Saturday 5 October 2019

Six on Saturday - 5 October 2019

In a week that has seen heavy downpours and glorious autumn light, it has been a joy to get out into the garden, and work on tasks that must be completed before the winter sets in, as well as stop to observe the subtle day to day changes.

(1) A plant that has performed right up to its reputation is this Chrysanthemum Dixter Orange Completely hardy.  Its leaves are a wonderful strong green colour, and so far it has been untouched by any insects and is free from mildew, without any intervention. Intervention these days in my garden means a squishing of slugs or caterpillars on the worst affected of plants.


(2)  A little clump of self seeded nasturtium has been a source of young leaves and flowers for salads, as well as late season eye catcher or the other side of the border, wanting to join the other herbs so scrambling through the lower branches of the rosemary.


(3) Another little splash of yellow brightness is Rudbekia Goldstrum.  During the hot dry weather it seemed to go into 'dormancy', and in reality I had decided to remove it and set it going in another part of the garden.  It got some watering to soften the earth ready for this, and suddenly put on a spurt.  Following on from the rain, it is flowering nicely: a very late performer.  It is still probably due for relocation, but in the meantime......


(4) Late to make its mark this year is Fuchsia microphyllia  subsp hemsleyana 'Silver Lining'.  This is a fine leaved plant with a delicate silver metallic sheen on its leaves, and the smallest of magenta blooms.   It is sometimes described as being half hardy, so I shall be sure to mulch it well.  It emerged from its central crown late, so is the ideal succession plant in the Acer bed.  It has a gentle open shape with low growing red stems: this is all this year's growth



(5) Just in front is Cyclamen hederifolium silver leaf form. It is now in full flower, and throughout the long winter this will form a pool of 'light' in that bed.


(6) Finally a view of the Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii. Its whirls of summer green leaves are changing in anticipation of the winter.  This year the plant was helped by having its 'runners' pinned down and a top dressing  of grit and leafmould applied.  It is at the edge of the Acer bed, with shade for part of the day.  As the winter approaches, it is developing the hairy central boss, which becomes an interesting feature as it turns more silver.  



Earlier this year the little pink flowers held on short stems above its woolly leaves stood out along the edge of the path.


12 comments:

  1. These are lovely thank you. That pale lavender cyclamen is really stunning.

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  2. So many choice plants! The Cyclamen is a stunner, I planted one or two similar ones last year which are back but not thriving. Does it set seed? The Androsace is a cracker too, I generally assume Cornwall is too warm and wet for most choice alpines and don't even try. We have grow a microphylla type Fuchsia called 'Marlies de Kejzer' which has silvery leaves; I nearly bought 'Silver Lining' last year just to see what the difference was.

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    1. Thanks Jim, a compliment indeed from a great gardener as you. Yes it seeds...I used to have them seed in my gravel path at the previous garden which got covered from time to time with falling conifer debris. Brought some tiny corms to start off here. I have just been outside and found a few newly emerging first year germinated seeds. Will keep an eye on them. I have various other cyclamen in the garden and am not sure just how much they hybridize. Let me know if you would like some mature seed pods when they ready next year. All last season's seem to have melted away. I read that Androsace likes it a little less sunny..mine is in part shade in a very sheltered garden, but in a well drained indeed 'dry' area very close to the cyclamen.

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  3. I'm with the others on the cyclamen. It's lovely. The Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii is rather nice too, both flowers and leaves.

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  4. This Androsace is really beautiful! I didn't know it, but I
      could add it to my garden indeed.. Nice Six

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    1. It is a little gem. I bought it from my favourite supplier, as I loved its whorls of leaves...then when it flowered, I knew I had made the right decision. Hope you manage to find it Fred.

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  5. And yet another reader impressed w/your cyclamen, but that photo of the nasturtium isn't too shabby either. Several plants, like your rudbekia, didn't like the dry spell this year & postponed their blooming. What're the differing conditions in the place you want to move it?

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    1. The main reason for moving it is that I thought I could put something better between the fuchsia and the Aster which would not add that patch of yellow at just the wrong time. I seem to be in the habit of moving things!

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  6. Now then, I'm completely taken with the silver leafed form cyclamen hederafolium. Never see that but will now seek it out...

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    1. Oh Katharine...beware the thrill of cyclamen spotting. May I suggest you spot them in your friends gardens locally...then go back mid summer and collect some of the little seed capsules, then spread sow them in various positions in your garden. That was how I started...then I visited Ashwood Nurseries: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2019/02/cyclamen-coum-and-cyclamen-hederifolium.html Hayden there is very knowledgeable and worth seeking out.

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  7. Wow that cyclamen is fab! I must investigate some good garden crysanths, I could do with some more late colour.

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    1. If I had more room, I would be trialing more, I shall have to find one or two over the next couple of years...now that has inspired me to try one where the rudbekia are...a pink to mauve one would do nicely there, or maybe a white.

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