#alliums

Six On Saturday: Old favourites and a newcomer

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The garden is grappling with the conditions but is definitely beginning to put on a show. There has been no rain here for about three weeks and I’m out of stored water. I don’t think I’ve ever watered the garden using mains water this early in the year. The roses are opening but flowers seem smaller. The slugs are definitely out and about but they do not seem to be wreaking the same damage as last year. Here’s my six for this week.

One

First, I have a question. Do I have English bluebells in the garden? I spotted these as I was pulling out swathes of those annoying ones. I stopped just in time. Should they stay or should they go?

Two

These are pretty standard in most gardens at this time of year, purple alliums and in this case ‘Purple Sensation’. I like them for their strong colour.

Three

I also have the white allium ‘Mount Everest’. I have several clumps of them that seem to take it in turns to flower. Last year the slugs/snails stripped all the green of the stems. This year, so far so good.

Four

The climbing rose ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles that was moved a couple of years back. It seems to have settled in and although it could do with a few more leaves in certain places it is flowering well.

Five

The variegated weigela is a reliable shrub that has been in the garden since the very beginning so about eight years now. The pink flowers work well with the leaf colouring. I do also have a hankering for my neighbour’s dark red one. I get a small glimpse of it over the fence. Borrowed gardening.

Six

The dicentra spectabilis has been in the garden for about three years now and is really becoming established. I love it’s whiteness in the surrounding greenery. There’s a white rose nearby that is just in flower and they do look good together.

There’s more bluebell pulling to be done and the in/out with the seedlings. Weeds galore but there are more and more flowers every day so there’s plenty to enjoy. I had a chuckle in the week as I started to organise the Alhambra photos, the yellow climber that I couldn’t put a name to is so obviously a rose, probably a multiflora one. I am ashamed to call myself a gardener! I blame the thornless stems. I hope you get to enjoy your garden space over the coming week. Jim, as usual, hosts the merry SOS band at his site Garden Ruminations.

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: Gardening woes

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I was going to be so positive today. A week of rain, thunderstorms and cold weather but the garden is clearly pulling away, spots of colour splashing in amongst the lush growth. But I have to tell you that the number of slugs this year is unbelievable and they are damaging so much. I have dwarf green beans to plant out and yet I fear they will disappear overnight. This morning’s walk around turned into another slug collection and more damage assessment. Here’s what I found.

One

What me, Guv? The first attack on the red onions that were planted out a few weeks ago. I now feel that nothing will be safe from their chopping jaws.

Two

This should be a lovely clump of allium ‘Mount Everest’. The tall stems topped with white flowers mingle with the roses and geraniums to create one of my favourite summer combinations. But this year almost all the stems have been nipped off. A few valiant souls have made it to the top and are beginning to open up but the display will be less dramatic this year.

Three

Elsewhere the purple allium ‘Purple Sensation’ has survived and they are just opening out.

Four

The regular downpours of rain have had me running round the garden with lengths of string tying in the clematis that is romping away. This one grows over an arch and pretty much entwines itself. It is clematis montana Wilsonii and has a wonderful chocolate scent – in the sunshine.

Five

Aquilegia ‘Lime Sorbet’ looking rather pretty, with the newly emerging potatoes in the background. The canes are there to protect them from curious cats and foxes.

Six

A sunny corner and slug resistant plants: osteospermum and iberis sempervirens, something simple but effective to give a cheerful ending.

It’s a long weekend here, with plenty of rain forecast. I shall try to make the most of any sunny spells. One tray of tomato plants were potted on last week. The root growth was not great so I’ve left the second tray for another week. The true leaves have grown on and I think come what may I will be potting them on this week. I may offer up one group of four dwarf French beans, but with some acceptance of their probable fate. There are tulips to deadhead and weeds to pull. I will try to banish the gardening woes by enjoying what does defeat the slimy lurkers! Over to Jim’s place for more gardening stories. I hope you have time to enjoy your garden too.

Six On Saturday: End of term!

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

It may be difficult to find six things worth sharing in the garden over the winter months but taking a stroll around each weekend does reveal some interesting things. The weather has kept me out of the garden for most of the week but today as I peered and poked around I discovered that the darling squirrels have been rooting around in the pots. I’ve back filled their holes and hope that no damage has been done to the plants. This is my last SOS for the Christmas and New Year period so I will send you all very best wishes for the holiday season. Here’s the six things I did find.

One

I’ve borrowed this one from my neighbour. The red berries being too seasonal to be resisted. My phone sometimes obliges with a plant identification but nothing was on offer this time. I have no idea, it is a small tree if that helps.

Two

I usually bring in plenty of ivy and other foliage to make a garland for the stairs but this year I have gone very minimalist and used allium seedheads sprayed gold and combined them with some other bits and pieces and a string of snowy pine cone lights. There’ll be less to clear up come the New Year!

Three

Other foliage sometimes includes sage and rosemary. These always look good in the garden at this time of year and they will feature in the Christmas cooking.

Four

The plant identifier did have a suggestion for this one and told me it was cyclamen persicum, the florist’s cyclamen. I thought I’d planted c.hedifolium here. Is it easy to tell the difference? I thought c. persicum was not hardy and these have been in the ground for several winters. All thoughts welcome.

Five

The ivy in the garden is bearing berries now and these are great for adding interest to wreaths and garlands but this year I have left them for the birds.

Six

Lastly some cheery red from the stems of cornus alba ‘Sibirica’. I planted this in 2021 and it is making slow but steady progress. I am slightly worried for it though as it is planted in the border that has (had?) honey fungus. So far it doesn’t seem to have been affected although the RHS indicates that it may be susceptible. I wish it well.

Don’t forget to check in with Jim for more SOS posts. Jim is going all the way through with two more posts before the year end, I feel like a school truant! See you all in 2024!

Six On Saturday: Those flowers keep coming

/ n20gardener / 19 Comments

Spoilt for choice this week. Those second half of summer flowers are coming through and a handsome downpour of rain on Tuesday perked everything up. Here’s my six for this week.

One

This is a plant I never would have chosen to add to the garden. It graces the front garden under a bay window and its intense blue really is quite an eye catcher. I still can’t decide if I like it but it is an inheritance I won’t be rejecting. Lacecap hydrangea btw!

Two

This is a hydrangea I did choose for the garden. It is hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blushing Bride’. I’ve looked this one up and I find that it is that it is part of the Endless Summer range and can flower on old and new wood. Thereby giving flowers from June to October. Well I never!

Three

Hurrah. A Winter survivor. Some penstemons were lost but this is a very healthy looking specimen. If I remember rightly it is ‘Plum Jerkum’ but please correct me if I’m wrong.

Four

I think it is obligatory at this time of year to show a pollen soaked bee in a hollyhock flower. I am happy to oblige.

Five

Here’s my collection of allium sphaerocephalon. Unspellable, unpronounceable and previously a little underwhelming. This year, after about four years in the ground, they have bulked up and their stems can now happily support the flower head. I’ve looked these up as well and belatedly see that they could look good against a backdrop of ornamental grasses. Here they work with gaura and day lilies. Not too bad.

Six

Speaking of day lilies, here is my only other variety. ‘Golden Chimes’ is its name, it’s been in the garden a few years now and about every other year it is divided and spread around a little more.

I’ve had to make a few decisions this week. Gone for the aging choisya, gone for two skimmias and gone for a euphorbia mellifera that I thought would pull through. One border looks a little thin now! On the plus side I spotted new growth from some dahlia tubers left in the ground and a salvia microphylla, aka Blackcurrant sage, has also woken up. I’m looking forward to a few more showers today to keep the hydrangeas happy. I hope the gardening space provides happiness for you this weekend too. Jim, our host, has a fabulous selection to share. Stop by for a visit and drop in on the other SOS bloggers for more gardening delights.

Six On Saturday: It’s all happening here

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Yes, the garden is hotting up. Some good things and some bad things. In the interests of full disclosure before we get to the good I will share the bad. The lily beetles are having fun amongst the martagon lilies. At least six of them. Regular inspections will be required. My last box shrub is wriggling with box moth caterpillars and I am going to call it day. I’ve had enough spraying. If it’s not meant to be I will move on. It’s a blob anyway and has a top spot against a sunny wall. Perhaps a hibiscus for a replacement. There’s more bad. Two skimmia have yellowing, progressing to dead leaves. Perhaps their location is just too dry for them. They can go too. The last of the bad news is the tomato plants look awful. There is no spacious greenhouse for them to move to this year and frankly I think it’s barely worth planting them outside at all. It could be a problem with over-watering and/or nutrient deficiency. I’ve given them a dilute dose of tomato feed and I will plant them out this weekend. I switched brands of peat free compost this year and I have not had much success. This one seems to dry out at the surface, shrink back from the sides but still manage to be wet at the bottom of the pots. It was not a combination I handled successfully. I’ll go back to the previous brand in future. That’s cleared the air. On with six good things.

One

I seem to be having a good year with allium ‘Mount Everest’. I would say that bulbs that I had given up on seem to have re-emerged and those that are in the shadier end of the garden are reaching heights that justify their name. I like them and so do the bees.

Two

The astrantias are also doing well. This started off as ‘Roma’ but I think a little hybridisation has occurred as this year’s colour doesn’t seem, to my memory, what is was last year. I don’t mind this at all.

Three

This is my garden favourite this week, so much so that I’m sharing two photos. The first is the view of the arch from the veg plot back into the garden. The rose is ‘Mad Alf’, Madame Alfred Carriere. Mad because the flowers are held on such long stems and she climbs vigorously. A winner.

Four

This is the view of the arch from the other side, where clematis montana Wilsonii is flowering in profusion. I think it is vanilla scented but it could be slightly chocolatey. Whatever, it is a dream to walk through and I find myself doing this several times a day. There is a bench nearby and it is such a pleasure to sit their of an evening and ‘feel’ the scent drift over. Top marks.

Five

Having spent much time, along with many others, moaning about the Winter and Spring weather, I am now wondering if, in fact, it has been just what the garden needed. So many plants seem to be doing really well this year. In truth I’m a little concerned that this geranium ‘Brookside’ will go on to swamp its neighbours. I’ll update you soon.

Six

Lastly the first ‘Wisley’ rose has opened up. The bush is full of buds and it will be a splendid sight when they all get going.

It’s a long weekend in the UK and the weather looks set fair. I will be sitting on that bench and enjoying the changing scenery. I hope you too will be able to find some moments to enjoy this weekend. Jim, our host, shares the SOS links and this week looks at Cacti. Stop by and enjoy. Happy gardening everyone.

Six On Saturday: Teetering on the edge

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Oh, the garden is so nearly at lift off time. There has been some sunshine and even on a cloudier day the temperatures are climbing. I’m not worrying about poor germination this week as I can see that the borders are filling up nicely. The roses are just bursting with buds and the grasses are beginning to come through again. There seems to be an amazing number of self-seeders this year and I don’t mean those never-ending sycamores. The alchemilla mollis is doing rather too well. The astrantias, aquilegias and geranium psilostemon are definitely settling in and I even have a few seedlings of tellima grandiflora which I will treasure. Here’s this week’s six:

One

There are some plants I look forward every year and these siberian irises are probably top of the list. The first ones opened this week. I just love the colour of the flower and the promise of the buds. I was very happy to see these again.

Two

This is luzula nivea, a new plant to the garden in 2022 as part of a revamp of a dry shady border. So far, it hasn’t self seeded but it does have that attribute. I like it and so a few extra clumps wouldn’t go amiss.

Three

It’s always lovely to see the first strawberry flowers. I threw out all the old strawberry plants last year, they were inherited and so I have no idea how old they were but they were not fruiting well. Here’s hoping the new ones will do better.

Four

These are bought in aquilegias, ‘Alba’ to be precise. I collected seed last year and forgot to sow it! These are also in a dry shady border and seem to be coping quite well. I need a few more to fill out the space, in the meantime I added in some foxgloves. Rookie error – they provide a perfect home for the slugs who then shred the hosta ‘Thomas Hogg’. The foxgloves will go once they have flowered.

Five

The ubiquitous ‘Purple Sensation’ has self-seeded but there’s a long way to go before those bulbs are big enough to flower. I’m impatient so I will be buying in more bulbs in the Autumn. A cheerful plant and so easy!

Six

Lastly, can you believe it. The dead and bedraggled scented leaf pelargoniums have sprung back to life. These have been with me for several years and all have survived. Two new ones I bought last year were not so fortunate. So there I was, thinking I could add some new combinations to the summer pots but the pellies have other ideas. I’m just wondering whose garden it is!

Jim at Garden Ruminations is our not so new host. Please stop by to visit his wonderful garden and see the links to other SOS posts. I am feeling more and more confident about wishing everyone a Happy Gardening weekend. There is much to be done and much to enjoy.

Six on Saturday: On the cusp of good things

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It really does feel like the garden is teetering on the edge of its summer explosion. A much needed shower of rain arrived on Wednesday. Brief, not enough, but gratefully received. There are rose buds everywhere, delphiniums have won past the slugs and the alliums have started to open. But it will be a few weeks before take off. Here’s six things from the garden now.

One

The front garden here really needs some attention. One side is almost permanently in shade and is very dry and I tend to leave this side to its own devices. This is the best time of year for it, the bluebells can cope with the conditions and over five years the sweet woodruff has also found its comfort zone.

Two

Also thriving in this difficult spot is Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Bevan’s Variety’. Very tolerant of dry shade and a good deal of neglect!

Three

Last year I added a lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ to a shady spot in the back garden. Within seconds the slugs had devoured it and later in the year I ploughed through the spot to plant a heuchera. Amazingly this year it has arisen phoenix-like from the ‘flames’ and has flowered. Perhaps it has now settled in enough to enjoy its challenging space.

Four

I am always looking for things to plants to plant in shady corners and sometimes the answer is right in front of me. The tellima grandiflora does well in this shady spot and now its been in a few years I am going to try dividing it after it finishes flowering. Tellima is billed as a prolific self-seeder but I can’t say I’ve seen any evidence of this so far. Maybe dividing it will shake the seeds into life.

Five

The allium ‘Purple Sensation’ has just appeared. This has self-seeded in the borders but it will be a few years before those get to flowering size. I need something to follow the tulips that will flower with the alliums, maybe its more alliums in different shades. Suggestions welcome.

Six

The forget-me-nots are going to seed and I have been gradually clearing the borders. Here’s one last corner where they do a good job of filling in the space before the geums and geraniums take over. The ubiquitous bluebell, iberis and osteospermum also oblige with gap-filling.

I seem to have sown far fewer annuals than last year and two trays of cosmos are showing very limited signs of life. I have had more success with zinnias and calendulas and they will do the job quite well. I’ll be sowing more carrots and parsnips today, and the daily ritual of taking seedlings in and out of the green house has begun. On the cusp, teetering on the edge, can’t wait, but I will have to!

Don’t forget to join The Propagator for his weekly blog and to see over the garden fence into many other SOS gardens. Have fun.

Six On Saturday: Zoom, zoom, zoom

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Five days of sunshine and a day of continuous rain does wonders for the garden. We are now in overdrive. Geraniums, astrantias, hollyhocks and roses are all jostling for space. There is a distinctly lush feel to the borders and the bees are humming. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

The Siberian irises are in their stride now, they are so comfortable in the wet border that I need to divide them every few years. I am going to try them out in some other locations when the time comes for next division.

Two

The alliums ‘Mount Everest’ that were battered by strong winds a few weeks ago are open now and the bees are feasting daily. I am going to forgive the occasional disappearance of newly planted bulbs and will add a few more in for next year.

Three

Thalictrum ‘Black Stocking’ is eternally rewarding, copes well with half sun/half shade and is thoroughly recommended.

Four

A new rose for this year. ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ has turned out to be just the red I wanted to climb over this arch. I may have found a new favourite rose.

Five

Cistus × purpureus ‘Alan Fradd’ bought as an established plant in 2017 has put on a huge amount of growth this year and is taking over this corner of a small border. I was clearly too soft on it during last year’s prune. Note to self: be tough this year.

Six

Rosa ‘Natasha Richardson’ fights back against the cistus. A regular flowerer all summer so everything necessary will be done to give this rose its full entitlement to a good space.

It has been a good start to June, but I am, of course, a little behind with the garden. Last week’s long weekend was happily spent with family so this weekend is catch up time. Pellies to pot up in their summer containers, zinnias to sort out and the last of the tomatoes to send on to good homes or squeeze into a space in the allotment. Courgettes and cucumbers are in the ground, French beans are climbing but carrots have gone awol, a second sowing has been made but that’s it. If it’s a no show then something else can have the space.

I hope to have more time for SOS reading this week. The Propagator has an ever growing bunch of gardening friends who join this weekly gathering and it’s a shame to miss out on their exploits.

Six on Saturday: Some like it wet

/ n20gardener / 15 Comments

But not me. I’ve tried to maintain a sense of optimism for May but it is failing. Only one week to go and the weather is still unseasonably cold, wet and windy. I have barely been in the garden lately, fortunately last weekend I staked the majority of plants that need support. This week was a week for watching the garden through the rain and wind and hoping I had done a good enough job.

One

The hosta ‘Francee’ is unfurling beautifully. This one seems to survive slug attacks quite successfully. It’s in a pot on a raised bed away from any lush foliage that might be harbouring the little vandals.

Two

I am amazed that the heat loving aganpanthus has opened out a first flower, fully a month earlier than expected. It’s small but it’s a promise of things to come.

Three

Safely wrapped up in the warm the one cucumber that I kept on the kitchen windowsill is putting out tendrils. Night time temperatures in the greenhouse are still only around seven degrees but I think the time is coming for the cucumber to be moved.

Four

Last weekend the lemon tree came out of the greenhouse to make way for the tomatoes. Poor thing. What a shock it must have been. Cold winds, rain and then blustery gales. Amazingly there are three lemons that are nearly ripe. I wonder, if after a long time on the tree, they will be edible.

Five

The scented leaf pellies and the dahlias had a few days outside this week but went back inside as the high winds arrived. The pellies did not have a good winter but they have had a cut back and are sending out new growth and one or two flower buds were spotted. A trailing geranium looks quite good too. Strange to think that normally I would be thinking about moving these outside for the summer soon. Let’s hope they can have a few more days outside to become acclimatised.

Six

I was certain my allium ‘Mount Everest’ would succumb to the high winds but they held their ground and stood tall. Well done!

A quick note on the tomatoes. My first sown seeds for the greenhouse looked pretty feeble so only half the San Marzano went to the greenhouse. My second sowing of the free seed ‘Red Choice’, intended for outside planting, looked so much stronger so they have been promoted to the greenhouse. The second half of the ‘San Marzano’ and the ‘Tigerellas’ have been potted on again and will stay in the potting shed until things warm up a little more outside. I don’t know if these changes will make any difference to the plants but I felt better for doing it!

I’m not one of those who enjoyed this week’s weather but in general the garden is greening up well, spaces are being filled and flowers buds are waiting to burst open. Six on Saturday, as hosted by The Propagator, will be buzzing with excitement so if your garden is suffering from soggy patches drop by and be cheered up.