Saturday 18 July 2020

Six on Saturday - 18 July 2020


Fern Polystichum setiferum Bevis needed to be moved, so that I could plant Pittospurum garnettii in its place. From time to time several plants have to be moved simply because one plant needs to get out of a pot.  Nearly always the pot ends up getting filled with something else.  This amuses Mr S, since I am constantly promising that I am going to reduce the number of pots.

(1)  First to be dug up was Cephalaria gigantea.  It was quite the wrong scale for this small garden.  Yes it had its season this year, flowered beautifully, and was the favourite night resting place for bumblebees.  It was living up to its name, but sadly with insufficient room, it was crowding out some rather handsome plants.  I had already found it a good home and it is off to grace one of the beds at Mendip Hospital Cemetery.  I am a 'gourmande' when it comes to plants.  However I have decided that it is OK if a plant is unsuitable, or dies, or had to be moved out of the garden.  Life is too short, and the garden too small, if I want to garden and grow new plants, saying goodbye to plants is fine.

(2) The Bevis Fern, which I first bought in 2014, has hopefully found its forever place in Acer Corner.  It had a good soaking, and is in good leafmould rich soil.  I removed the greater quantity of its foliage so that it did not suffer too much from the move.  Yes, it will look a little odd this year, but hopefully in the spring, it will send up its new fronds and regain its former beauty. 



(3) It was finally time to get the Pittospurum garnettii out of its pot.  That was a hard job.  A little cutting of the tight roots was necessary, both to get it out of its pot, and also off the bottom to encourage rooting out into the surrounding soil.  Pruning of the lower branches to lift it a little ought also to help it settle in its new spot.  Again it got a really good soaking of the root ball and the soil.  It looks far more comfortable in the ground.  I did this with a Pittosporum in my last garden, and it soon romped away there.  




(4) Dahlia 'Gallery Art Fair' was in the wrong place on two counts: it couldn't be seen easily, and it was in the middle of the slug or snail motorway.  It overwintered in the ground gallantly, put on good growth, but suffered various unsightly nibbles. It was almost painful to go and see whether the blooms were also being attacked by earwigs.   I think it stands a better chance to be admired and evade the slimy attackers, now that it is in The Pittosporum Pot, placed on the gravel.

(5) Insects:  Last Sunday at about one o'clock we had the phenomenon of flying ants. There was a cloud rising from the Bay tree Pot, and from several places on the ground.  Later as they landed small birds and black birds had a feast.  I failed to capture that but this week, found this cute little green Speckled Bush Cricket.


The name comes from the small speckles on its body.

(6) Clematis Vienetta is trying to keep cool, whilst Pelargonium Pink Capricorn shades the pot with its exuberant growth.



13 comments:

  1. So pretty clematis Vienetta.. that reminds me of the ice cream brand !😂😋

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    1. It always makes me smile. It was quite the thing to have back in the 1982s. It was my little joke to say that it was keeping cool..though of course Clematis like to have cool roots.

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  2. We've done it again! Double cricket, sister. :) Love the idea of you passing on your cephalaria to a worthy garden. I am sure your pittosporum will be happy in its new place, no photo of it though?

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    1. Well sisters often think the same :) The Pittosporum is just this side of the last hydrangea. I wanted a 'border view', partly to compare it with a similar view in a year or two's time. Of course, some of the hydrangea may have moved by then!

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  4. That is a beautiful clematis but like Fred I imediately thought of the icecream dessert! I'm looking at the buddleia and thinking it's far too big for the garden. Your SoS has made me feel better about considering its removal. We shall see.

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    1. The person who thought up that name got it right. It flowers at the I want icecream time of the year. I reckon you'll prune the buddleia and see how it goes. Of course if you love it, there will be cuttings, and a smaller plant then gets established elsewhere.

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    1. Thanks Sandra. I think I am just going for Class 3 pruning clematis like this one, for pots.

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  6. I'm keen to buy some cephalaria gigantea for the back of a border. They are huge and I'm hoping the scale will be right. I won't know til I try but like you will move it on if it doesn't suit.

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    1. They are lovely plants. Maybe ask around, someone may have some they can share with you. I have started to post divisions etc on our gardening club facebook page. It has been lovely way to show people my garden when they come to collect, and also get to know them in a way that is not possible at the meetings.

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  7. I have the opposite problem with Cephalaria - I'm willing mine to get bigger! The clematis is wonderful.

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    1. Well if mine had stayed smaller, it would not have been despatched! I often find success when a plant fails to grow is to move it. Yes that clematis grows despite being cut back harshly.

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