Six on Saturday - 24 October 2026

With the first two storms of the season Austen and Boelo bringing squalling showers but no damage, I feel lucky to be able to have six things to show from the garden, which get shared over at Jim's. Yesterday here Austen was less severe than they forecasted but today Boelo is impacting us more than expected, with a couple of pots blown over.  Down in Cornwall where out leader Jim lives it has been more grim, but we shall all meet over there and 'ruminate' over six items from our gardens.  Nothing quite like good gardening conversations.  

1. One of the delightful little alliums, the last to flower in this late season is Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa' originally bought from Edulis Nursery when they were at The Bishop's Palace Wells in September 2021.  This form only grows to just under 15cm and is quite content in the gravel garden. 

Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa'

I remember before planting it into the gravel garden, dividing it  into tinier clumps and planting the pieces just a couple of cms apart and the feeling at the time that I may have left it too late in the season and risked it dying from its wounds in autumn weather. I am pleased to say to each piece still thrives five years later. There will come a stage when it will probably need dividing, but I will make sure I erect some metaphorical Japanese Shrine for prayers to be said at before sterilising the Hori Hori and performing the division.  

2. There has definitely been some rain this week, and autumnal colours are creeping in. Strangely this Ginkgo in a pot which has been watered is turning golden but the one which was unwatered in the garden is still green.

Autumn colours starting

3. I had a fight on my hands this week caused by my own silly fault.  Earlier on this year after I acquired Actaea Brunette, and having been entranced by the mixed planting in pots in my gardening magazine I combined the Actaea with Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' and a few violas to make a pretty combination. This week I looked at the pot and decided the Actaea Brunette would best be placed direct in the soil, and the separated Hakonechloa in its own pot. Firstly it was the devil to get the growth of only 4 months out of the pot, then I tried at first gently to tease out the separate roots, which were fairly easy to identify as they were a different colour and form, but they were quite intertwined. The lesson to be learnt was not to grow together in the same pot, plants which I intend to separate and keep. I wonder about the maintenance in those fancy mixed plantings? Are they just a 'salad' of plants brought together, to be discarded later like bulbs.  What a waste!

4. Fancy cyclamen: I was probably punching well above my level of knowledge and dedication when I obtained seed from the Cyclamen Society two or three year ago.  I ordered several different types and as they do labels faded, several pots failed etc.  Thankfully on the CS's Facebook page dedicated Cyclamen enthusiasts gave a few suggestions.

Cyclamen intaminatum

Cyclamen graecum

Cyclamen cilicium

Labels will be written and pots correctly identified. Lesson: grow only one or two different types of special seeds each year, and check labels each season, probably planting in different shaped pots.

5. For the seed which I sent out a few weeks ago, how many of you have sown the Poppy Ladybird yet?  I sowed these on the 11th October, covered them with an old chopping board and uncovered them every two or three days.  I think it did the trick.

 Last year I left them growing in their modules and without thinning placed them in the garden in the spring.   I have just one of two that are growing in the garden having fallen from the plants.  Some seed has been kept back to sow in situ in the spring. It will be interesting to compare the flowering times  next year, and whether is has been worthwhile growing in modules or not.

6. Certainly looking amazing, and thriving despite the summer drought, is the fab small flowered hardy Chrysanthemum Picasso. I must admit to giving the three clumps the odd watering can of sea weed feed  during the season.

Chrysanthemum Picasso

I wonder if I shall have six to write about next week? If less, I shall keep them by to bunch up together another week, and enjoy a week off whilst I complete my last seven days of the Strong Woman Challenge.  I am not far off the target I set myself for raising funds and thanks to friends and family who have helped.  This week new exercises learnt have been Goblet Squats, floor wide 3/4 press-ups, Sit ups, Upright row with weights, Walking Lunges with weights, Arm curls into shoulder press last three with 2x 2Kg weights, and Bodyweight bicycle crunches.  

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/strongwoman2026-noellemace

Six on Saturday - 17 October

 The best of late summer and  autumn plants are unusually still making a great contribution to the garden. For more Sixes, follow this link to Jim's post to find out what the Maestro and others have for for us all to enjoy and learn about.

1.The succulents are still outside. Small flowers on small succulents Crassula x rupestris f. marnieriana – Jade Necklace only bought a few weeks ago is now in flower, and of course in pride of place on the garden shelf.  Soon it will have to come into the conservatory.

Crassula x rupestris f. marnieriana

2.  Crocus speciosus 'Oxonian' is bringing up new flowers each day.  A real treat is to look into its delicate  goblet shape to see the intricate orange anthers. 

Crocus speciosus 'Oxonian'

3. Salvia microphylla 'Cerro Potosi' is one of those salvias that can form a pretty large woody shrub.  For now its bright magenta flowers are such a show, for just a few days before the Chrysanthemums come to perfection the star of that border, and the humming bird hawkmoth still patrols the flowers.

Salvia microphylla Cerro Potosi

I had a look up on when and how best to prune this and Rosie Hardy has a good explanation of the how and whens. Rosie Hardy on looking after Salvias.

4. Just when one wonders whether late summer is the time for intricate flowers this little Serratula tinctoria var. seoanei, planted at the edge in a couple of places surprises me. 

Serratula tinctoria var. seoanei

 5.  I was cheeky enough to ask , and lucky enough to receive seed of a fabulous form of Cyclamen mirabile 'Tilebarn Nicholas' just over a week ago.  We have lots of cheeky squirrels digging up the garden throughout the day, so when I planted out the seed, covered with a layer of gravel, I had to cover it with an improvised 'keep out of here' upturned mushroom crate as they soak up water from below.

Cyclamen mirabile 'Tilebarn Nicholas' 

Afterwards the seed trays were placed in the dark and hopefully as this is fresh seed, they should start to emerge in a month's time.

6.  Other seeds are ripe for the picking such as this beautiful Ammi majus. I love the form of dried seedheads and hopefully I shall be able to grow more plants from this seed head.  Three young plants were given to me by Ben, son of a good gardening friend.

Ammi majus

Just as I was cheeky enough to ask for seed, I am happy to send seed out, click on the link to see the current seeds available, and now there is this Ammi.  Since I am raising funds for the British Heart Foundation, maybe a small contribution to the BHF, to cover the postage would be lovely, if you are willing.  However even if you just come across this post within October 2026, and would like to support this worthwhile cause, without wanting seed, I would be delighted.  

After two lots of 7 days exercises and 2 rest days, I find it so much easier to move my large pots and sacks of compost, so these exercises are helping me in the garden.

Six on Saturday - 10 October 2026

 Lets get on with it, it is already nearly time for lunch, but I wouldn't let myself take photographs and dawdle around outside or over the wording for today's Six.  For beautifully worded posts the place to head to is over at Jim's.

1. Just by looking at the leaves on this gorgeous Aeonium Medusa, I can tell that the cutting has taken.  Obtained as a cutting from Piccolo Plants.

Aeonium Medusa

It won't be long before all the garden succulents not under the front canopy are moved to the conservatory.

2. Had a communication from my son this week about his Crassula Buddha's Temple.  The long and the short of it, the one I gave him years ago is now too long and has a community of scale insects. He suggested for his Christmas Present he would love a replacement maybe in a nice pot.  It was only when I agreed that he decided to ditch his one, as he likes this succulent too much to be without it.  Outside this pot full when cut down would yield the cuttings, which will be rooted in time for Christmas.

Crassula 'Buddha's Temple'

3. I love autumn and the colours that are emerging this late in the year. 

 

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Purple Dome'

I divided this last year and all the divisions are doing well.

4. Another plant that I really ought to divide and move is this Chrysanthemum Chatsworth.  It is being rather overwhelmed by Rosa Canary Bird which also needs a little pruning. Going round the garden for SOS is a useful way to take stock of what needs to be done.

Chrysanthemum Chatsworth

5. For me and this garden the pale pink flowered Sedum 'Frosty Morn' is finally coming into its own.  I cut is rather too harshly only just before the heat and the drought. After the rains it bounced back and is looking fab and attracting the bees. The stems are not so big and heavy and there are more smaller stems, which suit me well.

Sedum 'Frosty Morn'

6. Another plant which has bounced back and a month beyond what her name implies is Japanese Anemone 'September Charm', which only recently made a come back, despite earlier scorched leaves that I had cut back.

I'm late because I made myself packet up the seeds for a couple of people who asked and are yet to receive the seeds they asked for. 

Seeds left: Ompholodes Linifolia, Tropaeolum tricolor, Miscanthus nepalensis, Tagetes Cinnabar, Tulipa sprengeri,  Eryngium 'Silver Ghost', Eryngium Planum Tetra Petra. If anyone fancies trying some let me know.  If you haven't already got my email, find me on Facebook and private message me, or if you have Jim's or Gill Heaven's email ask them for mine.  Offer of seeds is limited to SOSers or friends.

From my garden at the start of October 2026- Six on Saturday

I was absent for SOS last Saturday being in Ireland, and was able to make comparisons between that very green and pleasant land, and the relatively parched areas coming across Wales and back home: here it has hardly rained.  Just as you think there will be nothing more for the garden to offer, somethings rise to the fore.  I am joining  in with Jim and others to sharing Six things from the garden.

1. I was concerned about the Sternbergia lutea over the summer as it got so hot and dry where they are located in the front garden.  I need not have been worried and on our return the three little clumps were green with a few flowers left for me to enjoy, but I missed about half of them.

Sternbergia lutea

Whilst in Ireland both north and south, I was looking forward to seeing what people grow there, for we have our SOS friend Pádraig who frequently shares Six from his garden. Yes from the coach and also when we were walking, we could see extensive 'gardens' around their beautifully kept homes, but it consisted mainly of very very green lawns right up to boundaries often with no trees or planting except for the odd clump perhaps of Hydrangea. I know there must be some exceptions as there are many notable plants coming from gardeners on the other side of the Irish Sea, Maybe there are gardeners tucked away in pockets, and perhaps Pádraig is one of the leading vanguards with regards to planting. Maybe there is not so much of a culture of gardening as we enjoy in England.

2. Also now out in flower in the front garden is the clump of Nerine bowdenii subsp. wellsii which may have struggled with the lack of watering: it hasn't seen a hose or watering can, only the infrequent showers these last few weeks.

Nerine bowdenii subsp. wellsii

It is a treat to go round the garden after having been away for over a week, and these two plants were very welcoming. Both of these were gifts from my plantswoman friend Hilary.  She is coming round during next week, and I hope they will still be looking good for her.

3. Just how far should an embrace go and for how long?  The little terracotta chap is now almost entirely embraced by the curly stems of the rosemary, once again in flower, so not only an embrace but a scented one, and during the day the humming of bees. The Rosemary has almost outgrown its spot, and I have been 'succession' planning with a well growing cutting taken maybe a year ago.  I'll plant it up in a large pot and next spring decide where about to plant it.  On the whole I rarely replant the same sort of plant in the same spot, preferring to refresh the soil with an addition of compost etc and planting something different. 

4. Last week I showed  Persicaria 'Golden Arrow', so this week I am showing another of the Persicarias that have bounced back. With purple, cream/silver and green leaves and the name Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Fantasy' there will always be a little space for this  psychedelic looking plant.  It has to be kept in check though, so often yielding plants to share.

5. A few weeks ago I posted about Scilla hughii, as I was curious about the little bulbils/bulblets  I found on the roots.  I'm happy that three have survived, and have started to put on some growth.

Three Scilla hughii bulblets

The 'mother' bulb is definitely showing signs of further splitting  with two crowns and I also noticed that there is another bulblet starting to grow on the outer perimeter of the pot, from one of the bulblet I left on the roots when I repotted it.

Scilla hughii forming a double rosette 

This may be the contender for the spot where the Rosemary is currently growing.

6. Earlier this week I went to a talk held by the Wells and District Wildlife Group called 'Learn to Love Slugs and Snails' given by Nathan Orr, Mendip Hills National Landscape Nature Recovery Ranger.  Except for admiring their form, there was not much understanding or love lost between myself and those slimy creatures that nibble and gnaw.  Have I turned into a lover of those molluscs? It is another creature in the garden to observe and only a couple of days after the talk, with a few light showers during the night, I found this beautiful slug. I followed it for a little while and in the time it took me to fetch a little more washing to put on the line, it has disappeared. I haven't yet been out to check any damage on the Kale plants given to me by Alison, which may just swing me back to my previous position if they have been decimated!!

Other wildlife which thrilled me this week was 'my frog', hummingbird hawkmoths, 'my robin' and several other visiting thrushes, so for now, maybe the slugs, snails and I can coexist, as the slugs will be busy breaking down all the autumnal detritus. 

Arion Rufus

Being of the 'older set' but still gardening, walking and cycling, and wanting to continue with these for many more years, I have taken up the Strong Woman Challenge being run during October,  with any funds raised going to the British Heart Foundation.  I hope to keep up the exercises even beyond the month as I would really like to be strong enough to garden for a long while yet, open jam jars, and run up and down stairs!

This is the link if you would like to support me:

 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/strongwoman2026-noellemace

Six on Saturday - 19 September 2026

 SOS you know the form, Six(ish) things from the garden all linked together over at Jim's.

1. The Asters are starting to give a wonderful splash of colour, taking us and our gardens up to the feast of Michaelmas after which all these flowers were originally named.

A Blogging friend Brian Skeys has just written a delightful article celebration Michaelmas, which reminded that some of mine could feature this week.

Aster novi-belgii Blue

Since adding the Asters to the garden a few years ago, I have divided them very successfully and have some repeats. I would love a pale pink one, and ought to look out for one in readiness for next year. Any suggestions?

2. Sometimes it is the juxtaposition of plants that brings a smile to my face as here where the Pittosporum Tom Thumb which thankfully has survived the rather harsh trim and the silver leaved Lamium maculatum form a temporary twosome.  Temporary as I believe there are bulbs lurking beneath the Lamium which will be removed at some time during the winter or spring.  It got there are a little weed seedling and for now it stays. It gently self seeds and being easy to pull up, it usefully fills bare spaces around the garden especially protecting the earth during the winter rains, and offering cover for the various insects.

Lamium maculatum

3. Another lovely leaf pop is supplied by the chartreuse green leaves of the Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'. My friend Maggie gave me a small piece somewhile ago, and I have been able to divide and place them around the garden.  This particular one was burnt to a crisp, and just before the rains, I cut it to the ground, now it has re-emerged fresh and chartreusey.

4. Another Aster and one which I divided earlier in the year is Aster Pyrenaeus 'Lutetia'.  She has had a rather tough year, but has had no watering since the initial two or three weeks settling in water. Here she is sprawling through to reach a 'look at me position', through the Miscanthus nepalensis.

Aster Pyrenaeus 'Lutetia'

I need to think over the best position for these Asters.  All three plants of Lutetia and in 'subprime' positions.

5. During the summer this pale lemon calendula, seeds supplied by SOS sister gathered from her garden, has been a beautiful counterpoint to the other colours in the garden. I call it 'Lemon Heaven' as I dead head it., In one case also the plant was cut back almost to the ground.  It has since come up rather well.  

Calendula 'Lemon Heaven'

During the heat the flowers were imperfectly formed, and I thought maybe the form of the plant had degraded due to some unknown genetic condition, but it was just the heat, and like many of us, we flourish only when 'normal weather' resumes.

6.  Although I no longer have my very small veg border, I still grow a number of herbs.  I find them decorative and delicious, and I certainly would not be without the Allium tuberosum, or more easily remembered as Garlic Chives. 

They hadn't been watered either during the summer, and from the number of flowers, I think it is time to refresh the plants and autumn is a good time. This time of the year they throw up their flowers and they are another form of nectar for the insects. There was a small copper again this year on them, but I didn't have my phone on me.  I shall leave the flowers for the bees and butterflies, then divide and share amongst my gardening friends locally.

That's it for this week, except that the garden threw up another interesting insect observed for the first time here. I found it dead in the shower room, which is just by a length of ivy covered fence, so it may well be Oedemera femoralis.  

Oedemera femoralis

I hadn't realised its rarity, otherwise I would not have thrown it back outside after I took the picture.  I'll be sure to observe it more carefully next time.