Did anything happened whilst I was away? I believe it did. It seems we have a new ruler. The Prop has handed his crown and sceptre to Jim at Garden Ruminations, who will now be in charge of all things Six on Saturday. Great work Prop, you did a sterling shift. You brought a disparate bunch of ne’er do wells together, from across the globe and beyond, only for us to discover we had a lot more in common than just plants. I’m sure Jim will follow keenly in your footsteps. He’s a good ‘un. Shall we look at some plants?
I’ve been trying to get a decent photo of Salvia patens for a little while, to no avail. It is in a non traditional, rather shady, position for a salvia. Although it seems to be rallying rather well, it is not ideal for photographs. Here is a half decent attempt. Still, it is blue and a salvia, we could forgive a lot less.
I read on Fred’s insta/twitter/something feed that a final flower was emerging on his brugmansia. Mine has been a little ungenerous in the blooming department ie nothing. Ever hopeful, I dashed (waddled) out to see if mine had any late intent and low and behold there were a couple of buds. Hope they make it.
Another “nearly there” is Tibouchina urvilleana, just coming into bud. Every year we have to weather the self same will it/won’t it conundrum. Ever the optimistic, I am sticking with “it will”. This winter it will spend the worst of the weather undercover (did I mention my new greenhouse?) and hopefully will not get its annual knock back. We shall see if it thanks me for this cosseting.
The impatiens floundered during the dry spell, often dramatically so. It made me doubt the sense in growing these beauties. Rain and mild temperatures have revived them and they have shone throughout these autumn months, causing me to doubt my own misgivings. Impatiens flanaganae has flowered intermittently, each and every bloom savoured.
I don’t know exactly when, but a couple of weeks ago, I sowed some oriental salad leaves. Tonight (last night if we are pretending that I am typing this on Saturday morning) we had some for our tea. I would like to be better at edibles, but the ornamentals always win though, each small victory a triumph. They were delicious and very pretty.
Finally, possibly my favourite salvia, Salvia corrugata. More tender than the rugged leaves would imply, it is the perfect blue-jean navy to set my heart a-racing.
That is your lot. Hope the week is kind to you. Let us hope that other leaders can take good example from SoS and sort themselves out. And yes, of course they read it!
Off The Edge Gardening 
You may remember that I am also particularly fond of salvias, and I do love your number six. Must look for one forthwith.
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Do you have new greenhouse?!! I sometimes look at my mini greenhouse and wonder if I should have gone for the next size up – although I suspect we wouldn’t have been able to get through the side gate if I had. The Salvia patens is a stunning colour. I have a feeling my mother-in-law has one – I must attempt a cutting. The salad leaves look very pretty and tasty.
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Lovely salvia. I fear mine has not lasted the wet winter.
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To promote the opening of the brug flower, you can remove a few of lower leaves, and water the pot of course ( and put the plant in a greenhouse if this is not the case?)
The tibouchina seems a little more advanced.
Fingers crossed that they open before Christmas
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It is in the greenhouse, but I will take your tip about leaf removal. Thanks Fred
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Mine are bare from the bottom to the Y=beginning of the flowering stems.
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I’m pleased you are enjoying Salvia corrugata. It looks tough, but it succumbed even in the sheltered garden, but I bet it will be one to overwinter in your fab new greenhouse. Have a good week.
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It is a sensitive one, fingers crossed 🤞
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I commend you on your oriental leaves – mine became more lace than leaf – flea beetles perhaps? – and were consigned to the compost bin. I might try them in hanging baskets next year as it may be the only way I’ll get to taste them. Lovely blue on the salvia. I must try growing some next year.
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The patens is stunning. I think I tried it once and it curled up and died very swiftly. Probably too shady and too dry. The oriental salad looks yummy.
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Try again, I’m sure you’ll succeed next time. I read somewhere that you shouldn’t say you can’t grow something until you’ve failed three times 😊
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Oh I’ve a long way to go then on several things!
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Good luck to you with the brugmansia buds and good luck to the rest of us to get straighter rulers. I am more optimistic about the buds.
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I’ve left the buds for a couple of days, hoping they will progressing nicely when I get back. OH has instructions not to do anything 😂
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A few weeks ago I thought about sowing a Winter Salad mix and didn’t get round to it. I am now kicking myself as they look yummy. The blue salvias, but particularly the first one, look beautiful.
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I’ve down some lambs lettuce in another container, it has just begun to germinate. I don’t think it’s too late to give it a go.
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I found some old seed (which had lost the part of the pack with the sow by date) but I’ve given it a go. Fingers crossed.
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Your greens look great!
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Why, thank you!
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I encountered Impatiens flanaganiae in a nearby garden earlier this week, now I’m kicking myself for not blagging a cutting. So unlike me.
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I’ll send you some
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I do like the colours of your salvia, very soothing.
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Thanks Rosie, I love blue flowers 😊
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The ornamental salad looks good. Will it grow through the winter?
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Not sure, it’s my first time. I’m going to do my best. You ok?
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Yep, I have a winter project for salad and veg. Planted cucumber and courgette seeds this week… as experiment! Going to market tomorrow to buy more salad plugs. Will update next Sat.
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Sounds good, looking forward to hearing all about it. 😊
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I envy you your oriental salad – I attempted growing some twice this year and both times they either failed to germinate or did and bolted before I could pick any leaves. And those salvias – drool….
I just can’t seem to keep them at all, too wet?
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I’m wondering how they will over-winter. Taken cutting but would prefer the parent to make it. Clay here, minimal improvement, so touch and go.
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Lovely salvia. Every autumn I wish I’d got lots and lots of them. Sadly, I have none in the garden. I have a brugmansia though which is still outside and still chucking out the odd flower. It will go into the greenhouse next week. I struggle to do a 6 on Saturday lately – part laziness, part too busy with other things – but I am musing on combining a knitting and gardening blog….
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I think a large aspect of gardening is regret and redress. There is always next year. Or, in the case of SOS, next week.
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Your climate must be milder than I believe it to be. Brugmansia gets slightly damaged by frost even here. I would not expect it to survive in climates with cooler winters. Tibouchina are likewise somewhat sensitive to frost. Of course, I am unfamiliar with your particular species. Perhaps it is not so sensitive to frost.
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Both are tender here, we have to protect them. That is the joy.
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I love the Blue Salvias right along with you…and more mad Impatiens. I hope your Tibouchina flowers, they are just starting here.
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You have a wonderful Tibby Tree! Must be amazing in full flower.
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I don’t have one. They have a tendency to croak with no warning in my garden. I photograph the T. granulosas I find around here, that’s my favorite.
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Lovely pics! Oh how I wish I had not killed my tibuchina! I left it out one winter because I ran out of space under glass and it turned up its toes in the cold wet Welsh winter. I must buy a replacement, it is such a fabulous plant, isn’t it?
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The variety of plants you have in your new garden never ceases to amaze me. Lovely colours too. How about a picture of that new greenhouse? We haven’t seen it for a couple of weeks. 🤭
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Fabulous flowers! Are they all taken on your phone camera? See you soon
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Thank you. I’ve got a grown up camera too 😊
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Ah! That explains it x
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