#anemones

Six On Saturday: Bits and pieces

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There is no doubt that the garden is moving along. This week’s cold winds, sleety snow and showers may have deterred me but things keep popping up in the garden. Here’s six things I found this week.

One

A miracle! I planted probably fifty of these a couple of years back and they have come to nought, except possibly they are fighting back. I have this one and potentially one or two more that might flower this year. Pheasant’s eye narcissus or Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus to be correct.

Two

A random tulip, one of a group that came free with an order of other tulips. Incredibly resilient, it has been re-flowering for about five years now.

Three

The white anemone blanda, a favourite of mine.

Four

Blown in on the wind? These violets have colonised the base of the vine. I’m very happy to see them in the garden.

Five

More of the fritillaries, this time in combination with a euphorbia and some ipheion or starflower.

Six

This really was blown in on the wind, from my neighbour’s garden. It almost dies but then rallies again. You can’t beat a free plant!

My gardening job this weekend is to finish off the rebuilding of the compost heap. It was a false economy to hope to reuse some of the old slats. They had warped and would not fit into the nice new posts. More had to be ordered and have just arrived. I have plenty of other jobs to do: more twiggy brown stuff to cut back and the dead heading of the tête-à-tête daffodils which are rapidly going over. The first mow took place last week and is waiting patiently to be moved to a compost bin. The clocks go forward this weekend. It must be Spring and Jim’s camellias still look good – take a look at Garden Ruminations. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: Tulips, daffodils and anemone blanda

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

Spring is truly getting underway. It’s the second day of astronomical Spring, which I prefer to use as the start of Spring gardening. More colour is creeping into the garden and I’m gradually working my way round cutting back the brown stems left over Winter. It’s all feeling good. Here’s six things from my walk around the garden today.

One

Anemone blanda mixing in with the primroses – the very essence of Spring.

Two

The first tulips to open here are always ‘Purissima’. These are planted in amongst the hellebores are have returned well over several years.

Three

These are closely followed by ‘World Friendship’.

Four

Then in an east facing spot, ‘Negrita’.

Five

Next to these are daffodil ‘Thalis’ much loved by me and the snails. I’ll share them now while I still have them.

Six

Lastly, back to the tulips. These are in a pot: tulipa cretica Hilde – the cretian tulip. Pink on the outside but opening up to creamy pink with yellow stamens. Very lovely. Should I move them into the border for next year or will they get lost. I’m pondering this question for all my pots of bulbs this year,

It’s time to feed the roses and with dry weather forecast until Tuesday I am hoping I can get it all done by then. I’ve sowed a few seeds, am I too early is the constant question. Tomato seeds are next on my list. I’m also trying to fit in a first cut of the lawn before the rain comes again. Monday is the day the compost bins are reconstructed so I have held off until there is a strong bin ready to take the grass cuttings. Here’s the link for Jim at Garden Ruminations if you want to see what other SOSers are up to. It’s a genial band of gardening folk. Jim is now a TV star with an appearance on Gardeners’ World last night. I hope to be watching it this afternoon.

Six On Saturday: Celebrations

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It has been a busy week here. First a lunch for a family Golden Wedding anniversary and then a day of celebrations for our daughter’s wedding. The weather was beautiful for both occasions. On top of that we collected a record 67 bottles of apple juice from this year’s crop. The garden also seems to have been celebrating with second time round bursts of flowers. Happy days indeed. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

The apples have done so well this year and as always it will be a pleasure to enjoy the crop during the dark months of winter as a refreshing drink. My apple pruning man was at the apple pressing farm and reports slow but steady progress in his recovery. It’s still a struggle but all is heading in the right direction. More to celebrate!

Two

I’ve made a start on the re-arranging. The garden is still incredibly dry and I am watering in the holes for the plants and then again once they have been moved. This is a rescue plant from a very weedy corner. The plant is gillenia trifoliata which never reached it’s potential in the old corner. Here’s hoping it will romp away here.

Three

I was admiring the wonderful leaf shapes on the Corsican hellebores and was given the added bonus of spotting these just unfurling flowers. Thank you.

Four

Beautiful, beautiful fuchsia flowers, ‘Hawkshead’. So lovely but completely in the shadow of some self-seeded verbena bonariensis. The vbs will be moved on. There are plenty more self-seeding in other spots.

Five

I lost the euphorbia mellifera over the winter but I celebrate the arrival of another one, self-seeded again, looking good after a shower of rain.

Six

I’m also celebrating the recovery of salvia nachtvlinder. A winter survivor but much reduced. I did cut back the dead stems but I think I could have been more ruthless and probably could have cut it to the ground. I moved it to a more spacious spot and here it chimes well with the Japanese anemones.

I am hoping to be back again reading the the SOS links that can be found at Jim’s place. Jim has covid, but hosts again. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Jim. There’s a mix of sun and rain in the forecast. The autumn equinox has passed and it may be that the last tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes are picked this weekend. I hope to get a few more plants relocated too. Wishing you all something to celebrate in your gardens this weekend.

Six On Saturday: Drying out

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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: Cold winds but progress is being made

/ n20gardener / 23 Comments

I was in Dorset for the best part of this week where the locals are quite hardy, shorts and flip flops were popular whilst I was wearing a hat and scarf. The sun did shine but the wind was cold there and so too on the return home. I felt a pang of sorrow for the plants that are emerging only to be blown about by icy blasts. Here’s my chilly six.

One

The camassias moved on to more flower just before I left and I shared this view on Twitter(X) and shamelessly share again. I had planted ‘Cairo’ tulips in amongst them but they have all failed to reappear this year. I was thinking of going again with a pinker tulip but then was tempted by the new season’s ‘Totally Tangerine’ geums that are appearing in the garden centres. Reliable and slug resistant, I may well stay with this choice and add a few more.

Two

Elsewhere other tulips are more reliable. This one is ‘Barcelona’. It has been in the garden for several years now, dwindling slowly but each survivor has such a beautiful shape. I may replant these.

Three

New to the garden this year is tulip ‘Maureen’. It is part of the gooseberry patch revamp. I have never grown such tall tulips, they are 83cms. The Peter Nyssen website gives a height of 60cms. They seem to be standing up well to the wind and I love the creamy yellow that opens into a white. Very elegant. This is classified as an heirloom tulip from the 1950s. It’s a winner this year. I think the old gooseberry patch must be in good shape soil wise.

Four

I have just a few wood anemones and every year say to myself I must add more. Of course they are a slug’s delight. But they have battled on.

Five

The weather may be cold but the garden is moving on at pace. The melica altisssima ‘Alba’ is glowing green in a dark north facing corner. It seeds prolifically and in it’s third or maybe fourth year I have the job of thinning out the unwanted seedlings. I’ll add that the endless task of pulling up sycamore seedlings then!

Six

Two years ago I dug out this end of the border to rid myself of bluebells. Churlish of me, and foolish. I wasn’t going to succeed there was I? This is the corner with the ailing daphne, so it is likely I will be digging through the border again soon. For the moment the bluebells stay and at least the bees enjoy them. Perhaps I can find a scheme that incorporates their early colour. The slugs have fun here too.

I have that ‘rabbit in the headlights’ feeling that comes with this time of year. The rain is encouraging most things to grow at double the pace. Weeds are romping away and the rose bushes look as though they have never been pruned. I am contemplating one last round of flower seed sowing and weeding will be a priority this weekend. Thank you for all the lovely suggestions of shrubs to grow. The scented ones are very appealing. For more SOS conversations please stop by our host Jim’s garden. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: Moody hues

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My gardening week has been one of great inactivity. When I had the time it rained, when I needed to be elsewhere the sun shone. It was warm sun which was a positive. My SOS walk around the garden was an equal mixture of good and bad. Here we go with six for this week.

One

The front garden magnolia is in flower. It was pruned, rather beautifully, last September. Not by me, by someone who knew what they were doing. I applaud his vision. The flowers have survived two torrential downpours. Today they enjoy a little sunshine.

Two

In the back garden the unpruned clematis montana ‘Apple Blossom’ is in full spate – as are many of the local brooks. Beautiful flowers and scent to enjoy.

Three

There has been much publicity this week which aims to encourage us gardeners to develop an understanding of slugs. I try my best, I really do. Do I accept that it is me who has to adapt? I certainly can’t persuade the munchers to leave my thalia daffs alone! I have not even seen these in flower. Decision made, I won’t be planting any more of these. What can I find to take their place I wonder.

Four

Also subject to the slime attack are these snake’s head fritillaries. At least I have had a moment to enjoy them!

Five

The simple and delightful white anemone blanda. Quite joyful in the sun.

Six

In the week fellow SOSer Graham, shared a photo of tulip ‘World Friendship’. Here are mine, at least a week behind but with so much promise that my moody hues are lifting.

Last weekend I did start the weeding, this weekend I begin the annual task of pulling out tree seedlings. Those I didn’t fully pull out last year have a more established stem which helps me despatch them more efficiently. While I do these hum drum tasks I will be close enough to the action to see the exciting new growth coming through. The Spring equinox approaches and all will be well! Jim ruminates and hosts our merry band as usual. Many thanks Jim and happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: Lagging behind

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I’m not sure what I have been doing of late but clearly it is not gardening! The borders have gone wild. Self-seeders abound and there is still much to be cut back. I am not alone. Off The Edge Gardening is having a similar experience which has prompted this week’s confessions. Tidying up after Summer has to be done but in the meantime here are six from the garden this week.

One

The pity bench at the local Supermarket called to me. The echinacea was substantially reduced in price and all it needed was dead heading. Home it came and here it is ready to flower again.

Two

The Japanese anemones are enjoying their time. This group of ‘Honorine Joubert’ are happy enough but I have two other plants that have been in the garden for many years now and they do not shine. This is the year to accept that they are in the wrong place and get them relocated somewhere else.

Three

If geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ flowered earlier in the year I did not notice it. Here it is now, gamely making the best of of dryish, shady location.

Four

This mallow is a pretty flower but I made the mistake of putting the seed heads on the compost. Now I have a sprinkling of it in all corners of the garden.

Five

An unknown fuchsia that looked a gonna after the winter. I cut it to the ground and it has regrown happily.

Six

Another compost bin self-seeder. Astrantia major. This one is in the raspberry patch. I’ll move it soon. I think I am also going to have move the raspberries when the new beds are laid out. The measurements do not quite allow them to stay in place while work carries on around them.

Our host Jim, invites you to share his garden and all the links to SOS posts from around the world. Somehow I will try to fit a few hours in the garden this weekend. I hope you can too. Enjoy.

Six On Saturday: A wet and windy weekend

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Unusually for me I am writing this on a Friday. The forecast for Saturday is heavy rain and gusting winds. Today it is just rain all day. It has been a showery week and you would think the garden would be well lubricated by now. But the late planting out of dahlias in pots revealed dry soil just an inch down. Of course a wet top surface is perfect for the slugs and snails and sure enough by the next day the new shoots of the over wintered dahlia I spotted last week and one of the newly planted dahlias had been munched. Hopefully the potted dahlias are strong enough to push on. Here’s six from a gloomy garden.

One

This is ‘Etoile Violette’, a viticella clematis that has been flowering for weeks. It is putting the neighbouring trachelospermum jasminoides to shame. I though it would be a good combination if they entwined but so far the TJ is being a little weedy!

Two

This is an early arrival on the anemone front. But I seem to remember they came early last year too. This is ‘September Charm’, so well in advance of expectations. They have bulked up well this year after a worrying year when I thought they had a disease of some kind.

Three

I admired a white form of geranium phaeum being shared on twitter. I succumbed and bought some, really thinking it was too late in the season and I would have to wait for next year for flowers but rather generously they have put out one or two new blooms. It’s in the northish facing border but there is a moment of morning and afternoon sun. I hope it does well.

Four

I didn’t have my secateurs to hand when I took this photo so I share spent blooms and new blooms of the red rose ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’. It’s a climber and I was also lacking string to tie in a few wayward stems. Must be better prepared!

Five

Another inherited plant that gets by without too much attention. The magenta phlox was thinned out last year and divisions added around the garden. They have all done well. Easy peasy plant! In the background is the grass Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’. Second year in the garden and beginning to clump up quite nicely. Also in the background, gooseberries which need picking!

Six

A survivor! This hebe – inherited and unknown – is on it’s second move in three years. I think this will be its forever home. It coped with the move and the cold winter. The bees appreciate it and I hope it will be happy here.

I’m not sure what I’ve been up to lately but I have neglected my SOS reading duties. I’ve also neglected to give the roses their mid season feed. Last weekend the blackcurrants were picked and some of those gooseberries. The summer raspberries really didn’t have enough watering to do well this year but with the current forecast I’m more hopeful for the autumn variety. Sometimes the garden is neglected a little but it pulls through. Jim, the SOS host, had an abundance of blackcurrants last weekend, stop by and see what’s happening at Garden Ruminations this week. There’s always a surprise.

Six On Saturday: That’s more like it

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Just a few days of sunshine in amongst the cold winds and hail has pushed the garden forward once again. Now I feel that there is momentum. Pillows of new growth from the perennials are appearing everywhere and the birds are in full voice. The clematis armandii continues to do the heavy lifting but there is more and more to enjoy. Here’s this week’s six.

One

More tulips have opened up. ‘World Friendship’ mixes in the thin border with narcissus ‘Thalia’. I haven’t topped up the tulips for maybe two years now. There are just about enough to make a reasonable display but I have made a note for July to think about ordering some more. This week for the first time ever I noticed that aphids had taken a fancy to the tulips. They were swiftly despatched.

Two

The second narcissus ‘Actaea’ poeticus has opened. The first one presumably did get to open, but the slugs got there before me. These are sweetly scented, I haven’t noticed it yet but once a few more have opened I will pay them a little more attention. These are scheduled to arrive in late April so I am pleased to see them having a go at flowering now.

Three

I did mention last week that the scilla had opened up, but I lied! These are not scilla at all. They are ipheion uniflorum aka the spring starflower. I remember that I was trying to decide between the two, and eventually chose the ipheion. I can’t remember what the deciding factors were but I’m happy with them anyway.

Four

The blue anemone blanda were open several weeks ago, but in the last week the white ones have got into their stride. They were soaking up yesterday’s sunshine, providing a sparkling spot of white in the border. Acknowledgements also due to the photo bombing celandine!

Five

There are signs of growth even in the colder shadier parts of the garden. I planted a few erythroniums last year and I think they have all survived the winter. Now they have to survive the slugs. These are erythronium californicum ‘White Beauty’. They are billed as ideal for a north facing border and shadier spots so I am hoping they will settle in and in due course make some cheerful clumps of nodding flowers.

Six

The very first of the plum blossom appeared this week. All on the lower branches of the tree. That gave me a nudge to making sure the cherry tree growing against a wall was securely netted.

The long Easter weekend here is a great opportunity to finish the tidying up of the stems left over winter. The grass had its first cut this week and I am on the edge of planting up the potatoes. Some seeds have been sown, but there are more to start. I was planning to grow a selection of annuals to fill out the thin border this year but the thin border is really very thin (about 90 cms) and once I plant up the 16 echinacea ‘Pallida’ and some other perennials that I have been growing on I may well have filled the border. After six years of building the borders here I may be approaching capacity. But does that ever really happen? I suspect Jim, our host, would say no, never. His garden always has room for more. Take a look and see what Jim has this week. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Slim Spring pickings

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It’s been a tough week. The weather is still cold, with warnings of cold winds from the North and the possibility of a snow flurry or two. The garden has an air of neglect as it patiently waits to burst forth. The heavy mulch that was put down in December is beginning to show cracks as new growth pushes through so I know that it is all just ready and waiting for the temperatures to rise. In the meantime there’s not too much on show. Here’s my six for this week.

One

These are the new shoots of Japanese anemones, forcing their way through a good layer of mulch. Strange to think that it will another five or six months before these are in flower.

Two

Warming up for their appearance in May, new tulip shoots. These have been in this corner for several years now and a reasonable amount are coming back each year. I’m not one who treats them as annuals, preferring to leave them in peace for as long as possible and only topping them up when they are really thinning out.

Three

Cold weather or not, the pulmonaria is coming into flower. This gets divided regularly, it puts up with complete neglect and happily offers its flowers to the early bees. One of those ‘taken for granted’ doers.

Four

The cornus alba ‘Sibirica’, relatively new to the garden is putting out a good number of new buds. I’m following advice that recommends not cutting new plants back for the first two years. Once it is established it should have annual cut back in Spring

Five

Last summer I planted out three lavenders in a large pot. ‘Munstead’, I think. Although I do really prefer ‘Hidcote’. They put on good growth last year and have come through winter unscathed. I think I chose ‘Munstead’ over ‘Hidcote’ as ‘Munstead’ is thought to be hardier. Seeing them looking nonchalantly content encourages me think about the summer warmth to come.

Six

Lastly, so nearly there but probably still two weeks off opening, the almost ready to flower clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. When this flowers I will know that the garden is really off and running again.

I’ve been shuffling seed packets, looking at my overwintered perennials sown from seed last year and planning out the veg patch. The gooseberries, other fruit bushes, and borders will be fed in the next few weeks as the weather warms up. I try to do that just before a good downpour of rain but there’s little of that in the forecast. I’m limbering up on the starting line ready to make that dash forward. But not just yet! If you are curious to see how other SOS gardens are doing, then stop by at Jim’s. He is our generous host and shares the links to other posts.