Six on Saturday - 21 March 2020

So much has been changed recently and over the last week it has been even more evident that  this Virus is causing the whole of humanity to enter a period in which  a hiatus greater than one could have imagined.  I have decided to 'withdraw' as much as possible, when going for walks, smiling but keeping my distance.  Already I had been unwell with a cough etc, and had decided not to go to any meetings.  I was on the point of feeling that I could have gone to the talk our gardening club had organised with Matthew Biggs as our main speaker, when it was cancelled with only two days or so to go.

There has been sunshine for a few hours and we have more to come next week, and we shall probably have more frosts that we have had all winter.

The Propagator our 'leader' has urged us to celebrate Spring whether you have a garden, house plants, or enjoy looking at front gardens on your suitably socially distanced walks.  Do join us to peer or even to join through comments on his blog. 

(1) Spare plants...I had suggested a friendly competition for our club, which we were to have held for the first time this year.  It is an idea that had caught on in The Kenilworth Club and had been very much enjoyed there.  In March each member is given a 'plug plant' and asked to grow it on.  Our chairman had collected something in the region of 80 plugs and now without 'an outlet', has distributed them as best she can, mainly around the committee members and 'helpers' who had the ability to bring them on.  Friday morning saw some plants left on my doorstep: Fuchsia Southern Belle Happy Wedding Day,  Petunia Tumbelina Cherry Ripple, and Geranium New Century Red.

They are now potted up and in the conservatory for protection from the cold nights

(2) Last weekend Sally arrived with a plant that had been on a joint order, and had been looked after by her for a couple of weeks, whilst I was out of circulation.....Blackberry Karaka Black.  The white rose iceberg has been moved to another place to make way, and against the fence the little stems hopefully will develop over the next couple of years to yield delicious pickings.  In effect it was a gift from Sally..she took home the 'mystery' plant which was the source of my little battle a few weeks back.

We are now a two Blackberry Plant family with Blackberry 'Thornfree' on the other side of the garden close to gooseberry corner.

(3) Back indoors the flower spikes on Pelargonium ardens are just beginning to open.

I bought a couple of plug plants in 2018 which had been micro propagated, they went dormant during the summer and then leafed up in the same year.  Last year I decided that I would be ruthless and cut the plants right down to soil level when they were repotted in an effort to generate a multi rosetted plant.  It worked out well, with four rossettes on the smaller plant and six on the stronger one.  It is the one with four rosettes that has sent up two flower spikes.  I don't know whether this is early for Pelargonium ardens, and whether there is time yet for the other plant to flower.

(4) Plum Tree Mirabelle de Nancy is blooming.....

The tree is still rather small and I have yet to pick any fruit...hopefully this year they may be some.

(5)  From the vantage point by the plum tree,  I noticed that some of the Ipheion bulbs were showing their first flowers.  I was given sufficient for several clumps by my neighbour Val who had brought them from her mother's garden.  I took pictures and then downloaded them almost straight away.  Look closely....

The smooth shiny coppery 'thing' emerging from the wall is a slow worm.  I rushed out to check whether it was still there but it was gone.  Only last Monday I had disturbed a much larger slow worm a little way along the base of the wall in some leaf litter.  I had noticed these holes near the bottom of the wall and had wondered how they were kept free and open.  Now I know not to arrange to mortar these up.

A pair of garden warblers have been visiting the garden this week for the first time this season.   The gold finches have been on the feeder.

(6) Planting up and rearranging plant pots

Being undecided as to where in the garden I wanted to plant the new Clematis Sugar Sweet,  it went into a large pot for this season, and to grace the base,  I chose  three little plants dug up from the borders.  One of the reasons for this indecision is that I want to be able to get up close and admire the flowers and also its scent.  As I write this, I wonder whether it may have its ideal spot.  It was also time that the carnivorous pitcher plant went up to a bigger pot.   The Sarracenia has been outside all winter and now the new pot has been slipped in a tall flower bucket with stones weighing it down.  It used to fill up with rain water, but that is a benefit to this bog plant.