In a Vase on Monday - All is calm

Who said it had to be a vase?  Cathy is leading us, with a Christmassy theme beyond a vase, and I shall be dipping in to see what other arrangements, and musings are being shared.

The Christmas Tree is up, decorations complete....

In a Vase on Monday is a calm affair.  We have had rain, rain and winds, but the Monday is calm, damp and cold.

Fuchsia Hawkshead surving the few odd days of frost and dank weather, sitting in a pretty bowl on a wood trivet from Angela Morley bought yesterday during our visit to Cider/Art Open Day.  This round table has now been moved to the corner of the conservatory, and will be used to gather some of plants...so the arrangement is moved to

the centre of our large table where we sit for our meals in the conservatory, now joined by a pretty leaf from Geranium clarkei 'Kashmir Purple'.

One of the books we read and talked about at book club lastweek was  Turbulence by David Szalay.  Yes I would recommend this.  Very clever structure and an insight into people's lives, almost like a series of short stories liked with a clever device.  Ironic that the title is the opposite of calm, something that I have just realised.

The main book has such a long waiting list at the library that I did not get it in time: The Salt Path.  I found everyone's views about facets of the book interesting, but have decided to pass on this and carry on with the next book: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce.

Cider in Somerset

On the outskirts of Shepton Mallet is a magnificent Victorian series of buildings which originally housed The Anglo-Bavarian Brewery from 1860s.  Now called The Anglo Trading Estate, they house a number of local businesses.  A few weeks ago I heard from a fellow 'French Conversation' member that there was to be an open day of art and cider tasting.

Today we went to meet  Martin Berkeley, owner of Pilton Cider and tasted some of the special ciders he makes.

These are your 'top drawer' ciders and made with such knowledge and care.  We were looking for something special for our Christmas Day and will be able to celebrate with a local speciality.  

Angela Morley who has many talents was using the space to exhibit some of her works...and whereas Mr S took in details of ciders, my attention was caught by her ceramics, and sculptures informed by her great training and interest in plants and design.

A few bits came home with us small bits...but wouldn't those huge basket sculptures look wonderful in some large garden?

Six on Saturday - 14 December 2019

We are on the cusp, the year is nearly over and soon we shall be able to look forward to daylight lengthening again, that is for those of us in the northern hemisphere.  This is the time of the year I feel at my lowest.  The light levels have been very low with heavy low clouds.

During less wet spells,  I have to get out for a little fresh air, maybe watch a few birds, and look for anything of interest in the garden, keeping as ever to the path and stepping stones.

It was a bit tough choosing a suitable six but if the Propagator and a few others say join us...then its up to me to decided whether I join them, or just peer into their gardening minds.  I shall be off to do that of course at : https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/six-on-saturday-14-12-2019/



One:

It is the low time too for many of the plants in the garden.  Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii is looking quite different with its outer leaves deteriorating and its central cluster 'pouting', all the better I think to shed all the rain. Its newer leaves are smaller and tightly packed together, and being covered with short white hairs remind me of the cobweb houseleeks: Sempervivum arachnoideum .  The older leaves are turning bronze and will rot off before the newer leaves expand, with the plant changing character once more in readiness for flowering, and thereafter making more runners.

Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii winter phase

Two:

This is the first winter for the Cyclamen coum in the Conservatory bed.  I have some of my specials coums coming up already with the flower stems poised at soil level.  In the meantime their patterned leaves stand out. Next week I shall carefully remove some of the leaves shed from other shrubs and locate and rewrite any labels that have deteriorated.  I use black labels with silver pen, and they are not always easy to locate.

Pure White Albino Cyclamen coum George Bisson

Pewter leaved Cyclamen coum 'Tilebarn Elizabeth'

Cyclamen coum Album

Three:

My one outdoor watering can is destined for the metal recycling bin.  Its has worked for me over several gardens and many years: leaks have been sprouting and the bracing has become detached.  I must remember to keep the rose back as it is nice and fine.

Four:

The shed shelf is currently hosting three interesting pots in which 'volunteer' ferns where planted.  The ferns just 'appeared' in my last garden.  Maybe one of our SOS fern specialists will be able to identify this probably native fern.  The pots found and given to me by Penny.  

Five:

Some colour from early flowering red 'heritage' polyanthus, divided and moved just a few months ago, this was is an 'unnamed' variety bought from The Vyne.  I put up some pictures of this on my very first post of SOS, when it was flowering its socks off in March this year.  Sadly the silver laced polyanthus flowers seems to have the best tasting flowers for a nibbling creature as yet unseen.

Six:

This week has continued with  failed calls and  frustrating emails regarding the little problem I mentioned  last week.  Thanks for the feedback and support last Saturday from fellow SOSs, it has helped me to keep on and find a resolution. After Jim's valued confirmation of my suspicions regarding the Blackberry, my sleuthing led to the company who controls the  rights of propagation and their Technical Consultant was able to supply photographs as evidence, which I forwarded to Chris Bowers. The MEIOSIS site also gives a list of licensed propagators which I shall consult and use when ordering a replacement.  CB have now refunded me.  I now need to banish any bad feelings, and approach new orders with other growers and nurseries with confidence.

Six on Saturday - 7 December 2019 -Answers and Question

This weekly post is linking in with The Propagator who gathers a few similarly enthusiatic plant and gardening bods.  I spied a good close up of a thorny stem for example.

My answer to planting more trees this week, as we are all being urged to do, has been to plant fruit trees in the garden.  I love fruit trees on several counts, visually at blossom time as bees visit and pollinate fruit when it also gives me the hope for fruit later in the season.  Last week I was inspired by another Six on Saturday contributor and finalised my choice of trees which I had been pondering throughout the summer.

I poured through the online catalogue of Chris Bowers as they are suppliers of Supercolumn Trees. using M27 rootstock  The garden is small, but that is not stopping me from fitting in more fruit.  The upright/columnar type plants, will take up less space and give that vertical element I am looking for. The order arrived amazingly quickly, and were planted out the same day.

Supercolumn Pear Beth takes the place of Euphorbia

One
Pear Beth

"The texture of the fruits, with their white melting flesh and excellent flavour, has assured Beth of outstanding popularity. A very regular and heavy cropper. "

The Euphorbia was past its best, and was ditched.  A well rooted cutting taken Spring 2018 is now planted up in the front garden.

                 

Pear Concorde - Supercolumn

Two Pear Concorde

We had Concorde in our last garden.  It was a magnificent pear we both found to our taste.  It is also a 'pollination partner' for Beth.  The Pears are in the borders fairly close to the sitting circle on the same line and one each side.

Three 
Apple Scrumptious

We grew this one in our previous garden too, and it was one of Mr S's favourite, so much so that when I bought Apple D'Arcy Spice, he was most disappointed. 

Apples Sunset and Scrumptious in 'Potager'

Four 
Apple Sunset

Scrumptious is an apple which can be eaten straight from the tree, so to prolong the season I felt  that Sunset would store quite well, and is similar to cox but is easier to grow.

Julian, a great gardener in Kenilworth, used to bring me bags of a delicious apple called Crispin, a good tasting dual purpose apple. That is on my list for when I get round to planting a row of cordon's against the house wall.

Five 
Karaka Black Blackerry?

"A re-introduction to our range and an extremely popular newcomer owing to it's 6-8 week cropping period. Karaka Black produces long, cylindrical, shiny dark black fruits which have a wonderful aromatic true blackberry flavour. Very heavy yielding, out cropping Sylvan and Waldo in trials. Bred in New Zealand, the plant habit is only moderately vigorous and, although spiny, is less so than most thorny cultivars. A spacing of 5-6' between plants is ample. Can be grown as a trailing plant or traditionally, along posts and wires. Reliable, very productive, packed with flavour and with an extraprdinarily long picking period, Karaka Black is a top rate new variety."

This description is taken straight off Chris Bowers' website. Of all the above plants in the delivery,  this is one that I had a question about, and mailed the company with photograph, as I did not feel that the plant looked very much like a blackberry:

From me to Chris Bowers

Tried to call but message box was full

Four trees and Karaka Blackberry received. Transaction 128500188

The query is about the Blackberry.  

The plant I received has leaves that do not resemble that of a blackberry or any of the Karaka plants I have seen on line.  Could there have been a mix up with the labeling?  If this cannot be guaranteed as being Karaka, please send me a replacement. 

Please let me know. 

Answer from Chris Bowers 

Thanks for your message.

The plant you received is typical of our Kotata stock and we haven't had any queries regarding this before, however you are welcome to return the plant as per our t&c's.

Regards

Robert.

My second email 

Hello Robert

Four trees and Karaka Blackberry received. Transaction 128500188

Further to my earlier querry you kindly replied promptly that

"The plant you received is typical of our Kotata stock and we haven't had any queries regarding this before, however you are welcome to return the plant as per our t&c's."

However I ordered a Karaka Blackberry, the vine you sent does have the Karaka label, see below. Can you confirm that this is the growth typical of the plant I should have received?

To date no response.  I am trying to be kind, realising that they are having a big rush, that they are probably up to their knees in mud...I'll plant the 'blackberry' and see what it grows into.

Question: Will this plant produce the lovely long fruits of Blackberry Karaka I hope for?

Six - 

Aeonium success

This summer my Aeonium Velour grew to about the maximum size I could cope with.  It was just not worth overwintering it one more season.  Many of the side shoots were taken off.  Three individual shoots were planted and have now taken.  The very top piece with its several side shoots just stood in a vase for a couple of weeks.  Instead of throwing it away, I thought I would try and see if it would take.  I how have a well rooted multi side branched plant ready to  bring on and have as my main specimen of Aeonium Velour next year.  This time I shall turn it regularly to help with a balanced form.

Aeonium Velour spending winter on a windowsill

A couple of frosts this week, and I am discovering well protected areas of the garden.  The jays continue to collect all the fallen acorns....

In a Vase on Monday - First Hard Frost

I've let myself off today.  Early on it was obvious that there had been the first hard frost, even without stirring, I knew this as I could hear a windscreen being scrapped of ice.  Sunrise was colourful, and as we sat having our breakfast the colours were being reflected off the tessellated  icy surface of the birdbath.  First time this year there has been frost in the back garden, and still it has not reached under the shelter of the Oak.

Ever since the summer an arrangement of Quaking Grass: Briza Maxima, in a cloisonne vase, has been floating around the house.  For the moment it is in the dining room and at last it has its place on IAVOM.

The reflection is of a Wild Australian Cockatoo.  I bought a pair of prints some time ago and love the saying on the leaves:

This is an extract from the The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám.

I could be going down the garden path later, instead I am working on my socks the pattern is called Garden Path Socks!  This isn't the first time I've knitted this pattern.

After reading some Musings by Alan Titchmarsh

 I am still waiting for my Book-club's next read for December to arrive, and during that wet weather felt in need of a little escape, and found a novel by Alan on the shelves.  I have enjoyed both books.  With the Grand Tour, it got me looking up old photographs from our first Grand Tour of Italy over 25 years ago, and then checking out places Mr Gandy visited on the internet...I enjoyed this 'no air miles' holiday.

I wonder what Cathy will have posted this week...off we go: yes it is something small and sweet, and also linked into Cathy's post are comments and contributions from myself and many others.