From my small back garden - Six on Saturday 21 March 2026

 Our current leader for this weekly six things from our gardens was on Gardeners' World yesterday and everyone who watched the programme saw the Camelia specialist Jim.  This morning as we come together for our weekly chinwag, we know he will still be the kind and generous host that he has been.  So I shall be linking this post to his.

1. Last year I bought these lovely tulips as plants rather than bulbs just for their lovely rich golden yellow form, planted them and didn't expect them to come up another year and yet they have.  I didn't even show them last year or noted their name.  However they may well be Tulip Praestans Shogun.  Later I shall scrabble through the bed and check to see if there are any labels. Yes it was T Praestans and I did write about it last year!

2. Not all bulbs do well or shall I say they may not have been planted in the right place or given the correct attention.  Out of the beautiful White Thalia daffodil bulbs just this one remains.

White Thalia daffodil 

It still has thoroughly charmed me, and having read a little further about it, I have a little planting combination ideas and hope to set that up for next spring.  

3. A short distance from Thalia in the shady border and some seedling of the original white Dicentra Spectabilis trying to grow through the Fatsia japonica Spiders Web.  When I planted out the Dicentra the Fatsia was smaller.  The Fatsia will continue to grow so this is another moment when I need to think of when and where I shall move the Dicentra to: a problem of gardeners of small gardens who have too many plants!

4. A star on the far edge of the gravel garden is this Ipheion 'Alberto Castillo' planted a few months ago.  It is bigger and brighter than the others in the garden,

Ipheion 'Alberto Castillo'

5. I have a few Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon' and find each spring as the soft purple leaves emerge to form a low dome, it gives me such pleasure and is finding some attractive combinations as it does here at the foot of the Cornus Midwinter Fire.

6. I have a number of violas in the garden and as they self seed, I tend to leave some to see what form the flower will take.  This garden hybrid resulting from insect pollination is a little gem in the gravel garden. I can see a cross perhaps between Viola 'Bowles Black' and Viola Corsica.

I did go to the Plant Fare at the Bishop's Palace in Wells, and after a few windy days maybe Gill's message got blown away, but I left an gardener's halo for someone else to find.

I didn't buy much: a pot of Allium Millenium, a pot of purple sage which I have already but wanted a fresh plant 'immediately' to plant in the back garden as it is my favourite for cooking with, and an impulse last minute plant which I will perhaps regret: Persicaria campanulata, should I plant it or should I bin it?

A Vase of Nodding Tulipa Sylvestris

This morning I picked all the lemony yellow tulips from a pot and decided to also use the clippings of the maple which had been slowly opening in this very vase.  As I walked back with the tulips wondering what else to include,  my notice fell upon the green and yellow foliage of just the right hue on the Chamaecyparis a dwarf threadleaf cypress. 

We have enjoyed looking out at the two pots I planted out with Tulipa Sylvestris on the garden tables for a couple of week.  The Tulips have swayed in the wind but remained unscathed by the hail storms but with their sinewy stems they would look far better in a more natural planting scheme, so this week, I shall relocate the bulbs.

I'm linking this post to Cathy's blog for the In a Vase on Monday get together She talks about clouds and books on clouds.  I too am a  lover of clouds and very much enjoyed the book she mentioned 'The Cloud Spotters Guide'.

Six on Saturday - 14 March

 It is going to be a trot or more likely a gallop through six things from the garden this week.  As I write this after 4 p.m. having spent the morning busy in the garden after coming back from the market, and the afternoon walking out into the countryside. Rules and guidance should you wish to note things from your garden too and join in is over at Jim's where I shall be linking this post to.

Well it was a surprising start start to the day as I looked out at the blue skies, but down below there was a frost and I had not taken anything in.  

1. Last autumn I planted a few Snakes Head Fritillary in pots and a few weeks ago once I could see where other spring beauties had been planted, into the borders they went. I have both the white and purple checkerboard varieties.

Fritillaria meleagris

2. Nearby the dark leaved  Irish polyanthus with  burgundy-striped pink flowers Primula 'Dark Rosaleen' has survived the winter.

Primula 'Dark Rosaleen'

3. Canna Tropicana came out of the shed a couple of weeks ago and braved the frost, but with another one possibly on the cards for this evening, I am going to have to move it back.  Also it looks as if next week during one of the sunnier days, I shall have to empty out the post and divide the many shoots.  I'm going to have a go growing in straight in the soil this year.

Canna 'Tropicanna'

4. A few years ago I was delighted that this little violet Viola labradorica had perched a ride in one of the pots from  my last garden.  There are quite a few around the garden now.  The richly coloured dark purple leaves make for a great little plant, whose seed is spread by ants.  They are already active in the garden.

Viola labradorica

5. Another violet which has been full of bloom is Viola odorata 'Kim'  I have now have several good clumps minus one which I removed from the conservatory border as it was outgrowing its space, which I wanted for some different plants.  This one seems to have selected its own spot along the edge of the path, where it does not have much shade.

Viola odorata 'Kim'

6.  I have a little dwarf Forsythia which really needs to have a different sort of year, any suggestions as to what I ought to do to increase flowering next year would be really welcome.

Tomorrow it is the Rare Plant Fair in Wells, the garden is full, but being just a short cycle away, I will not be able to say no to a visit!  

White Split Tin Loaf

This month's loaf from Bake with Jack Homebakers' Club lesson was looking back to a loaf of old.  During the online 'lesson' we had quite a bit a history and what different yeasts have been used over the centuries.  Although I have made bread with sponges before I had never seen it being done, and had not realised how well to mix the liquid and yeast mixture bringing in the surrounding flour until it was a thick paste.  Jack explained that this was a technique giving extra time and hence taste and this could be used with almost any dough.  In future I shall have all the ingredients ready and start this part of the process early in the morning.

I then had the dilemma of what loaf tin to use. I didn't have the shallower rounded loaf tin that Jack used, and my various tins and those above are just a selection I felt were not quite the right size.  I have what was bought as 1 lb and 2 lb aluminium loaf tins from Silverwood.  Ages ago I realised that certainly for the type of bread I baked they needed more dough, and this was confirmed simply by measuring the volume using water and comparing them to my reliably 1 lb and 2lb loaf tins.

In the end I  used my 1lb Silverwood loaf tin for the dough which weighed 862g when mixed. Another recommendation from Jack was to make a baking parchment sling to line the tin, which certainly removed the fear of the loaf sticking and made it easier to remove.
 

For 500g flour there was the addition of 10g sugar and 25g butter, which certainly gave a wonderful aroma and colour.  I have often used milk in a white loaf but here there was just water. As instructed I used the bread knife to draw the cut and I did this right to the level of the tin.  Then there was a further rise of 15 minutes before going into the oven.

The  loaf is excellent and here they was absolutely no egg needed to achieve that glossy golden crust.

I rarely make a white loaf these days, and there are already things I want to make with this such as a lovely toasted sandwich, pain perdu and a good bread and butter pudding. Next time I shall definitely double up the recipe to bake two loaves. 

Whilst looking for the history of the split loaf tin I came across a blog with a whole list of recipes with history too, which I shall most probably dip into from time to time.  The Bread Club 20 Blogspot.

In a Vase on Monday - Botanically inspired

Botanical drawings are beautiful and fascinating and shows the beauty of structure and details of plants. I love them and from time to time like to try my hand at studying and drawing specimens.  Yesterday whilst gardening I decided to remove the 'rogue' tulip from the garden table pot, and just plonked it a vintage apothecary bottle.  I thought no more of it until this morning when some of the blooms had opened.  We are having a strange day with mists swirling around, and the subdued light was perfect for this species multi headed Tulipa turkestanica.

This 'In a Vase on Monday' get together is the creation of Cathy, and just follow this link if you would like to learn more, and even join in.

Tulipa turkestanica

This morning as I walked through the dining room, I realised the copper stock pot and a large platter needed cleaning, then I realised the sideboard was overloaded with dried arrangements. I had started to clear some of them when I realised that they could also feature this week for In a Vase on Monday.

I knew that I would be wanting this tall narrow vase soon, and for several months it had been just the right height to show off the dried stems of Allium carinatum  subs pulchellum.

Allium carinatum  subs pulchellum

Needing my pie dish, the dried poppy heads were next to be spread over the garden.

Dried Poppy seed heads

With the ones which I had rescued from the garden last year, I tied into a little bundle which I have now moved into the conservatory.

All that is now left is the vase containing other flowers which I picked from the garden and dried last year. 

I think most of them featured last year in vases.  Just as some people like artificial flowers, I rather like dried flowers during the winter, reminding me of the beauties of summer.

Tulipa turkestanica closeup

When I see a multi headed tulip now I am reminded of the time years ago when we visited my uncle Noel.  He was a great prankster and had that reputation from a youngster.  When we arrived he took us straight into the garden to such us his prize tulip....there it was: a multi headed red tulip, a sole one in a bed of other straight up 'traditional' tulips.  Of course we could not reach it to inspect it or even see it that clearly, and we all just creased up at the joke, absolutely no one believed him and thought he had planted an artificial bloom.  Knowing what I know now, it was no joke, it was indeed a multiheaded tulip.  

Plants at the start of March 2026 - Six on Saturday

If you go over to Jim's you will find several of us, and you too could join in, who mark six things from our garden on a Saturday.  Let's start the the list! 

1.  Last autumn I bought a few bulbs from Pottertons and was going to plant the Tulipa Sylvestris out in the garden this spring when I could see where to position them, so had planted the bulbs in November in 10cm pots.  However I ended up planting them a few weeks back in a pot as a table display.  Nice effect wouldn't you say but at some time I shall have to release them in the garden where hopefully they will naturalise.  One of these is not Tulipa Sylvestris but I think it is T. Turkestanica which I have growing in the front garden.

Tulipa Sylvestris

When I have posted this I'm going out to wipe the Sahara dust off the garden furniture.

2. This year I took a chance on growing the Tropaeolum tricolor right through the winter outdoors without protection.  A few years back I was lucky enough to visit the now closed nursery Avon Bulbs, they said they grew their outdoors all year round outside their polytunnels.  I put all the tubers into one pot this season, but being outside as opposed to in the conservatory, they have plied themselves around the stems and have made a tangle near the top, which is impossible to untangle without breaking their brittle stems.

Tropaeolum tricolor

3. Corydalis Beth Evans seems to have taken to this garden and I now have several good clumps including this one in the shady border, as well as several elsewhere including spots in the conservatory bed and other sunnier spots.

Corydalis Beth Evans

4. I love violas and violets and these seed very happily and sometimes need weeding out.  However wherever possible I leave them till I can appraise their flowers. More and more I am enjoying watching out for how seedlings from all the plants emerge and choose ones with good constitutions and not worrying that they are not 'named varieites'. I have Viola odorata Kim and also Viola 'Baronne Alice de Rothschild' but I am now getting seedlings even within their own patches that are somewhat different from the parent.  Here in the middle of the gravel garden not far from the washing line hole, is this charming new violet seedling with flowers quite large for the size of plant and larger than others I mentioned earlier. I'll grow this on for another year to see how it performs in a more mature form.  It holds its flowers nicely above the foliage but this may just be the growing conditions, the full sun and the baking conditions.

5. Primula 'Petticoat' a lovely double old variety has thankfully come through the dry summer and is starting to flower'.

Primula Petticoat

6. Primula: 'Blue Horizon'' which like Primula Wanda is a juliae type is just starting to flower and in a couple of weeks will be full stride.  Nearby I have the very similar  Primula vulgaris 'Hall Barn Blue' which I bought and planted last year but this has yet to flower.

The Robins are nesting, I've spotted butterflies and a slowworm who was sunning itself. With lots of ladybirds stirring, I feel that the garden is awakening. After a couple of dry sunnier days todays it has reverted to being overcast with a slight mizzle.  

Plants etc from the garden at the end of February 2026

Another month almost gone, and this regular garden chat is being linked in with others over on Jim's blog. 

The end of February has still some lovely crocuses and the sunshine has been bringing out 'giant' bumblebees.  Watching them delve down into the crocus cups is both a delight tinged with a little suspense as I wonder whether the crocus bloom will right itself.

1. I am very fond of the colour purple...

Crocus tommasianus Ruby Giant

2.

Crocus Shockwave

There is one bulb with a much larger flower, I wonder whether I ought to 'separate' this from the clump to give it a more uniform aspect? I am sure this will be done by end of day.

3. A healthy robust crocus for me is this stripy Crocus vernus Pickwick, which I have had for many years, and is slowly increasing.  It is the last of the crocus to flower.

4. Verbascum phoeniceum violetta has been growing in its original position for over six years, and each year I've thought that it ought to be moved.  It was too far inboard for me to enjoy the lovely form of the flower spikes. I could see there were various good growing sections with roots and they were seperated to give five plants.  Hope they survive this and flower this year.

Verbascum phoeniceum violetta

5. It was only when I noticed how large the clump of  Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Purple Dome' was encroaching on surrounding plants that I decided it was time to do something about this and hence the 'shuffling' in the garden. With the soil a little improved its space was baken by the Verbascum.

Divisions ready to be relocated in the garden
or given away

Shuffling was a term my SOS Sis used this week when we were 'chatting' on messenger. It brought a smile to my face, and some encouragement to get out in the garden and do some more gardening. Last autumn I treated myself to a set of three useful plyable handled shallow buckets from a farm shop, I like the pop of colour and I can easily find them compared to the large black one I had.  The large black one went to a friend to use in her large garden!

6. For Gill who is not all that keen on Pulmonarias, this is a lovely one for the garden: Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White.  The bees certainly love it. This is just the first flush of blooms, when trimmed down they will spring back.  I'm going to try to show each flush just to guage it garden worthiness this year.

Bonus picture............seedheads of the Miscanthus nepalensis, which I trimmed down this week.  If any SOSers fancy trying to grow this, contact me and I shall put some in the post for you. Use facebook with my name and send me a message with your name and address. I placed a couple of strands on the soil a cm deep with gritty soil on the top, and I had seedling come up a few weeks later, and this spring have sufficient to start a clump,

It definitely feels as if winter is behind us, spring in on its way!

 

In a Vase on Monday - a Trio and Angel Number 333

Looking out the window I noticed this morning that the Amelanchier buds had that swollen look a sure portent that the sap is rising and soon there will be a flurry of blossom. Looking back this is not particularly early. However I love this narrow few days and given that we have had some warmer temperatures arriving there may be a noticeable daily change.

After lunch I wanted to mark this brief period, and found a few of the later flowering snowdrops under the Amelanchier trees and thought they would make good companions, as these are probably the last of the snowdrops. However I have very few daffodils; they just don't last well from one year to another and I have no more than ten or so blooms from all the bulbs I have planted since moving to this year.

The little set of three vases are just right...and this is probably their first appearance as a trio. For more delightful arrangements, why not go over to Cathy's post where you will be able to find links from others such as me for this 'In a Vase on Monday' topic. I do enjoy posting these arrangements from plants from my garden, and have realised that my last post was Number 333 which is considered to be an Angel Number. 

I know many of us have stretched the boundaries regarding different considerations such as What is a Vase? No water required as in dried flowers or a wreath, and even for those friends snowbound bought flowers have sometimes had to creep in, but at least the arrangement carried the guarantee 'arranged with my own hands'.  I therefore knew I had to present something like the above trio, even if I felt you would love to see the following composition.  None of it is of my making but could well be a start point for future arrangements especially for those which are intended to be left outside. These would also making a charming decoration for a ledge or porch on a church or old building.

Nest form of Snowdrops

I went on my pilgrimage on Friday to the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival.  There were workshops for Snowdrop Kokedama and lots of lovely special snowdrops for sale.  However on a stand I spied  Snowdrops in a bird nest inspired arrangement of twisted hazel twigs.  I believe these had been made  to raise funds for the festival. Later when the ovaries start to swell, I shall place these snowdrops into the garden, and may use the twiggy arrangement for another plant.

The reply asking for more information from the Snowdrop Festival organisers:   "We are all volunteers and Simon , one of our committee team made the nests from his own twisted willow and  clumps of snowdrops. All the proceeds go towards our snowdrop plantings and enhancing the economic well being of our lovely town. Do enjoy its beauty."

From the Garden for Six on Saturday - 21 February 2026

 For more gardening, plants and tales from gardeners the place to go to, which we and maybe you congregate is over at Jim's, where this post is linked to.

Did I say I wasn't going to get more plants: well that didn't last long!  I went up to visit Jackie at Tryffids Nursery a little later than I have done in previous years.  I had received her snowdrop list a few weeks ago, and I was delighted to pay her a pre arranged visit.  I came away with some pots and have already planted these around the beds.

1. More Eranthis for the garden, as I love that little bit of 'sunshine'.  Although labelled as Eranthis hyemalis I do believe they may be Eranthis Cilicica, I'll be able to tell which when the leaves are fully out. 

Eranthis hyemalis?

2.It has also continued to rain almost continually except for maybe only a couple of spells ofsunshine long enough for the crocus to open. It will certainly go down as the wettest January and February that I have experienced! During the few moments of sunshine Iit is also lovely to see the second wave oof crocus being the Crocus chrysanthus such as this lovely Crocus 'Advance' open up. This is their fourth season in flower and have really proved themselves coming back each year. I lifted them last year to seperate them, which has meant a less congested arrangement, don't you think?

Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'

There are several other crocus varieties around the garden, but this little slope along the path near the Ginkgo tree seems to suit them well.

3. This is where I planted up three new pots of crocus this week, again with labels that I believe are wrong, these are not Crocus Herald but 'Prince Claus'. This has been confirmed, the bulb supplier sent the wrong labels!

Crocus Prince Claus

As the pots contain several corms I've just planted these in a clump, but when the growing season is nearly over, and the leaves are dying down, I shall lift them and disperse them a little more naturally.

4.  I also came home with two snowdrops which are in the poculiformis form.  This is a pure white one called 'Bridesmaid' and should be easy to spot and hopefully it will settled in and increase.

Galanthus Bridesmaid

The other poculiform galanthus has a slight green marking and it looks like what is written on the label 'Galanthus green tipped poculiformis'.

5. Found locally ie near Ashwick and Oakhill on the Mendips, a stonethrow from Jackie's nursery is this sweet double Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip', 

Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip'

Jackie also gifted me a good late Galanthus nivalis found locally and another 'unknown' single greentip.

6. A few years ago I planted a few corydallis in the garden.  I enjoy trying to propagate plants, and my prefered method is cuttings, but I have during the last few years trying harvesting and growing plants from seed. It takes time to grow a corm to flowering size from seed. 

Corydalis Malkensis

It is quite possible for an ordinary gardener, to grow these from seed without complicated equipement or shelter.  Proof here with seed of Corydalis Malkensis gathered and sown in 2023, and which germinated in 2024.  It has taken 4 years from seed to first flower. 

Wholemeal Bloomer

 Another Home Baker's Club bake and one set for February 2026, but of course Jack's demonstration can be accessed at any time to suit.  Today I tried Stone Baked Wholemeal Bloomer, but not to the letter!

I didn't want to spend the time heating up the stone, and I didn't feel confident in using the couch tehnique for the final rest.  And because I didn't use the stone, I skipped the 10 minutes off at the start of the baking.

I loved the slash pattern and the loaves rose nicely, though you cannot really tell by these overhead picture.  

Yeasted Banana and Pecan Bread

 Another success from the Home Baker's Club over at Bake with Jack's.

What I learnt:

Yeasted Banana Bread is excellent and pecans are an excellent substitute for dark chocolate chips.  The pecans were lightly baked first in the oven.

The four strand plait is easy and fun and would work nicely with other flavoured doughs whether sweet or savoury

It might be an idea to shape the loaf and allow to slowly rise overnight to bake first thing in the morning.

I often start my baking a little too late and have to leave the loaf cooling overnight, hence the idea of having a freshly baked loaf in the morning by allowing the slow rise overnight.

Slices were frozen, and will be easy to pull out the night before for breakfast.  I shall try it toasted.

The rest of the loaf was sliced and put into the freezer.  The slices seperated easily, and after an overnight defrost in a bag, they were toasted for breakfast.  The warming and toasting of the bread really enhanced both the banana and the pecan tastes.

All dried out - In a Vase on Monday

The fresh garden flowers are taking a break this week, allowing me to show some of the dried flowers prepared last summer.  The vase is a soap stone one bought in China and given to me by my mother several decades ago. 

 

The pale green of the vase is not quite the right hue or shade to match with fresh foliage and flowers, so at last it gets an outing and pairs fairly well with some of the flowers I dried last year.  

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus dries well and keep its form, and Origanum 'Emma Stanley' too with the colour only fading slightly.

Origanum 'Emma Stanley' dried

I have quite a few dried poppy seed heads around so choose three for the vase, and at the base are three more where the outer skin has been removed to leave the fine inner formations. A couple of years ago I noticed such 'skeletons' where I had dropped poppy seed heads on the beds, and used it again last year to great advantage.

With fellow gardeners who love to bring some of the garden indoors,  I am linkins this post to Cathy's In a Vase on Monday.