garden

Six On Saturday: Careful what you throw away

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

It was a drizzly start to the day here. The skies grey but once again the temperatures were mild. The garden is slowly winding down which seems entirely fitting for November. I was doubtful I would be able to find anything for six today but this is a record of the garden over the year and this is what I found this week.

One

I have pushed the button on the new greenhouse and shed. Both bases will need some repairs and work to level them. The clearance of the site means we get to have a skip. This is always pleasing to me as there are endless bits and pieces that I keep just in case and once in a while it is good to take stock. There is also an accumulation of things put away in the shed that haven’t seen the light of day for years. Clearing out is the job for this weekend.

Two

Although the weather has been mild I decided to wrap the evergreen agapanthus. I still have to turf out the pellies from their summer pots in preparation for some tulip planting.

Three

In the borders, the deciduous agapanthus leaves are turning colour and I need to cut these back before the go slimy. Another job on the ‘to do’ list.

Four

These are the berries of iris foetidissima. The plant is prolific here, distributed about the garden by the birds. I let them grow in difficult corners but dig them out from the main borders. It seems that I missed this one.

Five

Last week I mentioned that the hebes were flowering again, and they still are.

Six

There’s always one more rose having a go at flowering again. This week it is ‘Jaqueline du Pré. Lovely.

The plan for today was to mow up the fallen leaves, but the drizzle has soaked everything. That job moves to tomorrow. I’ve made a start on clearing the north facing border of the weed cinquefoil. I guess every garden has its difficult corner and this is definitely mine. I know it is a thankless task but unless I try to contain it the cinquefoil will run riot. I need the border to dry out a little more though.

Here’s hoping that your gardening jobs are more inviting. I have to say thank you to SOS host Jim for keeping this meme going. It makes me look at the garden every Saturday and this week I noticed that the pots of daffodil bulbs I had planted up had been disturbed by the wildlife – foxes, squirrels? They are now under the protection of an old freezer drawer. Things do come in useful. I need to careful I don’t throw too much out!

Six On Saturday: Inspired again

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

I always compile my six on a Saturday morning and this morning I had a heavy heart. What would there be? It seemed to have rained all night and was still raining. This was going to be hard. But small things lift the spirit and so it is with Six On Saturday, small things were found and here they are.

One

This is the one that did it. I have always envied my neighbours spread of cyclamens that sprinkle themselves around like jewels at this time of the year. The flowers are tiny but stunning. While searching for six lovelies for this week I found this small clump in my garden. Self seeded from over the fence. Do I thank the birds or the wind? I don’t know how long they will take to spread out in this garden but I can be patient.

Two

In contrast earlier in the week I had bought a pot of the larger variety. I knew the pot would fit into the top of an old chimney pot and that is my only excuse. How blousy they seem in contrast to the self-seeders above.

Three

The weather has been warm and wet this week, and many of the hardy geraniums are flourishing. Here is ‘Brookside’ having another go.

Four

I have managed to move a few more things around. This libertia was dug out from under the shade of the fig tree and moved to a spot with more sun. This meant relocating some sanguisorba and a colony of phaeums. The sanguisorba is a great home for slugs and digging them up revealed a quantity of eggs. The phaeums have been relocated or potted on for another time. The sanguisorba may be on its way out…

Five

I upended the summer bedding a few weeks back but the pelargoniums looked as if they could take a few more weeks so I potted them on and they have dutifully put out another round of flowers.

Six

Jobs to be done: I have been buying bulbs and a few packets of seeds. I didn’t manage to plant the camassias last weekend, prepping the ground took me up to the point when the rain came down again. So my last six for this week was going to be the bulbs, but I’ve lost them! In the shed? I hope so. In their place I offer you my seed choice, still unsown. I really was going to sow, at least, the Orlaya last week. Where does the time go?

The new greenhouse project has been joined by the new shed project. They are in the same corner of the garden and as the shed has developed a noticeable tilt I am going to replace both at the same time. A local company is making a site visit next week. This and those self-seeded cyclamens have got me planning again. One of the Darcey Bussell roses has been moved and if the ground wasn’t so saturated I’d be trying to move a hydrangea into the space. If I find the camassias I may be able to finish that job! Wishing you good weather for your gardening jobs and hoping that there is time to stop by Jim’s place for look at what’s going elsewhere.

Six On Saturday: I need to get going

/ n20gardener / 24 Comments

I’m hoping October will be mellow and fruitful. I have much to do and after longing for rain I have definitely had enough now thank you. I feel sure I had this feeling last year, I can see much in the garden that needs to be refined, cleared out, divided. It needs a good tidy up. So I need to get moving. On with the six then.

One

I was amazed to spot this gaura flower amongst the verbenas. Was it sheltered by them and also overcrowded by them? I hope it can last through another winter and I will thin the verbenas to give the gaura more of a chance.

Two

The hydrangeas are rapidly changing colour and this one has chosen the perfect autumnal red.

Three

I’ve called time on the tomatoes, blight finally got to them. But there is a good quantity ripening off inside. Not such a good quantity of carrots though! These are chantenay, so the shortness is good, but the germination was not.

Four

Here’s the frost shattered pot in its new home. Against a sunny wall, perhaps it will survive another winter more or less intact.

Five

New violas for the terrace pots. Cheap and cheerful and I’m hoping they’ll last a good while. The lobelia was definitely past its best so it was time for a change

Six

Lastly, I’m going back to the cactus dahlia because it is a firework of orangeness at the moment. It’s down at the shady end of the garden and looks much better in the afternoon sun.

I’m off to dig and divide geranium phaeums today. I hope you have good weather for your gardening jobs. Jim hosts the SOS links as usual, but unusually he has some great pictures of Cornwall! Have a great weekend everyone

Six On Saturday: New things, old things

/ n20gardener / 26 Comments

How quickly things change. Last week I was gardening in dry soil and this week the garden had a good soaking. Yes, we have had heavy rain but thankfully we do not get flooding. Today there are glorious blue skies and it feels like a perfect gardening day. Hopefully the soil won’t be too wet. Here’s my six for the week.

One

Let’s start with some goodies. I’ve ordered a few things for different parts of the garden. Three hydrangeas to replace the sarcococca confusa that have been eaten (box moth caterpillars?). The sarcococca replaced the pittosporum nanum that was lost last winter. Let’s hope the hydrangeas will be more resilient. Then there are three ostrich ferns aka shuttlecock ferns, to fill out a shady corner, and then veronicastrum ‘Alba’ to give some height to the borders – these were chosen because the slugs did not munch those I already have this year. Finally there is a new calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’. I’m having another go at symmetry. This one will replace one that failed on the other side of the steps. All good solutions, I hope, to gardening challenges. Hardy, slug proof and in the case of the ferns space fillers!

Two

More goodies, just a handful of crocus bulbs that were purchased from a market stall. They always tempt me. These are white Jeanne D’Arc. Isn’t it always the way, you identify the perfect spot to squeeze in a few more bulbs and lo and behold there are already bulbs there. I was luckier on my second attempt.

Three

A few years back this pot suffered in a very cold winter. I tried to repair it but things got worse. This year I concede. It was home to lily bulbs which are always attacked by lily beetles. I’ll do away with the bulbs, I thought, and find a corner of the garden where the pot can look ornamental while empty. I unearthed far more lily bulbs than expected and will almost certainly be trying to find a place to replant them. The hunt for suitable home for a wrecked pot starts this weekend.

Four

Blue skies and roses are perfect. This one is the climbing rose ‘James Galway’ which intertwines with the clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. The clematis is winning.

Five

Speaking of clematis, here is the wonderful seed head of an unknown variety. So intricately beautiful.

Six

Lastly the astrantia are in flower again. Quietly getting on with things, always enjoyable.

I’ll be splitting overcrowded plants, re-arranging and re-planting. As the veg plot empties out I move any un-homed plants into empty spaces while I work things out. There are more bulbs to plant and I must decide whether to plant more tulips this year. Here’s hoping your plans are going well. Jim is also embarking on new projects, specifically on his allotment. Amazingly he also finds time to host the SOS links. For which many thanks.

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: 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: Harvesting

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Back to the garden

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Midsummer madness

/ n20gardener / 12 Comments

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Things that go wrong

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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