Six plants from the garden at the end of April 2023

We seem to have the same cool days, with some having heavy rain, but there has just been a day and sufficient time during the week so go out and have a look at the garden, take a cutting or two, and move plants or plan plant moves with existing plants to try and achieve improved combinations.  This is the consequence of acquiring plants for the plant sake, rather than starting with a plan with the all the plants positioned out on the drawing, the plants ordered en mass, and then the garden grows.

1. One of the Auriculas arriving this year had to be 'Sarah Millington' as it is named for one of the owners of Hillview Hardy Plants.  I think the plants were suffering a little due to their being delivered late in the season, well at least this was my mistake ordering only a couple of weeks ago and I am sure after settling in, they will be magnificent next year. This one was completely in bud but just look at her now!

Primula auricula ' Sarah Millington'

This is my first double flowered Primula auricula. I used to love growing a few show auriculas and was proud to win a couple of prizes at my local gardening club with them. I'm not going to in for shows but will take plants for the various clubs members tables at meetings.

2. In the gravel garden one of the Pulsatillas, a red one is taking centre stage.

3. Part of my order from Twelve Nuuns Nursery last year, this 'bloodroot' in its second year was trying to push up through the leaves of Cyclamen Silver Shield which was growing a little too large for its allocated space.  It had also been moved in the late autumn after the blood root had died down.  The cyclamen got moved further along the bed, and the Bloodroots' little patch is now fronted by some dainty little Achillea erythropoda.  These proved to be nicely evergreen over the winter and had also expanded so well, that some of them had to be removed from the sunny border where the Origanums also grow. It will be interesting to see how the Achillea grow in part shade. Along the very front, at the edge of footpath, the divisions I planted out late autumn of the small but beautifully leaved Astilbe glaberrima var. saxatilis are emerging, they survived my chopping up of the dormant 'mother plant' and replanting in late November.

Sanguinaria canadensis multiplex'Plena'

4.  In front of the Viola Corsica, with a low mass of fine green leaves, this plant given to me by a great plantswoman who has had it for years, is covered in beautiful small yellow flowers.  I have found out that it is most probably Erysimum kotschyanum. I shall take a few cuttings and plant some in my 'Mediterranean' garden, I think it shall be happy there since it hails from Turkey. It is a great complement to the blues and purples out now.

Erysimum kotschyanum

5. Geranium malvifolium is just starting to throw up its flowers over its winter green leaves, and everything will disappear in just two or three weeks time: it is ideal growing amongst the perennials which are about to emerge.  I rather like to the soft green effect of its leaves all through the winter helping to cover the soil in the perennial and spring bulb beds.

Geranium malviflorum

6. Here are some of last year's cuttings in the gravel garden. The two older plants gave up the ghost.  I like to move plants to  different position as it offers the opportunity to view them from different angles or in different combinations with other plants, another good reason to propagate new plants and ditch the older ones particularly for these short lived perennials.  Phlox bifida 'Ralph Haywood' is one deserving its own space and the gravel in my opinion forms an ideal background.

Phlox bifida' Ralph Hayward' in the gravel garden

Of course it doesn't have to be just plants for the SOS meaning Six on Saturday from the garden.  The rules about the six items from his garden and the anchor is on Jim's weekly post which is to be found on his blog: Garden Ruminations. Because this is a virtual meet up of gardeners there is no fear of the stick or being chased by Jim with the threat of being composted, though he is no push over and you may be gently reminded or even encouraged in your 'artistic' pushing of the border edges!

Six things from my garden this Saturday 22 April 2023

To start off with almost a whole paragraph from our host Jim may smack of plagiarism or filling this week's post simply with other people's words, but I had yet to find something which summed up my feelings about my own garden.  

"There’s a lack of coherence which doesn’t bother me because I’m quite happy to home in on a single small plant, even a single bloom. It just makes me a little uncomfortable when I think of other people coming round, most of whom will look at it as a whole."

I'm not sure I would say that about his garden though as each week we catch glimpses of plants from a true 'Master Gardener'.

Yesterday with friends from the WI gardening group we visited Westbrook House, which Mr S and I had visited before with the HPS, of course being far larger, there was room for wonderful design, and coherence using mass plantings of single species etc, and if I used those sorts of principles, with the size of the garden we have, I would probably manage only a handful of SOS a year, and lose out on the marvel of individual plants which is something that thrills me.

1.  The Parrot Tulips are starting to show some of those wonderful patterns and colours.

just a few days ago this is what it looked like a crumpled up green cabbage...next week superb exotic parrots will be hovering.

2. Looking quite stunning as well is Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake'.  I took some cuttings last autumn, but there was very little root growth.  I've planted them out in a spare patch a couple of weeks ago for them to take their chance, and cut out the tiny flower buds as I would rather have better plants next year and good root growth this year. If they survive there will be two or three to plant around elsewhere. (succession planning), the rest to be given away.

Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake'

3. I wanted to have something to hang some pigeon deterrent netting from, and rescued the arrows which were no longer required by the resident archer.  I'll be able to put my hand down the middle to pick these smaller mange tout which only grow to three foot high. Norli Dwarf  Mangetout Pea will hopefully suit my tiny plot far more the touring wigwams reaching far too high for me.

4. I was delighted to see the first flower of the season and looking like the only bloom on this Pulsatilla vulgaris subsp. grandis ’Papageno’, spending its first full year in the gravel garden,

5.  Pear Tree Concorde is trying its best after a completely flowerless year last year.  I do hope some of these get fertilised, Pear Beth is close by but only three of four flower clusters this year.

Pear Tree Concorde 

Yes, that is the big Persicaria Red Dragon growing up quickly!

6. The Iris season is starting off with Dwarf Bearded Iris Knick Knack. The clump was greatly reduced last year, with many pots given away.

The week ahead promises more lovely new blooms, and I'll be out there trying to avoid going down the side border where the Robins hatched about three days ago. Mum and Dad are busy catching spiders and caterpillars around the garden. It is quite a bit cooler this end of the week, and fleece is to the ready to cover the new strawberries which are just starting to flower.

Enjoy the coming week in the garden,

Coronation Tart using Savoury Pastry using Clive Mellum's Technique

 I shan't be making any tarts for street parties as we have not one near us or have been invited to one, but on the Sunday I will be involved with a fun day on the Cathedral Green on our WI games stall.  Seeing all the comments concerning 'The Coronation Quiche', it inspired me to make a savoury tart today.  I made the pastry using Clive Mellums short crust pastry recipe earlier in the day, with plenty left over to make some steak and kidney pies in a couple of days time.  

We are having a new fridge and a new freezer next week, and I am working on getting everything used up.  There happens to be some frozen spinach lurking.  Why I bought this before Christmas I have no idea, and at least it does contain a little spinach, but I thought instead of broad beans I would use a couple of leeks nicely soften in goat's butter. Since we cannot tolerate cow's milk etc, and no goat's cream is available, I used three eggs and three tablespoons goat's yogurt instead of the cream.  Local Sheep and Goat  milk cheese were used.

Here it is...we shall have it for lunch over the next couple of days with salad. I peeped at the bottom through the wrack and the bottom is nicely cooked.  I followed HRHs timing for cooking the pastry, and was concerned that it was not returned to cook without the paper and beans after the initial 15 minutes, but everything worked out even without that.  I may well make a second tart next week with asparagus and smoked salmon...a far more regal tart.

Some time ago I contacted Clive Mellum for permission to share some of the techniques, and for anyone serious about Bread Making I highly recommend his book My Life in Baking 50 Years on.

The recipe for both the Sweet Short Crust Pastry and the Savoury Pastry follow on to the extreme end of using the same flour: strong, and understanding what fats can do depending how they are used.  I once make the Sweet Pastry using plain flour and it was so very short!

I usually make double the recipe as it keeps so well in the fridge or freezer.  Being a baker Clive put percentages as well as weight:

White Flour 200 grams: 100%

Salt   2 grams: 1%

Lard 50grams: 25%

Butter 50grams: 25%

Water  34grams: 17%

Clive explains that the method for the savoury pastry will be a little different from that explained in the preceding Sweet Pastry recipe,  as it is more difficult to emulsify the liquid with the fat without the aid of the sugar as in the sweet pastry. 

"It is advisable to place the fat, salt and just 25% of the flour into the bowl first, mash these up to form a paste, fully coating all the flour particles with the fat, then add the water to make the creamy batter. Once fully emulsified, add the remainder of the flour and carry on mixing until smooth."

Since I brought the lard and goat's butter (intolerances to cow's products) straight out of the fridge,  it was a bit tricky for me to emulsify these with the fork in the bowl, so I took it outside and enjoyed the birdsong but it did get my forearm.  No baker's strong forearms available.  In the future I would take the fats out of the fridge and leave on the side for about a hour to reach room temperature.  I would then mix the two fats together first with the salt, then add the flour and mix until fully coated.  It helped to get my hand in, but I am sure a hand held whisk would be fine, though you would not enjoy the sound of the birdsong!

Mix in the water a little at a time, and when fully emulsified, then add in the other three quarters of the flour, and here I think using your hands works.  Rub through until the pastry forms a ball, clearing the sides of the bowl.  Then tip it out onto the work surface and start to grind it to create a smooth pliable plasticised-like texture.  

In Clive's words" it is impossible to overwork this, so don't worry, get it to a nice smooth texture....It will be more user-friendly if it is allowed to settle down for 1hr at room temperature, if you want to use it the same day, or if you make a large batch keep it in the fridge for a day or so."

I have frozen it very successfully.

In a Vase on Monday - Snowflakes and Victorian Lace

 It was great to meet some of the In a Vase on Monday crew yesterday.  Cathy who set up this weekly get together, is now bringing us together from time to time via a zoom meeting.  I had not read the full email sending us the links, and therefore I was not prepared properly.  We were to have prepared each of us, to talk about about favourite garden book.  I scribbled widely as people talked about their suggestions.  In the second half Annette talked us through how she best deals with the drought and high temperatures during the summer time, as experienced in Central France and in a rain shadow area high up in Switzerland which although a little cooler also lacks previous rainfall amounts.

Here in the UK in the South West it has been a cooler and wetter April than the previous few years, but it is still best to be prepared for the summer months, so many tips from Annette's talk are now on my action list.

If I were to skim read through the list of flowers then maybe Snowflakes and Victoria Lace would jump out, and that is how I arrived at the title for today's vase.  And you thought I ought to be showing Victorian Lace covered with snowflakes, well in terms of flowers and plants from the garden I hope these will please you just as much.

The squirrels, yes we  have several have been nibbling at the acer, and only one branch low down escaped the grazing.  It looked quite strange only a couple of feet or so from the ground, so these few leaves from my prunning off of this, is joining in as the soft green element. The Victorian lace element is in the little Primula Victoria Gold Lace, and the snowflakes are from Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake'.  The yellow flowers at the back are those of Epimedium versicolor sulphureum, and joining the vase for the first time is Persicaria runcinata Purple Fantasy.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Cathy and others vases are like this week.

Six on Saturday - Mid April 2023

What a week it has been, so much rain, and really heavy gales with thunder and lighting, I believe it was the 'Tempête française Noa' that did for us. When the houseplants needed a water, out they went, just for a few minutes though. I am joining in with Jim as usual where we may commiserate or admire or learn, and Jim is usually at hand (or away 'working' on a lecture tour,) to add advice, admire, or commiserate, if he isn't doing something really important..(garden wise)

1. Tetraneuris scaposa has been in the ground just a few days now.  This is a real close up filling the frame close up, later when it has filled out, I shall take a picture that adds scale and contect.  I saw it on the Potterton's Stall at the Yeo Valley HPS plant sale a few weeks back, and after a chat about it with Rob, it was added to the slowly increasing collection behind the counter, each time I passed one would be added, then ready for collection at the end of the day.  Yesterday it had just started to open its first flowers.  I love yellow and just look at the beauty of this yellow daisy.  I am intrigued to see if it sets viable seed. I have yet to see what form it takes, how long are its stems, and also whether it will withstand the conditions, but I love a new type of plant, and hope this is successful.

Tetraneuris scaposa

 2. Last year from the Alpine Garden Society I received some viola seed, amongst which I had two successes.  On of them was for Viola Corsica.  I had placed two or three seedling in each of two clumps which have thankfully come through the winter and are already in full flower.  When one thinks how dry and hot it was last summer, both the clumps one in full sun as here and another in semi shade have also come through a very wet and cold winter, not that they were ever waterlogged.

Viola corsica

I am particularly pleased that the seed I collected last autumn from the garden are germinating.  I shall need to monitor the seedlings and see what the flowers come out as, as I have Viola Tricolor and Viola Bowles Black growing close by, my naiety is here exposed, I have no idea regarding hybridisation of viola. Some of the Bowles Black have regrown from seed just cast where the previous plants were growing and these have come true to form, though I do understand that it may be in subsequent generations that differences may occur.

3. Primula Port and Lemon is a delightful component of the Conservatory/Millefleurs border. On dark days it shines with its yellow petals. Bought in 2021, it has expanded and benefits well from division. When the stems of the young leaves show the 'port' the flowers have very short tems, but as the weeks go by, the stem elongates slightly the blooms droop elegantly, giving a relaxed elegant look to the plant.

4. In the front garden the species Tulips are up but are keeping shut pending warmth and sunshine. I'll leave these to form seed and sow these just around the plant, rather than nurture the seed in pots over a number of years. I love its form and it doesn't flop yet holds its blooms for longer than some of the other species tulips. Please note the sunny spell....it didn't last long!

Tulipa Whittalii Major

5.  The Hardy Chrysanthemums from Halls of Heddon were very well packaged in moss with good labels. All are potted up but are in the shed by the window to help save them from some of the ravages of weather. 

On the subject of Chrysanthemums, the HPS one is not yet showing any signs of growth in fact since February is has shown less and less, it may be that Chrysanthemum Picasso has not survived.  Perhaps it is not that hardy, and I ought to have lifted and stored half a clump in the shed overwinter. I hope I can get a piece back from somebody, and I promise to take a piece into the shed during the winter. On the other hand Chrysanthemum Hillside Apricot is covered over with many healthy looking shoots.

6. I nipped out yesterday a took a picture of Phlox bifida Ralph Haywood on the posing shelf yesterday it would look a lot better against a different coloured background but it was too cold and damp to spend time moving it.  The ones in the gravel garden need a little sun and warmth to get going.

Erodium Fran's Delight

This delightful plant arrived in the post in January 2019 from Potterton Nursery.  I had not grown it previously and probably it had been added to the order to make up numbers.  Since being planted that year in the gravel garden it has never failed to delight continuing in flower under autumn.  Here it is in May 2022.

Erodium Fran's Delight was raised by plantsman John Anton-Smith from Cheltenham and introduced in 1991, and named for one of his gardeners.

Perhaps it is the dead heading which encourages it continue flowering for so long.

Writing about this plant  in August 2022:

 "I'm not sure whether to be happy or fed up that this plant on the corner of the gravel garden just doesn't know when to stop flowering. I'm happy that it is the longest flowering plant in the garden, starting in the spring, and flowering until very late in the autumn. Erodium Fran's Delight never fails to please.

A weekly task of dead heading required attention before the sun creeped round. 

I dead headed early in the morning during the scorching days about once a week during the peak flowering period,  which leaves the plant tidier and ready for more flowers to be formed. Since this is from one week, it does give an indication of the ver floriferous nature of this erodium.

In September 2022 the plant was outgrowing its allocated space and was subjected to a drastic cut back.

 At the time I wondered whether it would survive.   I held my nerve and it did grow back.  

Before I attempted this, a made sure there was  a rooted cutting which was growing on well. 

I am delighted to say that this plant in its fourth year in the garden is summer ready even on this damp April day. 

In a Vase on Easter Monday

 Yesterday I went to help serve teas at the Wessex Daffodil Society show.  Our gardening club helps out to serve refreshments to the many who travel miles to stage their special daffodils in so many different classes.  All are beautiful and perfect and the judges take hours to reach their final decisions.  Thirsty work of course.  I had made a large tray bake of the Hairy Bikers' Cardamon Coffee Cake which I first made over a decade ago.  I halved the cardamon and added grated lemon peel, and had many compliments over it.  

I had not wanted to stage any blooms this year as this would have meant driving out to the Village Hall twice in one day.  Instead Mr S and I went on a long walk in the beautiful spring sunshine.  Last year the Society donated a number of bulbs in thanks for all the help we offer, and which were raffled off a the club.  I had Narcissus Pebble Mill.  

Not surprisingly this is the one I chose to show in my Vase on Monday today.  Alongside are leaves of Allium italicum, and some clear blue flowers from Brunnera macrophylla Jack Frost. 

The Book Club gang are meeting up at Anne's this week to discuss our latest read.  It was a real page turner which I thoroughly enjoyed.  We shall be discussing The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell.

The cult like atmosphere with controlling behaviour was on my mind when I caught a clip on classic FM advertising the the interview with the pianist RIOPY who also lived but escaped a controlling violent sect in France.  I must listen to some of his music, I wonder whether Alexa will have any tracks.

Hope you are having a lovely Easter.  Us IVOMers are gathering under Cathy's watchful eye, but we are also meeting virtually next week for the second time...

Pelargonium Ardens grown with caudex showing

 Let me take you through my experience with Pelargonium Ardens.  I am just an amateur gardener, but interested in plants and enjoy doing slightly different things. I only have a very few Pelargoniums.

I first acquired two little plug plants of Pelargonium ardens in 2018, as part of a challenge of growing a plant we had chosen to feature on Henton Gardening Club website of which I was webmaster. I wrote a short post then little knowing that they would still be going five years later. I had watched 'Potted Jewels' regarding this cultivar, and her video on propagating this Pelargonium. 

This is an extract from Woottens of Wenhaston, who are National Collection Holders.

Species Hybrid. Small intense scarlet red flowers with dark markings. Although appearing equal in size the two upper are larger. Flowers are borne on tall stems away from the foliage. Established plants have thick stems with an almost papery bark. If allowed can be lax in habit, preventable by repotting and ‘burying’. Tuberous, and propagated on the nursery using tubers as well as cuttings. Cuttings are difficult to strike and are usually taken from inch tall flowering stems before bloom in February. Early flowering March – July. Grey green soft foliage. Tends to go dormant in early summer. New leaves are often produced in early winter. Ht. 40cm. Sp. 35cm. Water very little during dormant season.
A wonderful plant, unique and beautiful.
A primary species hybrid of P. lobatum (1698) and P. fulgidum. Other successful hybrids of these two include P. x schottii
Introduced in 1817. Lee.

Having successfully propagated P x Ardens, I decided last year to remove it from the original pot it was grown in. In January 2019, having cut it back it successfully grew several crowns and gave an excellent display that year.

By Summer last year the plant was quite root bound, but as the pot was far too valuable to break, there was no alternative but to use everything including an old bread knife to extract it carefully so as not to cause the pot any damage.

Finally out of the pot, and thinking some mouse or squirrel would maybe enjoy it over the winter, chucked it onto the accumulation of dry leaves at the foot of the stone wall behind a shrub.

This week when having a good tidy up by the wall, I came across the root still sitting on top, quite untouched, which surprised me as I thought it would have been utterly damaged by the wet and freezing weather this winter. It was even sporting some healthy green growth.

I had been a member of the IGS for a couple of years and had much admired pictures of plants grown with the caudex showing.  I chose to leave as I did not wish to grow many different types of species, but learnt much and admired many beautifully grown plants. 

How do I explain caudex when I have no experience of such things. I found a very good explanation:

'The term "caudex" is used in botany to describe the thickened, woody caudiciform stem of a plant that grows just above or below the ground. The caudex is an important part of the plant, providing support and storing nutrients and water for periods of drought.' (Caudex Plants)

I have tried to look for examples of Pelargonium Ardens grown with an exposed caudex, and it could be that I am the first to try this.  Nothing ventured...

This is what it looks like potted up yesterday

At the same time I put up the other two specimens the first on the original in the 'wrong' shaped pot which I have yet to extricate showing the longer stems

and two cuttings taken three years ago, in a half pan already starting in flower.

I'll give an update on the success or otherwise of the caudex exposed specimen.  

Six on Saturday - In the garden on a sunny Easter weekend

 Just a few days of sunshine, and the garden is coming alive, the effect of anticipating a delivery of plants by post is to get all the outstanding plants in pots planted out to their positions such as grasses Anemanthele lessoniana or Pheasants Tail, and the orchid Bletilla ochracea that had been growing in pots, as well as a few others.  I'm joining all the others under Garden Ruminations which is Jim's Blog and where you can find so much about his garden where he shares his knowledge and views of plants and his garden.

Now for six from a small suburban garden, which is far too small and therefore is crammed with plants, where unwanteds are quickly expelled, malingers not tolerated,  and chance visitors welcomed with open arms.

1. In the front garden the Amelanchier Trees are in full flower looking particularly good against the blue sky, and despite having been cut back so severely that expanses of twigs were left in several parts, the golden Lonicera blobs are leafing and shooting nicely. I removed some lonicera from further along and moved one to the other side of the drive by the Amelanchier tree there.

2.  Also by the corner of the house the clump of Tulipa clusiana Lady Jane is so far open you can hardly see her pink lipstick up the outside of each petal.

Just behind is a Perovskia shrub which has been cut right down, and looking along further where the blue grape hyacinth are in full flower, I have the idea that some transplanted and placed amongst the Perovskia, may work, so that the tulips are surrounded by blue.

3.  Last year at one of the plant sales I bought a couple of small pots of grasses, and I had expected to plant them up this spring.  Partly I wanted to wait to see whether the suspected celandine was a 'wild' one, or maybe it could just be a little beauty, as I could tell that the grass had just been dug up from a fellow HPS member's garden.  Yes it is a little double one, which I shall keep. After drafting this yesterday, the interloper was separated out, and each are planted into their 'first positions', which can be interpreted as they are likely to be moved if the position does not suit either the overall look of the garden or the plants themselves. 

Last spring at the Yeo Valley HPS plant fair I also fell for the first time for a 'garden celandine'. The one I brought home was Ficaria verna 'Collarette'.  I must have tipped the soil out into my Golden Yew and just spied this one. I shall move it back to join the rest of the gang.

In Somerset with its wet soils, fields and roadsides are golden with early spring flowers with celandines opening out in the sunshine.

The Lesser Celandine

There is a Flower, the Lesser Celandine,

That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;

And, the first moment that the sun may shine,

Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again!

A paragraph from Shakespeare's sonnet.

4. No longer requiring 'the stones', The Mirabelle is in full flower, with buds waiting just in case the current flush are damaged by the frost.

5.  I was given a couple of 'handfuls' of Ipheion by a neighbour a few years back, but this clump is going to be lifted and probably placed around other parts of the garden or else offered to local gardening friends. It occupies a 'prime location' and other plants need to have this space.  As the beds 'grew' from the very first plantings, I find myself repositioning plants quite frequently.

6.  Another spring flower introduced to the garden last week is proving to be rather larger and more splendid than the ones I grew from corms planted last year, but as it is placed far enough from the others it does not necessarily outshine the others.

Anemone Blanda White Splendour

Any other business brought forward from last week:

Last week we had a peep at a super specimen  of Loropetalum chinense ‘Black Pearl.’ I said I would show mine on the comments, and here it is looking very sorry.  It is showing signs of shoots so I have cut back all the damaged foliage...we shall see if the plant recovers! The variety it is Loropetalum Fire Dance so this may be less frost tolerant, though it has survived previous ones. Into sickbag in a pot?

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, a long one in the UK. I am helping dish out teas and cakes at a Daffodil Society Exhibition tomorrow afternoon, and will be baking for this today. Someone has to make teas for people who really know loads about Narcissi. All I know is that the Narcissus fly has played havoc with mine.  The exhibition just happens to take place in Henton Hall where our gardening group meets, and each year our gardening group rally round to help exhibitors that come from far and wide.

Primula Blue Horizon

 It is the best year for Primula Blue Horizon since I first bought it.  I've found that dividing it and placing in well composted soil in a shadier part of the bed has helped its health and vigour.

Primula Blue Horizon

A compact form I believe an old variety, I have yet t confirm its history.

Six on Saturday - Soggy

 Since I tend to mention how the weather has been during the last week, I was relieved in a way to hear on the radio that this has been the wettest March for 42 years.  This is no April Fool joke, but I think it may have been even wetter where I am.  We also had violent gusts and strong winds due to a storm a named one: Mathis, according to Jin. The garden has been so wet, but good drainage means that I have been able to do a little from all the gravel that I have, gravel paths and a gravel garden.

The gardening gods must have been thinking of me and all the other people who came to the HPS spring Plant Fair last Saturday.  For my  shifta on the gate at Yeo Valley, although I caught a little wind burn from the cold wind, elation at the variety of plants on offer kept me going.  Not being counted as my six I'll just slip in a list and will in coming weeks or years comment on them:  Iris Lutescens, Anemone Blanda White Splendour, Tetraneuris scaposa, Daphe x susannae 'Cheriton, Osteospermum Irish, all from Pottertons I think, and
Muscari pseudo muscari Azureum from Avon Bulbs.

1. Muscari from the above, 

Muscari pseudo muscari Azureum from Avon Bulbs

 Chris Island-Jones from Avon Bulbs assured me it was a well behaved one and not invasive.  

These are Muscari from a few bulbs found growing close to an old conifer which I dug up three or four years ago.

As you can see the leaf is long and only a couple of weeks ago I thought to remove this trailing mess but thought I would leave it till it flowered.  I used some of the blooms for my In a Vase on Monday earlier this week. 

A feature which distinguishes the genus Pseudomuscari from the related Muscari is that the mouth of the flower is not narrowed but forms an open bell-shape. It grows in alpine meadows in north and east Turkey.

2. I cut down the stems on both the Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'. The stems will probably end up as pea sticks, but in the meantime they brighten up the pots of Tulips which are yet to flower. Here are few are around the Primula auricula 'Nessun Dorma'. I've placed them on the table to catch the maximum light to help them achieve lots of flowers.  One is really meant to have just a single rosette of leaves, to have show standard plants, but I decided to grow them with several this year in larger and longer 'long toms'. 

3.  This is one of the Euphorbias I did keep, and was moved out of its pot into the hot dry front garden.

4.  On the side of the garden where I have a small 'potager' the edge between the soil and the gravel is starting to look a little messy.  Is it my fault or are the blackbirds and robins at fault, or is it a design error?  I intend to get a couple of sacks of gravel to tidy it up soon.  

For a few years there was a lovely edge of chives, then it went to a variety of herbs. For this season onwards I am planning a nice of edge of strawberries, after all this is the only productive area of the garden.  In readiness to plant out the Sweetheart Strawberry plants which I had picked up at Rocky Mountain Nursery this Thursday, I had several thymes to dig up.

I trimmed off  a very good supply of thyme and was delighted to discover some good rooted young stems which have now been moved elsewhere.  We had chicken tagine with preserved lemon and lots of thyme last night whilst they are fresh and green.

5.  These two conifers in pots have been looking good all winter, with a garden on the small side sadly they will not make the open ground, but I would not be without them.  I have a couple of others too...

Japanese Umbrella Pine Sciadopitys Verticillata, Chamaecyparis pisifera var. filifera  maybe ‘Filifera Aurea’,  it could be 'Golden Mop'.  This one is crying out for a bit of sun to enhance its 'highlights'.

6. It is less than a month since I bought Clematis alpina Blue Dancer, and it is now in flower.  I potted it up in a longer plastic long tomb shaped pot but on one of the days when we had a bit of sun, I felt the pot was getting too warm, and after all they do say to keep the roots of clematis cool, so I slipped it into an outer terracotta pot, and now with again a few sticks from the Cornus is forming one of the bookends on the posing shelf. I'll repot into a slightly larger pot in a few weeks time and keep it the shade.

Clematis alpina Blue Dancer

I'm joining with other bloggers featuring sixish things from our gardens all under cover, through Jim's anchoring post.