Fed up with “bee on flower” photos yet? Surely we can fit in just one more before the season is over?
Bee, borage, background of calendula. Job done.
Enough?
Author: offtheedgegardening
Penstemon ‘Pensham Plum Jerkum’
For various reasons, I haven’t been to Bill and Ben’s garden since the beginning of the summer. It was nice to be back. It was also lovely to see Penstemon ‘Pensham Plum Jerkum’ looking quite beautiful.
Six on Saturday – Wet and Dry
My week panned out as follows: wet, dry, wet, slightly soggy, sunny. It could have been worse. I might have had a leak in both my boots and my waterproof trousers. Luckily it was only one of the two. Gardening has been done, but unfortunately none in my own garden. Which possibly will not come as a surprise. Still, it soldiers on. And we have arrived, as is inevitable as all roads lead here, to Six on Saturday. Undoubtedly other Six on Saturdayers are more in control of their own destiny. To confirm this fact, The Propping Maestro’s site will reveal what a zillion other participants (fair and true without exception) have been up to.
Shall we begin with a humble beauty? Humble is far from a bad thing. We would benefit from much more. I describe it as such as it is neither a rare exotic or challenging to grow. It is a cosmos. I was expecting another Seashell Mix but someone else turned up. I don’t care. I love it.
Next are a couple of canoodling New Guinea Impatiens. These are favourites of mine, and although the flowers are prone to disfigurement, they make fine summer bedding for tricky places.
We have been battling a mystery climber, ensconced long before our arrival. Its wicked tendrils swamping and strangling in a manner not conducive to friendly play. Today, it revealed its true self. Hops. Strangely, I am now warming to it.
Now a single flower from the spike of Hedychium ‘Pradhanii’. I will tell you it is an artistic shot. The truth is the spike is rather haphazard and unimpressive. This is its most photogenic side. A diva must be placated.
Now Tithonia rotundiflora ‘Torch’ that has managed to push through the mob to show its lovely head. Thank goodness for that. I had wondered what had become of it. Only in a slightly detached way, I never sent out a search party.
Finally Alyogyne huegelli. Anyone got a clue how to say that? Not me. Grown from seed this year, it is rather lovely.
’til next time, my friends!
Leaving Home
Tomorrow my next door neighbour’s daughter is leaving for university. She is a lovely lass and I am sure she will do well.
We caught the train from St Ives to London, me and my Dad, and stayed overnight with my Aunty Joy. In the morning we drove down to Kent in her purple mini. I remember telling him to go, because more than anything I didn’t want him to leave me. The anticipation of the parting pain was too much. I sat on the institutional bed in my hall of residence room, all alone in the world and beside myself with terror and sorrow. Then a tap at my door, and the smiling face of someone who was to become a friend for life. An ally when I most needed it. A threshold had been crossed.
I made Meg a bouquet of dried lavender flowers to take with her. It may help.
Six on Saturday – I’m Back
After a couple of weeks absent from Six on Saturday-ing (what do you mean you didn’t notice?), I am back in the loving arms of the SoS family. You might imagine that whilst away I was undertaking exciting and adventurous exploits, about which you would be only half right. Half of the time, not half of me. For the uninitiated pop over to The Propagator’s blog where you will be able to find out exactly what you are missing. You can then choose to either run for the hills or join in. ps escape while you still are in control of your own destiny. Let’s get on, there is fish curry to prepare!
First we have a marigold, Calendula ‘Neon’. The garden has taken on a life of its own and I am just letting it get on with it. I have relaxed into the anarchy. This was planted at the base of the Forest Pansy and was nibbled and struggled through drought. Still it give pleasures. Respect.
Next we have Cosmos ‘Seashells Mix’, that has eventually got a move on and bothered to flower. The seeds were either a freebie or in the bargain bin, as I wouldn’t normally have chosen this make and model. However, I must admit I rather like its flounces. Another plant is yet to open, but the buds suggest that it will be a dark pink – watch this space for the outcome!
The pack of assorted sempervivum’s I bought a few weeks ago, have eventually been potted up and just to prove that I didn’t copy Jim completely, I put them in a square seed pan. Oh yes, and a round one which admittedly is the same ……. Never mind, as they say, immitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Now the glorious Salvia involucrata ‘Hadspen’. And friend. The flower looks rather random in its form, which is in part due to the angle of photography but also because it is a curiously beautiful creature.
Next a little tomato, hiding so a big gardener doesn’t eat it. Failed!
Finally we have Salvia ‘Phyllis Fancy’ which has rampaged through the border, terrorising all the other occupants. It is forgiven because it has furry flowers.
That is it, all done, I’ll see you in the gloamin’!
Cosmos ‘Dazzler’
Practically perfect.
Rescue
I rescued this bee today. Or perhaps not. She was stumbling drunk through the unmown grass, on a road to nowhere. I picked her up, asking kindly that she did not sting me, and put her on the ginger lily, Hedychium aurantiacum. If I was a bee it is where I would like to be. She had a few sups then tumbled down to the soil below, stumbling into the undergrowth. Which is where I left her, hopefully to find what she was looking for or a place to lay her head.
