On the swingometer known as The British Weather, the arrow is apparently shifting to “mini-heatwave”. We should, however, put this into perspective. On a world scale, this is small beer, we are not talking high summer in Death Valley or even sub-Saharan spring. It is going to be a bit warm after being a bit wet and a bit dry and a bit windy. We are a land of mediocre and I am quite happy with that. Still, beware, it may well be hot enough to frazzle your seedlings, as I think Frankie Howerd once said. You may have to research that reference. Someone who definitely is not middling, and will know who FH is, is our Six on Saturday mediator, Jim at Garden Ruminations. Take a look at his site and find others of like minds, if you don’t like plants I probably wouldn’t bother. You are in charge of your own fate, but if you ask me, maybe you should take a chance. Shall we start sixing?

Lamium ‘Silver Beacon’ has spread nicely in the Guano Bed, perhaps a little too well. It is forgiven this dominance for it lives in a hostile environment; dry and shady with blundering woodpigeons (Mr and Mrs Einstein) and sparrows with anger issues.

The Woolies acers have sprung back into action reminding me once again of our nation’s great loss.

An unremarkable, unnamed pelargonium has survived the winter, tucked into the plastic greenhouse and ignored for many months. This little white wonder, along with five assorted mates, have been potted up into terracotta and lined up outside the back door. They are going to enjoy the Mediterranean themed week on its way.

I am jubilant. Every dahlia, which with great jeopardy were left in the ground over-winter, is shooting. I am on 24 hour mollusc watch. Not really, I’m just crossing my fingers.

The Enkianthus campanulata is full of flower, when it is finished I must pot it on to a larger pot. Will you remind me, please?

The last tulip horrah, in this garden anyway, is this rather blousy ‘Tabledance’. I’m a bit embarrassed about the name. The exuberant blooms help to make up for its lack of political correctness.
All done, Six on Saturday completed for another week and we are undoubtedly on the way up. Of course, there is much that can go wrong between now and the imagined idyllic future. If the worst happened, and all else fails, there will always be nasturtium. Evermore.
You’ve reminded it is time to sow some seeds of nasturtium which I was kindly given by a friend. I rather liked their shape. On top of that I usually get ones sprout up around the garden that come from plants first sowed a few years ago. What a lovely Enkianthus campanulata. I must however not get one, as I have turned over a new leaf. However to compensate I hope you show the full plant when it has been repotted and is perhaps showing its autumn colours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have definitely turned over a new leaf and I am very impressed. I will do my best not to let you down.
LikeLike
The flowers of this Enkianthus are superb! I didn’t know it and I found this website to learn more. You will probably find that you miss(??) https://greg.app/how-to-prune-enkianthus/#:~:text=Best%20Time%20of%20Year%20for,late%20winter%20to%20early%20spring. The dahlias are for my part in pots in the greenhouse with a collar of anti-slug pellets while waiting for better days
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is lovely, I think one would look superb in your garden, it is a lime hater though. By the way, I took the top out of my acacia this week, hopefully it will bush out a bit now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t into gardening when Woollies met its demise but I still had a wave of nostalgia at the mention of it!
The enkianthus is just gorgeous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy days! It is a lovely plant, I am very fond of it. If we ever move into a bigger garden it will go into the ground, as long as the soil suits. Until then it will have to be happy in a pot.
LikeLike
Sparrows with anger issues! I nearly choked on my tea reading that. I really like the contrasting green and red acers from Woolies. Woolies and Wilkos are sorely missed here – although a Wilkos has re-opened in Exeter which is something I suppose.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh, Woolies. I remember my mum used to buy all her bare root roses from them. She always maintained that they were just as good as the expensive ones you could buy at ‘expensive places like garden nurseries’. Your lovely acers prove that she was right. The Enkianthus campanulata is beautiful – I must find out more about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely, my dahlias are keen to get on with it too.
LikeLike
Good news about the Dahlias. 🙂 “A land of mediocre”–that is a good description, and I can understand why you are OK with it. My climate in the U.S. Midwest experiences the extremes: sometimes very hot in summer and usually very cold in winter. Spring and fall are very nice. I like all the conditions except the days below about 10F/-12C. But I would not be happy in any place that is very hot or very cold all the time. Anyway, you chose some lovely plants to celebrate. I haven’t seen Enkianthus very often, but it’s a lovely shrub. And that Tulip you shared is beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel so sorry for many plants with unsuitable names. Why? I ask myself, do people choose them? Same goes for children. At least there isn’t one called Tabledance, yet, I hope. Guano Bed made me laugh! As do the quarrelsome sparrows. It’s that time of year I suppose. I have completely missed sowing seeds this year, however I do have some that can be sown directly including nasturtiums, though I am hoping the ones from last year make a return. First though I shall have to remove all the FMNs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree and as I am wholeheartedly shallow, I base many of my plant purchases on name alone. Not sure what happened with the tulip, it must have been on offer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heck, I can not remember my own enkianthus! So what about the dago pansies (nasturtiums)?
LikeLiked by 1 person
My favorite is the Lamium ‘Silver Beacon’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Table dance! laughing..
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLike
Lamium Silver Beacon does it for me, the foliage and the flower! Like Woolies Acer too, never knew that they sold them unfortunately.
LikeLiked by 1 person