It’s not the end of the line but it’s all very different in the garden now. I have been editing. Out went the last of the sanguisorba ‘Tanna’, a low growing variety that offered little more than the perfect shelter for slugs. Out went a euphorbia palustris. Moved to a holding space but very likely to go permanently. It grew too big for the space and I didn’t really like the yellow flowers. I’ve moved a clump of penstemon ‘Garnet’ to a sunnier spot and added a mahonia in the empty space. There’s more to be done, some of which features below.

One

Here’s the newly purchased mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, a spineless variety that should be able to cope with the semi-shade here.

Two

The Hart’s Tongue fern has recovered after the downpours of this week. It probably should be moved to a space that gets a little more rain. It’s on ‘the think about’ list.

Three

This is a sad situation but also a great opportunity. The rhododendron that has been suffering for years looks very much worse. The decision is whether to cut the top half off and see if it will regenerate from the bottom or whether to go for broke and take the whole thing down. I have to decide before the birds start nesting in it.

Four

The dead grass is being very slow to recover over the area of an old path. But is seems that it is the perfect place for some little brown mushrooms to grow. I plan to take off the top layer to see if the old path is something that can be easily removed.

Five

New to me, and I’m sure it was from a fellow SOSer that I picked up on these. Honey lily or allium nectaroscordum siculum, these need full sun to light shade. I’ll be hunting for the perfect spot to plant them out this weekend.

Six

I also hope to find time to add in some more crocuses. Some for the front garden, probably the Jeanne D’Arc and then the Ruby Giant for spreading around out back.

It was a stormy end to the week but we got off lightly and the garden did need the rain. It’s always a worry when high winds are forecast: trees down, loss of power and flooding. I hope there’s not too much damage elsewhere.

Jim, our host for SOS, gardens in Cornwall which was the first port of call for the UK section of the storm, but all seems well. Take a look at Garden Ruminations. The next storm should miss me so I’m hoping to fit in some gardening today. The clocks go back in the UK so happy extra hour to those who will get it!