Six on Saturday - 8 February 2025

 Without a frost but with day time temperatures struggling to rise above 4C, it really feels cold in the garden.  Things have hardly moved since last week, but it is amazing how just a small patch is able to yield six for this Saturday's rendezvous chez Jim.  You are very welcome to join, and guidance is over on Jim's post this week which features some of his signature plants which are Camelias. 

1. Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance' may be in advance but only two have opened, and the others are keeping tight shut and probably won't advance until it is warmer.  I'm not blaming anyone for keeping out of this cold damp weather. This picture was taken early in the week, and today it is shut tight.

 Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'

2. I was clearing out along the shady border and was delighted to find that this soft shield fern, most probably  Polystichum setiferum ‘Plumosum Densum’ has decided it was time since the conditions were just right to do a little increasing. They are well anchored into the humus rich soil, and I shall probably allow them to grow in situ for another season before separating them, unless Jim advises otherwise. The reason I cut it back so drastically, is to make room for the soon to be emerging new foliage, though from these new plants it seems as if I had missed out a year.

Polystichum setiferum ‘Plumosum Densum’

3.  Our mid week visit to Elworthy Cottage in the beautiful rolling west Somerset Brendon Hills was a great opportunity to admire snowdrops.  I am even in the lucky position to be able to offer next year two of my snowdrops that are doing very well for a swap with Jenny.  Just as I believe it is etiquette to take a gift when visiting a friend for lunch, so I believe it is good etiquette to buy a plant when visiting a garden with a nursery.  I really couldn't justify the price for the newly launched special Elworthy Pearl, but on the way out my eye was caught by a snowdrop with an unusual form, which will make is reasonably easy to identify in the garden should the label get lost, or even fade as I have been finding this year with several of the snowdrops.  It is so cold that to get the snowdrop to open, I brought it into the kitchen to take a picture of it.

Galanthus Ballard's No Notch

It has broad grey grey leaves and unusually the inner segments don't have a notch, and the straight but slightly curled edge has a clear green heart.  I read that it does best in well drained soil, so will think carefully where it will go.

4. The small yellow coloured but not rare snowdrop is not easy to photograph, non the less I am happy to say that it has survived another year.   Galanthus nivalis Sandersii , simply put is the yellow form of the common snowdrop. This is an untouched up photography with the yellow on top form this year.

Galanthus nivalis Sandersii

5. Over in Gooseberry Corner, where two gooseberry bushes lurk, along with some blackcurrants and rhubarb, the criss cross and overlong branches called out to be cut back on the day before green bin collection.  I removed for the first time since planting a couple of the oldest stems right back to the ground and also shortened as per the books the side shoots, some of which were placed in the front garden hopefully to deter the neighbourhood cats from their usual tracks.

Gooseberry bushes waiting to be pruned.

6. The small plant stall outside a cottage in Dunster. was nicely set out and looking through what they had for sale, spent the whole of my £10 note on 3 pots of Baby Moon daffs and a couple of pots of crocus marked striped and purple.  Narcissi don't seem to last beyond a season, but I was happy to get these and will just enjoy their lovely small yellow flowers in due course. 

Just as a bonus here is a view of a Snowdrop Valley to which we had a long walk, cold, muddy and hard walk at Wheddon Cross.  A very long slow late lunch was later enjoyed in the Lutterell Arms by a warm log fire.  We stayed at The Great House with the best of breakfasts, a lovely old house with great hosts.

Snowdrop Valley near Wheddon Cross