Six on Saturday - 25 March 2023

How time flies: this is the last Six on Saturday for March 2023.  There will be plenty of gardening pleasures to be seen on Jim's post and on other gardeners musings, and as usual I am joining in with his anchoring post.

This week we have had so much rain, we have no hard surfaces except for the drive, so hopefully the soil will have absorbed it all, to benefit plants later in the season. The water butt is completely full too.

1. Last week I was asked about Primula Wanda White.(more details if you click on this highlighted link), at present the strongest and best primula in the garden. I first got it in March '21 from Graham at Tadham Alpines.  It has yielded many divisions to share around already, and with flowers from mid December it gets well into its stride in January easily a full month or two before the deep cerise Wanda.  The rosette of leaves lasts all year and sheds some its older leaves but keeps a tight rosette when it comes into flower.

Flowers this week on divisions of P Wanda White taken early last year

Divisions taken November '22

2. This week I picked the first of the pea shoots sown just about a month ago, and they are tender and delicious and give a fresh pea taste to garnishes and salads.

2. Last Sunday I was at the Rare Plant sale at the Bishop's Palace.  Partly I was going to hand over a couple of plants to a friend who was also going, and then also to see what 'trends' I could observe.  So many stalls had Corydalis 'Beth Evans' and Primula 'Wanda', I rather like having plants what are not so widely grown, so maybe I ought to have a look for some different things.  I had taken the little plastic bowl from the posing shelf to the HPS meeting last Saturday and it got awarded 1st.  

In the Millefleur bed I have large clumps now, and one or two needed to be 'reduced or removed' this week, so much easier to find when they are in the green, and when digging them up, was surprised by how deep the bulbs had buried themselves. I divided the clumps of large bulbs in the green and positioned in groups of three elsewhere in the garden, and with all the rain that has followed, three days later they look as if they have always been there.

3. I  could not resist a few new plants, small beauties mainly to add to my Millefleur border: a lovely small Viola odorata 'Kim', which has already been divided in two and planted in different parts of the garden to check where it likes it best. 

Also had a sixth sense that the finely divided leaves on a plant tucked in on the floor was something I had been looking for and on asking the name heard that was Pimpinella major 'Rosea', I had only seen it once before when we visited Wyncliffe Gardens last summer.  It proved to be the same plant and not bad considering I had not its name on me.

4. Another one to add to the Millefleur border was Primula Strong Beer which was still tighly in bud, but it looked strong with good tight leaves as if it had been grown outside and not molly cuddled in a glass house. What names people come up with, but she is in good company as Primula. Port  and P. Lemon and Old Port are not far away! 

5. Scilla bifolia which I think will need a shady place, is really small and for now I've potted it into a terracotta pot and it is on my shelf at a far handier height to admire it.  

6.Another alpine which unsurprisingly (since it is from South America) I first saw in a friend's trough, Hilary has led many tours to South America: Nothoscordom sellowianum or Ipheion sellowianum. I shall continue to grow that in a pan and bring it in during the winter as the online care notes do mention like it does not like winter wet.  I even thought it was getting too wet, so have given it some shelter too for now. It is also nice to have it at a height that is handy for catching its sweet smell. I can confirm it has the sweetest of scents not at all oniony like the other Ipheions.

I am helping out all day at Yeo Valley for the HPS today and will be shattered when I return, maybe I will have just a few additional beauties, as I mentioned what I was looking for to Pottertons and they will be at Yeo Valley again.