#fritillaries

Six On Saturday: Popping!

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I’ve put away my winter gloves and hats. The weather can be variable even so but the sun has been seen a few times in the last week. Spring flowers are emerging and encouraging me to garden more. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

The first flower of Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye’ popped out during the week and today from the kitchen window I saw that more had opened.

Two

The first flower of ipheion, the spring starflower, also opened and was then drenched by rain.

Three

Another first, the blue scillas that I bought last year have survived the slug attack that followed their planting out. Well at least this little clump survived. Such a beautiful blue colour.

Four

Just opening up, the various clumps of muscari that are dotted along one border. These have been in for a few years now and are beginning to spread which is fine by me.

Five

The very first of the fritillaries, very low down at the moment, it will probably be eaten by slugs by the end of the weekend.

Six

I had to snap of photo of the clematis armandii on a blue sky day. It’s the ‘Apple Blossom’ variety. This is definitely a sign that Spring is here.

I’d love to be mowing the grass soon but I need help reinstalling my collapsed compost bins and don’t want to add the grass to the heaps before they are moved. Help is arriving in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I am visiting my daughter’s garden for the first time this year. I suspect it will too wet to do much but we are stopping off at the garden centre with a long shopping list. That should be fun. I hope you get to have fun in your gardening spaces. Jim has a great display as usual and all the links to other SOS posts from around the world.

Six On Saturday: Things to come

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It’s been a cold week but night time temperatures look to be on the rise for next week. I may try to sow a few seeds. I’ve been cutting back the brown stuff, admiring the ability of weeds to keep on coming at me and the patch on the lawn for a new flower bed has had the turf stripped. It is very dense with the old fig tree roots but I’m hoping a few annuals will find a home there. There’s much on the way in the garden but not much in flower, but six must be offered each week and here they are.

One

There’s always a cry to sow a few early carrots and over the years I have tried: buying early varieties, warming up the soil by covering it with cloches, waiting until the weeds start growing before sowing but it never comes to anything. Last year I didn’t sow until the end of May. This year I have been tempted to sow a few seeds in a deep pot in the unheated greenhouse. I have germination so I am intrigued to see how they will progress. I will update regularly.

Two

So very nearly, almost there. The first flowers on the clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ have been spotted. This is mine but it sprawls wonderfully over to my neighbour’s side where it is much appreciated. I think it does better there!

Three

I have climbing hydrangeas growing up a fence on the North side of the garden. A few weeks ago the soil here was frozen but the hydrangea buds are now opening. They have taken a few years to establish but I think it is looking good for this year.

Four

An East facing corner of the garden is home to tulips, aquilegia, phlox, geums and hardy geraniums. They are all putting on good growth and although it will be a while before the flower explosion takes place it is very encouraging to see everything reappear.

Five

I’ve been to the garden centre for compost and of course their tempting displays of spring bulbs in pots called to me. I bought a trio of pots of snakeshead fritillaries to plant along side the hellebores. I couldn’t bring myself to plant them out last weekend as there was evidence of slugs and snails. That hasn’t changed but the plants are a little taller now and the flowers have formed. It’s time to be brave.

Six

Lastly, three pots of hydrangea macrophylla ‘Little White’ that I’ve had since Autumn. These are destined for the North facing border. It’s a dwarf variety that grows to approx 60cms. They are replacing the pittosporum that were lost over the winter of 2023. This whole border needs an edit so they’ll be in their pots for a few weeks more.

The compost heap was filling up with the March cut back material and so some turning was required. Gently does it as the toads over-winter there and I was pleased to spot one very fat one. There were plenty of worms too. No doubt there will also be a crop of interesting seeds which will reveal themselves once the finished compost in the last bin is used. There were no visits to the Daughter’s New Garden this week. I don’t think I’ll be back there until April by which there could be much more in evidence. Hopefully it will include a new lawnmower! Recommendations for small lithium battery lawn mowers gratefully received.

Wishing you a happy gardening week and hoping that a visit to Jim’s Garden can be fitted in as well.

Six On Saturday: Moody hues

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

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: Almost all tulips

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It seems that when I write these SOS posts the mornings are chill and grey. The tulips are persuading me that things are better than I think so all praise to the tulip today. Here’s my six with two non-tulips for a little variety.

One

The second wave of tulips has begun, so I go back to re-visit the early flowering ‘World Friendship’ which is now joined by a white form, forgive me but I can’t remember if these are ‘White Triumphator or ‘Nicolas Heyek’. It’s one or the other!

Two

These tulips grow at the slightly shadier end of the long border where the white ‘Purissima’ flourish. This is a collection of ‘Shirley’, ‘Queen of Night’, ‘Violet Beauty’ and ‘Barcelona’. ‘Queen of Night’ is a late flower, so these have yet to arrive.

Three

Now for a sudden burst of sunshine. I took this photo earlier in the week when the light was shining through these, making them glow like boiled sweets. These are my miscellaneous collection of tulips bulbs that came as a free add on with another bulb order. They have proved to be wonderful performers. I have no idea what they are!

Four

Back to a shadier part of the garden, well in fact the veg plot. I planted the edge of path with a Sarah Raven mix of ‘Mariette’ (pink lily shaped), ‘Lasting Love’ (triumph, pinky red), ‘Ballerina’ (Lily orange) and ‘Sarah Raven’ (Crimson, lily flowered). Only the last two have opened up so far.

Five

So goodbye to the tulips for now and back to fritillaries. This beautiful white one has appeared and looks magnificent. The self seeded regular fritillaries are appearing against a wall, a dry and sunny spot. This white one is a mystery as I haven’t planted a white variety so maybe the birds have been generous again?

Six

Another mystery is the appearance of this peony. Not something that I planted but a peony it definitely is and wonder of wonders is has a flower bud. This part of the garden was an overgrown bed of weeds when I arrived so possibly the peony has lain dormant for several years and has only now decided that conditions are favourable for flowering. I’m very grateful!

Slow progress is being made with the seeds sown in the greenhouse. Just one or two germinations from the cosmos but there are some encouraging signs of digitalis lutea making progress. I am pulling up sycamore seedlings every single day. Next weeks sees the great dig out begin: gone for the cistus, pittosporum and I think too, a large choysia. Great opportunities for new schemes. Watch this space! Another space to watch is Jim’s Garden Ruminations, wise gardening words and all the SOS links. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Flowers in the rain

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Oh the agony of it all. The garden creeps forward so slowly. The March surge was a subtle stumble. The rain fell incessantly yesterday and the slugs had a feast. All week I had waited for the ‘Thalia’ to open and it was with delight that I went into the garden today to capture them in their gloomy glory. Beaten to it by squillions of slimy slugs. Decimated. Eaten. Aargh! Oh well. On we go, there are things to be celebrated and that is what will be done. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

The front garden magnolia has opened up and manages to look moodily brilliant. Monday promises to be sunny and I know it will look fantastic then. But this is what it looks like today.

Two

I am sharing the ‘Thalia’, with you, ragged edges and all. I try to keep slug favourites out of the garden but ‘Thalia’ and delphiniums always find a home here despite their appeal to the rampaging hoards.

Three

Here are the tulips that I showed in bud last week. ‘Purissima’. They stood up to yesterday’s downpours and will also look glorious in Monday’s sunshine. Perhaps I can re-post this six on Monday with a back drop of blue skies.

Four

I have been snipping away at this mahonia, name unknown, for a couple of years. Gradually bringing it back under control. It has responded well to my efforts and those of the winter weather. An undemanding and, I would say, indestructible shrub.

Five

The fritillaries have also made their way into flower. It’s probably too cold for lily beetle but I’ll be on the lookout for them in the coming weeks.

Six

The scilla also opened up this week, but this morning’s cloud was not encouraging them to show themselves so my final offering is the very pleasing new buds on one of the apple trees.

So April has arrived. I have trays of perennials waiting to be planted out, seeds to be sowed and weeds to be pulled. It may be a gradual start to Spring but it is happening and before we know it the garden will deliver its promise. Don’t forget to stop by Jim’s garden to see how things are coming along there, and to catch up on the links to other SOS posts. Happy gardening everyone.

Six on Saturday: Oh, the impatience of me!

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It’s coming up to mid March and I am pacing the garden in fervent anticipation of the explosion of colour to come in three months time. There are signs of the summer garden. I spotted the very first growth from the delphiniums and so now I am hoping the slugs are not sniffing around. The magpies are having fun in the borders, throwing leaves around and generally sticking their beaks into things, which hopefully includes a few slugs. Of course in anticipating July I am skipping over tulips and forget-me-nots and alliums and irises. So many treats to look forward but for now it is still a bit quiet. Here’s six finds from this week’s garden.

One

One of my favourite spring combinations, the primrose patch sprinkled with a few blue anemones.

Two

The supermarkets are full of trays of nodding fritillaries, here mine are just about to open. Very delicate and I should have more. Impatient I may be but I am going to resist buying pots in flower and will make a large note to self to buy more bulbs later in the year.

Three

In a fit of purity, last year I dug out the hotch potch of daffodils that dotted the garden and determined to have only dwarf tête-à-tête. Of course there is always one that escapes and this is it. Not looking too bad really.

Four

Last year’s bulb planting included a quantity of muscari bulbs and I could not squeeze them all into the gaps in the border. So I planted up the remainder in pots ready to drop into the gaps that suddenly become very apparent in Spring. These in the pots are more advanced then those in border. They have had the benefit of a sunnier corner and drier conditions. Somehow I also seem to have some love-in-mist seedlings. Works for me!

Five

About a month ago I showed the first flowers on the clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. It really does seem to have been a slow month, even now much of the climber is still in bud with the flowers only gradually opening. Why am I impatient with this? Surely this means a longer display? I will develop some mindfulness and enjoy them more.

Six

Here I have kept my impatience in check. The new growth on the hydrangea is surging forward but I haven’t cut back the old flower heads yet. Sneaky nature will surely send a mean frost soon. I’ll wait a little while.

The first seeds have been sown, some tomatoes for the greenhouse, an early sowing of mange tout sown in root trainers in the greenhouse, and a small sowing of rocket and lettuce also in the greenhouse. I’ll find some patience and wait awhile before anything else is sown. The forsythia is out in the front garden so it really is Spring and the growing season is beginning . Mr P hosts #SixOnSaturday with his usual panache. All invited to stop by!

Six On Saturday: Comings and goings

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There’s not much coming and going from the house at the moment but the garden is constantly busy and the extra time spent at home has meant that I have been taking longer looks at the view. I’ve accepted that the snowberry is going nowhere but I have manged to reel in its sideways expansion and have once again reduced the height. Last week The Nostalgic Gardener was discussing Forsythia with The Prop and whilst I sympatfise whole heartedly with their views I know that mine are here to stay. This week my eyes fell upon the cotoneaster horizontalis. It does give a beautiful display of red berries in the winter but at the moment it is in danger of losing its place to a sarcococca confusa I rashly purchased a month back. I’ve potted on the sarcococca whilst I contemplate the cotoneaster.

One

The sarcococca has been potted on into the vacant pot left by the planting of this daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance’ in the border. Poor daphne had been in the pot for about two years and although the guidance is that it is suitable for container growing, once a space in the border became available a move was inevitable. One of the fig trees rotted away at the base of the trunk last year and had to come down. Last week I managed to dig out the last (I hope) of the large roots. Daphne now has a new home and so too does the sarcococca.

Two

The compost corner has been paved. I had forgotten just how much space those towers of two x two slabs took up. The paved area looks better suited to a performance space, a garden dance floor perhaps? But no, the bins have been reconstructed and now I have the job of refilling them. The extra space around the bins will come in useful, most immediately it has been dubbed ‘covid conversation corner’ as this is an ideal meeting place for a socially distanced chat with adjoining neighbours.

Three

Speaking of neighbours, there was some sad gardening news last weekend. The glorious willow tree in next door’s garden has to come down. The increasing lean and lack of leaf signalled a problem and the upshot of an inspection was that the tree is predominantly dead. It has been propped up until work to take the tree down can be started. Sad times, but that does mean new opportunities for the neighbours and perhaps for me. It might make a corner of this garden less shady.

Four

A new arrival to this garden came on Friday. The impulsively ordered arch has been delivered. Even in pieces it looks lovely. I hope to be able to put in place this weekend.

Five

The fritillaries have also arrived. These are on my list to look out for in the next autumn end of season bulb sales, but I may order a few in August to be sure I have more next year. The arrival of fritillaries is often swiftly followed by red lily beetles. Time to be vigilant and this year I am going to try Grazer’s Lily Beetle protection. It is to be used before the nasties are sighted so that is a job to do this weekend.

Six

Sunshine was another, albeit brief, arrival this week and the spring flowers shone. I couldn’t choose which one to include so here they all are. The first tulip – ‘World Friendship’, the first thalia, and the first cowslips. The cowslips are self-seeders relocated from elsewhere in the garden. Filling out the garden for free is one of gardening’s great joys.

As always there is more joy to be found at the aforementioned Prop’s site where all the links to other SOS posts can be found in the comments sections. Also a good place for gardening chat

Six on Saturday: Reasons to be cheerful

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Ignoring the awfulness of Thursday when, here, it rained all day with a real insistence there are reasons to be cheerful. I feel there is a sense of spring in the air. The garden is giving me strong signs that it is time to emerge from hibernation, open up the seed packets and get growing. This week I’ve sowed lupins, dahlias, a first batch of tomato seeds and three pots of basil seeds. I even gave the autumn sown ammi a brief outing in the sunshine.  There isn’t much new on the flowering front but progress is being made.

One

The clematis amandii ‘Apple Blossom’ has broken into flower.  This is it’s best side, further along there are one or two bald patches.  I hope these will fill out over the year.

Two

A small group of anemone blanda have deigned to push through again.  No sign yet of a new batch I planted in the north border.  I’m hoping a little more warmth will persuade them to show up.

Three

The fritillaries are dangling their lanterns again and reminding me that I must invest in a few more of these to make the impact stronger.

Four

The tulips leaves are marching on.  I particularly like these striped ones from ‘China Town’ 

Five

There is a rose to be seen! Battered by wind and rain but managing to look pretty even so.

Six

I was very happy to see some new growth on the alpine alchemilla.  I thought I’d lost this after the squirrels made short shrift of it when they planted a few acorns in the same spot.  Shame on me for being so despondent. 

The ground is still very wet, the weeds, particularly the bittercress, are enjoying the damp conditions and I’ll have to get to them soon before they find the energy to flower.  That means I’ll be in the garden which can’t be a bad thing.  And would you believe it, I’ve just had a delivery of 300 in-the-green snowdrops!  They are so late coming due to the poor conditions for lifting them from the fields.  That sorts out my morning.  Mr P has all the updates from other SOSers.  Plenty to admire and inspire! Cheerfulness all round I think.

Six On Saturday: A change of mind

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Never go to the garden centre on a sunny day and when there’s 10% off!

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I only went for compost, honest.  But that Daphne had been on the wish list for a while.

One

IMG_2963Daphne Eternal Fragrance.  I had resisted buying this all year on the grounds that I wasn’t sure I had the right spot for it.  But there it was on the bench in front of me with a label that said suitable for containers. I’ll find a space for it soon.

Two

IMG_2956I have moved the scented leaf pelagoniums into the potting shed and taken a few cuttings for insurance.  That meant two summer containers were sitting empty.  There in front of me was a tray of winter pansies.

Three

IMG_2958Recently added to the wish list was Brunnera macrocephala ‘Jack Frost’.  Described as good for shade and for ground cover, I thought it would be ideal for under the snowberry tree.  These were lurking just around the corner from the pansies.  Speaking of lurkers – do the slugs like brunnera?

Four

IMG_2957I was almost at the exit point when I spotted the pots of Gaultheria Procumbens ‘Big Berry’.  I’ve had these in winter window boxes before with some ivy.  The red berries are usually plentiful.

Five

IMG_2964I had to walk back to the beaming cashier past the bulb section and remembered just in time that I needed to top up the alliums and fritillaries.

Six

IMG_2959 I count myself as quite restrained – I can’t give you a full six from the garden centre purchases!  My last for this week is something that is giving me cause for concern.  These Liriope muscari ‘big blue’ went into the garden in autumn 2016 and have not flowered once.  The RHS site promises  ‘small violet-purple flowers carried in dense, erect spikes to 30cm in height in autumn, followed by black berries.’  To quote our esteemed leader ‘Nothing, nada, zilch.’  Any suggestions?

For more pithy observations from the leader visit The Propagator.  You’ll find much to inform and amuse plus a list of links to SOSs from gardens around the world.  Happy gardening.