Six on Saturday – Still Standing

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

It has been a wild week, just weatherwise you understand. All is calm, all is bright apart from that. Accordingly to those who study such things, we have had double the precipitation for the month already. Our water capture is overflowing and memories of drought long past. If we weren’t having warnings about rain and flooding it was wind alerts. Gales and torrential storms, wonderful. Understandably the garden is a little confused. The crispy are now softening, the stunted are putting on tardy growth spurts. There have been casualties, there have been survivors, all will be left now to do their best. No propping, little tending, it is too late in the day. Perhaps I am being lazy or defeatist or maybe realistic. If you would like weather reports from around the world and perhaps the odd mention of a plant or two, pop over to Jim at Garden Ruminations. Shall we get on?

Pelargonium ‘Crocodile’ is new to me this year. I was imagining a little more of a scaley threatening vibe, but in reality some of the leaves are quite benign. The very pretty cerise flowers are not scary at all.

Plectranthus argentatus has enjoyed whatever has been thrown at it this year. I’ve grown this tender perennial ostensibly as a foliage plant, but in full flower, as it is at the moment, it is a joy indeed.

Leonotis leonurus, underwhelming, could try harder.

Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’, after just a couple of years, had become a monster. I called in the heavy mob (OH) who dug it up and divided it into four less monstrous pieces. I think it may have forgiven the harsh treatment.

This hedychium, which I think is H. aurantiacum, has failed to flower since its move to South Wales. It has grown exponentially, sturdy stems, but no blooms. It is a late flowerer so I haven’t given up hope just yet, but there are no hints that it is even thinking about it. Too dry, too shady, too fertile, who knows?

The Bed of Anarchy looks like a hippopotamus has wandered by and taken a nap. This Salvia uliginosa has bent down to greet the rubeckia, a happy meeting.

All done, Six on Saturday as required. A little tougher this week. It can only get worse.

25 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – Still Standing”

  1. Leonotis leonurus is an old fashioned perennial, or I think it is. Is it still popular there? We have some at work, but I know of no one else who grows it. Cool! That is a bummer about the ginger. Six or seven species or cultivars are growing here, and none of them are blooming yet.

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  2. Very original the foliage of the pelargonium ‘Crocodile’ ! And it’s aptly named.
    Regarding the hedychium, I can’t help you because 2 of my 3 plants continue to grow and spread but have never flowered. I haven’t found the key.
    And the Leonotis ? Is this a first for you or have you seen it flower before? I should start sowing again, because it worked well 4-5 years ago.

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    1. I don’t think I expected to be so taken with the plectranthus blooms. I’m a little smitten. It is unlikely to survive the winter. I’ve got a couple of lil ‘uns for overwintering in the greenhouse. Although it’s not a given they will make it either!

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  7. What an entertaining read, and more plants (that I haven’t got) to seduce. I first came across leonotis in Zambia. It seemed to be growing wild there. We were told sunbirds liked it, i.e. when it unfurled rather more florets than yours presently has. That salvia is gorgeous.

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  9. There have been casualties, there have been survivors, all will be left now to do their best. No propping, little tending, it is too late in the day. Perhaps I am being lazy or defeatist or maybe realistic

    the weather is certainly changing and you are no defeatist when you say the above. Gardening is wonderful until it saps your energy and joy over a long hot drought summer where you find yourself humping all the grey water from the house to keep tender plants alive two years in a row. At the end of this summer I have taken the tough decision to focus on more droguht tolerant plants.

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  11. Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’ hasn’t made much of itself here – two spikes this year. I wonder if it’s in the wrong place 🙄 leonotis (aka wild dagga) is a wild flower in South Africa, it’s very beautiful.

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