Six on Saturday – Wash Day

At college, amongst other hortie stuff, I studied design. One of the things I remember was that, as well as constructing parterres and pottagers, it is important to find space for the bins and room for the washing line. When you live with a small garden it is a compromise that you can either like or lump. Personally I prefer my clothes dried outside, whenever the Welsh weather allows, which means I must have a rotary drier. Of course I could always remove the line after use or perhaps deflate it to be less intrusive, but this is the real world, perhaps “my real world”, and this is never going to happen. What I am trying to say is that you are about to get a glimpse of my undies. A drying day cannot be wasted.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ is flowering sparcely but beautifully. The clothes dried quite well but will need a little more airing before they can be put away.

This fern has lost its label. Which is a little annoying. It didn’t bother to break bud until the rain started after the drought. Now it is looking lush, although perhaps a little pot bound. I wish I knew what it was called.

I grow this eucomis in a pot, I am not sure of the variety. This year it has set seed quite well. Has anyone out there grown them from seed? How long until flowering. I’m not the most patient of people.

I’m sure I knew what this geranium was, but I have forgotten. Perhaps it was one from Welsh Ann, in fact I think it was. Thank you, my friend, it is lovely, and now having another crack at flowering. Any idea what it is called?

Eccremocarpus scaber struggled this summer, as much did. Similarly, it is having a meagre effort at flowering. I am impressed by its diligence.

This is a Plectranthus zuluensis cutting, put aside for winter protection. The plant in the garden is doomed, although I haven’t mentioned it, it seems cruel. This one, hopefully, will survive to see the spring.

Have a good week SoSers and beyond. Jim at Garden Ruminations will guide the uninitiated and enlighten the ignorant, perhaps a big ask, but I am sure he is up to the job.

Six on Saturday – Back in Lane

Everything is back to normal, everything is in their rightful place. The persistent rain returns, the water butts are overflowing and I am back on the early shift. Apparently we still need more rain, which is just as well as more is forecast. Faithful waterproofs prepare for the onslaught! Our leader Jim at Garden Ruminations will guide you to other SoSers and also the rules of the Six on Saturday game, should you choose to participate. You should give it a go, the more the merrier. Best get on, I’ve a busy day ahead, meeting up with a tree surgeon at Peggy’s and getting my flu jab, variety is the spice of life.

A faithful auricula is delicately flowering, but looks almost ghost-like in its pastelness. Years ago, when I returned from the big bad city to Cornwall, someone called me “pale but interesting”. I took it to mean “ill looking”.

There is fashionably late and there is embarrassingly so. The first flower on Dahlia ‘Bishop of York’ is erring towards the latter.

A warm, Off the Edge welcome to Fuchsia ‘Jasper’s Lightening’. I’m not sure it envokes stormy weather to me, but it is a very pretty flower. “Pretty” is not always my thing, but in this case it is just that.

Plectranthus argentatus did not thrive as well as you would imagine a silver leaf would have in the almost forgotten drought. It has picked up beautifully now and the fabulous flowers deserve close inspection.

I love the incurved petals of Dahlia ‘Verone’s Obsidian’. I also love the name, straight out of Game of Thrones, which I’ve never actually seen so don’t take my word for it.

Going out to meet a friend last weekend I grabbed a coat that I hadn’t worn since last year. My train was a little earlier than hers so I sat in a cafe waiting, one of those trendy places with digital order stations and the staff calls your name out when it is ready and the urge for devilment is strong. The cafe was packed and I was jammed between students on laptops and business men on iphones. My name (Tinkerbell) was called and I leapt up to get my coffee. Returning I sat on my folded coat, milliseconds later leaping up with a “arrggh”. I had sat on two pine cones that I had collected last autumn/winter and forgotten to transplant to the garden. In the meantime they had dried to a quite painful degree. I tried to explain to my puzzled neighbours, I shouldn’t have bothered, I only made it worse.

Have a good day everyone, see you next time.

Kindness and Misunderstandings

It has been a soggy week, work wise. Monday and Tuesday it mizzle/drizzle/ rained all day. My waterproofs had to be peeled off me like a banana and each night my boots were stuffed with newspaper in the hope they would dry overnight. If only I could remember what I had done with my spare pair. Wednesday I set off once more in the rain and on more than one occasion my instinct was to do a u-turn, pop into Lidl for some non-essentials and scurry home. I argued the case back and forth with myself and before I knew it I had arrived at my destination, still uncertain it was a good decision. “I didn’t think you’d be here” said Mr Fit as he cattle-prodded the Fitettes into the car. Which didn’t convince me I’d made the correct choice. “I didn’t think you’d be here” said Mrs Fit as she dragged out the recycling. Perhaps my resolve had been a mistake.

And then the rain stopped and any doubts evaporated. The ending was happy after all and good gardening was done. When my alloted time had lapsed I got into my car to find a strange package on my passenger seat. I tenatively unwrapped it to discover, to my joy, a still warm loaf of bread. A gift from Mrs Fit. It made my day. A little bit of kindness can do that. It has great power.

In the afternoon I was in Percy Porsche’s garden, happily tidying the lavender and planting some bulbs for the spring, enjoying the sunshine. Later I messaged him that I would have to return in a few weeks as the cosmos was just about to kick off and it would be a shame to spoil it. He is not a gardener and I knew he wouldn’t know which plant I was talking about so I took a photo to explain. Unfortunately I forgot to share this photo. He replied that my message had been lost on him. I then sent him the photo. “Ahh right, now I understand” he replied “I assumed that the universe was having an impact on plant growth.”.

It appears that cosmos means different things to different people.

Six on Saturday – Late Shift

Years ago, when we lived in Bristol and had a more hedonistic lifestyle, we would go to our local pub after work. There were others who did the same, it was a social and convivial diversion and we all went home for our pasty and chips after a couple of babychams. We were known as the Early Shift. Before our seats were cool, we were replaced by the Late Shift, who had dined and perhaps watched Eastenders before venturing out for a couple before closing time. Ocassionally we would still be there when the late shift arrived and sometimes the LS would arrive early, perhaps Dirty Den was being particularly annoying. This was most unsettling. And now I get to my point. I have often imagined the same system for Six on Saturday, there are some early contributors and some late ones, for reason of time zone or choice, usually consistent in their allotted time. Generally, I am an early bird, happy to post and get on with my oh, so, exciting day knowing I had done my duty.

Today, I have crossed the line into the mid to late shift. This SoS anomaly has come about as I have missed two weeks already and yesterday, Friday, when I normally prepare for my early contribution, I was busy chitty chatting, drinking house white and eating tacos with a good buddy of mine. I really didn’t want to miss another week, so here I am, late but with good intent.

I’m sure lots have already contributed to this week’s SoS, if you would like to explore the further reaches of the horticultural universe then pop over to our leader’s site, Jim at Garden Ruminations, and all will be revealed. We better shake a leg, the cut off time is almost upon us. Is there really a cut off time? Probably not.

The cuckoo in this nest of tyres, is an offspring of Begonia grandis ‘Claret Jug’ who spreads itself in nook and cranny all over the garden. The original owners of this “des res” were a group of underperforming strawberry plants who moved out as soon as their runners hit the ground. Still, one refuses to budge. I don’t hold out much hope.

Peggy and a tomato, still life.

The one surviving cosmos has eventually begun to flower. The foliage is looking quite splendid but it would certainly be improved with a few more blooms. Maybe soon.

Possibly my favourite pellie is the delicate and dark Pelargonium sidoides ‘Magenta Form’. It has staggered on for a few years now, in spite of my lacksidaisical treatment.

I always want to call this little lovely Cuphea purpurea, for obvious reasons, when it is actually Cuphea lanceolata. Apologies if I have sent you wrongly labelled seed. It all adds to the excitement.

Earlier in the year, this little beauty joined the flock. Salvia sagittata x ‘Blue Butterflies’ is the kind of colour that sets my heart afluttter. Not sure what that “x” is doing hanging there like a spare part. I’m sure one of you clever folk will know.

All done, Six on Saturday. Maybe next week back to my regular time, who knows, I might like it here.

Six on Saturday – Tip Toe

Another Saturday, another six, another week tip-toeing towards the end of the season. And what a bizarre season it has been. And what are my thoughts about it? It is as if I have a million opinions and none at all. I am bored with what I think about it. I am ready to move on, put a line under the carnage and cry “ever onwards and upwards”. But it isn’t as simple as having a terry tantrum and hoping all will be well, our prompts should come from the garden and not from our front room which is looking particularly cosy at the moment. There is plenty to be done and sometimes that involves merely watching and asssessing and acting upon what we have seen. As I said, it has been a bizarre season. I am sure that other SoSers will have more sensible thoughts. If you would like to find out what they are thinking pop over to Jim at Garden Ruminations and all will be revealed. I will remain confused.

Those that struggled are trying again. One of which is Calendula ‘Westwell Hall’, a name I made up so don’t chase it on the internet. It will ever remind me of friends, here and passed, and therefore is very special. This is the essence of gardening. My subsection, anyway.

One of the chosen few, the ones that were watered and fussed over this summer, was Jacaranda mimosifolia. It has barely grown this year, but I always celebrate life and health over vigour. Which might be convenient. I didn’t even believe me then.

The Fuchia fulgens that I mislaid earlier in the year is now flowering. I may have been forgiven.

Fuchsia ‘Whiteknights Ruby’ is a tricky little soul or maybe we haven’t quite hit it off yet. I managed to get her through the winter but she has been reluctant to flower. Until now. I’m not sure she is contributing enough to warrant the attention I pay to her. We will see.

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I snatched Dahlia ‘Thomas Edison’ from the jaws of doom. I may have failed in my attempt to be understated. The story is extremely dramatic, in a horti sense of the word; rotting tubers, a mere sliver of life, last chance saloon. After all the heartache this is the first flower of the year. I am very happy. It was definitely worth it.

My Sos sister, Noelle, sent me some cyclamen corms. Do I need to say more?

All done, another six, another Saturday. We do what we can.

Six on Saturday – Perky

All change. The rain has arrived and optimism is rife, it might even be classed as mild hysteria. In our house, anyway. We, and I am talking of the horti “we”, are not so naive as to believe it is enough. Or indeed that everything is ticketedyboo and balanced. We must take positives when they emerge from the gloom. This week, although holding onto August by our fingertips and therefore still officially summer, has had the scent of temporal change. With it my attitude has flipped from this season to next. Which is one of the forgotten joys of being a gardener. There is always next year. No need to wonder what it will bring. It is bound to be wonderful. Which is the reason I have ordered unnecessary bulbs and been both pondering replacements for the deceased and remedial care those teetering between worlds. My step is a little springier, my mood a little lighter. Pop over to our mentor Jim at Garden Ruminations and you can share in the woes and joys of Six on Saturday’s across the world.

Nemesia, why hasn’t it been canonized? Uncomplaining, sometimes perennial, beautiful. I can’t think of a single sin, definitely saintly material.

The Colquhounia coccinea has wilted, been watered when no one was looking, perked up, wilted, watered again when no one was looking and now is flowering better than it has all season. Its pathetic swoons have paid off.

Hedychium ‘Tara Seedling’ has just begun flowering. Lots more to come and in spite of the drought (what drought?) it seems taller than ever. Perhaps, because of the drought (wd?), everything else is smaller.

A new member, and one of the chosen, is Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’. Not “in your face, crazy” but lovely in it’s own right. And I haven’t even seen the flowers yet. If you are listening, I’ve got a cutting ready for you Welsh John.

The dahlias are usually stalwarts in this garden. Not this year, these Mexicans have struggled. I am hoping for a late showing and this is the first flower on Veronne’s Obsidian.

Rodgeria ‘Heavenly Gill’ has been a crispy mess for a few weeks. My heart skipped a beat when I saw this shiny new leaf emerging from the cracked clay. The only way is up, baby.

Six on Saturday – Wondering

I was wondering if I could write a Six on Saturday without mentioning the weather. I was wondering if in years to come it wouldn’t be a topic of conversation. I was wondering if this would become the norm. I was wondering if we would all just accept it as “the way it has to be”. I was wondering if I could ever master this “living in the moment” malarkey. I’m giving it a go. If you fancy any further philosophical reflections please pop over to Jim at Garden Ruminations and enlightenment will be yours. Shall we proceed?

Linaria purpurea can always be relied upon. Sometimes you wish they would temper their enthusiasm.

Peggy is having a new flush of flowers. You can’t keep a good gal down.

Horrah for the marigold guardians of the tomatoes. A fine symbiotic relationship; they ward off the whitefly and in the process get watered and fed when their companions do.

Tibouchina urvilleana struggles on, I really need to be more attentive.

A rather pathetic performance by Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’, which make it sound like it is the plants fault when it quite obviously isn’t.

I cannot complete with the photographical prowess of our mentor, but I possibly could win in an arm wrestle of joy when I spotted this hummingbird hawk on Salvia ‘Neon’. Of course it is another reflection of our changing climate, but a rather beautiful and mesmeric one.

Yesterday we waited for the promised rain and not one drop arrived. Black clouds tantalised but saved their bounty for others. I hope they were deserving souls.

Six on Saturday – Rumours

There have been rumours that a smidgeon of the wet stuff might, and I emphasise, “might” be on its way. For this I will be grateful, although it will be a drop in an ocean of want. Things have progressed beyond wilting and irritating watering marathons into horror. This morning there is the scent of smoke in the air. How some people cannot acknowledge the seriousness of the situation is a complete mystery. I am amazed by the foolishness of my fellow humans and the apparent ease that they believe convenient untruths. Habitats, native flora and fauna, livelihoods, homes, ourselves and are neighbours are all in jeopardy. It is not about getting a healthy suntan. Some, unfortunately, are still relishing the bronzing opportunity.

SoS is about our gardens and our lives around these sometime oases. The truth is that I am loathe to venture out into my garden these days. I don’t have the resources to irrigate my whole garden, there will undoubtedly be fatalities, but I believe these losses are insignificant considering the catastrophic destruction already rent in the country. These times are extraordinary in the land of fair to middling.

I wasn’t going to be doomy and then it happened, I couldn’t help myself. If you would like to share other SoS perspectives, likely more jolly, from across the world pop over to Jim at Garden Ruminations, I’m sure there will be a smile somewhere.

We had better get on before we are all despairing.

Salvia ‘Neon’ is ticking along quite nicely, although very leggy. Again the pink is not remotely like real life.

I’ve got a few zinnia in a planter which get the odd dribble of water. I’m a big fan of these annuals. They are possibly not a fan of me.

In the front, I loathe to call it garden as it more like a corridor, amongst the ferns and hostas there are a three pots of begonias. They are doing just fine with a little help from spent kitchen water. Sometimes it pays to loiter close to a kitchen. In my experience, it is often a good choice.

A hypericum hedge, in situ when we arrived, has recently had a trim. I’m not a big fan of St John’s Wort, for ridiculous reasons. No sign of stress here though. Cut me and I will flower.

New Guinea Impatiens, again in the front, never let me down.

Rosa ‘Absolutely Fabulous’, like most of the roses is doing ok, in the flowering department anyway.

Forgive me my grouchiness, I know I am preaching to the choir. Please humour me and tell me a joke.

Six on Saturday – Mickey

It rained and we celebrated. Tuesday, on the way to work, there was a proper downpour, the windscreen wipers were confused. When I reached my destination, I rang OH “Is it raining there?”, “I’m afraid not, just grey and threatening” was the answer. Disappointment. On the way home at the end of the day once more it did its best. This time our garden was blessed. In truth it barely touched the surface, but in the moment the joy was real. I’m hoping that our Six on Saturday leader, Jim from Garden Ruminations, has similarly been rewarded. Every little helps. Let’s get SoSing, I cannot neglect my rain dance duties.

Magnolia stellata has produced a flower. I’m not sure that I should be pleased about this. In my travels I have noticed a few other magnolias having a second flush, I know this is not unusual but there seem to be more than in past years. Everything is out of sorts.

I always do this, I get so excited by a new flower that instead of waiting for it to come to peak beauty I share it when it is just getting going. This is Cuphea ‘Sweet Talk Lavender Splash’ (please forgive the ridiculous name). I like it. I’m sure it will get better.

Gertie is having another go, she really is a super trooper.

When I saw a plant labelled “vinca” in the garden centre I took a double take. No normal periwinkle, this is Catharanthus roseus, a fabulous plant that I have grown before. Native to Madagascar, and indeed once called vinca, it possesses many medicinal wonders traits and of course is rather beautiful. Unfortunately, it is also extremely tender. I will enjoy it whilst I can.

One of the chosen ones, ie the watered few, is Abutilon ‘Souvenir de Bonn’. The flower is thanks enough for its exclusive care.

Although I am over the moon about the fruit on Melon ‘Charentais’ I am less than thrilled that it appears that Mickey Mouse has moved into the greenhouse. He has been nibbling on the ripe tomatoes and gnawing on my prize melon. Of course there is no firm evidence that Mr M is the culprit, but I have strong suspicions. Lupin seeds have been chomped off as they germinate. Classic mousey behaviour. I can’t blame wildlife for finding solace in a nice juicy tomato, but please spare the gardener’s favourite!

Six on Saturday – Tricky

It is almost as tricky as midwinter to find subjects for Six on Saturday at the moment. I am hopeful that the crisp and dry victims of this drought will spring Lazarus like from their parched graves. This might be foolish, we will see. It is all new ground for us temperature softies. All we can do is our best. I’m sure that is what all of us SoSers are doing, whether it is enough remains to be seen. My special “estate agent” shots have managed to show only the vaguely attractive, ignoring the rest whilst weeping snottily into my sleeve. I was tempted to show you the carnage but, raised on Dairylea and Disney, decided the more positive is best shown. If you would like to find out what other challenges are being faced across the world pop over to our mentor, Jim at Garden Ruminations. Let us shake a leg, there is watering to be done.

Although a little cooler this past week, flowers seem to be going over very quickly. I don’t even recall this Rosa ‘Peace’ being in bud again, now it is in full blown beauty. Seize the moment.

I have said before that I try to avoid plants with challenging names. This is one of the many that have made my rule a fallacy, Erodium manescavii, which although the foliage has browned up a little, seems to be weathering the inclement weather very nicely.

Earworm warning: Its been a good year for the tomatoes. These are Cosmonaut, my first year of growing them and I’m very impressed. This is a Ukranian heirloom variety named after a Russian cosmonaut who died returning to Earth in 1971. Lots to chew over there.

A recent addition to the clan is Fuchsia ‘Coralle’ which has been given priority treatment. At times like this there have to be Teacher’s Pets and those that are left to fend for themselves. Harsh but unavoidable in our garden where the watering can rules and the water meter snipes.

Ageratum mexicanum is a little beauty; a lilac raggedy lovely.

Finally we have Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’; such a joy monster and surely enough to lift the darkest of spirits.