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

The Prop has an interesting assortment in his SOS.  Something for everyone, and my favourite the first rose!  Here are six things from my garden this week.

(1) Sometimes nasty things happen and one cannot decide what the best medicine would be, without incurring collateral damage to insects.  Plum leaf curling on Mirabelle de Nancy caused by Leaf Curl Plum Aphid?

(2|) Purple foliage is looking handsome in the garden and contrasts nicely with the fifty shades of Green in the garden.  Taking pictures has made me realise that a slightly different juxtaposition  would make a big difference.  I'm one of those gardeners who frequently repositions plants!

Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon' and Geranium maculatum Elizabeth Ann are not doing each other a favour.  One of them will have to be moved...or both, but not next to each other. I think the Euphorbia was self seeded.


( 3) Persicaria Red Dragon is standing out nicely and will soon highlight the wonderful apricot colours of Rose Grace.

(4) Loropetalum Fire Dance is flowering once more 

(5) Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii starting to flower....

and within a few days

Getting down low to remove a few leaves meant I found out where the wonderful scent was coming from.   Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii has a really wonderful smell and not one that caused any reaction....




 (6) Red Campion: a native plant, planted as a plug plant, looking lovely in the conservatory bed.

Again  growth spurt means that daily walks around the garden are a must...

Six on Saturday - 20/4/2019

Being one of the several people who join up with  the propagator most Saturdays, here I go again.  During a week that started with cold weather with a stiff chilling breeze, and is ending with temperatures warmer than the Mediterranean, it is not suprising that the garden in some areas is putting on a real spurt.

For the first of my six, one of my favourite small plants which now grows along the dried clay 'path' is in flower.  Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii in flower is delightful, but believe me I bought this plant a couple of years ago simply because I fell in love with the wolly rosettes of its leaves.  I search through my photographs and was amazed than I had not thought to photograph it, even though it is probably the most looked at little plant in my garden.  I bought it from Graham from Tadham Nurseries who has a pop up stall at Wells most Saturdays. Here is a link to a photograph...and I shall be sure to picture and follow this plant through the seasons and post more about Androsace.

For my second item here, growing away well are my own grown from seed Lychnis coronaria.  I received these as seeds from Cathy of  In a Vase on Monday, another meme that I love to take part in, and again these were seeds that originally were sent to her by another friend Sandra.  I feel that for me, the most successful method on the last few perennials I have grown is to use a little seed bed in the garden.  Sow last May, they formed nicely and were transplanted at the end of October.  These were probably set out a little too close!  I don't know what colour they will be as I am unsure from what colour plants the seed was collected from

My third entry is my little Apple Tree D'arcy Spice.  This is its second flowering.  As you can see it is most probably a tip bearer.  The two apples it bore last year were probably the best apples I have tasted.  

My fourth of six this Saturday is a view of what I have done to my two Pelargonium Ardens.  They started as two plug plants last spring.  I featured them in full leaf on a previous SOS.  Having taken out the growing tips, I could see several small shoots lower down, but no diminution to the strength of the growing tips.  I decided to repot them, found the roots strong and very thick .  I cut off the tops, and replanted in fresh medium all in the same pot.  Updates will follow  and whether or not this was a rash action or a breakthrough on achieving a multi stemmed Ardens only time will tell.

My unnamed Tiarella, brought to the new garden from the old one as a small piece, has grown into two nice clumps, whereas Tiarella Mint chocolate seems to be fading away, with no obvious problems below soil level.

My final and sixth item this week is my tray of newly emerged seedlings.  The runner bean comes up with a cotyledon, but the french beans show the cotyledon...just noticed this.  The french beans are same climbing french bean that I grew last year: Fasgold.  The Runner bean is Moonlight which is said to be self fertile.  Last year the bees were getting the nectar somewhere round the back of Runner Bean Desiree , which meant that they only set if I used by little paintbrush to fertilize the flowers.  It is alleged that Moonlight is more weather tolerant.  My two wigwams are up, but I'll wait a little while longer before setting them out into their sheltered positions in the 'potage'...the 'poshness' of the name is in inverse proportion to the size of the veggie bit of the back garden.

I shall be out at the crack of dawn to water some of the new plants.  Any views as to whether one ought to water in the evening or the morning.  If in the evening maybe it may attract slugs and snails? 

In a Vase on Monday - Small and sweet

 Cathy's vase this week is full of 'Nighttime sophistication and glamour' in contast to mine, which is very small and a sweet collection of flowers in bloom.

This morning I was removing the swelling seed heads from the dutch iris when one broke off by mistake.  Joining it is Ajuga reptans, the standard green one which has some fine flower spikes, and the white and yellow Corydalis  ochroleuca aka Pseudofumaria alba, both  from Alison C's garden.

The lovely dainty small white daisy with pink on the opening buds is the ubiquitous Erigeron karvinskianus.  The small pink very sweet smelling head of flowers is Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii.

For the last few days I have had this one rose on the mantleshelf.  I was given it and I was totally humbled that someone who has gone through the mill recently, remembered me and picked the first rose of the season.  It is called Just Joey.

Below is the tiny watering can with a couple of feathers found in the garden..

After having my own knitting on hold so that I could get on and knit the baby jackets etc., I have finished my latest pair of socks:

Six on Saturday - 1 February 2020

The morning found me busy and not inclined to contribute this week.  A quick dash up to a local nursery to buy compost ready for seed sowing, and a nice walk round got me thinking.  Some of the early winter stirrings ought to be appreciated, after all, if last year is to be repeated, and who knows, we could have a gallop into warmth, spring etc.  So here are a meagre few...for myself I shall settle down with a warm drink when I have finished and go off to see what Mr P and all our other gardeners have been up to this week.

We have had hail during the week.  Heavy downpours of the small white beads  rattle onto the windows and form a shallow white covering over the garden.  It feels wintry.  I am willing to go out and garden, but the soil feel too wet and claggy.  However the neighbouring cats  patrol the garden at night leaving their telltale destruction, so I try to protect emerging plants with twiglets.

(1) Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii

The pretty pink flowering low 'alpine' has completely shed its outer leaves leaving small buttons or rosettes looking more akin to sempervivums. It is about at its lowest ebb.

 (2) Salix gracilistyla Mount Aso is having its moment, without its  bamboo supports and the fuchsia cut down. This year I shall prune it so as to form two or three 'legs' from which next shoots may grow, thereby giving it a little height with the advantage of encouraging more upright growth from a shortish stool.

(3) Crocus are ready to create a show and are just waiting for a little sunshine to encourage them to open.

Crocus fuscotinctus

Crocus sieberi Firefly

(4) Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem' is a couple of weeks ahead of last year at least.

Its pale green leaves with shrimp like uncurling shoots look very handsome against the pale duck egg blue of the shed.

(5) Cyclamen

This morning Mr S asked me if there was something unusual about the cyclamen leaves on the shed shelf.  He had yet to appreciate the many ways in which leaves can exhibit variegation.....just one of the subjects we covered during breakfast. He had been looking at Cyclamen hederifolium Silver Shield the second one along.

February is the month for the coums...right out of site below the Acer....

(6) Iris Reticulata:  Harmony is doing very nicely.  These are in their second year in the garden in this spot. I was surprised by how tall its leaves grow after the flowers are over.  

In the Aso bed a deeper Iris Reticulata Blue note is richer, and the first bloom is out, during its first season.

Six on Saturday - 5 October 2019

In a week that has seen heavy downpours and glorious autumn light, it has been a joy to get out into the garden, and work on tasks that must be completed before the winter sets in, as well as stop to observe the subtle day to day changes.

(1) A plant that has performed right up to its reputation is this Chrysanthemum Dixter Orange.  Completely hardy.  Its leaves are a wonderful strong green colour, and so far it has been untouched by any insects and is free from mildew, without any intervention. Intervention these days in my garden means a squishing of slugs or caterpillars on the worst affected of plants.

(2)  A little clump of self seeded nasturtium has been a source of young leaves and flowers for salads, as well as late season eye catcher or the other side of the border, wanting to join the other herbs so scrambling through the lower branches of the rosemary.

(3) Another little splash of yellow brightness is Rudbekia Goldstrum.  During the hot dry weather it seemed to go into 'dormancy', and in reality I had decided to remove it and set it going in another part of the garden.  It got some watering to soften the earth ready for this, and suddenly put on a spurt.  Following on from the rain, it is flowering nicely: a very late performer.  It is still probably due for relocation, but in the meantime......

(4) Late to make its mark this year is Fuchsia microphyllia  subsp hemsleyana 'Silver Lining'.  This is a fine leaved plant with a delicate silver metallic sheen on its leaves, and the smallest of magenta blooms.   It is sometimes described as being half hardy, so I shall be sure to mulch it well.  It emerged from its central crown late, so is the ideal succession plant in the Acer bed.  It has a gentle open shape with low growing red stems: this is all this year's growth

(5) Just in front is Cyclamen hederifolium silver leaf form. It is now in full flower, and throughout the long winter this will form a pool of 'light' in that bed.

(6) Finally a view of the Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii. Its whirls of summer green leaves are changing in anticipation of the winter.  This year the plant was helped by having its 'runners' pinned down and a top dressing  of grit and leafmould applied.  It is at the edge of the Acer bed, with shade for part of the day.  As the winter approaches, it is developing the hairy central boss, which becomes an interesting feature as it turns more silver.  

Earlier this year the little pink flowers held on short stems above its woolly leaves stood out along the edge of the path.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Propagator and others are posting about this week....