Six on Saturday - 9 November 2024

Autumn is upon us, and I can't quite say winter as we still have not had a frost.  At least it has been drier this week, but absolutely grey with poor light levels.  It is still worth getting out in the garden and finding some sort of activities to get lost in.  From my observations here in the garden are six items, and therefore I shall be linking in with the other SOSers over at Jim's.

1. Ginkgo 'Mariken' is closing down for the winter. 

2. However Corkscrew willow: Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' pruned during the summer and defoliated, just because I was annoyed by all the caterpillars or grubs that had already nearly done the job for me, bounced back, grew new shoots and is hanging onto its leaves pretty well considering we are in November. 

Salix matsudana 'Tortusoa'

3. There are two patches of Chrysanthemum Hillside Apricot giving a boost of late season colour to the garden.  This Chrysanthemum has proved itself: surviving the wet of the winter and the poor summer this year. This was a gift from my friend Brenda back in November 2021.  There is something appealing about having such a reliable and good hardy chrysanthemum. Even this patch that is not in full sun is doing well.

Chrysanthemum Hillside Apricot

4. I think I have only mentioned this plant once since I first bought it in 2015, despite Fern Athyrium Otophorum v Okanum being a favourite of mine.  Early in the spring, when it emerges with its pale leaves and maroon stems, it is one of my top plants for form and grace at that time of the year..  

Athyrium Otophorum v Okanum

So how come I have singled it out for this week, when its leaves are just starting to die down?  This week I was wondering when to repot it up,  and surprisingly for the first time, looked into how best to look after it.  I found out it likes a good moist soil, and semi shade and that it is clump forming.  How remiss of me, and how tough it must be to have lasted nine years in altogether the wrong conditions! 

I think it might just suit a spot by the bird bath when the Sedum Autumn Joy has been growing.  The sedum now cut back was in too shaded a spot which led to too tall stems.  Whilst thinking about the fern, I inadvertently now need to think of where best to put the sedum.

5. I can't help but propagate, it is like an itch!  If I have a pot of compost, and I see some shoots I feel compelled to try cuttings, as I did on Thursday when I was trimming the Verbena bonariensis.

It is probably rather late in the season to be taking cuttings but there was no material earlier on.  Time will tell whether they root.

Verbena bonariensis cuttings

6. The prostrate Rosemary in the gravel garden is braving the weather, and when dry is a go to plant for the late bumble bees and other insects. How strange that the rosemary flowers this time of the year rather than in the spring or early summer. 

I do hope we get a little sunshine next week, if not just to raise my spirits, and get me back into the garden.  I have some Sternbergias which were a gift from Hilary to plant out in the front garden.