#tulips

Six On Saturday: Cold winds but progress is being made

/ n20gardener / 22 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.

Six On Saturday: Slugastrous

/ n20gardener / 27 Comments

I have been able to spend more time in the garden, two days of dry weather was a long weekend bonus that was much appreciated. The chance to get close up to the borders was revelatory. I have reported tête-à-tête losses, followed by thalia. Now I add the buds of iris germanica, new shoots of delphiniums, holes in hellebores and anemone leaves, and, foolishly, freshly planted rocket seedlings. It’s enough to make you weep. I can say that the weeding that was accomplished revealed several of the culprits but I fear they are lurking everywhere. There have been one or two nibbles of tulips but it is these delights that feature this week. There’s also a bonus photo at the end, I need some help with identification and wonder if anyone or our esteemed host Jim can help out?

One

The bulb lasagne pots are just coming through. First to flower are ‘Finola’, a double pink and ‘Graceland’, a pinky white. There are two more varieties to follow.

Two

The yellow ‘World Friendship’ is just being joined by a creamy yellow triumph tulip ‘Nicholas Heyek’ and ‘White Triumphator’, a lily flowered tulip.

Three

The early flowering ‘Purissima’ have reached their going over point, speeded up no doubt by heavy rain and gusty winds. Definitely a sprawl of tulips now.

Four

These are the remains of a long border of tulips planted several years ago. Originally a mix of ‘Shirley’. ‘Queen of Night’, ‘Barcelona’ and ‘Violet Beauty’, only the first two remain, and the quantities are much diminished.

Five

A random collection of unknown tulips, a mix that came free with a bulb order some years ago. These are regular returners.

Six

This mix lines one of the veg beds. The first to come through and my favourite is the deep red which I believe is ‘Sarah Raven’.

I have more weeding to do and weeding of wet clay soil is no easy task. The onion sets I planted out in modules have sprung to life, as have seeds of echium ‘Blue Bedder’ (free with a magazine), basil, lettuce and my very late planted tomatoes. I did plant out the potatoes and they had a good watering in soon after. Storm Kathleen arrives later today but I hope to sow more seeds before that event. Wishing you a good gardening weekend, slugs and all!

Bonus Photo: If anyone can id this seedling I would be very grateful – Fred has suggested Camellia, What do you think Jim? I have several popping up in the garden.

Six On Saturday: Missed oportunities

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

Hallelujah! It’s a dry day here, or at least forecast to be. But can I make the most of it? No. There are other things to do today and I must hope that tomorrow stays dry too. The great dilemma is whether or not to plant the potatoes. The long range forecast is for more rain so I feel I might as well get on with it while it is dry. That’s tomorrow’s job. For today, here are six things from the garden.

One

The plum blossom quietly opened last weekend. It seemed to appear just after the photos for last week’s SOS were chosen. It looks like being a bumper crop this year.

Two

The relentless rain has had an amazing effect on these ‘Negrita’ tulips. I have never seen them so tall and strong. They have been in the ground for several years and have a done a good job of returning.

Three

The same cannot be said for narcissus poeticus ‘Actaea’. Undeniably beautiful but so few of the many I planted have shown up this year. Perhaps they will surprise me next year. I can be patient.

Four

Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’. This was another disappearing plant, succumbing to slugs in it’s first year but fighting back the next year. This started out in the garden as a one litre pot in 2021 and hasn’t really bulked up at all. But I am pleased that it seems to have dug in and hopefully it will become stronger over the next couple of years.

Five

A few weeks back I showed the bronzed foliage of the old leaves of an epimedium, promising that I would be cutting them back to reveal the new growth. No, wasn’t done, too much rain, didn’t have the time and so here it is again with flowers – epimedium x versicolor Sulphureum. As you can see, this week I have been checking my notes in order to bring you the full names.

Six

This is another of those plants I intended to have more of. Erythronium ‘White Beauty’, just opening. I decided to share this before the slugs get to it. Even with this downside I will put it on the ‘Do not forget to buy more of’ list.

Some gardening jobs were started last weekend, the pruning of the hydrangeas has begun, red onions were planted in sets and the greenhouse was swept out in preparation for seed sowing. The grass has been mown again, the lawn is definitely enjoying the warmth and rain. I am beginning to feel like a gardener again and a great feeling it is too! Join the other SOSers at Jim’s place and don’t hesitate to join in, everyone welcome.

Six On Saturday: Nearly there

/ n20gardener / 15 Comments

I’m just back from a few days in Italy and even that short break gave me the opportunity to see the garden with fresh eyes. The tulips are opening up and the green shoots seem to have doubled in size. There is much promise of things to come, but for the moment a cold wind blows. Here’s six from a chilly walk around the garden today.

One

Last week’s tulip buds have moved on a stage, ‘World Friendship’ seems to be a reliable returner and is a lovely warmer yellow colour.

Two

The muscari have also opened up that little bit more and this year have increased in quantity to give a good sized drift along the path.

Three

These are tulip ‘Purissima’ before they get to their overblown state. I planted them to complement the hellebores and this year they have just about coincided.

Four

Isn’t there always one thing that you said you would have more of next season and then you don’t buy any? Here’s mine: Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’. I think I am going to pick up some pots of flowering bulbs and drop them in where needed. More expensive, but I am sure I will forget again if I leave it until bulb buying season.

Five

Well, lookey here! Some thalia that the slugs haven’t found yet. Last week I said ‘no more’. Unfortunately fickle is my middle name. These are so lovely that I think I am going to be tempted again. Somebody save me from myself, please!

Six

I have been picking up stray primrose seedlings from around the garden and planting them in a corner to see what colour they are when in flower. I now have a Persian carpet of them. The plan was to move them into the appropriate spot in the garden according to their colours. I think I can be persuaded to leave them as they are.

The fig tree had a prune just before the departure for Italy. This annual task is to keep the height down and this year one of the lower branches was removed. It will make it harder to pick fruit but there will be less ducking when the lawn is mowed. This weekend I will try to give the roses a feed with some fish, bone and blood and then I will dither about whether it is time to cut back the hydrangeas. Two degrees overnight on Sunday may persuade me to leave it for one more week. I will also start to think about seed sowing. There’ll be many a relieved SOSer this week as it becomes easier to find six delights in the garden. Stop by Jim’s place to see the show. Happy gardening everyone.

Six On Saturday: Moody hues

/ n20gardener / 14 Comments

My gardening week has been one of great inactivity. When I had the time it rained, when I needed to be elsewhere the sun shone. It was warm sun which was a positive. My SOS walk around the garden was an equal mixture of good and bad. Here we go with six for this week.

One

The front garden magnolia is in flower. It was pruned, rather beautifully, last September. Not by me, by someone who knew what they were doing. I applaud his vision. The flowers have survived two torrential downpours. Today they enjoy a little sunshine.

Two

In the back garden the unpruned clematis montana ‘Apple Blossom’ is in full spate – as are many of the local brooks. Beautiful flowers and scent to enjoy.

Three

There has been much publicity this week which aims to encourage us gardeners to develop an understanding of slugs. I try my best, I really do. Do I accept that it is me who has to adapt? I certainly can’t persuade the munchers to leave my thalia daffs alone! I have not even seen these in flower. Decision made, I won’t be planting any more of these. What can I find to take their place I wonder.

Four

Also subject to the slime attack are these snake’s head fritillaries. At least I have had a moment to enjoy them!

Five

The simple and delightful white anemone blanda. Quite joyful in the sun.

Six

In the week fellow SOSer Graham, shared a photo of tulip ‘World Friendship’. Here are mine, at least a week behind but with so much promise that my moody hues are lifting.

Last weekend I did start the weeding, this weekend I begin the annual task of pulling out tree seedlings. Those I didn’t fully pull out last year have a more established stem which helps me despatch them more efficiently. While I do these hum drum tasks I will be close enough to the action to see the exciting new growth coming through. The Spring equinox approaches and all will be well! Jim ruminates and hosts our merry band as usual. Many thanks Jim and happy gardening to you all.

Six On Saturday: February ends with a frost

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

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: Slow out of the blocks

/ n20gardener / 9 Comments

I am indebted to Dan Pearson, the garden designer, for pointing out that February sees us halfway between the winter and the spring equinox, his post for the second of February is beautiful. My garden is not offering the same delights but it is full of promise. The garden is beginning to fill out again and I can see that I have been slow to tackle a few jobs. Nothing serious, nothing that can’t be caught up on, whenever the rain stops! Here’s my six for this week.

One

These hellebores really caught my eye this morning. The grey light seemed to work just perfectly with their colours. 

Two

Just a few pots of things waiting to be dropped into gaps. The bellis daisies were intended to go into pots for winter bedding but only a few made it. I’m hoping to finish that job off this weekend!

Three

I have absolutely no snowdrops left to show as the pigeons have eaten all the flowers. I think they are also working through the crocuses so I am snapping this little group while they are still here. 

Four

All sorts of plants are making their presence known, here is a group of day lilies but I’m not sure if there is something else growing alongside them, oh how easy it is to forget what is in the garden!

Five

I was taken back by the growth on the clematis. This one is storming away, while others are only just in bud. This is a job to tackle this weekend.

Six

I always regard this corner of the garden as a difficult one.  I should really find some interesting shrubs that will grow high enough to hide the fence and give winter interest. Instead I have a trachelospermum, a collection of tulips and one or two other bits and pieces. I think there is work to be done here, but in a couple of months it will be colourful. 

The lawn is squelchy and the borders soggy but at the moment it is dry so I plan to do a little more rose pruning from the paths and there are one or two grasses that need to be cut back as I can see green growth pushing through. Tomorrow I hope to pick up some seed potatoes from a local allotment shop. I may have been slow to start but now I must pick up a little speed. Out host, Jim is going all out on camellias this week and who can blame him? I hope the weather is just perfect for a little gardening time where ever you are this weekend.

Six on Saturday: Thank goodness

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

Storm Ciaran passed us by for which I am very grateful. There has, of course, been an almost continuous downpouring of rain but we did not catch the full force of the winds and I send heartfelt sympathy to those who were affected. Here the garden is sodden and the barest minimum of gardening has taken place. This has amounted to the odd dash out to push in a few more muscari armeniacum and allium ‘Purple Sensation’ into any space that looks promising. I have an empty border waiting patiently for some attention and I hope that Sunday might see a let up in the rain. I am very behind but here are six things from the garden this week.

One

Bulbs are very much on my mind at the moment. When the order arrived I had one of those ‘what was I thinking moments’. Where on earth am I going to find room for 60 tulips? It took a few days but then I remembered the plan is to plant up two large pots. I have time before these have to go in. The combination is ‘Finola’ a pink double, ‘Graceland’ a pinky white triumph, ‘Queen of Night’ the well known dark single and ‘Mount Tacoma’, which sounds very interesting : pinky green to start opening out to creamy white. I can’t wait.

Two

Now these are very late. They really should have gone in weeks ago. I’ll plant them as soon as I can and hope they don’t object.

Three

I’m also very late with these. I don’t buy yellow daffodils but every year my local garden centre offers a loyalty bonus of a free bag of daffodil bulbs. I usually pass them on to a friend but this year I am going to plant these up in pots … one day, when it stops raining.

Four

Picking up on the theme of filling in the gaps left by winter losses I have finally chosen the replacement for the pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’. I was holding out for some low growing hebes but these are not much hardier that the pittosporum so I suddenly took a diversion at the aforementioned garden centre to their display of sarcococca and chose three s. hookeriana var. humilis, a dwarf variety that should eventually fill the space and reach a height of 60cm. Just about right I think and hardy.

Five

On another diversion, this time in the garden, I spotted the heuchera ‘Grape Timeless’, at least I think that’s the variety. It is soldiering on unmoved by the conditions. I have a plan to divide it but each year I chicken out for fear of losing it. I’ll leave it alone and look out for some new plants to join for next year.

Six

The leaves are beginning to turn and in the front garden the cotoneaster is looking quite glorious in the rain.

I can see the night-time temperatures dropping in the week ahead so I will have to bring the fleece out and wrap the tender agapanthuses and the lemon tree. The lemon tree has put on a tremendous amount of growth this year and it is all looking fresh and tender. Just the thing for a cold winter! I hope it pulls through again. Perhaps it will get used to spending its winters outside. My pathetic attempts to grow dahlias will continue in as much as I will lift the three I bought this year and try again with them next year but I have made a vow that I will be keeping: no more money to be spent on new ones!

Jim hosts Six On Saturday with his usual aplomb so stop by and meet up with the rest of the gang. I hope everyone suffering with the wet conditions gets a dry spell to sort things out. Happy gardening.

Six On Saturday: Out goes cold May

/ n20gardener / 13 Comments

Shakespeare was right about the rough winds shaking the darling buds! It was a week of cold winds and those tomato plants that were looking terrible last week, look even worse now. I’ve written them off. Fortunately June has arrived and the garden fills up a little more each day. I have one or two end of May flowers that deserve a turn in the limelight before we get to full blown June. Here’s this week’s six.

One

I have a handful of irises in the garden. Sibirica, Germanica and Bearded but I this iris foetidissima is one of my favourites. It has such beautiful markings and a subtle colour. They can so easily be overlooked as they settle themselves into shady corners beneath the shrubs. They are presents from the birds who perch above.

Two

There have been sunny days, even as the cold winds blew and the hardy geraniums have opened. This is an unknown variety that smuggled itself in with a bulk buy of white ones. Some relocation was required when it first flowered!

Three

This gentle pink one is the bloody cranesbill, geranium sanguineum var. striatum. A low growing variety that I sneak into edges and corners as often as I can.

Four

A last aquilegia, ‘Lemon Sorbet’. This was planted in shade and has self seeded itself out into a little more sunshine. The plants always know best.

Five

Thalictrum ‘Black Stocking’, grows happily in a part shade area of the garden. It’s been here for about three years now and has filled out nicely.

Six

Have I saved the best until last? I was so impressed with this astrantia yesterday. It’s ‘Claret’, a wonderful colour but sadly not a self seeder. My fave of the week, nevertheless!

Summer is here. The bees are buzzing through the buttercups on the lawn and there’s already a scarcity of rain. For more Six On Saturday posts from gardens around the world take a quick trip to Jim’s Cornish garden and enjoy the delights on offer there. I wish you well in your garden this weekend.