First Six on Saturday of 2026

Happy New Year to all the SOSers and to Jim many thanks for keeping us all together.  This post is being linked over on Jim's blog: Garden Ruminations.

1. The Snowdrop season is ahead of itself this year as demonstrated by these drops on Galanthus Godfrey Owen.  It is quite distinct in that it has six pure white outer petals, and I am delighted that it grows well here in this garden. For those who have yet to  distinguish any variations, the usual G. nivalis ie drifts of snowdrops have three longer outer petals, and three shorter inner petals. Botanically the term petals isn't used, instead they are called peranthia segments. For a little more on the botany of snowdrops follow this link.

Galanthus Godfrey Owen

2. I was out doing a pre Christmas tidy, when it dawned on me that I really ought to cut plants back a little, in quantity that is: with a small garden one can start to be a little overwhelmed with pots. When space is at a premium and the only spot in the sun for sitting is crowded out, it really made me decide to seriously restrict the number of auriculas after this season and just try to grow one or two garden worthy varieties straight in the soil. 

I had been thinking about this last autumn as the auriculas  don't seem to like the compost we now have to buy, and in by then they get overwhelmed with whitefly.  

3. I was looking over the dried up stems of the Eryngiums and was wondering whether to clear them away...but then I spied a hibernating ladybird, so for now they are staying.

4. Crocus sieberi Firefly are starting to show a little colour.  

Crocus sieberi Firefly

In the past, each year I have planted new bulbs and plants but sadly have lost so many.  With the squirrels and other larger animals digging up the garden, I shall try to adopt a more pragmatic approach this year.  If a plant does well and likes the garden, when it comes to needing to be divided then it will get replanted in a spare space.  I shan't be chasing new bulbs and spring time plants to add to the garden if they are the type that don't seem to flourish here. A moratorium is now in place with regards to buying or adding to my spring planting.

5. The White Pelargonium 'New Century White' is still going strong in the conservatory.  Some people may have bought white florists Cyclamen or White Azaleas for Christmas house plants, I just nurtured the plug plant given to us for the Summer party competition in 2025!

White Pelargonium 'New Century White'

6.  It has been a cold week with some frosts, but we haven't had any of the white stuff falling here in Somerset.  Parts of the county had -7, Wells had just -1 this week.  This morning, Saturday,  I heard on the radio the expression 'Snow and tell', so I looked out the window and we have had no snow, we just have a hard frost. During the week too I knew it went below freezing as the snowdrops flopped.  As soon as the temperature rises above 1C up they go.  This is a good clump of  Godfrey Owen showing nearly all the blooms back up again.

As I was writing this up on Friday evening,  I thought this was a different snowdrop, as it wasn't the same clump as I showed at the opening of my post. I had written G Godfrey Owen on my phone, but I really thought that can't be right.   I had to pop out with my torch to double check the name. The name was right, this is yet another good clump of G, Godfrey Owen. It slowly came back to me: I did indeed divide and move a clump to this position last year.  In the dark I had a little press of the closed blooms and saw six long petals so confirming the name!

Just in case Jim accuses me of sloppiness, then my sixth item this week ought to something different.  I shall claim the excuse of my being now a year older than I was last time I posted a SOS, and admit to my error, without pretending it never took place! I am getting to that stage where I cannot remember every detail as I used to, and forget much but that does not diminish in any way the joy of plants and gardening.

This was my special bonus this week when I took to the garden on New Year's day and found these hidden by the overarching Hydrangea: 

We had a strange day on the 31st: we were fog bound the whole day with freezing temperatures and very poor light levels, but New Year's day was bright and sunny but still very cold, I could not resist going out in the garden!