#penstemon

Six On Saturday: Sunny days

/ n20gardener / 12 Comments

Last week we celebrated ten years of being here. Ten year’s of gardening here. You’d think I’d have it all under control by now, but of course not. In fact, I have an urge to pull things out and re-think. There’s one border in particular (well two) that I keep looking at with a less than satisfactory feeling. Maybe come October I will have a plan. In the meantime here’s six from the garden.

One

Last week, day lilies were popular with fellow sixers. Surely this week it will be hollyhocks. Mine turn up in new colours every year. I like this red mixed in with verbena bonariensis

Two

I grabbed this shot of kniphofia to share this week as by next week it may well be gone. Now I just need the rose ‘Lady of Shallot’ situated nearby to put out some of it’s beautiful flowers again and my pink and orange corner will be complete.

Three

Penstemon ‘Garnet’. What a doer. I usually cut these back in April but then I read that cutting them by half in the Autumn and then again in April was the way to do it. I managed the Autumn cut but failed with the April one. Doesn’t seem to have hurt.

Four

Hebe gone mad. There used to be a space between the hebe and the hydrangea where irises, camassias and yet more verbena bonariensis grew. The hebe is having none of it. I’ll cut it back after flowering but I’m happy to let it have the width.

Five

The drumstick alliums are back. Much loved by bees and holding their own against marauding g.psilostemon .

Six

I left my scented leaf geraniums outside this winter. I can’t remember why. I had a few scraggy ends of some of them left but these pink capitatum survived quite well. Once all the dead bits were removed the new growth came through and now the flowers. These were my favourite of the the three varieties I had so I am happy.

Tell me to be quiet if you are tired of hearing that I’m way behind still. One thing that does seem to have come early is blight on the potatoes. I also discovered that the bitter taste I had with one or two cucumbers is down to heat stress. I hope the next batch are back to tasty normality. Jim continues to amaze with his gardening abundance. Take a look at Garden Ruminations and check in other SOSers – join in even! Happy Gardening.

Six On Saturday: Scorchio

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

I’ve just returned from a week on the Suffolk coast. It was hot but nothing like the temperatures that the garden here had to endure. I moved almost everything out of the greenhouse before I left and put the trays of plants in a shady spot. I didn’t move my tomato plants in pots to shady areas – a mistake. They have really suffered even though there was a midweek downpour. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

I took this photo last week just before leaving, knowing that the lilies would not be there on my return. So transient, their scent is wonderful on a June evening. I’m happy that I was able to enjoy them for a while.

Two

A week of hot temperatures and some rain has sent the garden into overdrive. The verbena bonariensis is soaring upwards. I remember smiling at a garden designer talking about how naturalistic planting was his aim. There’s no escaping naturalistic planting here as the self-seeders are the most successful things in the garden. The vbs just spread themselves around whereever they want.

Three

The day lilies opened in the week I was away. This, if I remember rightly, is ‘Golden Chimes’. They were one of the first plants to be added to the garden and I have been able to divide them over the years.

Four

I told myself that I did not need any new purchases this year. The garden was full. But then I looked from the kitchen window and discovered that I needed a white plant in the bottom right hand corner. It was dominated by geranium ‘Wargrave Pink’, another spreader that suits a naturalistic planting style. It was fate, of course, the garden centre had one penstemon ‘Apple Blossom’ left. I snapped it up, came home and dug up a clump of the ‘Wargrave Pink’ and in went the penstemon. It has survived its first week.

Five

More naturalistic planting. A collection of alchemilla mollis, g.psilostemon, and sisyrinchium. Uncontrollable!

Six

A week away and the grapevine doubled in size. There’s plenty of long stems that need cutting back to allow the grapes to have a chance of ripening. The first bunches are just appearing.

It’s too hot today for any gardening. Last night I tied in the tomatoes and cucumbers, it was exhausting. Maybe it’s time to find a shady corner and just sit back and enjoy everything. I hope you also get time to take it all in. Happy non-gardening to all. Jim is in full flow with his open garden days. Lucky us, we get to visit Garden Ruminations every week. This week my favourite is his stunning day lily. Stop by and enjoy.

Six On Saturday: Thoughts from a dry garden

/ n20gardener / 10 Comments

Another month without any significant rain. I am on the last of the stored water from a brief downpour a few weeks back. The stored water goes to watering pots and the veg patch. I pinched out all the tomatoes at two trusses in an attempt to get those that had formed to plump up on stingy water rations. I usually get a second crop of dwarf beans but I see no flowers forming. The self-seeded rocket is managing without water but in the flower garden things are going over fast. I’m watering those plants new to the garden last year. I resisted buying new for this summer for which I give myself a pat on the back. Here’s six things that are coping with the dry conditions.

One

I give myself another pat on the back for staking and pinching out the one dahlia I have in the garden. It’s a cactus variety grown from seed a few years back. It’s not been watered which I think has limited the flowers but here’s one that has done well.

Two

The hollyhocks are just about managing in the drought, here’s a pink one that has spread itself about, even over the fence to my neighbour’s garden.

Three

These dazzling geranium psilostemon were cut back to the ground about three weeks ago and have re-flowered superbly.

Four

The ‘Hawkshead’ fuchsia is just opening out. It seems to be settling in well after looking half dead in February.

Five

The penstemons were also cut back after the first flowering and have also rewarded the attention with a second flush of flowers. I think this one is ‘Garnet’ which doesn’t appear on my plant list. An oversight I think.

Six

The white veronicastrum is just beginning to go over but has done well without additional watering.

There’s still no hose pipe ban here but I aim to manage without using mains water for as long as I can. I’m happy it’s going to be dry again this weekend as we have family here and we can sit outside and survey the parched garden. Frozen fruit is defrosting for another summer pudding, there are not quite enough raspberries from our garden so extra has been bought in. Here’s hoping your gardens are doing well and that there is time to enjoy them. Jim’s garden looks impressively colourful and he has posted a link to a video of it as visitors to his open days experience it. Worth taking a look I think.

Six On Saturday: Busy times

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

It feels as though the garden is hurtling through it’s highlights this year. The white camassias, newly planted over the winter, were here one week and gone the next. I’ve managed to plant out strong seedlings of cosmos, cornflower, marigolds and poppies in the new new flowerbed but the phlox seedlings had barely any root system on them and have flopped and twisted. I should have added ‘not labelling’ plants to my list of careless gardening last week. These are a collection of self-seeders and candidates for relocation that I accumulated over the winter. Yes, it’s a Japanese anemone but is it the white or pink one? Thalictrum, yes but which variety? Geranium psilostemon or ‘Brookside’. Time will tell and spaces will be found. Here’s six for this week.

One

It has been a little wet this week, which has been a good thing. Here’s the rose ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’ after a shower. It struggled as a climber on a shady fence. Now it is wrapped around a wigwam of canes in a sunnier spot and this year has finally agreed to get on with growing well. I should have invested in a fancy obelisk for it. I apologise.

Two

The common astrantia major with its lovely pink tinges. Does self-seed and I welcome it.

Three

I said I would come back to phlomis once it was in flower. Here it is. We call it the Martian plant because it is a little weird. There is some blue geranium ‘Brookside’ coming through between the phlomis and the red rose which sort of eases the colour clash.

Four

The penstemons are in flower now, I remember buying this white one last year from a pity bench. It’s done well. I can’t remember the name and it is not on my fallible plant list.

Five

Another generous self-seeder. Lychnis coronaria. Silver leaf and magenta flowers.

Six

I’ll finish on a rose – ‘Natasha Richardson’, seems to be a healthy rose that just flowers and flowers. Scented too.

I managed to plant out some of the tomatoes last weekend but there’s more to do. I’m moving perennials from a holding bed into the new flowerbed and then the tomatoes and cucumbers will have a home. Thunderstorms and rain are forecast for today and I only have the morning free tomorrow. Time rushes on. I hope you find enough time for a moment or two in the garden this weekend. I’m sure Jim will as he has NGS open days coming up. All the SOS links can be found on Jim’s Garden Ruminations.

Six On Saturday: Olympian efforts

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Gardening has been hard work this week. The temperatures have been high at a time when the hardy geraniums needed their summer cutback. Once they were cleared a forest of willowherb seedlings were revealed. On the upside, the veg plot has been delivering cucumbers, courgettes, red onions and potatoes and, when I can get to them first, a second crop of strawberries from a later flowering variety. Blackberries have been picked and the autumn raspberries are beginning to flower. Today’s six was interrupted by rain. Not a satisfying downpour but fine, mizzley rain that will barely dampen the soil. Here’s a hasty six for the week.

One

An orange burst of a cactus dahlia. The only one I grow and I really don’t have much involvement with it. There was a slug attack as the new shoots came through but once it became established it just powered away. This year I pinched it out to keep the height lower to avoid having to stake. It shares a raised bed with the asparagus and so it is allowed to sprawl a little. Bronze medal.

Two

I cleared back some rampant verbena bonariensis to give space to other plants and this penstemon was a happy beneficiary. I think it is ‘White Bedder’.

Three

The hollyhocks seed themselves in all sorts of places. Here a pink one has combined with the pink rose ‘Wisley’.

Four

Another hollyhock, the darker ones are my favourites and I will collect seed and try to propagate this one. Silver medal.

Five

The magenta phlox could do with a heavy downpour and I have my fingers crossed for that this afternoon. If not I may have to resort to the hose. That will be the first use of the hose for the flower garden this year.

Six

Last week’s single bud on the clematis has opened. It’s gorgeous. Definitely worthy of gold.

I’m narrowing in on some plans for Autumn. New roses, hydrangeas and another miscanthus will be ordered. I’ve lost salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, all of them. But I’m going to try again in a different location. I am at that impatient stage when I want to get on with the new plans but I’ll have to settle and enjoy the new month first. Jim our host, has some wonderful plants to share this week, a never ending supply of colour and inspiration. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: February ends with a frost

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Cutting back in the borders continues when the weather allows and the heavy rain of this week did not allow for anything. This morning there was a crisp frost which the sun is now sending on its way. The perennials are pushing their way through and it will be interesting to see what has survived, at the moment I am a little nervous for the gaura lindheimeri. Maybe I should be growing these from seed as annuals. One to think about. Here’s six from this morning’s frosty survey of the garden.

One

The bronze foliage of last year’s epimedium leaves looking glossy after the frost. The green leaves of the new growth are coming through so the time is fast approaching for a cut back of the old growth before the flowers arrive.

Two

The first flowers on the clematis armandii have opened, the stems along the wall are packed with buds which will soon provide a wonderful display.

Three

There are no concerns for this penstemon, moved to this position last year and clearly flourishing. It seems hard to believe that all this growth will be cut back in April. I checked the RHS advice and see that they recommend a half way cut in the autumn, something I might consider for next year.

Four

The viburnum tree is underplanted with primulas and anemones which brighten up this corner of the garden. There is new growth on the aquilegias too.

Five

Tulips are popping up everywhere which presents a challenge when cutting back some of the perennials in the borders. These in pots, are protected by the wire cage from the squirrels who like to bury acorns here. There are three layers of tulips in the pot, the first time I have tried this method. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Six

I was too late too capture a frosted gem but here’s a euphorbia wulfenii to end on, gently warming up in some sunshine.

The seed potatoes should have arrived at my local allotment shop this weekend. I’ve been collecting egg boxes to chit them in so I’m raring to go. Sunday morning looks like being dry and I hope to be out in the garden doing one or two jobs but the borders are so wet that I will be limited to working from the paths. The grass could do with a cut but it is unlikely to be dry enough for that task. Jim poses an interesting question this week – how do we double or even triple up our growing spaces? Stop by Garden Ruminations for all the answers. Happy gardening SOSers.

Six On Saturday: Late flowerers

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September has flown by, pushed through on the back of some strong winds. Storm Agnes fortunately passed this garden by and the month has been benign. I have cleared the garden of courgettes and cucumbers. The chilis ripened to a wonderful red colour and as the plans to revamp the veg garden are still in hand, there will be no new planting here for me this year. The hydrangea quercifolia are now in their new positions and will be joined by some white tulips and white hellebores. I spent a great deal of time weighing up replacements for winter losses and a few weeks ago I had settled on osmanthus delavayi but having spotted it in a garden recently I am now going back to an earlier choice – fatsia japonica. I think I will hold firm on that one, but watch this space. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Some weeks ago I showed a plant rescued from the pity bench at a local supermarket. It was echinacea ‘Delicious Nougat’. Here it is in flower.

Two

I also have some flowers on a newly purchased penstemon which if my notes are to be believed is called ‘White’! I can’t argue really.

Three

The tough and reliable osteospermum are also in flower again after a quiet spell.

Four

And I couldn’t resist revisiting salvia ‘Nachtvlinder’. This has been in flower for some time but has suddenly become a real focal point and is always thronged with bees.

Five

Some weeks ago Jim, our host, showed some hylotelephium spectabile which had benefited from a timely Chelsea Chop. Here are mine which did not get the benefit of the chop. They fall in this interesting way as they grow out from a dark corner of the north facing border. How they came to settle in this spot happened well before my time and they are deeply entrenched in some walling and seem to be impossible to dig out. I’ll leave them be.

Six

I’m really scrabbling around for my last one and I’ve opted for a re-flowering of geranium psilostemon. It’s valiantly trying to fill the space where the fatsia japonica might end up.

Thank you to all who comment on these weekly posts. I didn’t manage to respond last week but I will be in touch soon. I hope all is well in your gardens and to find out about other SOS gardens stop by at Jim’s to find the links. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Those flowers keep coming

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Wilful nature

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Plan as I might nature always has the final say. This week a fond farewell was said to two box shrubs as caterpillars triumphed. White foxgloves have turned out to be purple. Salvia mainacht did not survive the mild winter and slugs have reduced the number of delphiniums this year. The result is gaps in the border and new planting opportunities. There are careful choices to be made. But there are still six things to enjoy in the June borders.

One

I stay with delphiniums in spite of the risk of slug demolition. Their stately spires are a sight to behold. My most slug resistant clump is one that came from a division from the family garden – Dad’s delphiniums. These are a mix of those and some grown from seed.

Two

The white foxgloves may be almost absent this year but the seeds of the Apricot foxgloves sown last year have come through to flowering and what a soft gentle apricot they are. I hope they can resist becoming muddied by the abundant purple foxgloves.

Three

Wilful nature loves to grow geraniums here. Several varieties self-seed with great generosity. This one is g.psilostomen which has appeared under the roses. Nature often knows best.

Four

This beautiful pink geranium is easy to divide and so there are several corners were its veined flowers give soft edges to the borders. This is geranium sanguineum var. striatum

Five

Nature has also decreed that the lovely daylily ‘Good Shepherd’ is on its way out. Gall midge struck last year. This year it looked so much healthier with a good showing of buds but the midge was lurking and within days the buds shrivelled and turned black. Those that did open are a shadow of the former selves. The advice is to pick of all the infested buds which I fear will leave me with none. Something else will have to be found to fill the space.

Six

So far the penstemons continue to reward without problems. This is a division of ‘Garnet’ (I think, or could it be ‘Firebird’) that I planted in a sunny spot. It’s looking fabulous although I may be in danger of overdoing the hot pinks here.

Nature has been sending in the squirrels to attempt to deconstruct the bird feeder and then to eat the unripe figs. Parakeets descended to take up where the squirrels failed. Fledgling goldfinches and blue tits came to feed but magpies have cruelly been taking baby birds from nests and the fox has appeared several times as I deadhead the roses. It’s all getting a bit much. A garden that looks so peaceful and tranquil is just jumping with action! But I guess that is what is so wonderful. It all takes place on the doorstep and keeps us on our toes. The veg patch has begun to deliver: lettuce and cucumbers and the first of the potatoes will be dug any day now. A sunny weekend beckons so I will be out again sharing ‘my space’ with who ever else is around.

Mr P shares his garden and the links to other SOS posts so stop by and enjoy more stories from June gardens. Have a fun weekend.

Six On Saturday: Flowers in the rain

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Returning to the garden after a week in Suffolk was not a pretty sight. The roses were brown or balled up, never going to open and the slugs had been feasting on the young dahlias and china asters. The ailing anemones looked so bad they were swiftly dug up and disposed of. I suspect some kind of wilt disease, the treatment suggested by one website was solarisation of the soil. If only there was some sun to reach into the shady spot were the anemones grew. It feels like that time when early summer moves into late summer. It’s only the first week of July. Whatever happened to mid summer? I think there’s still time for a few lazy sunny days. In the meantime here’s this weeks six.

One

On a happier note. Last year I bought an achillea ‘Terracotta’ which flowered yellow and was not to my liking. This year it has come true to its name and I like it much more.

Two

The astrantias are in full flow now. These are ‘Roma’ which are self seeding. There will be some ruthless thinning at the end of summer.

Three

The hydrangeas seemed late into flower this year but they have come good in the last week or so and of course are happy with the rain. I resisted cutting them back in March, probably not doing it until late April as the weather was so unpredictable. These are variety unknown, a happy inheritance from the previous owner.

Four

It’s definitely a sign that summer is moving on when the penstemons start to flower. These are ‘Sour Grapes’.

Five

The clematis has been colonised by black fly this year but is flowering well. I have spotted several ladybird larvae on the plants so I hope they have been feasting away. There are hundreds of black fly on offer.

Six

A rose to end with. ‘Scepter’d Isle’. After a serious round of dead heading I was very happy to see that some blooms remained to enjoy a few days sun before the rain arrived again.

It’s a gloomy day here so I will have draw on memories of a week by the sea with two gloriously sunny days, a couple of windswept walks and fish and chips – the perfect British holiday. Now it’s back to some gardening – so much more deadheading of roses to be done. One of the plum trees is for the chop – this week or by the end of the month and, fool that I am, I will sow some more carrots – so far only a paltry few have germinated. Enjoy your gardening this week, drop by The Propagator’s place to see the links to all the other SOS posts, and of course there is some sport to be watched.