerster has been quite well behaved. Very upright. I wonder if I can send seeds. I’ll have a look at them.
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Oh no! That’s very kind of you, but if I know the plant doesn’t spread too much I could probably find it around here because I think from seed it will be long like all grasses
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What a lovely rose. Garden planning can be so much fun.
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Hope springs eternal!!
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Frost trashed pots are a thing we get a fair few of and I never know what best to do with them. Over the years most have gone under paving or foundations around the place. I took some to the council tip and put a bag of broken fragments into the same set of containers as other people were putting almost intact sets of china into. I felt guilty and was hoping no-one was watching.
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😂but it sounds like you were at the right container!!
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Gorgeous rose! I can’t seem to resist buying bulbs, and then when faced with planting them think “what have I done?” The broken pot has character I think, I hope you find a nice spot for it.
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The annual dilemma! The pot has found a new home. I think it works okay. But will it last the winter??
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Ah, bulbs. I’ve cleaned up and sorted some from last year and had deliveries of new ones so now I need to get on with my least favourite task – planting them. I need some more alpine grit first though and maybe a few new bowls…
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I’m still dithering but there’s a trip to the garden centre on the cards for compost. I may weaken!
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Yes. I need to keep my eyes closed when I get the grit, too much temptation!
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I have acquired a very similar astrantia which just appeared last year, I have no idea as to where it can have originated from and at first I thought it was a weed. I’m certainly glad I left it as it has become a rather nice plant.
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They do self seed happily. I enjoy them.
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The Astrantia is very elegant and ‘James Galway’ is a stunner against the blue sky. The box moths better not introduce their offspring to my sarcococca confusa – although now I’ve got rid of all my box balls and they’ve killed off the neighbours’ box hedge I do wonder if they’ll have to adapt and eat something else.
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I planted the sarcococca because the RHS said it was a good alternative to box but I do think it was the dreaded caterpillars that did for them. I also have no box in the garden now other than some other sarcococca types. Fingers crossed for those.
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‘Karl Foerster’ grass has become a common perennial in some of our landscapes because it is comparable with native vegetation. None of the native grasses are actually comparable to it, of course. Some have rotted where we irrigated them too generously, but others have grown and widened quite a bit. I know that it stays confined without spreading, but I sometimes get to wondering about this.
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I don’t know why I lost one but here’s hoping this one settles in.
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They can rot if irrigated generously before they disperse their roots, but they need regular irrigation until they disperse their roots.
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Typical!
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Like a kitty wanting in but then wanting out.
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Such a shame about the pot. I have one of my dads that is tucked right back into a corner. I think that if I moved it now it would break into pieces. There’s nothing as exciting Annbags of bulbs at this time of year. So much promise
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I’ve had that pot for such a long time. I suppose it’s paid me back but I’ll try to hang on to it for a while longer. Lovely to have had one from your Dad.
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