Six on Saturday – Special Day

Posted byofftheedgegardeningPosted inSix on Saturday, Welsh WalesTags:, , , , , , , , ,

This year I am determined not to get despondent on the Summer Solstice, as is my wont. I will celebrate and wear flowers in my hair and live in the glorious moment, I may even frolic a little. Then we can begin rapid the descent into winter and gloom and despair. As usual, I exaggerate, although I do feel a little pang of, I’m not sure what to call it, perhaps mild dread. Of course our Sosers will be celebrating, or otherwise, some solstice or another, pop over to our leader, Jim at Garden Ruminations, and find out if it is all uphill or all downhill from here.

I am very fond of both salvias and dahlias, both of which are beginning to shine. This is a rather blurry (more breezes, honest guv!) Salvia ‘Nachvlinder’ along side a dahlia seedling from last year.

A calendula self-seeder, always welcome, seldom weeded.

This Salvia microphylla ‘Trelissick’ was grown from HPS seed a couple of years ago. How true to type this is I can’t say, but I am rather fond of it, especially the fluffy pink bits.

I’m growing lots of new (to me) tomatoes this year. One of them is Blue Beauty which is, to my mind, both beautiful and blue. The problem is, when is it ripe? And also, most importantly, does it taste good? I will report back.

This Thalictrum aquilegifolium has had to battle to find a space, but it found a way through the melee. It probably needs moving in the autumn, whether or not I remember is another matter.

Hemerocallis ‘Nona’s Garnet’ needs no praise from me, just take a look at it in all its fabulous, elegant beauty and gasp in delight.

That is your lot, happy summer solstice to you all. Nearly Christmas.

32 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – Special Day”

  1. Of course you must put flowers in your hair and frolic to celebrate this wonderful time of year and your fabulous garden. I feel like singing very loudly when I look at mine, but the Pianist always tells me I’m out of tune. I love your salvias and wow, I am impressed by that luscious tomato.

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    1. Yesterday, when I stood out in my tiny plot, I felt like singing too. My Dad used to love to sing and very loudly, he was dreadfully out of tune, but he really enjoyed it. Since then I have always thought that you should give it a go whatever you sound like. Perhaps not on the stage though.

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      1. I don’t know, I think I should go on the stage. My ‘Laughing Song’ from Die Fledermaus has to be heard to be believed. And my Edith Piaf interpretations would reduce you to tears.

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  4. This salvia ‘Trelissick’ is stunning with its pink tips! Regarding tomatoes, I would say they are ripe when they are slightly soft to the touch and also, by comparing the colour of each one with the other. The one in the foreground looks ripe or almost ripe to me.( There are 186 days left until Christmas.😂 )

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  5. With the light nights I don’t sleep much, and you should have seen me when we went to Norway at midsummer! That Thalictrum is gorgeous. You too have a good week.

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  6. Your cheery Dahlia and salvia photograph works for me – along with the feature image above it. It says cottage garden and summer. I love the mix. The tomatoes look superb and I’ll look forward to the taste report! I also like your Thalictrum. I have a white (its name currently escapes me) that I decided to move last autumn. Instead I thought I’d pot it up and wait to see what space was free this year. So it finally went back into the ground last week. This week I looked at it and realised I had put it back into the space it had come from. 🙄 The joys of gardening…

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  7. Frolic?! Oh my! That sounds a bit too indulgent. But why would one not frolic (discretely)? Is summer supposed to be bad? All seasons have their attributes. There would be no tomatoes without summer.

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  9. Did I miss something in the last week or two or does your feature picture have a gem of a Salvia that you’re testing us with? It looks suspiciously like the Salvia curviflora I pounced on at the NGS shindig at Trellissick back along, being brought along for the plant swap by the lovely Debbie from Buck’s Head. We took all three of her donations; she took all of ours. Not to mention the Correa and Erodium, so I won’t.

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    1. Yes, an over wintered curviflora which is more tree than herb. It kinda split the other day in the weather, didn’t seem to bother with any dramatics, just part of it is growing at a jaunty angle. You must share which erodium and which correa! Deb is fantastic, a lovely woman and a fabulous garden. I love it when my worlds collide. Did you know that Malcolm has been ill?

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      1. Misunderstanding re Correa and Erodium, I was back to your header picture and it may not be an erodium. Buck’s Head absolutely is a fabulous garden; one of the other things we snatched from her was her tall white Watsonia, no way was anyone else getting their hands on that! I didn’t know that Malcolm had been ill but he hasn’t looked well the last couple of times I’ve seen him. Did you overwinter the Salvia curviflora in the ground or under protection? Deb came and visited our garden two years ago and came back last year; I could not wish for higher praise than that.

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      2. My mistake, yes erodium and correa, bother doing well. Salvia stayed out without protection, I had a backup cutting or two which were not needed. It split in recent winds, but I’ve just left it and it seems ok. Very woody now and about 5ft tall. And yes, praise indeed, such a modest and brilliant woman. I think I’ve seen a photo of the white watsonia, gorgeous!

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  11. Blimey! Tried times on your blog to comment, but it just kept asking me to log in. Why does WP do this? Anyway I will try via the reader.

    Your feature photo shows us what a gorgeous cottage garden you have created. What is that beautiful salvia? I don’t seem to be able to keep salvias, at least not if I leave them in the garden over winter.

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  14. Yum! Lots of beautiful blooms…and ‘Blue Beauty’ Tomatoes! I think I’ve had them in the past at restaurants and they were tasty. Of course, they will be especially delicious coming directly out of your garden. Do let us know what you think!

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  15. Summer Solstice isn’t the only holiday where we are encouraged to feel and act perhaps a bit contrary to how we are actually feeling. It marks a high point, but also the drop off from that point to winter. It was too hot and muggy here to frolic much, but it is good to see the garden responding to the sun at last. Your flowers certainly are lovely. I agree with you about the magic of Salvias, and Dahlias, and your gorgeous tomatoes!

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