Six on Saturday – Hot, Not Bothered

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

Well that was a hot one, wasn’t it?! First time this year I’ve said those immortal words “It’s too hot!”. They definitely weren’t ideal working conditions, there was a lot of skulking in the shadows. Someone who throughout our mini-heat wave was undoubtably as cool as a cucumber frozen into an iceberg, was our leader The Prop. Pop on over to his blog and all SoS secrets will be revealed. Most of them anyway. Pop over to Mr K to get the uncensored version. Of course, the warm weather seldom lasts for long and we are now back to a brisk breeze and showers. What the poor plants are thinking, I can only guess. Let us proceed with my Six on Saturday.

First, we have Lycianthes rantonnetii, AKA Solanum rantonnetti, AKA a posh shrubby spud. During my annual (at least) shuffle this was moved and quite frankly my dear didn’t give a damn.

Next, we have ginger mint. So pretty, but still confined in a pot to restrict its garden domination. I have the standard, not sure exactly what it is, mint as well, which is used for the new potatoes. I might give this a go, it could have interesting results. Or maybe tea?

Sciadopitys verticillata, the Japanese umbrella pine, again in a pot. Mistreated but loved. I often give it a sideways glance as I pass, wondering what it could be if allowed to spread its roots. At the moment it is heading for bonsai territory. As I have said before, I am not a great lover of conifers, except this one, and pines, and all the redwoods, and wollemi of course, and cryptomeria, and …..

Iris ensata ‘Moonlight Waves’ struggled with the dry and then the wind and rain. This slightly battered flower, one of only two on my new plant, is still magnificent. Next year Rodney.

This feather had fallen onto the leaf of a Japanese anemone that has worked its way through our garden wall from next door. I thought it looked like an exotic insect. Until it rained, then it looked like a wet feather.

Lastly, we have Callistemon masotti, scarlet and golden tipped. The terracotta pot it is living in disintegrated a few weeks ago. We hadn’t another one to replace it and as we were in meltdown lockdown, we couldn’t buy another. So my handy man about the house glued it back together again. It doesn’t seem to have minded a bit of gorilla glue about the roots.

That is your lot, take care of yourselves. Same time next week, hopefully.

40 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – Hot, Not Bothered”

  2. My sister has acquired a Bottle Brush plant – at least I think it’s the same as your Number 6. We wondered what it’s proper name was. Very pretty posh spud. (I wasn’t allowed to say spud when I was young…..it’s common. 🤔😲😉)

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    1. Yes, it is a bottle brush, they are lovely aren’t they? I love the word spud, it is so definite. I remember one of our school rules was that we weren’t allowed to eat in the street as it was common, not that we took any notice!

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  3. I love callistemons and they have been on my wish-list for years but they have to be overwintered indoors so I must give them a place ( and a chance…)
    I didn’t know the Japanese umbrella pine. I googled to look for large picture and it will be a very nice tree !

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  4. I rather like the feather plant! As I have settled into the ‘new normal’ the ennui and apathy has slowly been replaced by energy, tinged with a little apprehension about how we are going to return to the things we enjoy doing, and freedom. Maybe we won’t return.

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  5. I love the flowers of the Callistemon masotti. I nearly got one but decided it would get to big for my garden – but kept in a pot… hmm. I succombed to the charms of a dwarf conifer that started to get big and a Cryptomeria that’s turning brown and crispy. I will never trust a conifer again! Ginger mint sounds tasty.

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  7. Ah, a week in which I could have exclaimed “You’re hot!” without risking a battering from your protective pot-gluer! Why must you insult your Lycianthes? You could have referred to it as a posh, shrubby tomato or aubergine but you cannot even afford it the courtesy of “potato”. I hope it repays you by flopping over and forcing you to spend time supporting it. 😉 Do enjoy the forthcoming abundance of anemones and let your neighbour on the other side know they will need to clear some space soon!

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  8. The warm weather in a few areas has been in the news. It is crazy warm in some regions. Even though it is no warmer than it normally gets here, it is very warm for the respective regions, such as Eastern Canada with temperatures comparable to those of Southern California! It is even worse because of the humidity! (The weather in Trona in California is forecast to be exceptionally cool for this next week; but you might want to look it up later for amusement. It rarely gets below 100 through summer.)
    My colleague grew Japanese umbrella pine years ago, but discontinued them because he did not sell enough. I never saw one mature, although one or a few of the old stock plants might be maturing in the arboretum by now. It seemed that people were impressed by them, but no one actually grew one in their own garden.

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      1. I am told that cooler temperatures in other regions can be and often are ‘hotter’ than the warm weather here because of the humidity. Also, I can remember that when the smog was still very bad over San Jose, 85 degrees or so seemed to be uncomfortably hot, even without the humidity. The warmest weather I ever experienced was more than 115 degrees near Palm Springs, but it seemed no worse than a smoggy warm day in San Jose.

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  9. I love your comments about the weather – indeed the plants must wonder what on earth they will have to put up with next. Having gone from boiling hot to downpours yesterday it is now seriously windy at the moment here. The Iris is stunning and fingers crossed for a stunning display next year.

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  12. We only had one hot day to contend with, Thursday 28C feeling like 32C and humid, I felt as though I was at my daughter’s house in DC. The other days, two thunderstorms, torrential downpours and then constant rain. Tomorrow 14C. What a very odd June we’re having.

    Lovely leaves on the ginger mint – do tell us how you eventually use it. The needles of the Japanese umbrella pine are lovely, no room in this little garden for one like that, but I do think it’s going to be a rather attractive tree in time.

    I’ve seen Bottle Brush trees in Australia – they’re both strange and wonderful at the same time. I hope the glue remains well stuck. I have a pot like that too. It cost too much to throw away. 🙂

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      1. I hadn’t heard that but did, of course, google it. You’re correct, it apparently adds nitrates though in an indirect way. I will welcome the next thunderstorm…perhaps… 😊

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  14. Since I live in Florida I am puzzled by what you think hot is? I would probably love it. And be cold. Callistemon is relatively common here and considered invasive. I am intrigued to hear you all were told saying ‘spud’ was common as my mother would have said the same thing followed by chewing gum is common?? Love the Umbrella Pine – I think bonsai is a great idea.

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  17. I keep saying that I will get a Callistemon or a Grevillea, I love their exotic flowers, but fear my plot is too exposed for them, they grow in Hayle but that garden is very sheltered compared to being on the top of a hill. I do however have several mints including the ginger one, but apart from using mint with new potatoes I don’t use the others. I’m not a great herbal tea person, but I do like the smell of mint.

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