Six on Saturday – Sunshine and Shouting

Posted byofftheedgegardeningPosted inChez Nous, Six on SaturdayTags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
Japanese acer

First of all I must thank our glorious Six on Saturday leader, The Propagator of Lurve, for arranging this beautiful sunny day.  Take a look at his blog and all will be made clear about the SoS sect.  You may well come away more puzzled than before.  One or the other.   Anyway, this clement weather, subsection 3b “on a Saturday”, has been a long time coming.  I suppose our guru needed a little practice before he got it right.  There is no need for me to whine on about the depressing rain or snow or gales or drizzle or anything actually. People might begin to believe I am a happy, carefree kind of gal.  Here I was, proud recipient of the double whammy, inclination and opportunity, what could possibly go wrong?  But I had forgotten about external influences.  More specifically, a neighbour firing a nail gun intermittently all day, irregularly enough to make you jump a meter in the air at each shot.  In between times he was hammering, or shouting at his son, or they were both hammering or shouting, all on top of an enormous shed/store for artillery at the bottom of his garden.  Cheers mate.  Happy sunny day to you too.  Due to said suspect weapon stash I decided not to complain.  Not to him anyway.  Thanks for being a shoulder.

Let us get on with the job in hand, or it will be Sunday before we know it and I will be on the naughty step again and that Mr K will be pointing and giggling.  First of all we have a Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum, one of several we have in the garden.  All in pots.  Mainly brought from the greatly missed Woolworth’s for three shillings and thrupence.  The new foliage is a joy.

Secondly is a little alpine sink, which I replanted his last week with Sisyrinchium ‘E K Balls’, Scabiosa ‘Blue Jeans’ and Polygala chamaebuxus.  It had become overgrown and rebellious.  Now it is tamed and under my control.  I almost believed that when I typed it.  We all know different.

Virburnum x burkwoodiiNext is Viburnum x burkwoodii, an inherited shrub which battles on in the front garden, abused by weather and ignored by gardeners.  Until today.  Earlier in the week I visited some friends at The Round House in Ilfracombe.  One friend told me that, along with Daphne ‘Jaqueline Postil’, this hybrid was their favourite winter into spring scent.   Today, working in the front garden, the fragrance was incredible, both near and far.  How did I miss this?

On to the obligatory tulip, this time Tulipa ‘Blue Diamond’.  Not blue, no diamonds.  Pretty though.

Fritillaria meleagris 'Alba'

Now for a trio of white fritillaries, Fritillaria meleagris ‘Alba’.  This is a strange time of year, my gaze is intent on summer and I sometimes forget to appreciate the spring flowers that have struggled through such horrendous weather.  Although not as dramatic as its checkerboard brother, this albino sibling, with just a little blush on the shoulders, is a lovely light in the border.

And finally we have Fat Ol posing by a primrose.  Such a handsome lad and a great “help” to me in the garden.  Cat Help, that is.   This entails throwing himself in front of my feet causing me to do a cha cha cha in order to avoid standing on him, scratching posts in a virile manner, meowing at a pitch just above high C, insisting on attention when he wants it but ignoring me when I want it.  The usual.

Thanks to El Prop for another week of Six on Saturday and of course the good weather.  Same time, same place?

 

 

 

 

35 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – Sunshine and Shouting”

  1. What a pretty cat you have Gill! … Since I tweeted, I’ve noticed that gardeners and cats are good friends. A good team to eliminate mice
    About plants, I have a ‘Blue Parrot’ tulip that will bloom soon. I’ll tell you if it’s blue or not!

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  3. You are lucky. A neighbour’s cat who thinks your garden is his (poop protection as mine delivers) but you don’t need to feed him or pay the vet bills! You are luckier. I’m worrying that my Acer …. garnet may have snuffed it in whole or part. A little branch or two has building buds but a lot looks dodoish. I may have struck lucky with some cheapo tulip bulbs. But that will be a surprise for a future six. I may let resident cat write next week’s selection. He’s missing his blog.

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    2. When I first moved here there were four “visitor” cats whom I promptly named and even wrote a blog post about. Sadly, only one of them still visits occasionally, a white and grey bicolor I call (with staggering non-originality) Kitty. John, I had to put an dwarf Acer out of its misery just this weekend.. too many major limbs broken off by one too many heavy snowstorms last month.

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  6. I like those white fritillaria, and the cat, of course. Our fierce black used to keep me company in the garden and I still miss him.

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  10. When I opened your blog page & saw that acer, an instant intake of breath that stopped me for several moments. I’m such a pushover for an acer & there’s so many gorgeous ones to choose from.

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