Six on Saturday - 23 May 2020

The Prop this week has a wall of scent, and five other nice items for his SOS todat.  I am joining him and others there to share Six items from our garden.  Why not spare some time to view a few...

There are such a variety of plants with leaves that I find so attractive.  In a small garden where I try and indulge and accommodate these, plants that either go dormant at different times of the year, or can grow to hide plants that are going into dormancy is a canny way of getting more in a small space, and at the same time having a reasonably attractive garden to look at.

I have always enjoyed hardy geraniums.  They are left alone by slugs and snails, and are fairly tolerant of a wide range of conditions.  It is saying something that some of them have needed a little water, since we have had hardly any rains for many weeks.  Even the forecast overnight rain did not come. As a quick aside...Rose Chaffer beetles have been flying around...

(1) This is Geranium Blue Sunrise.  This Hardy Geranium has been very slow to put on any bulk since it was first planted on our arrival.  It disappears completely during the winter leaving the tell tale label which reminds me to to plant some minute bulbs right above it.  I resisted digging it up this spring and trying to divide it.  All well and good, since I have heard on good authority that it is difficult...but I shall pretend that I haven't heard that and still try towards the autumn.

(2) Geranium x cantabrigiense Cambridge, another hardy geranium,  is just coming into flower.  Its leaves have a nice gloss about them, and keeping small and green all the year round, are a lovely foil for the early crocus, which have now died down.

(3) Another garden favourite is Phuopsis stylosa, bought in 2014.  I love its intricate green foliage topped by an inflorescence  that almost needs a magnifying glass to appreciate its intricacy. This is pretty drought tolerant..ie it has not yet needed to be watered.  What I like about this plant, is that it can have a good chop back and come back for a second performance later in the season.

(4) In my last garden I had a lovely generous clump of Iris Sibrica.  I was missing it, and acquired a good sized pot of of Iris Sibrica Silver Edge in 2018.  Although the plant looked flowering size when bought,  in its second season in the garden  last year, it sulked.  What a joy...it is flowering, maybe the wet winter did it good.  A good weekly hosing for about six weeks has paid off dividends.  As one bloom fades another one opens on the same stem.

(5) Another little plant nurtured over the last year or so from near obliteration has been one of my little sedums.  Hylotelephium 'Bertram Anderson' is reveling in the strong sunshine.

(6) Last year after trimming back Pelargonium coriandrifolium, I took a few cuttings.  I have just one left here and it is doing very nicely.

It is that time of year again for the mother plant to be cut back.  I have taken quite a few more cuttings this year, as I hope to swap them for other types, with fellow enthusiasts.

Baking Muffins together with Jane Mason

I accepted the invite to bake along with others this Sunday guided and directed by Jane Mason.  This recipe features in her Book of Buns, and also in her Sourdough book, which is now sadly out of print.

There is always something new to learn, and also having an appointment to meet, gives one something to look forward, with discussions and advice.

Having had the recipe and appointment details, I had everything ready and had the muffins cut, and proving before the rendez-vous.  I was particularly pleased as in the notes, I read that this could be cooked in oven instead of on a griddle. I no longer have a griddle, as the old one was specially for the gas cooker.  The baking in the oven method was not using the rolling with a rolling pin and cutting with a cutter, but cutting a 'log' then dipping it in polenta or semolina. However I had already used the rolling method.  

I had a 'eureka' moment, after Jane advised that the muffins ought to be squashed down prior to going in the oven, to prevent them simply rising rounded like a bun.  I tried out my idea, which was to cover the raw muffins with another sheet of baking parchment with another baking tray on top.

They are a little browner than muffins are traditionally,  and as the Silverwood biscuit trays are great conductors, next time I shall pre-heat and bake at 200 C fan,  rather than 220 C.  I loved the technique than Jane demonstrated on forking the buns all around to 'tear' them opening, thus giving just the right amount of raggedness, so that when they are baked, they have lots of crannies to capture sauces etc.

I tried three different sized cutters.  The smallest one was a little 'dainty' but just right for afternoon tea.  The middle sized one if the one I shall settle on in the future.  The largest was right as a base for large poached eggs and spinach with a lovely Hollandaise Sauce.

In 2013 I wrote about  muffins

Four years ago once again, but this time a sourdough version was used.

In a Vase on Monday - Grace and The Dragon

Sounds like the start of a fairy tale.....

My Vase today, with material which could have been gathered last week, shows just how early roses in our gardens are in bloom this year.  Maybe it is the bright clear sunshine: I am just accepting things just as they are for now, what else can we do? 

Persicaria Red Dragon, a pass along from Cathy, forms a lovely contrast for the deep rich apricot of Rose Grace, and a few stems of 'barcode' grass:  Phalaris arundinacea Picta previously known as Gardeners' Garters adds a bit of height.

Linking in to Cathy, the fairy Godmother of this weekly get together, where she is posting some beauties from her garden.  Others too from around the globe join in.

Six on Saturday - 16 May 2020

The week started off by my feeling devastated after seeing the garden littered right over with leaves and twiglets broken off the Holm Oak by the strong winds.  I am gradually clearing them away, leaving some as mulch in between the herbaceous plants starting their early summer sprint.


(1) Allium nectaroscordum SiculumSicilian Honey Garlic catches the early morning light ricocheting off the conservatory. I am yet to get the garlicky scent mentioned in all the descriptions.

 
Growing alongside the  Phlomis purpurea Matagallo now recovered from its flopping in the heavy rain. The grey waxy bloom and colour are in harmony with the Phlomis, and the surrounding planting.

With Erigeron karvinskianus, prostarate rosemary, and Geranium Elke this makes up a pleasing arm around the sitting circle.

(2) Now in the Gravel Garden the three Allium schubertii are top of the bill.  I love the way the sun moves round and highlights different plants keeping the rest in shadow....

(3) Weigela Florida Variegata bought as a small plant at a table top sale is looking great at the moment. It is in a spot which is in shade for the best part of the morning, however with its variegated leaf, bring a little spot of light to the area.

(4) The self seeded Foxgloves moved to Acer Corner are doing their vertical bit but splatted around the bed, not wanting to be in the same picture.  Again the light punctuation during the shaded part of the day make them even more dramatic...

(5) Silene Uniflora Alba..one of my little favourites.  Last year I moved it and at the same time tried to divide it.  It was almost a teary moment as I wondered whether I had killed the whole plant.  So relieved I didn't and have four clumps.  One of which is being overwhelmed  by a nearby Geranium Joy.  So that one is on the list to be moved, one of the silenes..not Joy.

(6)  There are two Rose Grace Shrub roses in the Conservatory Bed.  Middle of May and the roses are blooming. Yes it is lovely, but it doesn't feel right to have roses so early.

I usually cut the first blooms to bring in the house.  We seem to be in the garden far more, with the lovely weather, eating and resting outside.  I just want to get away from the radio, news, media etc.  Also I felt low and just could not bring myself to cut something so beautiful and keep it indoors.  A few buds will probably be cut for Monday's IAVOM.

On effecting the link to The Prop's post, where we all meet I see that he has a Weigelia and a Rose, but not quite a perfect match...there is so much variety in gardening, isn't there, and we are sure to find some beautiful plants to inspire and lift us today.

In a Vase on Monday - Indecisive

I'm in a strange mood.  Not sad, not depressed, not angry, flat maybe....certainly indecisive.

I could have cut the first of the Grace Roses, and made an arrangement, but somehow I am not in the mood for colour or extra beauty in the house.  Maybe the change in the weather from warm and sunny, to very windy and cold was the catalyst...after all nothing has much changed over the last few weeks.

This morning I was determined not to post, and instead go out and clear the extraordinary amount of leaves and twigs, dead and alive littering the garden.  However it was too cool, and the task daunting.  After a few chores I just went to check for any messages.  I had a short and sweet question to my post from Ann, also a regular contributor to this meme, on my Six on Saturday Post, which included Alliums and a violet.

Alison C also a contributor to IAVOM had suggested we made head garlands, and I was all set up to make one with my Grand-daughter, but she decided not to do one with me via zoom or some such like.  My contribution towards Loving your Garden day on Sunday...was to eat some dainties.  They all went into the lunch time salad: Lettuce, dill, tips of chocolate mint, winter savoury flowers, nasturtium leaves, coriander and parsley, chives and their flowers, and Ajuga Burgandy Glow leaves and flowers.

We had been out for a walk and seen the field awash with the flowers of Ajuga, and having looked up the herb, found out that it was edible and fine for salads.

So what is the link that makes Anna's comment the little thing that got me moving and motivated this morning?

"What a sweet white violet Noelle. I must divide the chives at the allotment and bring some home so that I can snip them at short notice. Such a pretty flower. Have you ever eaten them?"

My mushy mind was wondering whether Anna was asking about eating the flowers of chives or of Violets?  I got me looking into violets...both flowers and leaves can be eaten, so many thanks Anna for leading me into something else I can forage for.  Maybe it is the weird times we are in that are activating the foraging part of my brain.  Elderflowers too have been featuring in the kitchen over the last week.

As for chive flowers, when they are young and tender they are delicious, and worth adding for a splash of colour to salads.  I find they are nice split up into the tiny little flowers.  The next salad will include a leaf of two of violet to try.

As I went out by the side door this morning, amongst the debris I started to clear up was a little spring from a conifer tree growing somewhere over the wall out of sight.  It quite sums up my current self preservation mood of trying to find beauty in the most ordinary. Both Anna's question and the little sprig have given me a little lift today.  Many thanks to all my blogging friends....

Now that all the introspective thoughts are pondered over, I shall go over to Cathy Post to link in.  Given the mood I am in, it may be a day or two before I post messages on the other no doubt uplifting posts that link in for this weekly get together.