#roses

Six On Saturday: Help!

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

Mid May madness has arrived. The combination of sun and rain has led to lush growth and the stronger plants are crowding out their neighbours. The slugs continue their onslaught, nothing is safe this year. A white form of the hardy geranium phaeum has been been munched. The potatoes need earthing up and the roses need deadheading. I’ve bought plants for the summer pots on the terrace. The weeds are thriving. I don’t know which way to turn first. The garden is calling out to me but other events are on the cards for this weekend. Here’s my six for this week.

One

Libertia grandiflora. A few years back I added four of these to the garden, confidently planting them in entirely the wrong place. Realising the error – not enough sun – I moved them two years ago, not really having the space elsewhere in the garden for four of them. They were squeezed in and fingers were crossed. They all settled into their new spots but this group is by far the most effective. I think there are two of them here. I realise now that I need to balance these up on the other side of the border and so, after flowering, one of the others is very likely to be on the move again.

Two

This is the rose ‘Gertrude Jekyll’. One of the first roses to be planted in the garden. It is a favourite but to honest until this year it wasn’t really packing a punch. This year it seems so much more floriferous, benefiting from the rain perhaps.

Three

Elsewhere the climbing rose ‘Blush Noisette’ has truly gotten away from me. My pruning has not been severe enough and it is falling away from the wall over into the border. It will look wonderful when all the buds open but I know it needs taking in hand. Here it is along side the rose Madame Isaac Péreire’, which has a fabulous scent.

Four

Here’s one of those plants that is crowding out its neighbours. Phlomis russeliana. I have already moved a hylotelephium and a dianthus carthusianorum. I think the geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ can hold its own.

Five

This is the third year of my asparagus planting and so it is time to start picking them. If only I can get to them before the slugs! There is a blurry half eaten stem just alongside this one which has miraculously escaped. It’s not a bountiful crop and I seem to be only able to pick one spear at a time. Two of the plants are barely productive. Let’s hope for more next year.

Six

I have a very large and very old rhododendron in the garden and way back at the beginning of Six On Saturday it was identified for me as a Ponticum, a common variety. This year it is having a wonderful time. But it still suffers from a poorer performing top half. I share with you the best bit of course!

I’m rushing off to the garden now to try to make an impact in the two hours I have available today. Earthing up I think is top of the list. I hope you find time to spend in your garden and to enjoy everything there (except the slugs). Happy gardening.

For more SOS links pop over to Jim’s Garden Ruminations. All the links are there.

Six On Saturday: almost in full voice

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

It’s tantalising, so nearly there, one more week surely and the garden will take a leap forward. I’m impatient and yet wanting things to slow down at the same time. The sun has some warmth but cold winds and rain suggest it’s not a wonderful Spring yet. Perhaps May will arrive with a burst of energy. I took inspiration for my subtitle from a poem by Philip Larkin The Trees. Well worth a read. Here’s six from the almost there garden.

One

I was tempted at the garden centre by this low growing weigela, called ‘Pink Poppet’. It could be a replacement for the dying daphne you can see in the top corner. It supposedly flowers from March to August and is ‘perfect for pollinators’. I hope it’s a no-nonsense space filler. I could do with a few more things that just get on with it!

Two

The first rose opened and was immediately drenched by overnight rain. One step forward…. The rose is Jacqueline du Pré. I will surely be revisiting this corner of the garden to share with you in May.

Three

Definitely in the ‘just getting on with it’ category, the reliable geranium phaeum. It’s spread itself enough here that it is time to move a few on to other shady spots in the garden.

Four

The tiarella is also in flower in a shady corner. This one is tiarella cordifolia, planted in 2021 in a dryish shady spot. It doesn’t flourish but it’s an inhospitable corner. It should be snuggled in with some hostas but those have been dug up and placed in pots in a vain attempt to save them from slugs.

Five

This is not the aforementioned hosta but another one, well established in a large pot – ‘Francee’. The new leaves are just unfurling and look wonderful. Vigilance is my motto and there are regular inspections for the slimey lurkers.

Six

Lastly a tale of woe from the fruit and veg patch. Before I left for Dorset I noticed flowers on the currants but I didn’t get round to netting them. The white currants have survived this unforgiveable negligence and fruit is forming. But sadly the red currants seem to be seriously depleted of flower. Picked off by pigeons is my bet. I’ll be netting both this morning. If the rain stops.

It looks like rain all day Sunday, which means that my weeds will grow even more luxurious. The tall ‘Maureen’ tulips have put on another 5 cms and seem amazingly resilient to the wind. I am planning to pot on tomato seedlings this weekend and that I can do even if it rains. Cucumber seeds have germinated and I have potted up rocket getting stronger before I risk offering them up to the slugs again. Flower seeds in a gappy and unheated greenhouse are going slow. I may sow again but keep them on a sunny window sill inside. Jim hosts all the SOS links and shares his own wonderful garden each week. Take a look and join in! And Enjoy your gardening space this weekend.

Six On Saturday: It’s the small things that count

/ n20gardener / 19 Comments

It has been a cold week here, down to -4.3 in the unheated greenhouse and frosts for several days. I didn’t see any magical sparkling photo opportunities which caused me to be a little despondent about what I could find in the garden this week. But so many small things caught my eye that I find I am able present another Six On Saturday.

One

The roses are putting out new growth, an encouraging reminder that the cycle continues even through the coldest moments.

Two

Euphorbia oblongata is looking as perky now as is does in Spring and Summer. I’ve had this for several years now even though it is often said be best grown as annual. Whisper that, I wouldn’t want to frighten it away!

Three

More buds are appearing on the hellebores. These ones self-seed themselves quite freely so I have quite a cluster developing.

Four

The viburnums are just beginning to come into flower, not quite covering the whole shrub yet, but it’s a start.

Five

The melica grass is ready for cutting back, new shoots are coming through. Here it is mixed with hydrangea ‘Limelight’ and self-seeded iris foetidissima all in the shelter of the rhododendron.

Six

Elsewhere other hydrangeas offer their brown winter colouring, the flower heads protecting the new buds of the next season’s growth and I have just spotted the first pairs, green gems in amongst the brown.

What a contrast next week will be. The warmer weather should encourage me to get out and cut back the autumn fruiting raspberries and make a start on the grasses. There’s a new storm coming in so it won’t be smooth all the way but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope you can enjoy your gardening too. Jim’s around as usual, hosting this little band. Take a look.

Six On Saturday: Cold!

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

It’s cold and next week will be colder. I have a cold. The garden meanwhile is growing. It’s always worth wrapping up and taking a quick tour round. Here’s my six for the week.

One

It never ceases to amaze me how early the buds on the clematis armandii form. So cheering to think that in about six weeks the first flowers might just be opening.

Two

The roses have put out new flowers through December and January but the wet weather has foiled their efforts to shine. Now these will be nipped by the cold. There is much new growth to be seen here too and the quick December prune back needs to be followed up by a thorough going over to take out thin and inward growing shoots. That’s a job for warmer days.

Three

I planted out phlomis this summer particularly for the structure of their seed heads in winter. There are one or two on display but I was surprised by how easily they can be knocked off. There’s been no real frost so far, perhaps next week’s cold spell with give them a chance to sparkle.

Four

The arum italicum has just begun to spread! After seven years of immaculate behaviour I spotted three more little outcrops of it. It grows in an inhospitable corner and so I will allow it a bit more room whilst heading the RHS advice ‘has the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well.’ I have been warned.

Five

The first flowers on the bergenia have appeared, they are nestling quietly in the folds of the giant leaves. A wise precaution I think.

Six

I spotted the goldfinches earlier this week having a snack on the verbena bonariensis seed heads, a sight to behold. Here, the late self-seeders are putting on new growth and I wonder if this hopeful spurt will survive the -4 degrees overnight that is forecast. 

I’m putting off my gardening jobs for another week, hoping that a warmer spell is coming. Don’t forget to stop by at Jim’s place for the SOS clan gathering. Happy gardening to those in the Southern hemisphere and keep warm to those in the North!

Six On Saturday: Looking forward

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

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

One

The first apple blossom is always a high point

Two

Roses filling the garden with flowers and scent.

Three

The herbaceous borders beginning to fill out.

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

Six On Saturday: Gardening, life and dahlias

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

Sometimes life gets in the way of gardening. Of late, small things have derailed my good intentions and the weather has poured cold water on any free-time plans. Gardening life has also thrown in a nasty with the discovery of honey fungus. This insidious fungus has been creeping through the borders unknown and unchecked for some time. For two or three years now I have been wondering why the established choisya and two skimmias have paled and ailed. Hot summers and cold wet winters offered possible causes for their gradual demise but this Autumn the honey fungus put out some mushrooms on an old tree stump and all became clear. The fungus is now probably wrapping itself round the rhododendron roots and if that one succumbs there will be a large gap in the garden to fill. In the meantime removal of the tree stump and cultivation of the ground is the advice. The rhizomes don’t survive once the infected source is removed. I hope I am in time to save the rhododendron. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Let’s get straight to the dahlias. I do not have a good relationship with them. The slugs come between us and I curse both pest and plant. But I lifted the three remaining dahlias with the intention of trying them in pots next year. The ground was wet and I left the tubers in the shed to dry out before wrapping them up for the winter. Needless to say they were forgotten, they did not dry out and of course have rotted. I have salvaged what I hope will be salvageable and will ensure these are dry before wrapping them in newspaper for the winter.

Two

It’s that time of year when I roll out two old favourites. I always think of fellow SOSer Off the Edge when I include this one. It is not her favourite plant – cotoneaster horizantalis. But it puts on a good show, provides food for the birds and I have grown to enjoy it.

Three

The leaves have fallen and revealed the fruits on the persimmon tree once again. There were so many fallen fruits this year but still there are plenty to go round. I am expecting the parakeets to arrive soon.

Four

I have yet to plant out the winter bedding and with the first frozen bird bath of the winter I know I must get my skates on. The pellies are putting out the odd flower and the bacopa goes on and on. But I will sort these pots out this weekend.

Five

With the threat of cold nights I did make wrapping the agapanthus a priority. These are the evergreen versions. I invested in some good quality fleece a couple of years back and I have managed to get another year out of it. A successful purchase. The lemon tree, which has no greenhouse to go now, has also been wrapped. It was 0.3 degrees last night. I live in hope!

Six

The roses have been putting out new flowers every week only to have them balled up by the rain. Somehow these two from the climber ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ have escaped and give a good deep red focal point on the collapsing rose arch. Here the light does not show the colour but I went for the drama of the silhouette!

It’s cold but dry and my gardening list is long: pots to sort out, tulips to be planted and still some cutting back of perennials to be completed. The leaves are piling up but I did manage to empty out last year’s leaf mould cage ready to start again for this winter. The season moves on and I have a few weeks more gardening to do before I can ease up. I hope everyone else is finding enough time to enjoy their green spaces. Today’s blue skies are cheering and it is about the right time for some winter cold!

Don’t forget to stop by at Garden Ruminations, where Jim host of this meme gently guides us through each week.

Six On Saturday: Autumn colours

/ n20gardener / 10 Comments

The golds, reds, oranges and yellows of Autumn are taking their turn in the garden. The leaves are spiralling to the ground and when the sun does shine the garden is glowing. Here’s my six for the week.

One

The climbing hydrangea is putting on a golden show over the gloomy fence and the black flower heads are providing an eye catching contrast to the leaves.

Two

Rose hips. Incomplete deadheading does have some rewards! I wish I’d left more. The rose grows in amongst a clematis and has a challenging position.

Three

The second crop of figs are just ripening. They are not so sweet though and many of them are quite small. I think I will leave them for the birds.

Four

The garden is throwing up mushrooms all over the place. These are growing out of some dead wood. Update: I’ve just looked this up and find that it is a honey fungus. I have work to do. It’s a horror.

Five

The hakonechloa macra that was green just a few weeks back has slipped gently into its autumn hues. I’m a fan of these, which means that I may be adding a few more. The old gooseberry patch is the number one spot for any new purchases.

Six

Just on the corner of the old gooseberry patch are a line of tiarellas. These largely go unnoticed as they are tucked away from the main garden. But they quietly get on with doing their thing in a shady spot and are still producing flowers. I must pay more attention to them.

Oh for a few more dry days. I have managed to plant more of the bulbs and only have tulips left to tackle, but there’s no rush for them. I do have tidying up tasks to complete and as the leaves have really begun to fall there is the leaf mould pile to start again. I feel Autumn curling round the garden and it’s a season to enjoy. I hope you are enjoying your garden and that Jim, our host, is too. You are invited to visit and find out how things are going.

Six On Saturday: Hanging on to Summer

/ n20gardener / 23 Comments

It’s a long weekend in the UK, the last weekend of August, the last weekend of Summer. What a thought! Here the roses are pushing out their second wave of flowers and look fantastic. I have neglected to share photos of the veg plot produce but it’s safe to say the courgettes are producing well. The cucumbers are still going and the Charlotte new potatoes were delicious. Last week I was muttering that the birds do not eat enough slugs. I looked into this and it seems that pigeons are vegetarians and that I need a crowd of blackbirds or starlings in the garden. Unfortunately I think the magpies keep them away. But magpies, I believe, are carnivorous. However, they seem to be attracted more to the grubs in the lawn. Oh well. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

We have been picking blackberries for a few weeks now and I have to say the taste has not been great this year. Perhaps too much rain and not enough sun.

Two

I don’t think I’ve ever posted this one before. Potentilla ‘Abbotswood’. I have a note that it was planted in 2019. It is in an inhospitable place in the front garden and has been slow to fill out. This year it is just beginning to beef up.

Three

Now these roses often get a look in. ‘Natasha Richardson’. They smell wonderful and are so generous with their flowering. Just perfect.

Four

The eurybia divaricata is in flower. It copes well with shade, so much so that I planted some self-seeders out in the shady dry corner of the front garden and they have survived the situation.

Five

I have roses to deadhead: Madame Isaac Pereire is a lovely colour with a wonderful scent but is in need of some tidying up today.

Six

Hurrah, another scented leaf pellie is in flower. Perhaps Summer can be extended for a few more weeks.

Just time for a quick update on the path project in the veg beds. A good discussion was had, the paths will be a mixture of Indian sandstone and clay pavers. In the newly paved area, there will be six beds of approx 1.2m x 2.8m. Which should be plenty for me. Now I have to be patient for my turn to come up for the work to start.

Don’t forget to stop by Jim’s garden for more Six On Saturday chat. Happy gardening everyone.

Six On Saturday: Lack of focus

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

It’s usually the photos that are out of focus. I hope this week’s pass muster: slightly breezy conditions, sun disappearing into clouds and human error all had to be battled with. But the real lack of focus was the attention given to the garden this week. I was lulled into a false sense of security by all the rain we have had lately. I forgot to check the pots and the result was frazzled mint, drying out bacopa and geraniums. Rescue arrived just in time and all seems to have recovered. The newly planted hibiscus also needed an extra can full of water, it’s roots have not yet made it down into the ground. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

I promise I am saying this for the last time. I will not be spending money on dahlias again. The three new ones bought this year have been stripped to the stems. This one is a real survivor. It was grown from seed last year, left in the ground overwinter and it miraculously survived. It has flowered superbly. It is at one of end of a raised bed, perhaps the several feet of oak sleepers have been deterrent enough, or the tasty lettuce leaves have been more tempting. This will be the only dahlia I grow for as long as it lasts.

Two

The apple trees had their Summer prune this week. When we first arrived here I asked the man from the apple juicing farm to come and reshape our trees. He did such a brilliant job of it that he now comes back every year. He tells me that the season is about three weeks behind. ‘The browner the pips the better the juice’ is the mantra. This tree is laden but one of the cox’s pippins has only one apple!

Three

Here’s the hibiscus before it’s water revival. Just in time I think. I bought a good sized plant to fill the space, there’s still plenty of room for it to spread out but it’s a start.

Four

The roses are making a comeback. This one is ‘Natasha Richardson’. Annoying in focus and there’s no hiding the need for some deadheading!

Five

I had a wonderful collection of echinacea pallida grown from seed that I launched off into the garden earlier this summer. Nah, mistake. The slugs got them. Not entirely to the ground so I hope there’s some hope. Here’s one that has been around for a couple of years now, looking suitably pallid.

Six

Well the slugs may well have kept their focus on the garden while I was distracted elsewhere. Although I wasn’t in the garden, I was thinking of it. The veg plot/paths project is slowly making progress. As you can see the paths are narrow. A contractor has been identified and he is coming next week for a site visit. Ruthless decisions continue to be made. The summer fruiting raspberries have been culled, the loganberries will join them next and then those gooseberries. I will have wide spacious paths along which I will elegantly waft, stooping now and then to pick glorious garden produce!

Here’s wishing everyone else well in their gardening. I have so much to do to finish the summer tidy up, more focus required. Jim, our host, never seems to lack focus. Stop by and be inspired.

Six on Saturday: Rethinking yet again

/ n20gardener / 15 Comments

Another year in this garden has been chalked up and another area of the garden has come under scrutiny. After some painful picking of the gooseberries a decision was reached. The netting and un-netting, the pruning, the gooseberry sawfly and the thorny harvesting which often results in more gooseberries than we need, has led to the decision to let the gooseberries go. That was decision one. Decision two was not to replace the greenhouse that was destroyed in a storm last winter. I was all set to invest in a shiny new one but my neighbour’s tree is still standing and the thought of a second storm hurling down branches on a new greenhouse was too painful to bear. I have one smaller greenhouse that serves well enough for seed growing and chilis. I am moving on and am now looking at re-organising the veg and fruit plot at the back of the garden. More to come, in the meantime here is six from the garden this week.

One

Last week I showed a echinacea ‘White Swan’ that had reverted to a purple form. Here is another patch of ‘White Swan’ also being invaded by a purple form. How interesting.

Two

This is my attempt to show the very delicate thalictrum delavayi which was grown from seed a few years ago. I have about three plants and they are just beginning to get to a good size in the garden. I hope you can spot it in amongst everything else.

Three

The apple crop is looking good this year. The June drop seems to have come in July, no doubt the blustery winds have helped with the thinning.

Four

The erigeron karvinskianus really suffered over the cold winter but it is tenacious here and those that held on have got going again and are reclaiming their territory.

Five

This photo of ‘James Galway’ climbing rose also sums up the weather this week. There’s not been much sunshine and the skies have been grey most of the week.

Six

I am so undecided about this one. It’s persicaria polymorpha. Billed as upright stems and suitable for semi-shade, I used it at the back of the garden in the hope of shielding the neighbour’s fence. It should reach two metres. This is the second year and it’s not made that height yet and so far it is being a little floppy. Less so this year though. I will give it another year, patience is not my strong point!

Over to Jim’s garden to see what he has on offer this weekend. Wishing you all a good gardening time whenever you can manage to get out there!