Six on Saturday - 20/4/2019

Being one of the several people who join up with  the propagator most Saturdays, here I go again.  During a week that started with cold weather with a stiff chilling breeze, and is ending with temperatures warmer than the Mediterranean, it is not suprising that the garden in some areas is putting on a real spurt.

For the first of my six, one of my favourite small plants which now grows along the dried clay 'path' is in flower.  Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii in flower is delightful, but believe me I bought this plant a couple of years ago simply because I fell in love with the wolly rosettes of its leaves.  I search through my photographs and was amazed than I had not thought to photograph it, even though it is probably the most looked at little plant in my garden.  I bought it from Graham from Tadham Nurseries who has a pop up stall at Wells most Saturdays. Here is a link to a photograph...and I shall be sure to picture and follow this plant through the seasons and post more about Androsace.

For my second item here, growing away well are my own grown from seed Lychnis coronaria.  I received these as seeds from Cathy of  In a Vase on Monday, another meme that I love to take part in, and again these were seeds that originally were sent to her by another friend Sandra.  I feel that for me, the most successful method on the last few perennials I have grown is to use a little seed bed in the garden.  Sow last May, they formed nicely and were transplanted at the end of October.  These were probably set out a little too close!  I don't know what colour they will be as I am unsure from what colour plants the seed was collected from

My third entry is my little Apple Tree D'arcy Spice.  This is its second flowering.  As you can see it is most probably a tip bearer.  The two apples it bore last year were probably the best apples I have tasted.  

My fourth of six this Saturday is a view of what I have done to my two Pelargonium Ardens.  They started as two plug plants last spring.  I featured them in full leaf on a previous SOS.  Having taken out the growing tips, I could see several small shoots lower down, but no diminution to the strength of the growing tips.  I decided to repot them, found the roots strong and very thick .  I cut off the tops, and replanted in fresh medium all in the same pot.  Updates will follow  and whether or not this was a rash action or a breakthrough on achieving a multi stemmed Ardens only time will tell.

My unnamed Tiarella, brought to the new garden from the old one as a small piece, has grown into two nice clumps, whereas Tiarella Mint chocolate seems to be fading away, with no obvious problems below soil level.

My final and sixth item this week is my tray of newly emerged seedlings.  The runner bean comes up with a cotyledon, but the french beans show the cotyledon...just noticed this.  The french beans are same climbing french bean that I grew last year: Fasgold.  The Runner bean is Moonlight which is said to be self fertile.  Last year the bees were getting the nectar somewhere round the back of Runner Bean Desiree , which meant that they only set if I used by little paintbrush to fertilize the flowers.  It is alleged that Moonlight is more weather tolerant.  My two wigwams are up, but I'll wait a little while longer before setting them out into their sheltered positions in the 'potage'...the 'poshness' of the name is in inverse proportion to the size of the veggie bit of the back garden.

I shall be out at the crack of dawn to water some of the new plants.  Any views as to whether one ought to water in the evening or the morning.  If in the evening maybe it may attract slugs and snails?