My photos for this Six on Saturday were restrained by the fact I had to be within hearing distance of the phone. OH was out doing the weekly shop, God bless him, and I was on high alert, loitering within ear-shot. Therefore, all pictures had to be taken within two leaps of the back door. As it happens, I could have wandered further. I was waiting for the call that never came, like some love sick teenager. Please pop on over to The Prop’s site and check out the other SoS who I am sure were more adventurous. Let us proceed.
First, we have a peek-a-boo Fuchsia ‘Eruption’ screaming “why are you denying my time to shine!”. Fleeced up for protection, it has managed to poke a couple of flowers out of a weak point in the defences. You will be pleased to hear, it is all tucked back in and cosy again.
Next, a Cornus ‘Porlock’ seedling, which is supposed to be deciduous but hasn’t been caught on yet. Perhaps cornus are like beech trees and hold onto their leaves whilst young. Yet another plant in waiting, we are all waiting.
Now, a ravaged leaf, ripped from the nearby brugmansia by the wicked wind, dumped on the steps and subsequently chewed.
Onto Callistemon masotti, presenting fat buds to aid our dreaming.
Whilst lurking I opened up my little plastic greenhouse for a breath of fresh air and at the same time had a poke about to see what had been happening. All the while listening out for a ring, of course. The sempervivum were looking quite fine and most dandy.
Lastly, hidden beneath the shifted fuchsia fleece, a lone Iris reticulata bud. This is the lolly-labelled pot, whose identification had biodegraded rather prematurely, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you the cultivar. Made me smile though.
Six on Saturday completed for another week, I hope you lot are all doing well and staying safe. All fine here. Like Vladimir and Estragon, I’ll must be getting on with my waiting.
Off The Edge Gardening 
I should really go and goole Vladimir & Estragon. Is the clue in “gon” as in gone? Or is it “imir” as in I’m here? 🤔
Your description of the events prior to The Chewing are quite brilliant… ravaged, ripped, dumped… There’s a writer just waiting to publish.
He photograph of the sempervivium is lovely too.
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My phone keyboard is stuck. Apologies on its behalf.
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Forgiven 🙂
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They are from Waiting for Godot, by one of your countrymen Samuel Beckett. We studied it for A level English Literature. Thank you and thank you.
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Ah Sammy… Yes.
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Ooh… the first signs of irises!
I have to think about adding callistemon to my garden. Our area is pretty much the same and my brother-in-law near Paris grows them up too. I can’t wait to have these bottlebrush flowers in my garden.
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They would be perfect for you Fred, and so many to chose from. This gets no winter protection at all, is in a pot (of course) and just gets on with it. No need for the attic treatment!
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Do you have a specific interesting variety for me? (That I can order because since the sowing I will have to wait ….😂)
?
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This one is very reliable, C. masotti has been very reliable for me, but there are loads out there, I am sure some more tender than others. Look forward to seeing what you chose.
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Me too! Exciting irises. Does your fuchsia know that it is too early/late to be flowering?
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sssshhhh!
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‘Porlock’ is kousa x capitata, a recipe for confusion in the progeny. There’s a back story to the sempervivum pot I’m guessing, that might be obvious, or might not, or might not exist, could have been an Aldi baked bean can.
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Oh that is interesting Jim, I wonder what mine might bring?! The pot was coffee my brother bought in Africa and posted to me from his home in The Netherlands. The customs opened it and poked around a bit then send it on. I decided not to drink it, having a vivid imagination, and thought I would use it as a pot instead, with a couple of holes in stabbed in the bottom. 🙂
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I am considering getting a Callistemon this year as I want to have fewer pots, but bigger ones so they don’t need as much attention. I see you have yours in a pot so any ideas of the best variety? Size of pot? As for the irises I have several George (I think) that have appeared in their pots (from last year) and one blue one, possibly Harmony, in the raised bed. I thought they were early until I looked at a post from last January.
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This one has been great in a pot, and it is totally ignored apart from admiring its flowers. Rarely gets a water, might get a feed once a year. Is George a lighter blue one? I think I had that once, but then again I think I had Harmony once too …..
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George is very dark purple – almost black, in fact he might have black flashes.
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Close 😅
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The sempervivum look might fine. I have a Philadelphus that thinks it’s an evergreen. I’m looking forward to seeing the open flower of the iris.
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I am going to put a barricade around it to make sure it doesn’t get eaten!
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Your semperviviums look right at home in their natty pot, I do like a bit of repurposing. Am still waiting for my iris reticulata to do their thing – as you point out, waiting is the theme these days!
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I like the thought of using old tins. I am always wondering whether to start a collection of the Golden syrup tins which have some interesting designs. The first Iris is the finest….
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I wondered if it would get too hot in the summer, but it seems to be OK, although I don’t remember many blazing days!
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It’s so lovely to see the bulbs poking their heads up. No flowers on any of my Iris reticulatas yet but I’m waiting patiently…
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They are waiting for the right moment, sure they will soon be poking their heads up!
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Lovely iris – mine have just poked up through the soil so will have to wait a bit for flowers. I also loved the chewed leaf. I’ve got lots of those. 🙂
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Yes, they are still lurking, the munchers. I found a mini snail in my mini greenhouse earlier. I bet he isn’t the only one hunkering down in there. There is evidence!
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Brugmansia still has green leaves, but fuchsia is wrapped? I do nothing for either brugmansia or fuchsia, but the fuchsia are fine through winter, while the brugmansia lose their foliage to frost. The frost should not hurt them, but does ruin the foliage.
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The fuchsia is a delicate soul, new and spoilt perhaphs, the brugmania is now naked and I have every faith in it.
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Somehow . . . naked sounds worse than defoliated, . . . or maybe it just sounds French.
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The peach tint at the edges of the cornus leaves is lovely. I enjoy forgetting about my sempervivums, many of which are partially buried in decomposing leaves and then discovering that they have been makingbgood use of the time to multiply. The iris photo is beautiful. That dark, perfectly shaped bud amidst the glowing green leaves.
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Really pleased you like it, such a joy to find the iris doing its thing, unabashed. Have you got sempervivum pictures, forgotten or otherwise on your blog? Love plant, we should be honoured if they love us too. Stay safe and well 🙂
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I’ll have to go and look at my bulb pots tomorrow in case I have an early iris bud too!
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Hi Archie, I keep meaning to email you. Will do it this week, I promise, just a catch up.
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