Scilla Hughii tops the bill for Six on Saturday - 27 April 2024

Its been a fairly reasonable week and I've enjoyed a couple of sessions of gardening. For more gardening blogs of Sixes this Saturday, you don't have to go far, but start with Jim's anchoring post.

1. Scilla Hughii is looking absolutely full of itself in the sunshine, but I guess it is wondering why the temperatures have dropped so much over the last nights. I've only had it a short time and there was only a suggestion of flower spike when I bought the plant on a visit to Broadleigh Gardens.

2. It is only because I almost had my nose in this Canary Bird Rose, that I spotted this very small lady bird.  I had to look it up.  It is the 14-Spotted Ladybird.

I continue to be delighted by this rose bush, which has many more flowers now open.

We seem to have many more ladybirds than last year, and I shall be looking out for different ones. There seems to be even more in the front garden, and as the roses are in the back, I may be collecting a few of those and relocating them.

3. I lost one pulsatilla last year, probably because I cut it back hard during the summer. I just thought that they would survive that and return in the spring.  Luckily I only did that with one of the four I had.  The first in flower in this lovely little purple one by the seating circle.

4. The soft pale lilac flowers of Geranium 'Beth Chatto' light up this border edge by the stepping stones down the side of the shady border, though that side does get the sun until about two o'clock.

5. As I peruse the online catalogues, I am looking forward to adding a few different auricula's already, but I shall have to wait until they become available again before ordering. Here are a couple more from the shelf.  As the early flowerers go over, I move them to the shady wall where they will see out the summer.

Primula auricula Two Steeples

Primula auricula Chelsea Bridge

6. Last week Fred asked whether the pot I showed came with the holes ready made.  

Yes they do, and I am lucky to have three of them.  The oldest fern in the middle pot has about four crowns. I met up with Penny many years ago, as she came to collect our phone system from our home offered through Freecycle, and the rest was a lovely friendship until her untimely death. One day Penny brought me a lovely pot which she had come across at the recycling centre she volunteered at.  After my appreciation she managed to find another two and brought them to me.  They had been used, but were in excellent condition and to date have not suffered any damage from frost etc. I have never seen any like those since. The ferns were ones which just grew themselves  in the garden, and were  moved it as a very small plant.  Later two more were found and makes up this trio, one of the top five of my garden treasures. They have been growing in those pots undisturbed for just over ten years. I was looking for the name of a small fern plant and came across an article by Jack Wallington on how to grow ferns from spores, which I shall try and have a go at later this year.

Pumpkin Soup

 I last made this soup for our book club, and had frozen half of the roasted pumpkin.  I'm using up stuff from the freezer and it was easy to turn and remake the soup, since I had printed out the recipe and it was floating around the kitchen drawer. 

This is before the Spiced Pumpkin and coconut soup has been whizzed and had the coconut added. I'm simply posting this here as I find it easy to use my own blog as a repository for when I have pumpkins to use up. 

Soup is one of those lunches that are so easy, and just right for a coolish day like today.  This week's daily loaf is a sourdough seeded half wholemeal loaf which will suit this very well.

Clematis In a Vase on Monday

Here we are again on a Monday, and it is time for In a Vase on Monday, a weekly gathering of people who enjoy arranging things from their garden, created and hosted by Cathy.

Where I listened to Charles Chesshire as his gave his lecture at my gardening club last week, there was something he said which has come back to me again and again since that time, which was 'you have to decide what not to grow'.  As one who loves plants and lots of them, and one whose space is limited, I have found that to be worth hanging onto.  I am a neophile by tendency in many aspects, and I do realise this must be kept under control.  We can't keep all and still have room to breath.  

This dawned on my this morning as I was plunging some pots into water to clean out,  I noticed just within a few metres sufficient, and for today chose to limit myself to this small space.

The clematis in flower and bud is Clematis montana Warwickshire Rose, and the seed heads are from Clematis alpina Blue Dancer. Down in the shade are a few Lily of the Valley, and the variegated ivy grows on the fence. The whole little arrangement is small and I arranged the material in my hand a little like one would do for a corsage and used a little green raffia to achieve a small arrangement which would not shift in the vase.

From a small garden -Six on Saturday 20 April 2024

We have had glorious sunshine, with cooler temperatures towards this weekend, just the best sort of weather this time of year.  As usual a band of us, and you too may join with six things on Saturday from our gardens, under the garden awning that is Jim's weekly post.

On the garden shelf it is the turn for a week or two for the Primula auriculas to strut their stuff. I used to have a few and last year restarted acquiring a few to add to my remaining Auricula Nessun Dorma

1. Welcome to my small garden is Primula auricula 'Old Irish Scented'.  Although a 'garden auricula' I have chosen to keep it as a pot plant.  The petals are described as having golden frilly edges and it has a 'white eye'.  This is one of the plants from a batch I ordered last year from Hillview Hardy Plants. 

 

2. Another new yellow is a double.  This is my first double and is a pretty frilly yellow bloomer. However I think for now I much prefer the single auriculas. This one is Primula auricula Sarah Millington.  

3. Wednesday's talk at our Henton Gardening Club was given by Charles Chesshire on designing with Peonies and Roses.  I must really go through my notes and look up some of the plants he mentioned.  However I did pick up a tip, which I put into action the very next day, when I moved an Echinacea purpurea Magnus which I had placed such that although the flowers would be in full sun, but the rosette of leaves was not.  I said 'sorry' to the plant, and as it survived the wet winter, I hope it will be far happier in its new sunny position.  

At the meeting we were also able to choose a free plug plant to grow on for a little competition later in the year.  I passed on the petunia and the fuchsia and choose a Geranium 'New Century Salmon'. At the end of the evening it seemed as if this had not been a popular selection, so I nonchalantly offered to take the rest should they not be chosen.  I offered to buy the remainder. Yesterday our Treasurer Caroline turned up with a further 12 plants.  I shall probably offer several to friends in our WI 'Bloomin Fun' group to grow on.

4.  With it so nice early in the morning, I managed to catch the early slanting light on the fern.

with all the damp weather my old pots with ferns are just about under maximum moss!

5. We have had more frost warnings over the last few days compared to winter, so it was out with the fleece to cover the strawberries.

6. The newly planted little alpine Aethionema 'Warley Rose' is settling in well. I rather like its 'common' name of Persian stone cress.

The gravel is a great foil and I am already wondering how best to propagate this so that it can be added to a pot for the shelf next spring. I reckon a good pot of these would look lovely on the garden table this time of the year. It is described as short-lived by the RHS so cuttings will definitely be taken.

I have plenty to do in the garden this weekend, and the weather is set fine.......

A Magnificent Scilla Peruviana In a Vase on Monday

Earlier today I was walking around Dryham Park with friends from our club's 'Bloomin Fun' Group, and before setting out the weather was very gusty and some rain, but it was glorious on the other side of the Mendips. The outing with lunch to follow on the way back put me in such a good mood, that I felt energised and went out to select a few stems of things from the garden to arrange for today's In a Vase on Monday. IAVOM is a creation of Cathy, and in this weekly blog several of us join in showing material from our gardens.

As I had been chatting with my friend Jane who is designing some new beds with grasses, I mentioned that I had a large clump of Carex Comans Bronze and when divided I would be able to offer her some clumps.  I therefore had to include a few snippets of this to help show off the bloom from Scilla Peruviana.  

Just to add a green note, I only needed to have one of the now very large leaves of the Arum italicum 'Marmoratum'. This vase, a Charity Shop acquisition from a few weeks ago, is heavy and can take the weight of this large bloom.  The Art Deco Black elephant is there to give a little balance.

Scilla Peruviana

Not long ago I read 'The Maid', and so enjoyed this I ordered the sequel 'The Mystery Guest' by Nita Prose.  It is quite a easy going style and read, and again if you enjoyed the Maid you will enjoy this.

I've been interested not surprisingly in food, how it eaten and prepared, its  rituals, and the changing landscape across the world and in time, for almost ever.  This book by Bee Wilson is very much about the sociology of  food availability,  inequalities, preparation, and the way different people eat, and the pressures on our time particularly in the last fifty years, which has meant far many more processed foods are being pushed and consumed, on the time spent preparing food and whether we eat as a family or not.  

I do remember 'works canteens' and was priviledged to eat lunch in some very good ones such as the one at Hambro Life as it was know in those days, where a 25p free luncheon voucher could buy such exotic main courses as grilled rainbow trout and almonds, usually on a Friday, plus veg and a pudding!  We had exactly the same menu as enjoyed by the Directors . Plus we had an hour to enjoy our lunches in groups or on our own. In the evenings a quick 'high tea' would see any spaces filled before going out.

Six on Saturday - 13 April 2024

 Finally some dry weather, yesterday it was sunny, but still with a stiff breeze, pictures taken were not as crisp as I would like them to be, and they were quickly taken with my mobile. Looking forward a few dry days are promised, and hopefully I shall have days when I can enjoy 'playing' around with plants and preparing the garden the summer time. I'm sure there will be plenty of April joys on Jim's post, aka the SOS garden spot where we hang our posts and ruminate over matters gardening.

1. Several gardens ago we used to enjoy a magnificent Rosa Canary Bird which I had planted near to the dining room window, and finally last year I got to buy one and planted it as a bare root plant early last year.  Although its shape is not particularly to my liking at the moment, a good pruning after it has finished flowering should set it up for future years.  For now I am content to enjoy its beautiful open single blooms, already being visited by bumble bees.

2. Nearby another yellow is from a good clump of cowslips.  I had planted up a couple of self seeders  last year in the Conservatory bed, but decided that a group would better than having them dispersed across a couple of beds.  I've now moved them, but it will only be next year that they are as glorious as this clump. In each of my gardens I have purposefully grown a few of our native plants.

3. This little row of spring perennials  catches the light beautifully, and seems to love its spot in the conservatory bed.  I've had Tiarella Spring Symphony for years, well not these as I do divide them, discard older portions and reposition them.  I did this last year and they are looking all the better for that.

Tiarella Spring Symphony

4. Another spring beauty which does very well here in the garden is this little Primula juliana 'Port and Lemon' which is another one that has passed the test having been planted first three years ago. Again dividing every year or two keeps the plants in good condition.

5. As I was getting close to the ground, I noticed just how many small spiders were moving along the ground.  There were several varieties in different parts, but this one was still enough and I was able to look it up in 'Britain's Spiders' a Filed Guide and found out a little more about it. This is I believe an Oblong Running Crab Spider.  Now I realise what all the wrens, robins and even gold crests are searching for along the ground and in the shrubbery.

6. Finally this  Geranium malviflorum, which is a Summer dormant variety, is just starting up in flower.  This is one that will just disappear down to its underground tubers when flowering is over. Its strong coloured flowers are nicely positioned above its attractive and finely divided leaves, which have helped cover the bare earth over the winter. 

That's it for this week.....

Towards a better Chelsea Bun

 By the time I had faffed around with various things yesterday, it was not till 10:50 p.m. yesterday that the Chelsea Buns were out of the oven.

Again I had not really researched my recipes correctly as I had an unplanned incident to deal with.  In the end I amalgamated 'Classic Chelsea Buns by Tamsin Burnett Hall, and Chelsea buns by Dan Lepard in his book The Handmade Loaf book which is on my shelf. So the verdict:  my friends this morning enjoyed them, but I would have liked a little more spice.  Maybe I had just not grated sufficient nutmeg on them.

It was interesting to read this article where Felicity Cloake discussed the merits of different recipes for the beloved Chelsea Bun.  Then again just by coincidence I happened to read that MP Greg Hands has lent his support to promoting this most English of Buns.  Of course other special local buns such as the Cirencester Butter Buns, are also much loved. 

In a Vase on Monday - 8th April 2024

With the Storm Kathleen battering us for a long period over this past weekend, for longer than I've known such high winds, I count my blessings in that we had no serious damage,  I had the foresight to do the tiniest bit of 'gardening' on Friday.  Apart from moving all vulnerable pots off shelves etc, I did a little division on a new Primula vulgaris 'Treborth Yellow'. 

The flowers are nicely shaped, and with red stems make a pretty addition to the Conservatory Border.  All the stems were cut and here the largest are in a small vase with a few snippets of the Chamaecyparis pisifera var. Filifera  maybe ‘Filifera Aurea’

There were a few even smaller flower stems and these went into the tiniest of ink bottles along with a few snippets of Pittosporum Tom Thumb with it dark reddish leaves.

What was strange during the storm was that it was really warm for this time of the year, with temperatures in the high teens.  I photographed these in the Conservatory but now the larger arrangement is on the mantleshelf in the sitting room, and the little ink bottle in the middle of the kitchen window looking out towards the garden.

Since 'Treborth Yellow' it absolutely delightful and very floriferous for a small plant, I saw the potential to have three good plants for next year by lifting and dividing the plant, but of course all the flowers were cut off first, which is how I came to have undamaged blooms for this morning. For more arrangements from our gardens, pop over to Cathy's blog, where if you wish, you too can join in by posting your arrangement this week made up from material from your garden.

Six on Saturday - Triumphs and Expectations

 Just when you think the garden is as wet as it can get, and expecting the weather to improve, it has continued to rain.  When the sun does break through it is a relief to feel its warmth, and we have even donned coats to sit and have our morning coffee in the garden. I expect that during rainier moments, more gardening thrill, notes of interest etc, can be enjoyed via Jim's post to which I and other gardeners link in our Six on Saturday Posts.

When some of my gardening friends and I were touring Broadleigh Gardens last week, they were impressed by the species tulips growing in the beds and along the long alpine/grit gardens.  Most of them had only grown the large tulips which on the whole were discarded after flowering.  On a visit a few years ago,  after having seen the Parrot Tulips at Yeo Valley Gardens, many of us grew them in pots. This week I am delighted to say that the species Tulips in their own little way are triumphs in the front 'Mediterranean Garden' chez moi! 

1. Tulipa Whittalii Major

The Major has to be my favourite tulip and this year where there was one bulb planted you can see several smaller flowering ones. This is their fourth year in flower and though slower to increase than I expected, I am delighted both with the situation, form and colour.  I had thought in my usual way to lift and divide, but I would rather this clump continue to grow from strength to strength, and simply add a few more to the garden.

2. Tulip Clusiana Chrysantha

I would say T. Chrysantha is a worthy runner up, again a few more of these species tulips would be a great addition.

3. Tulip Clusiana 'Lady Jane' has probably been the tulip to fare better in terms of increase in numbers, however in the poor light we have been having it appears to have been drawn out and is not as neat and strong as the former two. 

To give its due it has been in flower for a couple of weeks or more, and in its early stages its outer pink petals were far more obvious.  This clump may get moved to the back garden, to make room for more of the new tulips with a more yellow or orange aspect. 

4. Scilla Peruviana arrived as a purchase from the members' table at my local HPS and was divided into four and this is the second season in flower in the Mediterranean Garden. These are large flowers and unlike its smaller cousins which had been planted in many different areas, and not survived, it looks ready to be divided again this year.  I shall have to look perhaps at the planting depth for this species.  It hasn't faired that well with its blooms being lashed by wind or rain, and I expect next year, its nose will be put out of joint by the newly acquired Scilla hughii, bought at Broadleigh Gardens, which is now repotted, and receiving a balmy beginning in the Conservatory.  When I read up about Scilla hughii it rad that it should be potted with its nose just above soil level. When I replant these S, Peruviana, I shall try different depths and see which suits it best.

5. Just when I thought the garden was full, I succumbed again! The excitement of unpacking new plants is a mark of my expectation of things to come.  One has already been planted out in the Mediterranean garden: Cistus 'Thrive', 

Cistus Thrive just unpacked

and the  Ribes Gordonianum,  which has been planted up in a larger pot to await planting out into the garden when I have worked through the arrangement or rather rearrangement of a section of the garden. I first say this again at Broadleigh Gardens. also known as ‘Gordon’s Currant’ or ‘Beatonii’, it is a deciduous shrub that is a hybrid between Ribes Odoratum and Ribes Sanguineum. I now wonder whether I would have been better buying a larger plant, at the same time realising that often smaller plants settle and grow away better in this garden.

Ribes Sanguineum

6. Phlox bifida Ralph Hayward a cutting of which I planted up in a pot, is now taking centre stage on the garden table.  I think I ought to have cut it back hard earlier in the year, but now it has started into flower it seems a shame to do so.

This is its second year in flower in this pot, and I am just wondering how best to treat it: should I repot it after flowering?  I expect a few cuttings will be taken.  Meanwhile the older plant is doing well in the gravel garden. 

Broadleigh Gardens and Hestercombe- A visit with 'Blooming Fun'

With WI 'Blooming Fun' friends we set off last week on a two garden tour outing.  The first and for my inner 'plantswoman' Broadleigh Gardens was a dream.  

With its beautiful lawns surrounded by woodland beds, and bulbs growing through grass under the Cathedral ceiling effect of a magnificent Cherry, as well as a long double bed of alpine plants growing alongside a beautiful old brick wall, the range number of different and interesting plants, meant that the visit with a band of generalist gardeners was far too short for me!

Deciduous flowering currants were used to great effect and nicely underplanted with bulbs, this one shone out.  I even wrote to the owner to find out its name, but the response was it was grown from a cutting from a friend's garden meant that I was grateful to fellow Blooming Fun Carolyn, and also Facebook for identifying it as  Ribes Gordonianum, also known as ‘Gordon’s Currant’ or ‘Beatonii’, and is a deciduous shrub that is a hybrid between Ribes Odoratum and Ribes Sanguineum.

We were free to have a look through the nursery part of the garden, where there were of course beds of specialities being grown for sale.

Scilla hughii

At first I thought these were a 'superior' selection of Scilla peruviana which I have in the front garden.  At the sale area I found a group of three pots with the label Scilla hughii, and bought just one.  Scilla hughii is endemic to a small island off Sicily, it has broader leaves and the flowers as described on some sites as being on 'steroids'.  The Rare Plants site explains the difference clearly.  I am going to keep growing in it a pot for a couple of years, as I being it will they make side bulbs and I hope to plant up a group of three.  I wish I had bought all three! I did buy three plants but just one of each, of course to be propagated in due course.

It was a first time visit for me to Hestercombe, which is a garden on a grand scale, with lake, fabulous trees, extensive views towards the surrounding countryside and a great parterre.  It was probably well before its best time as far as the gardens were concerned.  Wisteria time would be probably the start for the gardens.

Hestercombe is where we chose to have lunch, and my 'cooked breakfast' which included to my surprise home make beans in tomatoes on sourdough was excellent.

Six on Saturday 30 March 2024

 Last Saturday I stood in squally showers, strong gusts, at the entrance to Yeo Valley gardens greeting visitors.  Had it not been a purchase in advance timed ticketed event, I doubt many would have come.  However the look on peoples faces as they left carrying their precious finds made it all worth it.  What did I come home with?  Yeo Valley or the previous week at the Bishop's Palace Rare Plant Fare purchases will be revealed over the next few weeks.

Today as I post and linking in with Jim's Garden Ruminations, we have real sunshine, warmer temperatures, and the strong damaging winds from Storm Nelson with heavy hail are all but forgotten. 

1. With its blooms dancing in the wind, Clematis alpina Blue Dancer is growing in an 'outsized' long tom and is taking centre stage on the shed shelf. It was bought only last year as one of those small plants from Morrison's for less than the price of a bar of chocolate.  Better than any Easter Egg that keeps on giving each spring! It got blown off its shelf during the storm, but luckily it did not sustain too much damage.

2.. In amongst a batch of primroses for sale at Yeo Valley, I found a pot of these beauties, which I believe are called 'Jack in the Green', I love the little exaggerated calyx forming a small  ruff behind the petals.  All the segments came off the same root, and not surprisingly I divided and got five plants.  After planting these out for once I was happy that the following few days were wet, giving them the chance the settle in.

3.. It is years since I have grown Sweet Peas, I seem to remember that when I moved to a new garden each time in the first year I grew a few.  I didn't do this here, but at Christmas with my card, my friend Mandy sent me a seed packet of Sweet Pea Mrs Bernard Jones.  They have just germinated.

Sweet Pea seedlings: Mrs Bernard Jones 

4. I bought a number of small plants from one of my favourite Alpine suppliers: Pottertons.  In the last couple of years they had attended both The Bishop's Palace and Yeo Valley but this year they came only to Wells, so it was a good job I turned up there.  This little sub shrub has already been planted into the gravel garden, and I hope that Aethionema 'Warley Rose' settles in over the summer.

5. Of course now the Snowdrops are over, my eye turns to the pretty primulas and I am delighted with this Primula 'Treborth Yellow' which stands out in the gloomy light on account of its striking yellow flowers at the top of the reddish stems. With its pronounced heart shaped petals, it looks as if it has twice the number of petals. I saw it on Potterton's Stall at the Bishop's Palace Rare Plant sale, and it immediately jumped out at me, and since it is not even on their list, I am delighted I picked up Primula vulgaris 'Treborth Yellow'. 

Primula Treborth Yellow

6. Here Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Fantasy' is peeping through Geranium malvifolium, which will be flowering in a few weeks before it disappears for its summer rest.

I'll be making the most of the sunshine today, such a treat but I think it is back to poor light quality etc after that.  At least I will have got umpteen loads of washing dry out in the garden.