I’m not very happy with my garden at the moment, and I’m sure the garden would say exactly the same about me. I have once again slipped into a cycle of neglect – no dead heading, no slug watch, no bother. And it shows. Anarchy has ensued. My Six on Saturday this week is a reflection on that state, some have overcome, some have suffered. If you still haven’t caught on about the cause for world peace that is SoS, then check out The Propagator’s blog and he will tell you all about it and you can also indulge in stories from across the world.
First we have a success, Tibouchina urvilleana, which hasn’t turned a hair through assault by wind, rain and scorch. The downy buds are almost as beautiful as the deep purple flowers, yet to come.
Next we have Dahlia ‘Candy Eyes’, another plant ear-marked for a client which never managed to escape my clutches. Situated just outside the back door, it has still been victim of the dreaded molluscs and is fit to bust out of its pot. Still I think we can look past a few nibbles and appreciate your pretty pink face, no need to hang your head. I’ll repot you soon, promise.
In the world of mollusc gastronomy, gazanias appear to be the latest trend, the sought out delicacy. All the cool snails in town are raving about it. Not just any old part of the plant however, the petals are the most sought after, leaving unattractive stumps in their wake. No wonder these two new blooms are staying firm shut, too dangerous to go out there!
This is part of the bronze fennel forest that is engulfing the back of one of my borders, squishing and squashing as it expands. Strange, as the year before last I dug up every last piece.
Now for a plant that gets ten out of ten for fortitude. This Dahlia coccinea was sheared off at the ground earlier in the year, before rising like a phoenix out of the ashes. Just coming into bloom, a agapanthus fell on its head. Some years are like that.
Lastly a fuchsia. This lives in the front garden and has been subject to the most rigorous of storms over the last few weeks. Who would have guessed it?
All done, until next time!
Off The Edge Gardening 
Hmm. You are echoing my own feelings about the garden. But surely it is not us. It must be the weather. It must be that August is a funny month in the garden. It can’t be us. Surely not!
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Now that there are two of us in the same predictament I am certain it is not us! Thanks 🙂
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Interesting- Gazanias seem to survive unscathed in my garden. Your Fuchsia obviously isn’t tasty enough for the SnS brigade…not a trace of a nibble, and looking first rate.
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It is the first year they have been attacked, hopefully next year they will give them a break!
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My garden is exactly the same! I can’t wait to cut it all down now and try to regain some control, but am not relishing the mammoth task!!
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Yes, that tidying itch has begun, hasn’t it?!
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I spent four lost hours in the garden on Wednesday, taking advantage of the sun, mainly weeding out the millions of forget-me-not seedlings, but ended up doing a lot of clearing too. I have also become dissatisfied with my garden and especially at all the damage done by the S&S – mainly snails, there are literally thousands of teeny tiny ones all over everything despite organic pellets being put down, and earwigs and little black beetle thingys. Not to mention fuchsia rust and mildew and whitefly on the basil… it hasn’t been my best summer. 😥
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I feel your pain, it has been a tough one. Next year we will be millionaires, I can feel it in my green blood. x
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🤣
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Some beautiful flowers there – especially the fuchsia. I thought this year was the year everything was going to come together nicely in the garden. However, I think I’ve killed a rose and very almost finished off a climbing one. The snapdragons have done very poorly compared to previous years. The scabiosa have been leggy and have been repeatedly battered from the increasingly frequent winds as have the verbena, and the sweetpeas look like something out of a zombie movie. It’s been a funny old year in the garden.
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I love the idea of your zombie sweetpeas, will add a fresh slant to my nightmares! And it made me laugh, which of course is what we need to to. 🙂
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Beautiful, pink fuschia! I must say most of your plants are in a better state than mine! Never mind, the weather is due to pick up now although that is no help to Mr P and family after their wet fortnight!
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No, that was bad luck 😦 At least Mr P will have some better weather to catch up in his garden.
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French S&S don’t like to eat my fuchsias and I’m verthappy. Maybe they prefer some tasty salads or hostess next door…
It’s a challenge to grow a tibouchina. This year, I have already tried to sow, but without success. I will try next year. How about yours? A purchased plant or a seedling?
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I hate to say it, but I’ve got two, a small one and a big one, both given or bought! Would you like me to attempt a cutting?
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It would be nice but I don’t know how it will go for shipping…we’ll see
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That is true, maybe mine will produce seed……
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Dahlias have been miserable here this year. They always are. I bought four and was determined, this time around, to take proper care of them. One was DOA. The second was razed the first night in the ground. The third I’ve dug up again for its own protection. The fourth actually gave me a bloom. One.
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Always nice to know that you are not suffering alone. Next year here we come!
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popping over from six on saturday. I love your fuchsias….can’t wait for mine to start flowering again.
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Kudos for growing tibouchina, I can’t keep them alive. Anarchy in August is usual in the garden. I am trying very hard to keep control but at this time of the year I feel like one of those teachers that children run rings round. But at least I can cut off their heads if they are too unruly which is frowned on in the schoolroom.
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Ha! Lovely analogy 🙂
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This reminds me how gorgeous is my Dahlia coccinea grown from seeds you sent quite few years ago! Lovely Fuchsia.
As for the rest, like someone else said once, no worry, the winter will come and the sense of order will be restored 🙂
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Glad it is still going strong! Yes, soon the slate will be cleaned. 🙂
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So funny! We’ve all been there, however you’ve got some lovely plants thriving!
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Thank you, and thank you 🙂
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I adore gazania, but really get annoyed when they don’t show their faces. I didn’t realise they were S&S food as well! Not sure how tall your fennel is, but your photo perspective would cause Beanstalk Jack temptation.
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They are only about 1.5m tall at the moment, I was lurking below …… 🙂
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Tibouchina urvilleana…so you have named a beauty I saw growing in Madeira! I love the leaves on this one, but I guess not hardy. Isn’t it strange that post mid summer we seem to loose that vommph of earlier months. The slugs and snails are enjoying themselves to be sure now we have had some rain.
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Don’t you love it when that happens! A mystery solved. Hardier perhaps than we think, this one was outside all last winter with a little fleece wrapped around. Mine you it wasn’t a very tough winter. My vommph has definitely gone missing ……
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That’s anarchy? It looks like nature. . . or it ‘sounds’ like nature. It looks great up close. Even exotic plants and their fancy cultivars will do what they do naturally if they get the chance.
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