#roses

Six On Saturday: Bizarre

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

The garden has a topsy turvy feel to it. There have been swarms of ladybirds this week. The clematis is in flower again as is the hebe that I had carefully deadheaded for the winter. There have also been misty mornings and the leaves are turning. Here’s six things from the garden this week.

One

The leaves on the persimmon tree are turning beautifully shades of red. They don’t last long before they fall to the ground. This is the cue for starting up this season’s leaf mould heap.

Two

Last season’s leaf mould did not go very far. I decided to cardboard over one bed in the veg patch and use the leaf mould to cover the top. Since achieving this neat finish the foxes have had fun and have dug down to find the cardboard and have shredded it. I reburied it all again. I can see this could go on!

Three

The hydrangeas are really putting on a great autumn display, the colour deepens every week and this week the re-flowering geranium psilostemon clashes rather well.

Four

The heavy dew has left delicate edges on the scented pelargoniums. A visit from the greenhouse retailer confirmed that I will be without a greenhouse until January. Now what am I going to do with eight pots of tender pellies? I’ll be squeezing some into the shed and hoping.

Five

The climbing hydrangea on the north facing fence is putting on a show of yellow leaves. This is the border that is severely infested with cinquefoil. It is my last job to start, one I have been putting off I admit. It’s a thankless task but I will try to dig through the border and remove as much as I can.

Six

There always seems to be a rose having a go at bringing back summer. This one is ‘Lady of Shalott’. It hasn’t really settled into this spot but it is doing well enough that I will leave well alone.

I moved an hydrangea into the spot vacated by r. ‘Darcey Bussell’ and that confirmed that another one of the Darceys will have to go too. That might tip me into removing the last one as well. I have some veronicastrum waiting for a new home and this could be the space. A few leucojum bulbs have been bought and the camassias were found and planted out. the leucojums have gone into pots until I can see where the gaps are in the borders. I’m beginning to feel on top of things again. The clocks go back this weekend, time to start thinking of tulips pots.

Enjoy the autumn season, there’s still plenty to see in Jim’s Garden and of course he has all the links to other SOS posts. Happy Gardening.

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: Welcome home

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

We’re back from a short break in Cornwall. It’s a long way to go for a short break but we were seeing friends which made it worthwhile. The garden looked after itself quite well. It’s still very dry but the flowers made a special welcome home effort. Here’s six things from the garden this week.

One

Most pleasing were the seed heads on the hakonechloa macra. It’s a great plant but I did laugh when I looked it up to check the spelling – ‘lends a Japanese air to planting groups’ – I must be getting my planting groups wrong.

Two

I also liked the just unfurling bud of an unknown climbing rose. The picture does not do it justice but it looked so bright amongst the verbena bonariensis. The yellow leaves are probably a result of the dry conditions against the wall. Looks like watering will be on the agenda for the weekend.

Three

Darcey Bussell had also turned out to greet me. Which is a little bit of shame as I have pretty much decided to give her up in favour of a group of white roses that are not so prone to blackspot. Poor Darcey is very defoliated at this time of year.

Four

I think this is a first for me, the first time the geums have put on a decent second half of the year show. With a little more watering they would probably look sumptuous.

Five

I don’t think I’ve shared the osteospermum this year. Doggedly getting on with things and always popping out a new flower. They can be a little riotous here though.

Six

The unknown clematis which managed one bud a little while ago seems to have flourished in the last week and there are several flowers now, enough to call it a good display.

It’s all a bit scruffy here at the moment. Some decent rainfall might lift a few things and the hedges are ready for a good cut back. The grass needs mowing and the ivy needs a trim. I’d better get going and do some jobs. Jim is hosting as usual and once again has plenty to share with the SOS crowd. Envious, me? Not at all. Happy gardening to everyone.

Six On Saturday: Cutting back

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

I had a mad gardening day yesterday. I was suddenly enthused and set about cutting back the shabbiness of summer. I had to get a hold of the alchemilla mollis before it seeded everywhere. I was probably a little late there! I also tackled some of the apple trees. In past years I have had a visit from a delightful man who is an apple tree pruning wizard, using battery operated secateurs he whizzes through the branches bringing lightness and freshness everywhere. Unfortunately he is having a difficult time health wise at the moment and cannot work. I really wish him well. I went back to the RHS apple pruning advice and took out my trusty Felcos. But directions to main stems, laterals and sub-laterals, take back to three leaves, take back to one leaf left my head spinning and all I did was reduce any length over 20cms to a promising leaf. I hope I haven’t ruined the work of years. Here’s my six for this last week of August.

One

Well, lookey here. I thought the slimey ones had munched all my rudbeckia earlier in the season but a couple managed to survive and flower. To think I was admonishing these last year for running all over the place. Now I say ‘All power to you!’

Two

I am also grateful to the roses for putting on another flush. First up: Gertrude Jekyll, which had sent up two long suckers. These were quickly nipped out with the Felcos once again.

Three

This one is Madame Isaac Péreire. Described by the RHS as ‘almost continually in flower all summer’ and I can back that up. It does get to 2m but so far I have kept it lower growing. I’m thinking I might let it loose for next year.

Four

The last of the roses, is ‘Scepter’d Isle’. This is one I have let grow tall, reaching to about 1.2m. It makes me realise how tall Mdme IP will be if it really does reach 2m.

Five

There’s some seed collecting to be done. This lychnis coronaria doesn’t get dead-headed very often but is still putting out new flowers. Maybe those Felcos will be out again for a little tidying up here too.

Six

Lastly, and as I am on the topic of seeds. Here’s some nicotiana ‘Lime Green’. They come to me courtesy of the compost heap contents that were spread over the veg patch earlier in the year. The heap is three years old. I never know what surprises it will deliver but this was quite a good one, mixing in with the tomatoes.

September is arriving, Northern and Southern hemispheres move in different directions. Here autumn begins to settle in. It’s far too dry to do anything useful in the garden yet but I have itchy fingers. Seeds, bulbs, new plants are all encouraging me to get going again. I can’t wait. Jim, as always, hosts our SOS meme so do stop by, take a look, join in and enjoy your 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: Olympian efforts

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

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: 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: Unexpected gardening opportunities

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

It’s been an eventful week here. My neighbours to one side repaired a fence. This gave me an opportunity to go through the border and dig up the ever spreading bluebells – as best I could. I now have a tidy looking border waiting for some new additions. It’s a dry shady area which will challenge my planting ideas. My neighbours to the other side had a hawthorn tree from a neighbouring garden fall into theirs and then on Friday, a blustery day here, their horse chestnut tree lost a limb and fell into their garden across the fence line with ours. I can’t tell you how relieved I was that it missed our remaining greenhouse. It is quite possible that this side of the garden may now benefit from a little more sunshine. If only there was some to sunshine to enjoy.

One

The horse chestnut which elegantly draped itself along the fence. My poor neighbour now has two lots of trees to deal with but all is in hand and perhaps we will both benefit from a little less shade. Although we do both enjoy the screening of the gardens that the trees offer.

Two

The clematis have really begun to open up this week. You may remember I bought two obelisks to replace the rose arch, intending that the clematis would entwine itself around these supports and add height to this space. The slugs had other ideas and both clematis in that area were munched to the ground. Elsewhere, there was a little more success. This one is ‘Etoile Violette’.

Three

This one, such a beautiful colour, is ‘Madame Julia Correvon’, another vitticella type. It’s there to weave in among the ‘Blush Noisette’ roses which it is just beginning to do.

Four

The plant focus here is intended to be the sisyrinchium, The psilostemon has self-seeded into this border and I’m not sure I can cope with the colour combination! There may be some relocation on the cards.

Five

Balancing self-seeders with other planting is a challenge here. This is another one that always finds a place to settle into. Iris foetidissima. I like it and it does fill a shady corner – maybe I can move some to the old blue bell patch?

Six

A rose to finish on. It is ‘Lady of Shalott. This looks absolutely beautiful but in truth is probably having a battle with surrounding planting in an effort to become fully established. I will be nurturing it.

June, heh? It is quite cold here this morning but there is promise of some sunshine later. It would help us all enjoy things a little more. But the summer bedding is in the pots, the scented leaf pellies have been re-potted and I did risk planting out some seedlings. I am still keeping my tomato plants in the greenhouse but they will have to go out soon. Courgettes and cucumbers are also waiting for a little more warmth before they are moved outside. Wishing you all time to enjoy the garden this weekend and time to stop by Jim’s garden in Cornwall for the SOS links and Jim’s own garden ruminations.

Six On Saturday: Trials and tribulations

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

There has been an attack on free speech in the N20 household. I have been restricted to “two or three mentions” of the slug word per day. I am hoping that this is my safe space and I that I can fully rant at length about the slimy munchers and you won’t take too much offence. So here goes, and then I will shut up. After a day and half of continual rain even the slugs decided it was too much and invaded the greenhouse where they took the express elevator up the damp glass to the top floor where the tomato plants were thriving. Fortunately only one loss there. The coffee grounds placed around the onions were only a temporary deterrent, and soon the onions came under attack once more. Slugs are also eating the potatoes stems. The beer traps have caught two. Two! As you can imagine that is not a great impact. I could go on, and on. But even I am becoming a little bored by the whole thing. In amongst all this there are some positives and I am back singing the praises of roses and their scent.

One

This ‘Darcy Bussell’, which last year was having a battle with black spot. This year the rain seems to have encouraged a mass of flowers.

Two

‘Scepter’d Isle’ has a wonderful scent and is always a reliable flowerer.

Three

I visit again ‘Blush Noisette’ the myriad of buds are now rushing to open and its fabulous scent fills the evening air. The David Austin notes describe it as having ‘a rich musky clove fragrance.’

Four

This just about to unfurl bud is ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’. It is a climbing rose and used to cover the rose arch. I am not entirely convinced by rose arches, the roses on the top do well but the sides seem to suffer. Our arch rotted away and so was removed last winter. ‘Tess’ was moved to a wall and is putting in a remarkable effort to re-establish itself. The long stem that was bare up the side of the rose arch has just put out at least half a dozen new buds, which may or may not make it to flowers this year. Watch this space.

Five

Elsewhere the hardy geranium ‘Kashmir White’ has opened up. I do like this one and it could be ready for a division this year.

Six

The foxgloves have been severely munched (there I go again) but one or two have made it to flowering. Excuse the blurry astrantia, more from those next week.

It has been a strange May. The greenhouse does not seem to have been consistently warm, it’s either cold and wet or very hot. The cosmos seedlings are really slow growing. In the border my white alliums, ‘Mount Everest’, had their stems stripped of the green and the flower heads are much smaller. They are almost over without making the impact they usually do. On the positive side courgette seeds were sown about two weeks ago and have germinated, even the very old seeds that I decided to use up. I can’t imagine when I will be foolish enough to plant them out!

Thank you for listening to the rant. I’ve more time this weekend and it’s a long one. Dead-heading roses is top of the to do list and I spotted some tulips that need to be dealt with too. Happy gardening everyone. Jim as usual hosts and share his garden with us all at Garden Ruminations.