Six on Saturday - 14 December 2024

 Mr SOS himself will probably say that I am in too mischievous a mood today and that I have pushed the boundaries to the extreme.   This week I am thinking outside the box a little as it is getting harder not to repeat six things I may have mentioned only a few weeks ago. It has also been so damp, with very low light levels, for a couple of days we were mist bound with long bouts of 'mizzle'. 

1. Don't these deserve a special first place? I had decided during the year to travel more lightly during the winter, by this I mean not overwinter so many tender plants. I have relinquished many of my pelargoniums.  However since this one is just braving on so well, it is a keeper for the next season at least!

Pelargonium 'New Century Salmon'

2. Pseudowintera colorata Red Leopard  is making an appearance as with 'winter' as part name it deserves to elbow its way to second place.

Pseudowintera colorata Red Leopard

3. Now I am stepping outside the box ie outside from the garden.  During a walk above some low wall,  I could see some rather fascinating fluffy seed heads, and this one was striking a peak photogenic pose.  Big cheer for anyone getting the right answer in the comments.  I did peer over the wall and recognised the plant.  Sadly I had just cut down the flower stems in the garden and will be sure to leave them standing to see if the conditions in the garden and the variety are similar. Wouldn't that make a good question for a Gardening Club Christmas Quiz?

4. There may not have been much damage in the garden, but outside my box there were high winds catching tall trees, and I was particularly sad to see the damage to this Cedar outside 'Cedar House' on The Liberty in Wells.  Earlier this year there had been a lot of decay identified and it was to have been felled.  The storm certainly found its weak points.  When I went to have a look most of the boughs had been removed off site, but the marks on the road and pavement evidenced the force with which the heavy limbs came down.  

5. I dislike light pollution and sadly live with a surplus of streetlights even  on the quiet road that we live on, and have grown to wonder why gardens etc are lit up.  It must have started a long time ago, but recently it seems to be part of the Christmas Season for large gardens. We popped into the Palace Gardens in Wells, and were suitably amused for a little while, and enjoyed a different view of the garden.

Guess the plants time again

6. If you frightened off the wild life then you have to recreate the scene: deer and swans...

Hopefully the dank weather will be out of the way for a few days.  Already the sun has come out, the washing hung out and the robins are singing setting out their breeding territory.