Crassula 'Buddha's Temple' has top billing for Six on Saturday - 25 January 2025

You would think that gardening stands still during January, however it was not all quiet and again I am joining Jim for this weekly rendezvous.  If you would like to join the format is well explained over on The Six on Saturday's leader's anchoring post. 

1. Just over a week ago, I went to a recording of GQT with friends, over in the next town of Shepton Mallett where local galanthophiles will be drawn to their annual snowdrop festival next month.  A double episode was recorded and during the week, I listened to the latest programme.  

Q – Is there a plant with an amazing structure or pattern that you think would make a great building? (33’39”)

Matthew Pottage –Crassula 'Buddha's Temple'

Hearing this has prompted me to show you the current status of my Crassula 'Buddha's Temple'.

I was given the original plant  about fifteen years ago, and every so often take offsets to grow on for myself or give away cuttings.  What I am particularly excited about is that the taller of the plants in the left hand pot is developing flowers at the very tip.  This is the first time I have had flowers on a Crassula 'Buddha's Temple since 2014!

2. Rocky Mountain up on the Mendips is where they have a very good Fruit and Vegetables seller twice a week to one side their car park.  Having got my provisions I then sauntered into the plants area.  We wanted  something to replace the plum tree that I had recently removed.  The birds had been missing a shrubby landing platform near to the bird bath and I had sort of settled on something like a crab apple or maybe a sorbus.  Having examined different varieties and considered the plusses and minuses, none of the trees the nursery had appealed to me.  However I feel in love with a fine specimen of  a 'Wedding Cake Tree'.  I have been admiring them in local gardens and at £59 a bit of a treat, but I cannot remember if I bought myself a birthday present!  Cornus controversa 'Variegata' was introduced in about 1880 by Veitch’s Nursery of Exeter. It will have variegated leaves and hopefully planted with plenty of room for future growth, will be ideal in later gardening years as it requires little attention once it gets growing.  I see it as being underplanted with spring flowering plants.

Cornus controversa 'Variegata'

I am pleased that I did not delay as the weather turned much wetter, once storm Eowyn hit land. Luckily we we sheltered but friends higher up on the Mendips lost roof tiles.

3. Several gardens ago I grew a Viburnum bodnantense which was invaluable during early spring, and I just happened to walk past a rather nice small specimen.  I did not recognise the variety but Viburnum bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' at £8.95 will hopefully provide some winter colour and scent.  I'm not sure yet where to place it, and for now it has been potted up into one of the larger patio pots. The selection is named in honour of Charles Lamont (Assistant Curator at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh), who crossed the hybrids V. farreri and V. grandiflorum in 1933. For more details and comparison  go to the The Biking Gardener.

Viburnum bodnantense 'Charles Lamont'

4. I've shown these ferns growing in pots many times before, and they are just outside the door I use to access the garden.  This is one of three pots, which over the years grow more and more moss and more 'crowns' on the fern stump.  This oldest one has about five, but just look at the small fernling growing from the hole on the right. 

5.  The different snowdrops are having their moment and this week features Galanthus gracilis 'Vic Horton'.  It is the second smallest snowdrop in the garden and very easily recognised on account of its twisting grey leaves and the flowers have a small olive coloured ovary.  You can see the markings when the flowers open as they did when I brought them indoors.

Galanthus gracilis 'Vic Horton'. 

6. Even with the storm having brought winds and rain, , the low growing cyclamen coum are undamaged.  Some of the paler cultivars and pretty leaved coums are trying to catch up with the darker earlier ones carpeting some of the Conservatory border.

There still a few discoveries to be made in the garden and tasks such as repotting cuttings to be made, so hopefully I shall be joining in with Jim again next Saturday.