Six on Saturday – From a Safe Distance

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

Harold Wilson once said that a week in politics is a long time.  Over this past week so much has been happening worldwide that it feels like an eternity.  Still spring skips along and stuff is happening; good things both in the garden and out.  If you want to see how alike we are around the world, in our gardens but also in our woes and joys, pop over to The Prop’s site where all will be revealed.  Here you can find out what our fellow humans have been getting up to and how many extra hours they have been in the garden when they should have been “working from home”.

First we have the same Muscari latifolium that I featured a couple of weeks ago, now all grown up.  Fabulous.

Last year my little brother and his family went to Tanzania on holiday.   As they are what we affectionately know as “The Cloggies”, ie they are mostly Dutch and live in the Netherlands, they very kindly posted me some African coffee instead of a postcard.  Unfortunately, possibly due to my extensive criminal record, the Customs and Exise people intercepted it.  They then proceed to break the seal, rootle around inside for a bit, before sending it on to me.  I decided not to drink the coffee.  The empty tin makes a rather nice container for a couple of baby sempervivum.  Thanks bruv, it was a nice thought.

Now we have a pot of radish and spring onions, well the potential for them anyway.  This is a feeble grow-your-own attempt.  I made a bit of a boo-boo and bought seed tape for the radishes.  It is weird stuff.  A bit like knicker elastic.  Nothing has germinated yet.  Perhaps it was knicker elastic after all.  Like the true professional I am, I have been checking for action several times a day.  Nowt yet.  Do you like my “no poo-ing in this pot” defence system?  For the cats you understand.

A couple of days ago OH decided to dead-head the hydrangea.  “Don’t stand on the bleeding heart that is growing underneath” I pleaded.  He gave a look, and it wasn’t the look of love.  He didn’t.   Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’ is quite safe.

I am trying to get my Jacaranda mimosifolia re-accustomed to life in the big bad world by moving it outside during the daytime and bringing it back into the relative comfort of our dining room at night.  It has been “in, out, in, out” but as yet there has been no “shaking it all about”.

Lastly we have the unfolding fresh foliage, red-edged and vulnerable, of one of our many Woolies acers.  Every one a winner baby.

‘Til next time my friends, stay safe and well.

 

36 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – From a Safe Distance”

  1. I have the white Bleeding heart. It does very well in the shady front garden. I’ve planted my radish seeds straight into the raised vegetable bed alongside the fruit cages. (I may have mentioned them before.😉) I hope I am more successful this year, I think we had 1 last year. Anyway, lovely, healthy looking Six-on-Saturday.

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  2. My jacaranda ( from Barcelona seeds) is in the greenhouse right now, it’s 2 m tall, and I overwintered it there. The leaves have all dropped with -3°C but the buds reappear on the trunk. I was tired of going in and out … I would like to take the risk of planting it in the garden in a sheltered corner but …it would be too sad to lose it

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  3. I laughed out loud so much, Mr S had to ask if I was alright. Your post on the Knicker radishes got me going….hope you take up stand up comic gardening or maybe you already lecture to clubs along this line. Or you could do a Fringe slot….My Wilko Acer far outreaches my posh one..Your post has inspired me to write about the two next week.

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  4. I have some old knicker elastic, lost its elasticity a bit but perhaps I can grow radishes along it? Love your Muscari latifolium, I must try that one and have made a note of it for buying bulbs later in the year. I have loads of the common Muscari in the garden, and ‘Valerie Finnis’ in pots.
    Sewing seeds is a good idea, the next job on my list while I am not stuck at home, but hopefully safe at home.
    Enjoy the sunshine and stay safe and well.

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  6. Your coffee story brought quite a smile, and the radish pot is an excellent idea. We have one or two neighbourhood cats that stroll in here as if it is their home. I know they’ve been on the pots – perhaps it’s time to spoil their fun.

    I’m familiar with the phrase “don’t stand on…” but the retort usual is “I can’t help it, I’ve got to stand somewhere”. Big size 12’s can do an awful lot of damage.

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  8. One thing I can be sure of with your posts Gill, is that I will laugh somewhere whilst reading. With you not at you, I mean. I had several laughs today, thank you. I have already admired the Muscari on Jude’s post today. I think it’s so desirable, but sadly not available here. On flicking back through your posts to see if I had commented on the Muscari before (old age having had a deleterious effect upon my memory) I discovered it in your ‘Celebration’ post which, for some reason, I missed. So I’m sending you congratulations today. Stay well.

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  9. I was so happy to see that the mixed lot I got sent last autumn included some of these Muscari – they are very pretty. Must say the coffee saga had me smiling! I wonder what they were expecting to find? 🙄 And I have used the tape thingy to sow spinach which sort of worked. I must check if I still have any radish seeds. They are about the only thing that I have successfully grown from seed.

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  12. You discarded the fancy coffee?! It could not have been any worse than kopi luwak, which has been all the rage recently.
    I was not aware that jacarandas were popular there. I would not expect them to like the climate. They are one of the trees I miss from working in Southern California. There are a few here, but they are not as grand as those in Beverly Hills (in the Los Angeles region). The best are a bit farther down, in Long Beach. It does not get as cool there. They look rather cartoonish in bloom.
    What are Woolies?

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    1. Jacarandas aren’t popular, in fact they aren’t hardy here. This was grown from seed bought back from Mallorca. My pampered pooch. Woolies is what we Brits called Woolworths, the much loved store that went bust a few years ago.

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  13. I use the stick method as well, for both cat & dog intrusions. Think I would’ve had to taste the pillaged coffee, tho. Americans & our coffee, you know.

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