Six On Saturday: Cutting back

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I had a mad gardening day yesterday. I was suddenly enthused and set about cutting back the shabbiness of summer. I had to get a hold of the alchemilla mollis before it seeded everywhere. I was probably a little late there! I also tackled some of the apple trees. In past years I have had a visit from a delightful man who is an apple tree pruning wizard, using battery operated secateurs he whizzes through the branches bringing lightness and freshness everywhere. Unfortunately he is having a difficult time health wise at the moment and cannot work. I really wish him well. I went back to the RHS apple pruning advice and took out my trusty Felcos. But directions to main stems, laterals and sub-laterals, take back to three leaves, take back to one leaf left my head spinning and all I did was reduce any length over 20cms to a promising leaf. I hope I haven’t ruined the work of years. Here’s my six for this last week of August.

One

Well, lookey here. I thought the slimey ones had munched all my rudbeckia earlier in the season but a couple managed to survive and flower. To think I was admonishing these last year for running all over the place. Now I say ‘All power to you!’

Two

I am also grateful to the roses for putting on another flush. First up: Gertrude Jekyll, which had sent up two long suckers. These were quickly nipped out with the Felcos once again.

Three

This one is Madame Isaac Péreire. Described by the RHS as ‘almost continually in flower all summer’ and I can back that up. It does get to 2m but so far I have kept it lower growing. I’m thinking I might let it loose for next year.

Four

The last of the roses, is ‘Scepter’d Isle’. This is one I have let grow tall, reaching to about 1.2m. It makes me realise how tall Mdme IP will be if it really does reach 2m.

Five

There’s some seed collecting to be done. This lychnis coronaria doesn’t get dead-headed very often but is still putting out new flowers. Maybe those Felcos will be out again for a little tidying up here too.

Six

Lastly, and as I am on the topic of seeds. Here’s some nicotiana ‘Lime Green’. They come to me courtesy of the compost heap contents that were spread over the veg patch earlier in the year. The heap is three years old. I never know what surprises it will deliver but this was quite a good one, mixing in with the tomatoes.

September is arriving, Northern and Southern hemispheres move in different directions. Here autumn begins to settle in. It’s far too dry to do anything useful in the garden yet but I have itchy fingers. Seeds, bulbs, new plants are all encouraging me to get going again. I can’t wait. Jim, as always, hosts our SOS meme so do stop by, take a look, join in and enjoy your gardening week.

Six On Saturday: Scrappy

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

I’m being a harsh judge this week. I don’t have dahlias, the slugs ate the cosmos and the zinnias and so the late summer garden is looking, well, scrappy. The hedge needs a cut and once that is done things will sharpen up a little. I fully intended to take my six photos yesterday when the sun shining, but as the sun was shining, other gardening jobs were done. Let’s cut to chase, here’s my six for this week.

One

Friday was sunny but also very blustery thanks to us being on the edge of Storm Lillian. The apples were dropping off one of the trees and investigation into the other apple trees showed that the pips were still white. A dilemma. We usually manage to pick all our apples at the same time and take them off for juicing. The apples from the duo tree needed to be picked or they would all end up as windfalls. I set to work. The apples are ‘Golden Delicious’ and I think ‘Elstar’. These have been stored and will be checked over regularly. There are still more to be picked but the main harvest may be two weeks away.

Two

I was also picking tomatoes. The first of the year, it seems so late to me but at least they have begun to turn and maybe next week’s sunshine will encourage a few more.

Three

The elderberries on my neighbour’s tree overhang our garden and the dark berries are gleaming, so very tempting for the pigeons!

Four

I think this is a first appearance: potentilla ‘Abbotswood’. I planted it in the front garden about five or six years ago and it has quietly got on doing its thing. It’s in a dry, part shade corner and really hasn’t complained. I can imagine in a more favourable spot it would have romped away but it’s filling up the corner quite nicely now.

Five

A little while back, I planted up a container with a mixture of ferns and an epimedium. This year they were turned out as they had become overcrowded. I moved them to the front garden and they seem to have settled in. This is polystichum setiferum plumosodivislobum. I made a note of that one.

Six

And this is epimedium x versicolor Sulphurerum, as the name suggests the flowers are yellow. I managed to divide the epimedium into two large clumps and I look forward to them stretching out, if they are happy in their new home.

Rain for today, which is most welcome, will prevent gardening but will no doubt encourage growing. I should really take a leaf out of Jim’s gardening book, he has so much going on his garden right now. Very admirable! I should also be thinking about bulb orders. Even when it rains there is so much to do. Take a look here if you’d like to join the SOS gardeners, it’s a great explanation of how the whole thing works. Wishing you all a great gardening week.

Six On Saturday: Drying out

/ n20gardener / 26 Comments

It is lovely to have a period of sunny settled weather but of course gardeners are muttering about the lack of rain. I’m hoping that the sun will ripen the outdoor tomatoes, they are only just beginning to turn. I’ve used up all the water from the butts and have had the hose out a couple of times now. The garden is a little scrappy due to my meaness with the watering but that’s the way it is. All the potatoes on the veg plot have now been dug up. I grew ‘Charlotte’ and very lovely they are too. The green beans continue producing and are the best variety I have grown – Franchi ‘La Victoire’, I will definitely sow these again. Cucumbers and courgettes are steadily producing. I just need those tomatoes to catch up and all will be well. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

The apples are beginning to fall and I will have soon have to set aside time to pick them all ready for taking them to the juicing joint. It’s hard work but one of the highlights of the year.

Two

This is a relatively new rose to the garden and is, therefore, treated to some watering. It’s ‘Lady of Shalott’. A really beautiful colour.

Three

Down in a shadier corner the eurybia divaricata has begun to flower. It’s a low growing sprawler and spills its way around the hellebores and astrantia.

Four

When I first arrived in this garden eight years ago I spent a great deal of time digging out ground elder and also this goldenrod – it wasn’t on my favourites list. The goldenrod has made a come back, snuggling up to the miscanthus. They work together really well and my mind has been changed.

Five

The japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ always gets a mention at this time of year. I really like it, but I have struggled to get more of them established. Even these ones that are very settled have not spread out much beyond their original space. Too well behaved!

Six

I was hankering after some white hesperis to add in between the oak leaf hydrangeas but was completely distracted by finding the more common purple hesperis at a local garden centre. I’ve added to into this patch of magenta phlox with the hope that they will self seed. The white version is still on the wish list.

More from the SOS crowd can be found on Jim’s Garden Ruminations, drop by any time and take a look. There’s yet more weed pulling to do and those courgettes need to be watched very carefully. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Harvesting

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

I’ve been enjoying produce from the garden over the last few weeks. Early battles with slugs were fought and my use of home-made compost as a mulch resulted in a generous supply of verbena bonariensis and alchemilla mollis seedlings. So many that I now classify these as weeds at this end of the garden. The hose was out even though we had a few showers of rain and there is a forecast for scorchio temperatures for Sunday and Monday. In other news, I decided to leave twitter and I have migrated to Bluesky. I will keep the weekly post here going. Here’s my six for this week.

One

Here’s my lovely haul of beans, cucumbers and courgettes. I should also have added in the red onions and some lovely Charlotte potatoes. The cucumbers are grown outside and are delivering regularly. The red onions were a little better than other years but there where still some that did not achieve a good size.

Two

Blackberry picking has commenced, a kilo picked last week and shared with friends. This week’s pickings will also be shared as family are staying.

Three

This low growing mallow happily seeds itself around the garden and is left to do it’s thing.

Four

The hibiscus ‘Red Heart’ came to the garden in August last year and is doing well. I’m hoping it will reach the top of the garden wall by next year when it will, I hope, look magnificent!

Five

Last year I moved the white phlox out from under the apple tree. It was not getting enough moisture there. I now have several dotted around the garden and they have flowered well with the benefit of a little more light and space.

Six

Lastly, a new plant for this year. Helichrysum italicum, or the curry plant. The silvery grey leaves are very curry scented. I’ve always liked the little yellow flower heads and when the opportunity arose to give one a new home I jumped at it. I’m not sure if I can get it through the winter but we shall see. It’s in a pot so I can shelter it.

I’ll definitely be watering again this weekend. I’ll be hoping that the sunshine helps to ripen my outdoor tomatoes and I’ll be having another go at the weeds. I hope to get over to Jim’s to read some more SOS posts. Happy gardening to all.

Six On Saturday: Olympian efforts

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

Gardening has been hard work this week. The temperatures have been high at a time when the hardy geraniums needed their summer cutback. Once they were cleared a forest of willowherb seedlings were revealed. On the upside, the veg plot has been delivering cucumbers, courgettes, red onions and potatoes and, when I can get to them first, a second crop of strawberries from a later flowering variety. Blackberries have been picked and the autumn raspberries are beginning to flower. Today’s six was interrupted by rain. Not a satisfying downpour but fine, mizzley rain that will barely dampen the soil. Here’s a hasty six for the week.

One

An orange burst of a cactus dahlia. The only one I grow and I really don’t have much involvement with it. There was a slug attack as the new shoots came through but once it became established it just powered away. This year I pinched it out to keep the height lower to avoid having to stake. It shares a raised bed with the asparagus and so it is allowed to sprawl a little. Bronze medal.

Two

I cleared back some rampant verbena bonariensis to give space to other plants and this penstemon was a happy beneficiary. I think it is ‘White Bedder’.

Three

The hollyhocks seed themselves in all sorts of places. Here a pink one has combined with the pink rose ‘Wisley’.

Four

Another hollyhock, the darker ones are my favourites and I will collect seed and try to propagate this one. Silver medal.

Five

The magenta phlox could do with a heavy downpour and I have my fingers crossed for that this afternoon. If not I may have to resort to the hose. That will be the first use of the hose for the flower garden this year.

Six

Last week’s single bud on the clematis has opened. It’s gorgeous. Definitely worthy of gold.

I’m narrowing in on some plans for Autumn. New roses, hydrangeas and another miscanthus will be ordered. I’ve lost salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, all of them. But I’m going to try again in a different location. I am at that impatient stage when I want to get on with the new plans but I’ll have to settle and enjoy the new month first. Jim our host, has some wonderful plants to share this week, a never ending supply of colour and inspiration. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: The bees are back in town

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

I think perhaps this is the first SOS of the summer where I have been struck by the quantity of bees humming through the borders. The sun is shining and the warmth has brought the bees out to forage. It is the best sound of summer. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Bee on the allium sphaerocephalon, so much easier to call it drumstick allium. I reported last year that after three years in the garden these had finally asserted themselves and they continue to do well here this year.

Two

I have no idea what this plant is, but it is hosting another bee, hence it’s inclusion. This was inherited, growing in an old wall. It generally does very little at all but this year it has flowered. I like it for clothing wall whether it flowers or not.

Three

The agapanthus that are left to overwinter in the borders have been putting on a show, they are on the turn now but this one, ‘Midnight Star’ deserves an outing for it’s darker blue colouring and of course the bee.

Four

This clematis in bud is included because it has fought back from being ripped off the rose arch and from early season slug attack. There is only one stem, twining its way round the new obelisk but there is promise for next year.

Five

Another in bud flower. The only bud on two clumps of day lilies. They obviously need dividing. But they do suffer from gall midge so I am in two minds about whether to give the ground over to something else.

Six

Out in the front garden it is time for the annual pink/blue/purple hydrangea show. Quite an eye catcher, entirely trouble free and barely ever watered. Winner!

This is time of year when I add another year to the time spent in this garden. I’m up to eight years now and this year I feel the garden has got away from me. September will be a time for dividing, moving and reconsidering. I’ll be having another go at imposing some order on the chaos. I know that July is a turning point for the garden and I shouldn’t judge too harshly but I can see things that have to be dealt with. I’ll continue the fight against the weeds this weekend, most of which are flowering riotously! But as the weather is forecast to be sunny I’ll also enjoy the good things. I hope you do too!

Jim is host of the SOS meme and shares the participant’s guide on his Garden Ruminations website. He also shows an impressive range of plants each week, well worth taking a look.

Six On Saturday: Back to the garden

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

I was absent without leave last week, fully intending to post before a week’s holiday but not quite managing it. I was only one week away from the garden but what a transformation. The garden had rewilded itself, choosing to cover any open space with oxalis, chickweed, willowherb and enchanter’s nightshade. On the upside the agapanthus had burst into flower and it seemed that there had been enough rain and sun to keep everything happy. Here’s this week’s six.

One

Here’s one that was destined for last week, hypericum in the front garden. Looking very cheerful in the sunshine. It’s a decent sized shrub that I inherited. No trouble at all and quite joyful.

Two

These agapanthus are the ones that grow in large pots and have to be wrapped in fleece over the winter. One was divided this Spring and three sections were replanted. They have all produced flowers this year so I am very pleased with them, and myself!

Three

Thalictrum delavayi. I’m not sure if I have these in the right place, perhaps a little more sun and certainly some more space and some support would help them show themselves off a little better. I really enjoy their airy frothiness.

Four

I am in the process of reshaping the planting in the old gooseberry patch. The focal point being taken up by two oak leaf hydrangeas. This is the second year in the garden and they have put on a good amount of growth which is encouraging. Even with their relatively small plant size the flower heads are quite impressive and I look forward to them fully growing into their space.

Five

The shasta daisies, like many plants this year, seem taller than ever. I got in early with my supports and I hope this will hold them upright off the paths.

Six

I mixed the overwintered scented pelargoniums with some trailing lobelia this year and the combination works well. The snails like to sneak themselves inside the rims of the pots so vigilance is the word. The geranium is pink capitatum, my favourite of the three I bought many years back from Sarah Raven.

Jobs for me this weekend, include, of course, the weeding but also picking some courgettes, deadheading the roses and cutting back some more hardy geraniums. The psilostemon are threatening to self-seed themselves even further and geranium Brookside has had its first wave and needs to kept in check before the paths disappear. Have yourselves a good gardening weekend and don’t forget to check in with Jim, host of the SOS meme for updates from his Cornish garden and from others around the world.

Six On Saturday: Flattened

/ n20gardener / 11 Comments

Somewhat ironically, both the water bill and heavy rain came this week. One was more welcome than the other. We are on a meter and all the water butts were empty. The garden has had a heavy soaking and the butts are full again. The alchemilla that was frothing last week is now flat, verbena bonariensis, veronicastrum and even shorter plants have joined the downward trend. But the rain was needed. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Flattened echium. I’m not too bothered about these. They came from a pack of free seeds, they are a good colour but really they are in the wildflower category and I’ve decided they are not keepers. They will go before they set seed.

Two

I’m sure the hydrangeas loved the rain but the flower heads just could not bear the weight so they are bowed down to the grass, I may take off the lower branches for some cut flowers.

Three

The miscanthus ‘Silver Feather’ doesn’t seem to have minded too much. I like this grass and it has grown to a good size in this its third year in the garden.

Four

The hebe should be sending fireworks of flowers off in all directions but they are heading downwards now. I hope they will spring back when the rain stops.

Five

The heuchera’s slightly shiny leaf looks well in the rain. I particularly liked this variety and tried for some time to buy a couple more but couldn’t. I gave in and bought something similar but it has an even shinier leaf which doesn’t appeal quite so much.

Six

Here’s one I missed earlier! Tree seedlings are a constant problem and there’s also a spare plant support waiting for a Japanese anemone which I think has given up the ghost for this year. Behind, the climbing hydrangea isn’t doing too badly at all.

I have been enjoying some garden produce this week: green beans, lettuce and potatoes. The blackcurrants have been picked. They were not too plentiful this year. I wonder if birds ate some of the flowers. The rain will have been perfect for my second sowing of carrots which had just germinated, and, if I don’t keep a close eye on them, I think the courgettes may be roaring away. My always neglected front garden will also have enjoyed the downpours. So all in all, I’m not going to moan. Well, just a little one. I noticed the lawn was speckled with slugs!

I’m off to Jim’s garden in the blogosphere to catch up with other SOSers. Have a great weekend, come rain or shine.

Six On Saturday: Midsummer madness

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It is that time when the borders spill on to the paths but even as the alchemilla mollis froths up over the edges I know that the garden is moving to a new phase. The roses have had their first sprint and now stop to draw breathe before the next round. New flowers are stepping up. Day lilies, hebes, shasta daisies and stocks are just beginning to open. The veg patch is being productive with French beans, strawberries and in a day or two the first courgettes. New potatoes are about to be dug up. Here’s six from this week’s garden

One

I can’t take a photo in the garden these days without geranium psilostemon crowding in. The star of this photo is the rose, one that is still pumping out the flowers, ‘Natasha Richardson’. It came to me as an allotment purchase from someone who no longer wanted it in their garden. It is superb! I’ve seen it described as a modern floribunda. I describe it as floriferous, beautifully scented and a winner.

Two

I almost missed this Turk’s head lily, ‘Lake Tulare’. It’s tucked away at the shady end of the garden behind an apple tree. It’s happy there so I won’t move it. It came from Beth Chatto’s garden – honestly purchased! I have to fight off lily beetles but it’s worth it.

Three

Ox eye daisies seed freely down in the veg patch and have to be kept under control. I always allow one or two clumps to flourish, for me and the pollinating insects.

Four

The veronicastrum have opened up this week and will give glorious height to the border. This is ‘Fascination’ which is prone to fasciation. Apparently not harmful but probably a genetic weakness.

Five

I am amazed by what I lose over winter and what survives. This is a white antirrhinum majus that came through a wet winter. I am also lucky enough to have another one that has self seeded itself. I grew these antirrhinums from seed a couple of years ago – the tiniest seeds I’ve ever sown.

Six

And finally how about this for a surprise? I have a hellebore in flower, with plenty of buds too. Another happy moment!

Wishing you all happy moments in your gardening spaces this weekend. Jim, our host, as always offers a varied SOS and hosts the links to other SOS gardening pages. I’ll be weeding out the willowherb which also steps up to flower at this time of year! And those roses need deadheading.

Six On Saturday: Things that go wrong

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

I was sympathising with fellow SOSer Jude in Cornwall about disappearing plants. We mainly blame slugs and snails of course and definitely not our gardening skills. But gardening, in my case, is a bit hit and miss. I veer from having very sensible plans to organise heights, colours and textures, as I am encouraged to do by the gardening press, to responding haphazardly to the situation on the ground – or not responding! So things can go a little awry. Here’s six slightly wrong things.

One

This looks quite good. It is my one surviving delphinium and a peony. I didn’t plant the peony, it may be a remnant from the previous owners’ garden and it has only just flowered. Both are jammed right up against the rose bush behind which causes both plants to take desperate avoidance measures. In reality they are twisting and flopping and needed to be propped up with supports. But they survive.

Two

My collection of hostas. It’s clear what has gone wrong here. Despite layers of gravel and coffee grounds the slugs munch away. It’s interesting that the hosta ‘Francee’ behind which has thicker, darker leaves is fairing much better. I think the ‘Thomas Hogg’ in front are acting as sacrificial plants.

Three

This is an interesting one. Two things ‘going wrong’ here. First the classic example of digging out seedlings and wanting to keep them somewhere ‘just in case’. This is meant to be a symphony in white and green with some late purple. Instead ‘Johnson’s Blue’ and psilostemon steal the show. Behind is persicaria polymorpha, planted to hide the fence, which is doesn’t quite do and worse, it smells awful! But it is ideal for semi shade and is long flowering. Perhaps I will get used to the ‘perfume’.

Four

Phlomis russeliana, whorls of pale yellow flowers is what I was promised. I find these rather strident, especially as the aforementioned Jude did suggest, delicately, that I could have chosen the more subtle tuberosa pink version. Worse, when the rose arch collapsed I had to move ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ to a new location and the only possibility was the wall behind the phlomis. The dark red of ‘Tess’ and the yellow phlomis is far from ideal. There will have to be a rethink here.

Five

This is a case of re-appearing plants. It isn’t in flower yet, but this is a globe thistle, echinops ritro if I remember rightly, I planted them in my quest to find blue flowers that the slugs didn’t eat. Several years ago I dug them out because they were mildewy, covered in blackfly and, well, thistly. I still don’t want them but as you can see the slugs don’t eat them and they are determined.

Six

If I Ieft the garden to its own devices it would be a forest of verbena bonariensis. It’s hard to take a photo that really captures their character. I like them and this year they are incredibly tall. Not a problem really but this group are in front of a new hibiscus that is about half their size. A clear case of wrong heights and quite probably overcrowding. At least the hibiscus can be seen through the verbena. The path is becoming a little less visible though.

Gardens eh? We love them even though they challenge us every day. I’ll be out there again this weekend, weeding, feeding, watering and enjoying it all. I hope you will too. Jim, our host, almost certainly will. Do have a read and join in.