Six on Saturday - 26 November 2022

 It has rained and rained, and winds blew off bowls and dustbin lids onto the garden on Thursday, but yesterday we had sunshine.  The garden continues to wind down, and meanwhile when I can get out, the garden is being prepared ready for the spring bulbs, with sprawling growth of spent perennials removed. I am going with others for this weekly rendezvous under the hospitality of Jim's Garden Ruminations.

1,  A little sunshine casts light and shade across the gravel garden, and good light showed up this little crane bronze nicely.  I followed its line of sight towards the yellow flowered Allium flavum.  This allium had cast its seeds around its base, as now they are lots of little seedlings coming up. This summer I'll collect seed from this to share.

2. I am determined to look after my hands and avoid the tips cracking this winter.  I treated myself to to a barrier cream to use before going into the garden barrier, and everything else needed for when I come back into the house, and they are parked by the sink by the back door. All the gardening gloves too are ready inside the shed door so there are fewer excuses.  Mr S is still doing all the washing up etc.

3.  The garden shelf on the side of the shed really needs painting too frequently.  It takes far too much of my precious time, and paint and paint brushes.  After the few months of our lovely new bench and table, we have decided to go the easier route.  Dear Mr S has sourced similar planking that will never require paining, and making me a new shelf is now on his to do list.  All we  he needs is a free day which is not wet and not too cold, for him to work outside.  Meanwhile the old shelf has been removed in readiness.

4.  Often I am beguiled by smaller younger plants, but was 'miffed' when the recently purchased succulent Cotyledon orbiculata undulata, was showing signs of growing up, a sort of etiolation.  I had not looked into how it would grow as it matured.

With all the rain making outside gardening impracticable, I had time to look up some pictures of mature plants.  Realising that they made attractive multiheaded plants,  it wasn't long before this led to a little pruning, which of course yielded some cuttings which will be potted up later today, after about three days 'drying off'.

5.  Mixing compost is a little like making pastry I found this week.  Neither the John Innes No 2 nor the All Purpose Compost seemed quite right for planting some bulbs.  There were lumps in the JI and even when the two composts were mixed and worked with fingers, clad by gloves of course, I didn't feel the drainage was sufficient.  In went some grit, sand, and a little slow release fertilizer pellets.  I was happy with the final mix and it was ready for planting bulbs in pots.

Gifted bulbs from the Narcissi Society: Narcissus Chanson have now been planted. I can't find anything about this variety on line, so I may drop a line to the Society and ask about this.

One lot of the tulips too is now planted up, and today will hopefully see the balance of Tulipa Amazing Parrot and Parrot King all in pots. I put a layer of sand within the pots to lay the tulip bulbs on.

As we have squirrels and lots of rain at the moment, after watering I have covered the planted pots but will need to keep a check on them from time to time.

6.  Buddha is soaking in the sun....

The Acer is still in full leaf as are the apple trees, but the pear trees have now shed their leaves.  We still haven't had a frost on the back garden, with nasturtiums still in leaf, and bumble bees etc out when it is not raining.