Six On Saturday: revelations

April 6, 2019April 6, 2019 / n20gardener / 21 Comments

My inspiration for this week’s six comes from a ‘conversation’ with a fellow sixer on how nice it is see the garden as a whole as well as the splendid photos of individual flowers. So here we go:

One

This is the western end of the north facing border. I’ve been de-weeding it for about two years! It gets slightly more sun particularly at the right hand end where osteospermum flowers very happily in the summer. Of course I haven’t managed to include that corner in this selection. But you can see the large healthy choisya on the right and the two tone unhealthy choisya on the left and the middle. Honestly, it is one plant. When that’s flowered it’s going and this is where the wish list plants will go. This week I added skimmia ‘Kew Green’ to that list. In the middle I have planted the climbing rose ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’. I’m expecting great things as I need it to cover that fence fast.

Two

This is the narrow border against the wall and the border where I was trying to squeeze in more tulips last November. I did succeed in getting some ‘World Friendship’ in, these are the yellow ones but I have two pots full that didn’t make it into the ground. The climbing roses are ‘Blush Noisette’ and ‘Scepter’d Isle’ is just coming up to fill in the gap in the wall. I’ve decided I need a clematis here as well, but which one? The verbena bonariensis also grows up against the wall here.

Three

The short border that faces east. This is a very wet border so the perfect place for cowslips, Siberian irises and the hydrangea ‘Blushing Bride’ which does need its annual prune.

Four

I call this the hedge border. The hedge of box, bay, eleaganus and viburnum marks the change to the veg plot behind. It’s slightly north facing at one end but enjoys the afternoon sun at the other end. The soil is very heavy clay here and the wonderful salvia ‘Amistad’ have not survived the winter. They did make the perfect backdrop to the three r. ‘Darcy Bussell’ so I am tempted to plant them again and take cuttings for insurance.

Five

The turf has been laid. This is the top end of the south facing long border. Previously shaded out by the large BBQ and the large laurel, I now have a planting opportunity for some sun lovers. I may be in line for some crinum bulbs. It’s not a plant I know but I’m told it likes the sun so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Six

Tulips of course. These are the ones in pots. The orange ones, unknown, were dug up with the hydrangea plants and don’t seem to have minded too much about being disturbed. The purple were featured last week and I can confirm, once and for all, that they are ‘Ronaldo’ planted alongside ‘Flaming Spring Green’ and the yellow behind them are ‘World Friendship’. Which is a good note to end on!

More world friendship is on offer at The Prop’s blog. Enjoy your garden this weekend, don’t fret about the weeds and feed the roses!

Six On Saturday: Busy, busy, busy

March 30, 2019March 30, 2019 / n20gardener / 14 Comments

There is much going on at the moment. Projects in the house and the garden are keeping me busy. Last weekend was good gardening time. The first and second earlies are now all in the ground. The onions grown in modules were planted out and the hydrangea has been moved. The choisya got a stay of execution! It is in bud so how I could I chop it down? It is definitely one plant with a split personality: one side healthy and one side poorly. Here’s what else is happening:

One

I failed to get all my new tulip purchases in the ground last winter. My bulb planter was reduced to a mangled mess, my hands hurt and I kept hitting the spots where previous tulips were lying dormant. The surplus went into pots which were lined up against a south facing wall. The warm weather has encouraged them to flower. The purple ones are ‘Ronaldo’ which I was expecting to be a deeper red. In the other pots are ‘World Friendship’.

Two

I am making progress on my lawn extension project. In preparation for the new turf – which arrives on Monday – I set about digging up the hydrangea. It turned out to be two hydrangeas, one very nearly dead! Deep in amongst the hydrangeas were tulips. I lifted these and very quickly planted them up again in pots. I hope they won’t notice the disruption. So far so good. I can’t wait for the new lawn patch to be laid!

Three

The two hydrangeas may eventually be recycled somewhere but for the moment they have been planted in the north facing border along with my overwintered foxglove seedlings. This will do for now as next door to this section is the doomed choisya. More thinking needs to done for what goes in here when that finally comes out. Current front runners are choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’, a pinus mugo and possibly a camellia. But I’d also like to fit in a sarcococca confusa. Any other suggestions for interesting north facing shrubs gratefully received. Ideas for smaller plants for the front are also welcome.

Four

The north facing border is getting most of the attention this year. June 2016 is a memorable time as that is when we moved in – and I’ll leave it at that! After nearly three years in the house I have worked my way round to this side of the garden. This patch here is reserved for the deep shade white planting scheme by Joe Swift as featured in Gardeners’ World magazine August 2018. The first planting has been made. A local nursery was offering a good discount on Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris – the climbing hydrangea. Two 10l pots were purchased. More planting to follow but the Melica altissima ‘Alba’ is proving difficult to locate.

Five

The mahonia in the front garden is looking particularly fine this year. I hope this is due to the meticulous prune I gave it last year – dead, diseased, crossing etc all done by secateurs rather than a chop over with the shears!

Six

The long border in March. My monthly photographic update. The tulips here will be out in April/May. The delphiniums are shooting away so fast they have outrun the slugs. Also racing ahead are the hemerocallis ‘Golden Chimes’. I have new plantings of sanguisorba tanna and some extra alliums – but I can’t remember which ones, nor can I track down the order. Another garden mystery to unravel.

I’m hoping to find time for some gardening this weekend and will no doubt be inspired by the garden reports of fellow sixers. If you are looking for inspiration check out the links at The Propagator’s blog.

Six On Saturday: A change of mind

March 23, 2019 / n20gardener / 25 Comments

There is so much gloom around at the moment, I need the garden to pick me up. It is trying very hard, many things are on the edge of flowering, the perennials are forcing their way up through the mulch and the birds are singing. I have much to do so the mojo just has to get going. This was how I started out yesterday but an energising night out in Shoreditch – yes I know, too old for all that really! – has got me going again. The potatoes are chitted and ready to go. This is the number one job for the weekend. If I do nothing else, this will be done! Here’s what is happening in the garden without my help.

One

The Thalia are just opening out on the south side. Those in the north facing border are about a week behind.

Two

The fritillaries have joined the throng. I did mean to plant more of these but I had such fun trying to squeeze in extra tulips that I just didn’t get round to it. On to the list that goes.

Three

My primrose border is filling out very nicely and I planted some anemone blanda ‘white splendour’ in amongst them. Just at the bottom right are the shoots of some white phlox warming up for later in the year.

Four

The onions started off in modules are going in the ground this weekend. The red ones have been slower to get going. Not sure why! They have been coming in and out of the greenhouse all week so should be well acclimatised. There are a few self sown cornflowers making themselves at home in the space allocated for onions. It seems a shame to move them on. Maybe they can grow companionably side by side?

Five

Pulmonaria ‘Sissinghurst White’. I have nurtured this plant for three years. It wasn’t doing very well in the first planting spot and so last year I moved it to a slightly shadier space. It is still very small but I think I have to give more time in it’s new home before I uproot it again.

Six

The north border of the garden is the focus of attention this year. There are two choisyas there which I have left alone until now, but the time for action has arrived. One of them is poorly. One side is yellowing whilst the other looks green and glossy. The plant has been hacked about in the past, with evidence of limbs having been cut off. As there is a very happy choisya not too far away I am not too sorry to say that this one is getting it’s marching orders. I could just cut off the yellow side and see what happens but no, decision made. Out with the old and in with something new.

I’ve also managed to throw out the new block editor and go back to the old classic editor. Yipee! More reasons to be cheerful. I hope you are feeling cheerful in your garden this weekend. Don’t forget to see what fellow sixers are up to, go to The Propagator for all the links.

Six On Saturday: Party time for Freya and Gareth

March 16, 2019March 16, 2019 / n20gardener / 24 Comments

What a week of windy weather! Casualties have occurred but nothing too serious. A piece of the viburnum came down with Freya and Gareth took out a fence panel.

One

I was wondering if I could get six new things out of the garden this week. While the storms rage the garden is in a bit of a lull. Storm Gareth opened up a new vista for me. The fence panel is still in one piece and can be lifted back into place. It is my neigbour’s fence but reinstating it will probably be a joint effort. In the meantime I can enjoy an extended view. I am now doubly sure that the fence needs to be covered with some evergreen planting.

Two

Also being battered but still looking good is the front garden Magnolia. The buds opened just as the winds arrived and although some have been lost there are plenty remaining.

Three

The plum trees in the garden are slowly moving into blossom. Last year’s crop was very low but the year before was bumper. I am going to be rigorous in my thinning out to try and even out these ups and downs.

Four

Progress is being made on the lawn extension. The slabs have been moved to the compost area – you can see I didn’t do this, they are so neatly stacked! The hydrangea is going to be moved and the turf will be laid in the next couple of weeks. My job is to dig out the bindweed.

Five

Seed sowing has begun. The tomatoes sown a few weeks back are ready for potting on. This first batch will be planted in the greenhouse. I will sow a second batch for outdoor growing in a couple of weeks. I was much reassured by a tweet from Bob Flowerdew, who in response to the query when is the best time to do things in the garden said ‘it is always two weeks ago!’ I did get my lettuce and rocket seeds sown a while back and I’m now thinking about the hardy annuals. Thinking but not yet doing!

Six

Some spring daffodils to end on.

There are more gardening up-dates to be found on The Propagator’s site. I would be very grateful if anyone using the new block editor on WordPress can tell me how to rename links. Using the long form is driving me mad! https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16-03-2019/

Six On Saturday: One thing leads to another

March 9, 2019 / n20gardener / 25 Comments

It’s funny how things work out. You start one thing, and before you know it something else needs doing. It has been cold, wet and windy but gardening jobs have been done. Some by me and some by the professionals.

One

I planted a cherry tree. Some time ago a dead diseased apricot tree was taken out and I ruminated for a long while on what could go in the space. The old tree roots and the stump are still in the ground but I squeezed in a rose nearby. Hawthorn and rowan were high up on my list of trees to put in a little further along but then as some wild blackberries were taken out the increase in space seemed perfect for a fan trained cherry tree. The cherry tree arrived this week and I set to work planting it. This is the first tree I have ever planted so it was a momentous occasion. I wish trees came with recipe-like instructions. Tools for job: stake, tree tie, fork for forking out inevitable roots of previous inhabitants, loppers for cutting those larger roots, spade for digging hole, fish, bone and blood for fertiliser, trug to put said roots in, mallet for banging in stake, compost for improving texture of soil and last but not least the actual tree. As usual I underestimated the time it would take – an hour, which included me digging it up twice to make sure it was facing the right way!

Two

The bbq went last week and the spotted laurel went this week. My professional with the chain saw said ‘it isn’t a spotted laurel it’s an acuba. I looked up acuba and was informed that it’s common name is spotted laurel. Well it’s gone. On looking at the empty space I decided that the paving slabs were not very attractive and might be just the thing for putting down in front of the new compost bins. So rather radically for a SOSer I am going to add in some extra lawn! The paved area will be turfed. I hear howls of anguish from some quarters but that is the plan. The hydrangea may also be on the move as I think I have found a spot for it elsewhere in the garden

Three

This year I decided to have the fig and apple trees pruned by a specialist. Most are quite young trees but there is a larger older apple tree that needed a reshape. It wasn’t long before disease or insect damage was found in the fig trees. The upper end of the central branches had died back and in some cases was hollowed out leaving a bark case. There wasn’t anything to match it to on the internet so it is a mystery. A larger than expected amount had to be pruned out so the fruit crop is in doubt for this year. I hope this action will save the trees though.

Four

The clematis armandii chose this week to open out into flower. It is lovely but I can’t help thinking it is like a wearing your best flimsy frock to a Christmas night out – absolutely freezing! I am battling against the odds to train it in the direction I would like it to grow and I am quickly learning that the stems are only flexible for the first few inches. After that they break.

Five

Its probable against all the rules, but this week I moved the winter spinach. I need to get a space ready for the onions and the rotation plan meant the spinach needed to be evicted. It looks very settled in it’s new home, due in no small part to the outer slug eaten leaves having been pulled off.

Six

It was a cold wet and windy week but there was a moment of sunshine and the euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii was glowing brightly. An uplifting moment to end on.

For more uplifting moments take at peek at the links available on https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/six-on-saturday-09-03-2019/

Six On Saturday: I was surprised!

March 2, 2019March 2, 2019 / n20gardener / 23 Comments

Surprised like most of us in the UK to have such warm temperatures in February at the beginning of this week and surprised to find a few more plants in flower. I thought it was all looking a bit dull out there. I haven’t really got to grips with flowering shrubs and early spring bulbs for the garden yet. But all in good time. Here’s what surprised me this week:

One

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I could have sworn that I didn’t have any early daffs, but this tiny group of ‘Tete a Tete’ have just sprung up under a rose bush. They must be a relic from past plantings and they look very well. I am persuaded to add them to my bulb order wish list.

Two

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These cowslips are from own planting. They are in a sheltered corner and catch the morning sun. I think they have been lured out by this week’s warmth.

Three

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The north facing border must also been catching a few sunny rays. The pulmonaria have opened up. I originally had them in a south facing border but they were uprooted in the autumn and moved to the dark depths of the other side of the garden. The slugs don’t seem to like them and I find their uncomplaining nature very agreeable!

Four

It’s a dangerous time to be out in the garden. The bulbs are all coming through so I really must be careful where I put my feet as I try to keep on top of the weeds and slugs. I’m also hoping there won’t be any casualties as a result of the dry summer weather. I didn’t really think about the bulbs when I was mean with the watering.

Five

From a distance the clematis looked like a tangled mass of dried up browness. Close up there was an impressive amount of new growth and it was quite clearly time for some pruning. Job done!

Six

I have another skip on site. For every project in the house there is the opportunity of sorting out something in the garden. It’s curtains for the BBQ and the spotted laurel. The laurel clearly got wind of its impending doom and put out some very attractive berries. But my mind is made up – not a frequent occurrence – and the laurel will be gone by the end of the month. The severely cracked BBQ has already been skipped and I have a larger seating area as a result. Now I need to choose a garden bench.

I have a long wish list of plants that I have come across from reading the SOSs that get posted every week. If you are looking for inspiration go to The Propagator for links to temptations for every season!

Six On Saturday: Last of the winter jobs, moving into spring

February 23, 2019 / n20gardener / 28 Comments

A cold week with several foggy mornings ended with some welcome warmth. The sunshine lifts the human spirit and that of the plants. The last of the winter cut back needs to be done, excepting the penstemons which I will leave until April. I did cut the grapevine back last week, just in time. The tomato seeds did not get sown. This first sowing is destined for the greenhouse and I must get them done this weekend. Sowing for plants to be grown outside can be left for a little longer. While reading the comments on Jim Steven’s SOS for last week I came across his link to a blog by The Laid Back Gardener and found my way to Goldilocks and the three seedlings which is a great story about sowing tomato seeds. I recommend it and hope that this year I’ve got my sowing just right.

Here’s my six for the week:

One

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The first sowing of sweet peas have germinated. ‘Midnight Blue’ with a 56% success rate and ‘April in Paris’ achieving 94%. There may be a few laggards to come through for ‘Midnight Blue’ but they’ll have to get a move on as this weekend they will go out into the cooler potting shed.

Two

Mr P who hosts this blog, and does us all a wonderful service, is a great grower of plants from seeds. His latest success is lupins and I am much put to shame by his efforts. By coincidence this week I received three small pots of lupins for planting out. This is my first foray into lupins, previously not one of my favourites but I was tempted by a twitter post of ‘The Pages’ and decided to order a few. The colour is carmine red – let’s see what they look like in a few months time. Of course, they will have to survive slug attacks first.

Three

Speaking of twitter, I have already shared my labours of last weekend there but I am happy to share the success with you all here. The compost bins were finally built. The bins are a slot-in build and took hardly anytime at all. I will have to tidy up the front surface which will require nice words to delightful builder again! In the meantime I have some compost heap turning to do.

Four

The deciduous shrubs are beginning to leaf up. I love the fresh green colours. This is my mystery shrub in the front garden. It has black berries over the winter but unfortunately I can’t remember the flower type. I’ll watch it carefully this year and see if I can identify it.

Five

These hyacinths were going to be my forced hyacinths for Christmas but when they were brought into the warm they came with a plague of flies and were banished to the garden. It’s good to see them in flower now.

Six

This is my long border. The plants left standing over winter for their seed heads will be cut down now. I’m going to post a photo each month taken from the same spot to record the wonderful transformation that takes place over the summer months. It’s all very gloomy today as this was another foggy morning but there is much potential!

If you’d like to join the SOS band of gardeners that go immediately to the participant guide on Mr P’s site. SOS is a mix of the pottering gardener like myself, the adventurous like Mr Propagator and many more lovely people all willing to share their experience and knowledge. Take the plunge!

Six on Saturday: Ready, steady, go!

February 16, 2019 / n20gardener / 27 Comments

Life became busy last week and the balance tipped away from things gardening focused. These times come along and all will pass – soon I hope! It was good to feel the warmth of the sun again but the sunny days were followed by cold nights and the greenhouse temperatures were down to -1. The garden is straining at the leash, the March surge is coming and I still have winter jobs to do.

One

The grapevine over the pergola must be pruned this weekend. It’s a job I normally do in November. What was I doing then? Or in December or January?

Two

The tulips and bluebells are coming through well. I spotted this bulb strangely lying on the surface. I bent to pick it up, cursing squirrels, but no. It was well rooted into the ground. I don’t have an explanation. Could it be an allium bulb that didn’t get planted deeply enough and has wriggled its way upwards? I decided to bury it rather than dig it up and plant it deeper as I didn’t have the time to sort it out. Maybe a job for the weekend.

Three

The onion sets are in their modules in the greenhouse. I am hoping to have the time to plant the shallots out this weekend. That ‘to do’ list is getting longer.

Four

The garden doesn’t have a single crocus or iris reticulata in it, something to be rectified in the next bulb buying session but the primroses look cheerful enough for now.

Five

And the first flowers of pulmonaria officinalis planted in a north facing border are coming out. It’s also good to see their spotted leaves. The common pulmonaria doesn’t seem to fall prey to attack by slugs.

Six

The lovely leaves of aquilegia are unfurling.

I have some final preparation of a bed on the north facing border to finish off ready for the March plant out. Plants have to be ordered and I know I will be tempted to add in a few extras for elsewhere in the garden. I’m getting ready but need to be steady for a while longer before it’s all go in March.

I hope your garden preparations are going well. Mr P is, as usual, hosting this group and all the links to gardens around the world can be found on his site.

Six on Saturday: Plan, plan and then cross fingers

February 9, 2019 / n20gardener / 23 Comments

Things are definitely on the move in the garden. The bulbs are poking up their first leaves and here in London some of the perennials are beginning to stir. Storm Eric poured in yesterday and is blowing itself out today. The sun is shining and optimism is rising.

One

There was a brief lull in the weather this week. The snow disappeared and the ground wasn’t too wet so the opportunity was taken to plant out the asparagus crowns. I dug out the trench, created the ‘w’ shaped profile and elegantly draped the crowns across the top. The trench was then back-filled to just cover the crowns and over the coming weeks as the crowns send out shoots there will be more back filling to ensure the crowns are well buried. A scattering of fish bone and blood also went into the mix. I opted for one long trench and I think I have space for a border of companion plants. Recommendations are to plant tomatoes and basil in an attempt to fend off asparagus beetle. I am growing tomatoes from seed this year and I’m sure I will have some spare plants. The extras can go by the side of the asparagus as a first barrier. I’m happy to sow a few basil seeds as well. That’s the first plan. We’ll see if it works.

Two

The potatoes have been bought and chitting is underway. The second plan is where to put the potatoes this year. My veg plot has a three year rotation plot. (I don’t grow brassicas). Potatoes are followed by onions followed by root crops. The lay out of the veg plot gives me two larger beds and then three thinner strips. There is also one medium sized raised bed. I have to decide if I use the raised bed for half the potatoes and one of the larger smaller strips for the remainder. You may be a little confused by now – as I am. I have a few weeks to sort this all out.

Three

Beans will also have to fit into the plan and this year I am forgoing the climbing bean ‘Blue Lake’ in favour of a dwarf french bean. The simple reason is I don’t enjoy untangling the beans and twine from the wig wam at the end of the season. I also reasoned that the dwarf beans would fit very nicely into one of the thin strips. A long term plan is to combine two of the thin strips, but that’s on the wish list.

Four

My final purchase of sweet peas seeds has been made. Let’s see how ‘Iris’ and ‘Gwendoline’ get on with ‘April in Paris’. The first batch of sweet peas was sown last weekend. These will be sown in a week or two.

Five

Onion choices have also been made. Sturon, Red Baron and Longor shallots. I am going to start off the onions in modules this year ready to transplant as the weather becomes warmer. A first time of trying this for me so fingers crossed here too.

Six

The first flower on the Bergenia cordifolia ‘Purpurea’ has appeared. It is nestled under a Mahonia in the front garden. Yes, Spring is on its way.

Six On Saturday: How does your asparagus grow?

February 2, 2019February 1, 2019 / n20gardener / 21 Comments

It has been a very cold week here with heavy frosts and snow on Thursday evening. February has arrived and plans for the year to come are gathering pace. Seeds have been delivered and also, unexpectedly, asparagus crowns.

One

I ordered them on the understanding that despatch would be in February for planting out in March. They arrived a few days ago during the coldest spell of the winter. Much as I prefer to stay in the warm at these times I did plant out 125 snowdrops on a very sleety day in February a few years ago, I have form for gardening in the winter. This time I feel misled. I registered my concerns with the supplier who assures me that the majority of UK asparagus can now be planted any time over winter when the ground is not frozen. But my ground is frozen. I am therefore advised to store them temporarily with a covering of dry sand or compost which stops them drying out completely. This I have done. I now have my fingers very much crossed. Wish me luck. The supplier will be updating their website and I could be digging trenches this weekend.

Two

As February has arrived I feel it is time to show a snow drop or two. As mentioned, I did have fun planting these! I planted them at the base of the fruit trees in the garden. One hundred and twenty five snowdrops do not go very far but they do take a long time to plant. I was hoping they would naturalise and spread themselves out into the empty spaces, but it looks as though that is going to take some time and I am sure that if I count them up I would be noting some as AWOL. Having said that they do look good in the snow.

Three

A view of one section of the soft fruit beds in the snow and more evidence of winter gardening madness. Last weekend I decided it was time to cut back the autumn fruiting raspberries. It was a sunny morning and I was lured outside. I failed to factor in the wind chill – it was freezing but I pushed on. Once the secateurs were in action it was hard not to stop and the gooseberries also got some attention. They succumbed to a sawfly attack last year so I focused on opening up the middle of each bush. I still have the blackcurrants to do, they are budding up already.

Four

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Whilst stowing the asparagus crowns in the greenhouse I checked in on the overwintering pelagoniums. They seem to be looking okay. This is the first time I’ve tried overwintering and the gardening fingers are crossed for them too.

Five

The delightful builder was very industrious when he visited recently and used up the wood left over from facing the breeze block walls of a raised bed to spruce up the large water storage tank. I’d always thought it was an ugly thing but it was functional. However I had coffee with my neighbour recently and realised she had a perfect sight line from her window direct to the water tank. It was not a pretty sight. I am pleased the left over wood got used up and perhaps the Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ that is hiding under the snow will be more inclined to creep up the sides now.

Six

Lastly some variegated box capped with snow. Plain and simple. It forms one end of a hedge line separating the garden from the veg plot.

Interesting times these, for the SOS crowd. What is going on in their gardens or in their gardening minds? Mr P’s site will have all the answers. It may be February but there will be much to discover. Share your experiences too – here’s a participant guide.

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