Here we have it, 2024 in all its dank glory. That is the weather synopsis in this part of the world, anyway. Our garden doesn’t get much, if any, sun at this time of the year. It is south facing but surrounded by houses and the sun can’t muster the energy to clamber above the buildings quite yet. Which all adds to the gloom factor. Still, spirits are high, I feel like a corner has been turned, a few days of dry cold have been forecast, my finger is being kept away from the Let’s Get Sowing Button and all is well. Shall we get sharing?
After my last SoS, our esteemed leader Jim asked what photo I had substituted for a picture of an unattractive, soggy hedychium. It was this. A flower bud on my mini Magnolia stellata, one of two. Exciting times.
I have eventually got around to sorting the compost bin, another tick on the list. All “done-enough” was distributed around the garden, mainly heaped upon dahlias which haven’t been put into warm storage. Looking out the window this morning, it seems I was just in time.
A fancy little picotee hellebore is first out of the blocks. I know its not a race, but January is a time when flowering is especially rewarding for the gardener.
Confession: I haven’t planted the violas. Still time though.
Last year I decided I needed a little more evergreen/winter colour in the garden and bought Pseudowintera colorata ‘Moulin Rouge’. It hasn’t grown as much as I had hoped, but, in its defence, it was swamped by a vigorous impatiens for much of the summer. This is the problem with plants that are small but will grow large eventually, they need to be placed in a spot they can mature but may be overcome by others whilst they are young, or you must move them as they progress with the jeopardy that can involve. Dilemma.
Finally, the Mistral anemones are coming into flower. I wonder what they have to say about the frost, they might well change their mind.
There you have it, Six on Saturday. Thanks to Jim for hosting, pop over to his site to see what gems lie there. Until next time.
Off The Edge Gardening 
It’s a bit early in the year to be adding new plants to my wishlist, but I’m adding the Pseudowintera. What am I saying? It’s never too early.
Well done on getting compost off ticked off the to-do llist.
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It is a lovely plant, I’m sure you won’t regret it!
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Got it. 😜 I’m easy to influence. 🤔
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😂
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Well done, I liked the part about keeping your finger off the Let’s Get Sowing button, I get itchy fingers there too.
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I’m not sure how long I can last out!
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I love planting seeds, it is like an addiction.
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Lovely, picotee hellebores are calling to me again. I may just give in. Can’t wait for the stellata to do its stuff. The pseudowintera has such a great name and great interest I may also investigate that, more winter colour needed here too.
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Their call is very loud, isn’t it?! So welcome at this time of year.
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Pseudowintera is a very interesting looking plant. I have to keep that in mind when winter interest and texture are the elements that I am searching for.
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It is a beauty and doesn’t mind some shade either. Win, win!
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One of my first flowering anemone is open. Indeed, the coming cold and frost will perhaps make it change mind. My stellata has the same impatience, we comfort ourselves by seeing the softness of these velvet buds
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They must be some of the best buds around. Hope you don’t get too frosted, but I think the garden will enjoy a little bit of cold rather than wet.
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I’m enjoying reading the posts of my fellow SOSs as I recover from flu, and a far too soggy few weeks. I love anemones, are yours being grown in pots and cosseted in your glass house?
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Oh no! Hope you are feeling a little better today. Mine are outside. There is no room at the inn. x
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The temptation is strong to start sowing at this time of the year – especially when the sun shines! Your picotee hellebore is lovely and no doubt, the Mistral anemone is going to be a beauty.
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It is so tempting! I am sitting on my hands. 🙂
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I think I’d be unable to resist stroking the Magnolia stellata and anemone buds – they look all soft and silky – a bit like that lamb’s ear plant. It does all seem more hopeful in the garden now the rain has stopped.
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You are right, very strokable. As we only have 2 buds on the magnolia, I’m a little worried about touching them, I would be very sad if they fell off.
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Nice Hellebore, the varieties are amazing. I am the same with pansies!
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This time of year I am always re-tempted by hellebores. Not a good thing!
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Is star magnolia difficult? I have never seen a happy one, but I attribute that to the mild winters here. They do not get much chill. They might also dislike the aridity of summer, but I do not know.
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Lovely hellebore, so many beautiful varieties these days, like the anemone too , hope it survived the frost last night.
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The pseudowhatsit is a beauty. I’ve seen a mature one in a NT garden in winter and it is gorgeous. My hellebore niger are first out of the block, along with some iris reticulata. Such a joy to see them.
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