#apples

Six On Saturday: Back to the gardening fold

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

Having had a sprained ankle, a family function and other distractions going on for the last few weeks I feel I am finally gardening again. The season has shifted and there is plenty of garden-keeping to be done. I have ordered a few bulbs: I am pursuing my Spring idea to have pots of small but interesting narcissus to enjoy and I needed some Maureen tulips to infill a gap. Here’s my six from this morning’s walk.

One

The apples have been picked. We have six sack fulls to take off for juicing. Quite a haul, given the great number of windfalls we have had this year. I checked with our Juicers and they confirmed that apples with codling moth damage can be juiced. I’m sure we’ve always had some damage but this year it seemed to have affected more apples.

Two

I did find a new person to prune the apples and the plum but as yet he hasn’t been able to visit. The plum tree is far too large now and I am wondering how late in the season the necessary pruning can be done. We’ve been picking plums for several weeks but it might be time to call it quits.

Three

The rain has energised the garden, the grass is growing again and many plants are looking happier. Here the Corsican hellebores and a fatsia that have really developed a backbone again.

Four

The verbena bonariensis seeds prolifically, often leaning over the path or other plants. Here it seems to have found the perfect spot. It has remained upright and is looking especially good in the Autumn light.

Five

I’m sowing Autumn seeds. The echinacea ‘White Swan’ came good but I am on my second sowing of Orlaya and Gaura. Let’s hope they get going this time.

Six

I’ve also been shopping for my troublesome border. The hydrangeas went in earlier this year and are a dwarf variety called ‘Little White’ which should reach 60cms and I’m just about to fill in the gaps with hakonechloa macra.

Here’s hoping I’m back in the groove again! The walk round revealed plenty of slug damage to my new delphiniums and much that needs dead-heading. I’ve yet to pull up the tomato plants but that’s just about due. In a taste test on the cucumbers ‘Burpless’ were a clear winner over ‘Marketmore’. Plans for next year are being made. Wishing you all a happy Autumn in your gardening spaces. Jim’s Garden Ruminations is full of Autumn inspiration.

Six On Saturday: Careless gardening 2.0

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

Life has a habit of getting in the way of gardening sometimes and so it has been the case this year. The drought has made matter worse as more time is needed for watering duties. I thought I was on top of the apple trees, thinning them out and religiously picking up the brown rot apples. But it was not so. Here’s my six from the garden this week.

One

The apples are much smaller this year but the number is plentiful and even though I had been thinning them I was clearly being too kind. This bough broke and the quantity of apples was immense. On today’s tour of the garden another broken branch was spotted. I have to get tougher.

Two

I’m growing marmande tomatoes this year and they are just ripening. There is always one tomato that does this. Fasciation I think. Does anyone else find this?

Three

The miscanthus ‘Silberfeder’ gets a photo to itself this week. After three years it has formed a sizeable clump and is providing a good distraction from the fence behind.

Four

The grapes on the vine are actually ripening this year. There is some splitting but not as much as in previous years. They have had no additional watering. The vine is grown to shade a pergola so any edible fruits that we do get will be a bonus.

Five

The scented leaf pelargonium ‘Capitatum’ was left outside last winter as the greenhouse was being replaced. As you can see, it survived and is doing very well.

Six

These are the apples from the fallen bough. Quite a lot as you can see and plenty of very small ones that I should have picked off. Live and learn.

Garden Ruminations is the place to go for all the SOS links and for Jim’s wise words. After another week of hot temperatures here I am looking forward to next week which will at least be cooler even if, once again, no rain is forecast.

Six On Saturday: Lift off

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

Some sunshine has really helped things along and all those empty spaces are beginning to disappear. I do now need a little bit of rain and the forecast of light showers will probably not suffice. But let’s enjoy what is shining through.

One

Plum blossom. Not much more to say really except that here I must give a shout out to Tony Tomeo who suggested Purple Leafed Plum for the tree in my daughter’s garden. He is right, it’s in blossom now and the bees are absolutely loving it. Our tree produces edible plums, my daughter’s is more ornamental.

Two

The first iris has unfurled. I divided these last year and the replanted sections are doing well here, but less well further up the garden. It’s a mystery as to why, but that’s gardening for you.

Three

These are pretty little flowers but there’s more leaf than flower. Ipheion uniflorum, or spring starflower. They can stay but I’m not overwhelmed!

Four

This is a favourite tulip of mine, Shirley. I planted a lovely mix of them with three other tulip varieties when I first moved to this garden, they have almost all disappeared now but an odd one pops up here and there.

Five

Apple blossom. Suddenly the garden looks bountiful again.

Six

The tree house from my daughter’s garden. It gets it’s marching orders next week. A substantial building, I’m sure it will be fun to dismantle. That’s one job I’m not volunteering for. This week it was decided that the Broom in front of the Purple Leafed Plum would have to go – even before it had flowered. Its removal did give the tree centre stage and it does look so much better.

On the seed growing front, it’s the usual mixture of success and non-starters. I keep my fingers crossed that some of the tardier seeds will catch up. The currants have been netted which is a big tick for a job done. Of course there’s weeding to do and tree seedlings to be battled against but all in all there’s a wave of positivity. Tune in to Jim’s Garden Ruminations to share in his garden and those of the other SOSers that post their links for us all to enjoy. Happy gardening to all.

Six On Saturday: Celebrations

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

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: Harvest

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

I’ve called time on most of the courgettes, it looks like the cucumbers growing outside may be on their last legs as are the dwarf beans. It’s not been a bad year especially given the erractic summer. Here’s my six for this week.

One

This is going to be apple picking weekend. The first photo is of the reluctant ripeners but finally they have caught up, the pips are brown and so they are ready to pick for making into juice. The second photo is of a cox’s apple, also ready to pick and also going to juice.

Two

I have very fruits on the persimmon this year, here’s one I spotted this week and there are about four or five more. They won’t be ripe until December.

Three

I have been picking plums for a couple of weeks. There are plenty with brown rot but there seem be much fewer showing wasp damage. The wasps have definitely been less visible than previous years but one or two have been spotted this last week.

Four

The tomatoes have been slow to ripen, these are a yellow cherry variety which have been wonderfully sweet when ready to eat. These will have another chance to ripen this week and then perhaps it will be time to pick them for ripening inside.

Five

I grew four varieties of courgette this year and this is the last survivor. Probably the best cropper too. They’ve done us well roasted with tomatoes or on the barbeque.

Six

And lastly, I could not resist this photo of the verbena bonariensis. Caught in the early low light. They seed everywhere here but when they look as stunning as this I love them all over again.

I hope you garden is doing well this week. I did get some rain and although it seemed there was a good downpour or two the garden is still quite dry. The water butts filled up again though and so they will soon be emptied out on the plants that need it most. The season is shifting and we’re into the prep and planning stage for next year. I am about ready to start with some re-arranging and some major weeding of the dreaded cinque foil. Jim, host of the meme, has a colourful selection this week. Happy Gardening.

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: Winning and losing

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

I shouldn’t be so competitive with nature. But isn’t that the essence of gardening, trying to cultivate our little spaces into our dream places. My dream space is filled with fresh spring flowers, scented roses, glorious summer abundance gently fading into the warm hues of autumn, leading to the bare trees and swaying grasses of winter. Aah, perfection, which of course, we all know, is not possible.

This week I have laughed at the ‘disasters’ that have befallen my garden. I realised that my asparagus was being nibbled by the slimey ones as it broke through the soil. It is now sheltered by plastic bottles, not attractive but it seems to be effective and fulfils the three Rs. Elsewhere a self-seeded euphorbia wulfenii has curled up and died, no doubt the endless rain was just too much for it. Last week Fred mentioned that he had an ailing hebe. I have a daphne going the same way. I read that slugs and snails do not trouble with foxgloves, the hairy leaves being not quite to their taste. Here they have munched them with evident enjoyment, leaving only the the coarser ribs of the leaves for show. But these are small set backs when compared with the lush greeness that is emerging. Nature takes it’s course, but I rise to the challenge and find ways around these troubles. Here’s my six successes for the week.

One

It always difficult to decide when the camassias are at their best but I have chosen the first flowers, which opened last week, as a definite high point of the gardening week.

Two

‘Queen of Night’ tulip has opened up and joined the tulip festival. One of my favourites and reasonable as a returning flower.

Three

I have a habit of losing euphorbia wulfenii, and so I tried out a more damp loving variety – euphorbia palustris. It’s not as mighty a plant but so far it seems to be happier in my garden conditions. It should reach about 90cms. You can see the struggling wulfenii version in the background.

Four

I am celebrating this one flower of iris germanica. I have others in bud but the slimey ones seem to be winning here. They are puncturing the leaves with what I am positively going to describe as lacey holes and then biting through the stems just below the buds. But I am celebrating.

Five

The sun persuaded this pink tulip to fully open and take in the warmth. I empathised wholeheartedly.

Six

Apple blossom. Glorious, what more could you ask for?

I declare the result a win! Ignore those irritations and love the beautiful new growth. The weather is improving and like that pink tulip we can embrace it. Last week’s mystery was answered. It was a cherry laurel seedling kindly donated by a neighbouring garden. I have left one in place to see how it does.

I’m ready to plant out my red onions from their modules and I’ve sown a few more flower seeds. I bought a new plant which will either replace the daphne or the euphorbia. It’s a low growing weigela. I’m struggling now to resist buying another rose. My default purchase when I have space. I am challenging myself to be more imaginative so any suggestions for shrubs would be much appreciated. Have a great gardening weekend and do join Jim for his ruminations with the other SOSers.

Six On Saturday: Looking forward

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

It’s time to review the past year. I’ll mention the honey fungus in passing and the low, low temperatures that took out a few of the marginally hardy plants but let’s spend a moment reminding ourselves of joys to come. Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year full of glorious gardening. Here’s six things that I’m looking forward to renewing acquaintance with once more.

One

The first apple blossom is always a high point

Two

Roses filling the garden with flowers and scent.

Three

The herbaceous borders beginning to fill out.

Four

The hydrangeas, will they be scorched by the sun, suffer from drought or somehow find a moment to shine?

Five

The beautiful white fuchsia ‘Hawkshead’, slowly establishing in a sunny border

Six

And back again to the apples that grew from the April blossom. Some stored but most juiced and each time a glass is drunk we think of summer.

Thank you for reading, for sharing your gardens over the year and I look forward to meeting you all again in the New Year. I’m off to Jim’s now to catch up on his news. Thank you Jim for your hosting and sharing of knowledge.

Six On Saturday: Don’t give up!

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

I nearly gave up this week. The rain was so heavy this morning I didn’t think I would have the chance to take any photos and I only had one saved for this week. But there was a brief respite which gave the opportunity to take five more photos. I didn’t dither over what to choose as the next deluge threatened. Here they are.

One

The last of the apples were picked in the week and are being stored in boxes. The apples are wonderfully juicy.

Two

Trees. At this time of the year with the sun low in the sky it is quite late in the day before the garden brightens up. The trees make the garden shady but as the leaves turn they do put on a good show.

Three

About three weeks ago I took some root cuttings of the Japanese anemones and two of them have taken, Now I have the challenge of keeping them going over Winter.

Four

I suddenly realised that I do have some colour from flowers in the garden. The hesperantha, bowed down the rain but looking good.

Five

I have been waiting for a dry day to collect the seeds of the agapanthus. I’m still waiting.

Six

I think it was Hey Jude who warned that my epimedium in a planter might run riot. It has. It’s crowding out the ferns and a move will have to take place. When the rain stops!

It wasn’t so difficult after all. I doubt there will be any gardening this weekend, the soil is saturated and more rain is forecast. But all that I have to do can wait. My first batch of bulbs arrives next week and I have two new plants to fill in a few gaps. There’s something to look forward to. Check in with Jim, who reminds us that The Propagator founded this meme and that Jim is celebrating one year of taking on the hosting role. Congratulations and thank you Jim!