Six on Saturday - 14 September 2019

The Propagator where we all link in to show and tell about six things in the garden, has some Autumn beauties this week.


During the week I read the update of Kind Heart and Corydalis's Oak Tree.  With a small garden, it is lovely to have a view of trees.  

Just over the wall is a (1) Holm Oak: Quercus Ilex.  I have come to learn to love it on many levels.  Through the seasons many birds come to feed on insects and also seek shelter.  Gold crests flitter around and this year came down to bath in the birdbath.  In the autumn pairs of Jays come to collect the acorns.  The leaves which don't decay and fall mid summer at first seemed to me just wrong...but I am using them as a surface mulch...and the Hedgehog is delighted with them....

(2)  POTTING ON:Phlox divaricata subsp laphamii ‘Chattahoochee’ has lavender flowers that each have a darker center.  I fell in love and bought this plant at the Malvern Spring Show this year and of course a little plant came back with me.  

It was doing very well in my shady border, but when I was tiddling...that is what my husband calls my fussing, adjusting, checking on, and cosseting my plants, I broke a couple of pieces of the brittle stems.  Of course, nothing is wasted, and I set small pieces in compost. The cuttings were set in two small 10cm pots, and placed in the shade in the garden early July.

From the first of July until 13 September, close to eleven weeks, this is how well they have taken, with a few good roots.  In the cool of yesterday evening, I made up three pots with new compost and hopefully they will come through the winter, and in spring planted in the border when I will be able to see where all the now dormant plants are.

What I love about the garden is that it is possible to share plants with friends.  This week three gardening friends have spotted different plants and this has led me to spending time 'making' plants.  

(3) Ledebouria socialis 'Silver Squill' was ready for splitting a large pan has yielded several pots, one of which has now been handed over, and the remainder are ready to be taken to the HPS member's plant sale.  

(4) Pelargonium myrrhifolium v coriandifolium was repotted earlier this year into a tall pot which suits it beautifully and suits the form of the finely divided leaves.  Again two friends showed an interest.  Continuing on with the theme of propagation, here some small cuttings were taken...

(5)  Front Garden Project The front garden has been prepared and is now ready for planting...after much dithering, I have decided for now to plant out sun loving Mediterranean type plants....succulents will soon be removed, making space for bulbs etc.  Mostly I have plants coming on or being transferred from the back garden.  Great prunners and loppers with extending handles were gratefully borrowed from a neighbour to further shape the Amalanchier Trees.  Each piece kept as they make useful props for plants that need a little support.

(6) Fruit Harvest of the unusual kind:  Berries of Mahonia Aquifolium

I shall be making Mahonia Gin...which tastes wonderful, a flavour a little like Pomegranate...but should I find some Fuchsia Berries, I may also experiment with some Fuchsia Gin too!