Six on Saturday - 2 May 2026

 It is Saturday, and the days are just whizzing by, but now, should I wake up at the crack of dawn I have time enjoy a saunter round the garden before him indoors wakes up and it is breakfast time.   I'm joining in with others over at Jim's and look forward to reading what others share. 

1. Living up to its name and trying to make me happier is Cistus hybridus 'Little Miss Sunshine'.  Do you remember I bought three last year?  If not,  I do, since they are still not planted into the garden but were potted up into large ceramic pots and are on the edge of the gravel area. Even without the flowers the yellow margin gives these little shrubs a certain presence.

Cistus hybridus Little Miss Sunshine

2. Yes, more yellow is coming from the rambler on the back wall of the garden, when earlier this year Mr S put up some very nice wires properly tensioned with stainless steel. Rosa banksiae 'Lutea' is looking wonderful after being first planted in September 2023.

Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'

The squirrels spent time nibbling the topmost buds, but the plant seems to have recovered from that.

3. Yes, another yellow: this time in the gravel garden, courtesy of the cuttings I rooted in 2023.  You can see that I have been checking back on my blog to find names etc and came across the little note of triumph. 

Helianthemum Golden Queen

I have some others around the seating circle and they can certainly withstand the sun and dry windy conditions, which I am finding very taxing indeed.

4. Taxing conditions indeed in the garden even in the shade, and to think this was taken on Thursday mid afternoon still in April. In the shade 24.3 C and only 11% humidity..and where does it get the forecast of rain?  The weather forecast on TV said rain in the far southwest, but perhaps there has just been a big drop in barometric pressure. We did have a very little shower on Friday, but just enough to dampen the foliage.

The plants are stressing out, spring foliage is turning brown. The evergreen oaks are shedding heaps of leaves as well as pollen and the constant breeze from the north/north east which is an unusual direction has meant the whole garden is now covered in leaves, which have to be removed as they take several years to break down unlike softer leaves. You can understand why I need to focus on detail to help lift my spirits. The male robin continues to take feed from my hand, with the more timid female just being brave enough to take food from the ground just by my feet. Yellow is my happy colour this week. 

5. Trying to focus on a few of the beautiful open blooms on Rosa Canary Bird, which again is a lovely yellow rose in the back garden....

Rosa Canary Bird

It became clear that one little Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is lying in wait to ambush  some unsuspecting insect visiting this yellow rose, the colour of which it is mimicking.

Flower Crab Spider

6.  I used to grow Auriculas in long toms and such like terracotta pots singly, and have even been known to enter them into local competitions.  Those times have past, and during the last year I was somewhat disappointed by how they were attacked by insects and also suffered with either too much heat, or too much rain etc.  The remaining ones I have grouped together finding keeping just one cultivar in a large pot more to my liking.  I suppose I really ought to bring out some little sticks to keep the stems on the flowers upright. 

Primula auricula Sarah Millington

Seedlings are up, cuttings continue to be taken, primulas are being divided and yet the leaves have only started to be collected.  Hopefully it won't be so hot next week, and I can start to clear the leaves.