#tulips

Six On Saturday: Bits and pieces

/ n20gardener / 11 Comments

There is no doubt that the garden is moving along. This week’s cold winds, sleety snow and showers may have deterred me but things keep popping up in the garden. Here’s six things I found this week.

One

A miracle! I planted probably fifty of these a couple of years back and they have come to nought, except possibly they are fighting back. I have this one and potentially one or two more that might flower this year. Pheasant’s eye narcissus or Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus to be correct.

Two

A random tulip, one of a group that came free with an order of other tulips. Incredibly resilient, it has been re-flowering for about five years now.

Three

The white anemone blanda, a favourite of mine.

Four

Blown in on the wind? These violets have colonised the base of the vine. I’m very happy to see them in the garden.

Five

More of the fritillaries, this time in combination with a euphorbia and some ipheion or starflower.

Six

This really was blown in on the wind, from my neighbour’s garden. It almost dies but then rallies again. You can’t beat a free plant!

My gardening job this weekend is to finish off the rebuilding of the compost heap. It was a false economy to hope to reuse some of the old slats. They had warped and would not fit into the nice new posts. More had to be ordered and have just arrived. I have plenty of other jobs to do: more twiggy brown stuff to cut back and the dead heading of the tête-à-tête daffodils which are rapidly going over. The first mow took place last week and is waiting patiently to be moved to a compost bin. The clocks go forward this weekend. It must be Spring and Jim’s camellias still look good – take a look at Garden Ruminations. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: Tulips, daffodils and anemone blanda

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

Spring is truly getting underway. It’s the second day of astronomical Spring, which I prefer to use as the start of Spring gardening. More colour is creeping into the garden and I’m gradually working my way round cutting back the brown stems left over Winter. It’s all feeling good. Here’s six things from my walk around the garden today.

One

Anemone blanda mixing in with the primroses – the very essence of Spring.

Two

The first tulips to open here are always ‘Purissima’. These are planted in amongst the hellebores are have returned well over several years.

Three

These are closely followed by ‘World Friendship’.

Four

Then in an east facing spot, ‘Negrita’.

Five

Next to these are daffodil ‘Thalis’ much loved by me and the snails. I’ll share them now while I still have them.

Six

Lastly, back to the tulips. These are in a pot: tulipa cretica Hilde – the cretian tulip. Pink on the outside but opening up to creamy pink with yellow stamens. Very lovely. Should I move them into the border for next year or will they get lost. I’m pondering this question for all my pots of bulbs this year,

It’s time to feed the roses and with dry weather forecast until Tuesday I am hoping I can get it all done by then. I’ve sowed a few seeds, am I too early is the constant question. Tomato seeds are next on my list. I’m also trying to fit in a first cut of the lawn before the rain comes again. Monday is the day the compost bins are reconstructed so I have held off until there is a strong bin ready to take the grass cuttings. Here’s the link for Jim at Garden Ruminations if you want to see what other SOSers are up to. It’s a genial band of gardening folk. Jim is now a TV star with an appearance on Gardeners’ World last night. I hope to be watching it this afternoon.

Six On Saturday: Delightful daffodils

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

Confession: I had to get the winter hat out again. The winds have been cold but at least the weather has been a little drier. Here’s a quick look at the garden this week.

One

The narcissi in pots have opened up in the last few weeks. Here’s ‘White Petticoat’, a hoop variety.

Two

This one is ‘Toto’ according to my order and the label.

Three

This one is ‘Snipe’. Spot the difference. I’m sure there must be some but it’s hard to tell them apart. Perhaps Toto has a narrower corona.

Four

The short lived euphorbia oblongata lives on for another year, possibly eight years now.

Five

I had to include these tulips in bud, showing to much promise of things to come.

Six

This last one is a bit of a cheat. Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’, a cheat because it’s in my garden at the moment but will be heading off to my daughter’s garden along with a few other things that tempted me when I went to buy my compost. It’s that time of year.

No gardening for me today but I hope to be out there tomorrow, cutting back the stems of perennials and pulling a few weeds no doubt. I’ve got the potatoes chitting and my over-wintered perennials seedlings from last year have really picked up in the last few weeks. There a good feeling developing. Thank goodness for that. Don’t forget to check up on Jim’s news and see the other SOS blogs. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: More delights

/ n20gardener / 23 Comments

It’s a holiday weekend here and I have managed to keep two extra days for gardening! In reality this means two days of weeding, mostly. I can sometimes understand the non-gardener’s take on things. I do also have some seedlings and divisions to pot on. It’s not all bad. Here’s six good things from the garden this week.

One

The first camassias are out. They opened up last weekend which seems rather early but they are coinciding nicely with the euphorbia.

Two

There are more tulips to enjoy, these are at the shadier end of the garden and are a mixture of ‘Shirley’, ‘Barcelona’ and ‘Queen of Night’.

Three

The iberis is in full flow, cascading down a wall and there are one or two ‘Thalia’ narcissus in the background.

Four

I have my first asparagus spear, several of the later ones have been nibbled by the darling ones.

Five

The forget-me-nots have flooded the veg plot this year. I’ll have to been pretty quick to pull those up before they go to seed but for the moment they are a cheerful sight.

Six

I have one lone tulip ‘Cairo’ of about twenty I planted a couple of years back. It’s a lovely colour and I am tempted to add some more. I just have to accept that they don’t always stick around.

So it’s weeding and watering the pots for me. We had one good shower but that’s all and only light showers are forecast. I had a rest from my daughter’s gardening – avoiding the dismantling of the tree house but I did see that a mystery tree there is now in leaf and flower and is clearly a laburnum. Not one of my favourites but as I keep saying, it’s not my garden!

I’ll will be stopping by Jim’s garden this weekend to see what’s going on there and with the other SOS gardens. Wishing everyone a happy time in their gardening spaces.

Six On Saturday: Lift off

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

Some sunshine has really helped things along and all those empty spaces are beginning to disappear. I do now need a little bit of rain and the forecast of light showers will probably not suffice. But let’s enjoy what is shining through.

One

Plum blossom. Not much more to say really except that here I must give a shout out to Tony Tomeo who suggested Purple Leafed Plum for the tree in my daughter’s garden. He is right, it’s in blossom now and the bees are absolutely loving it. Our tree produces edible plums, my daughter’s is more ornamental.

Two

The first iris has unfurled. I divided these last year and the replanted sections are doing well here, but less well further up the garden. It’s a mystery as to why, but that’s gardening for you.

Three

These are pretty little flowers but there’s more leaf than flower. Ipheion uniflorum, or spring starflower. They can stay but I’m not overwhelmed!

Four

This is a favourite tulip of mine, Shirley. I planted a lovely mix of them with three other tulip varieties when I first moved to this garden, they have almost all disappeared now but an odd one pops up here and there.

Five

Apple blossom. Suddenly the garden looks bountiful again.

Six

The tree house from my daughter’s garden. It gets it’s marching orders next week. A substantial building, I’m sure it will be fun to dismantle. That’s one job I’m not volunteering for. This week it was decided that the Broom in front of the Purple Leafed Plum would have to go – even before it had flowered. Its removal did give the tree centre stage and it does look so much better.

On the seed growing front, it’s the usual mixture of success and non-starters. I keep my fingers crossed that some of the tardier seeds will catch up. The currants have been netted which is a big tick for a job done. Of course there’s weeding to do and tree seedlings to be battled against but all in all there’s a wave of positivity. Tune in to Jim’s Garden Ruminations to share in his garden and those of the other SOSers that post their links for us all to enjoy. Happy gardening to all.

Six On Saturday: First tulips

/ n20gardener / 10 Comments

Top amongst the exciting signs of new life are the first of the tulips. They are my favourite bulb plant, I forgive them for not always coming back, having a particular fondness for those that do. There are other encouraging signs: the dead looking ‘Hawksmoor’ fuchsia has the very first new leaves opening along the dead stems. More seeds have been sown and I have made a start of cutting back the hydrangeas. Here’s my six for the week.

One

Always the first tulip to open in this garden. The cheerful yellow of ‘World Friendship’ This one has been around for three or four years.

Two

In the east facing corner, this is…now which one is it. I think ‘Negrita’ but if not then it’s ‘Ronaldo’. I think Ronaldo is deeper in colour and later to flower.

Three

These are ‘Purissima’. they go completely mad in the sunshine, opening up to show off a yellow inside. They are planted to flower along with the hellebores and fritillaries. They have managed to coincide well this year.

Four

At a lower level, the muscari have opened up and after a couple of years in the garden are filling out well.

Five

I have to include this erythronium ‘White Beauty’ before it has fully opened. Mainly because it is so perfect but also because by next week the slugs may well have found it.

Six

I’ve include a photo from my daughter’s garden this week. The tree, so far unidentified, has some very close neighbours. Immediately in front is a broom and intertwined between the two is some other unknown shrub. Time will tell. The trailing wire in the background is electricity for a tree house! It’s time is nearly up.

Another afternoon was spent in my daughter’s garden, the feared bamboo-spread into the lawn seems to be a false alarm. But the culprit is a very wide leaved, fast growing grass. I’ve no idea what it is. That was strimmed again. Elsewhere bindweed was found and there is nothing like an afternoon spent digging out bindweed to wake up the gardening muscles. Fortunately there is not much in the borders to get in the way of the digging. Next week I must include a photo of the tree house before it is dismantled! There’s plenty going on in SOS host Jim’s garden, stop by and take a look. Happy gardening everyone.

Six On Saturday: Miniature tulips and daffodils

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

I had a few days away this week in Sussex where the primroses and daffodils were plentiful. Also in flower were the magnolias and leucojums. But I was smitten by several displays of delightful low growing tulips and daffodils. I’m forsaking my garden this week to share these dainty delights instead.

One

The first is the tulip ‘Hilde’, here in a mixed display.

Two

Next, in a pot of its own tulip turkistanica.

Three

Onto the narcissi. This one is ‘Snipe’, quite a familiar one, but not I think to be confused with ‘Jack Snipe’ which seems altogether different.

Four

This is one of the hoop narcissi, ‘White Petticoat’.

Five

Here’s a mixed display with ‘Toto’ at the front and the yellow on the left is narcissus cordubensis, not one I’m familiar with at all but it is truly delightful.

Six

Lastly, ‘April Tears’ which is the narcissus to the right of the pot in photo five.

I’ve made a shopping list and I will be planting out the purchases out in pots to be stylishly dotted around for next Spring’s display. I’m a itching with impatience!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the deviation from the rules. I’ll be back to my garden next week. In the meantime, visit the other SOS gardens via the links at Jim’s Garden Ruminations. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Things to come

/ n20gardener / 19 Comments

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

One

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

Two

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

Three

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

Four

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

Five

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

Six

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

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

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

Six On Saturday: Cold winds but progress is being made

/ n20gardener / 23 Comments

I was in Dorset for the best part of this week where the locals are quite hardy, shorts and flip flops were popular whilst I was wearing a hat and scarf. The sun did shine but the wind was cold there and so too on the return home. I felt a pang of sorrow for the plants that are emerging only to be blown about by icy blasts. Here’s my chilly six.

One

The camassias moved on to more flower just before I left and I shared this view on Twitter(X) and shamelessly share again. I had planted ‘Cairo’ tulips in amongst them but they have all failed to reappear this year. I was thinking of going again with a pinker tulip but then was tempted by the new season’s ‘Totally Tangerine’ geums that are appearing in the garden centres. Reliable and slug resistant, I may well stay with this choice and add a few more.

Two

Elsewhere other tulips are more reliable. This one is ‘Barcelona’. It has been in the garden for several years now, dwindling slowly but each survivor has such a beautiful shape. I may replant these.

Three

New to the garden this year is tulip ‘Maureen’. It is part of the gooseberry patch revamp. I have never grown such tall tulips, they are 83cms. The Peter Nyssen website gives a height of 60cms. They seem to be standing up well to the wind and I love the creamy yellow that opens into a white. Very elegant. This is classified as an heirloom tulip from the 1950s. It’s a winner this year. I think the old gooseberry patch must be in good shape soil wise.

Four

I have just a few wood anemones and every year say to myself I must add more. Of course they are a slug’s delight. But they have battled on.

Five

The weather may be cold but the garden is moving on at pace. The melica altisssima ‘Alba’ is glowing green in a dark north facing corner. It seeds prolifically and in it’s third or maybe fourth year I have the job of thinning out the unwanted seedlings. I’ll add that the endless task of pulling up sycamore seedlings then!

Six

Two years ago I dug out this end of the border to rid myself of bluebells. Churlish of me, and foolish. I wasn’t going to succeed there was I? This is the corner with the ailing daphne, so it is likely I will be digging through the border again soon. For the moment the bluebells stay and at least the bees enjoy them. Perhaps I can find a scheme that incorporates their early colour. The slugs have fun here too.

I have that ‘rabbit in the headlights’ feeling that comes with this time of year. The rain is encouraging most things to grow at double the pace. Weeds are romping away and the rose bushes look as though they have never been pruned. I am contemplating one last round of flower seed sowing and weeding will be a priority this weekend. Thank you for all the lovely suggestions of shrubs to grow. The scented ones are very appealing. For more SOS conversations please stop by our host Jim’s garden. Happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: Winning and losing

/ n20gardener / 17 Comments

I shouldn’t be so competitive with nature. But isn’t that the essence of gardening, trying to cultivate our little spaces into our dream places. My dream space is filled with fresh spring flowers, scented roses, glorious summer abundance gently fading into the warm hues of autumn, leading to the bare trees and swaying grasses of winter. Aah, perfection, which of course, we all know, is not possible.

This week I have laughed at the ‘disasters’ that have befallen my garden. I realised that my asparagus was being nibbled by the slimey ones as it broke through the soil. It is now sheltered by plastic bottles, not attractive but it seems to be effective and fulfils the three Rs. Elsewhere a self-seeded euphorbia wulfenii has curled up and died, no doubt the endless rain was just too much for it. Last week Fred mentioned that he had an ailing hebe. I have a daphne going the same way. I read that slugs and snails do not trouble with foxgloves, the hairy leaves being not quite to their taste. Here they have munched them with evident enjoyment, leaving only the the coarser ribs of the leaves for show. But these are small set backs when compared with the lush greeness that is emerging. Nature takes it’s course, but I rise to the challenge and find ways around these troubles. Here’s my six successes for the week.

One

It always difficult to decide when the camassias are at their best but I have chosen the first flowers, which opened last week, as a definite high point of the gardening week.

Two

‘Queen of Night’ tulip has opened up and joined the tulip festival. One of my favourites and reasonable as a returning flower.

Three

I have a habit of losing euphorbia wulfenii, and so I tried out a more damp loving variety – euphorbia palustris. It’s not as mighty a plant but so far it seems to be happier in my garden conditions. It should reach about 90cms. You can see the struggling wulfenii version in the background.

Four

I am celebrating this one flower of iris germanica. I have others in bud but the slimey ones seem to be winning here. They are puncturing the leaves with what I am positively going to describe as lacey holes and then biting through the stems just below the buds. But I am celebrating.

Five

The sun persuaded this pink tulip to fully open and take in the warmth. I empathised wholeheartedly.

Six

Apple blossom. Glorious, what more could you ask for?

I declare the result a win! Ignore those irritations and love the beautiful new growth. The weather is improving and like that pink tulip we can embrace it. Last week’s mystery was answered. It was a cherry laurel seedling kindly donated by a neighbouring garden. I have left one in place to see how it does.

I’m ready to plant out my red onions from their modules and I’ve sown a few more flower seeds. I bought a new plant which will either replace the daphne or the euphorbia. It’s a low growing weigela. I’m struggling now to resist buying another rose. My default purchase when I have space. I am challenging myself to be more imaginative so any suggestions for shrubs would be much appreciated. Have a great gardening weekend and do join Jim for his ruminations with the other SOSers.