Six on Saturday - 25 November 2023

Not much gardening has been possible this week, but when the rain stopped, and yesterday a little sun came out, it did raise my spirits.  When does winter start in the garden?  Is it some date, or is it when all the deciduous have fallen?  I appreciate that it is after Christmas than the real hard winter can come and cause havoc.  I am starting to feel that I need to garden in such a way that I am not worrying about moving heavy pots around or cover things to evade frosts etc.  The great thing is that each season we can review what went well and find new and different plantings that fit one's plans.  Last Saturday at the Somerset HPS our speaker was Timothy Walker and the talk called 'Bordering on Insanity'.  Timothy is a truly knowledgeable, entertaining and excellent communicator. This after I am going sit down with my notes and the plant list from his talk, and just see if there are plants I need to add to my plant list.  I will also no doubt gain insights and inspiration from this weekly get together that Jim hosts over on his blog 'Garden Ruminations', failing that it is just great to read about what other home gardeners are getting up through their comments and links.

1. There has definitely been a frost, this morning the nasturtiums were overtaken by the frost, even after lunch after they have had a little sun on them, they have not recovered. As it was getting dark yesterday and I went out to gather some parsley, I cut a few nasturtiums flowers and they are now on the window sill in the kitchen along with some Alstromeria which is growing in a large pot under the overhang by our front door.

2. The Salvia 'African Sky' is flowering again after a good cut back, and even this afternoon there are bumble bees visiting, which means they find nectar on the flowers still.

3. Just before we had our seating circle reset, I had to move a rather fetching Helianthemum.  For now it is growing in a spare corner, where I also planted some heel cuttings straight in the ground.  It will be interesting to see whether they will root there.  I also put some cuttings to root in a small circular pan, and I am happy to say almost all of them have taken.  Next Spring I'll position them around the garden.

Helianthemum Golden Queen rooted cuttings

4.  Since I believe they are frost hardy, I am placing the Auriculas out on the table.  I think they had suffered from far too much rain over the last few weeks, with some growing shoots rotting through the middle.  I've cut those back, and hopefully they will sprout again.  I've not done this before and I hope this pot will be O.K. I have two other large pots of the same variety, and I think next spring after flowering it will be time to divide down and get rid of the older plants since they are about six years old now.

5, The colour on Pear Beth looked lovely this morning, I'm enjoying this whilst it lasts as I think by Monday all the leaves will have fallen.

Bright leaves on Pear Beth

6.  The order from the Cyclamen Society came in this week, they must have been short on the coums this year, but I have instead received doubling up on No 50 and 117.  It may have been a slip of the hand by the packers or  a harvest failure, but by working out that it will be two less pots, who am I to raise a query? 

I can't remember how soon I sowed last year's seed but I have been able to grow them on all through this year, and they are doing well.

Who knows if I will have six to show next week.  I really didn't think I would have enough to show this week, but ideas and thoughts have been going through my head this week although not much has been happening gardening wise.