Six on Saturday – Rain or Shine

Rain, shine, rain, shine, more raining, more shining. Just make your mind up, is all I can say. April is over, we need a little more consistency and a lot more warmth. It has been a mixed week but, adding up the pluses and the minuses and the indifferent, a good week. If you want to see what the other SoSers have been up to, pop over to The SoS Hub and all will be revealed. Come on, let’s get going, there are eggs to be boiled.

First, the wonderful Dodecatheon meadia putting on the best display ever. The best for me, not in the world, I am not expecting a Guinness Book of Records representative with a clipboard any time soon.

Next Matteuccia struthiopteris, a gift from Welsh Ann last year. Another, perhaps unintentional, gift that hitched a ride was Inula hookeri. Both are lovely, one perhaps a little bit more of thug than the other. I’m not naming names, you know who you are.

Ever since I saw a bank of Uvalaria grandiflora at Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset I have wanted a little of the action. And here it is. Little, but definitely some action.

Every year I like to buy at least one inappropriate plant for my present circumstances. Last year’s contender was Enkianthus campanulatus. No regrets.

In the autumn I duly dug up my many (relatively speaking) dahlia and stored them in the greenhouse, dusting with cinnamon to combat rot, snuggly packed into crates with crumpled newspaper, checking them on a regular basis. I was especially anxious to get them out of the ground as the soil here is heavy and wet. The only one I didn’t lift was a large dark leaved, grown from seed, monster. Too big for cossetting. It seems it didn’t need it.

Finally, cuddling up against the weather, Tulipa ‘Copper Image’ and T. ‘Negritta Double’ doing what I thought they might do when I planted them. Now that’s a first!

All done, another six, still raining, have fun.

Six on Saturday – On Our Way

Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better. That is how I feel about the garden, my garden, other gardens, any garden, at the moment. There are so many things that I can see that are hard to share quite yet, “look, this naked branch has an inkling of green”, “quick! A tiny undulation in the soil suggests that a shoot will soon appear” or “finally, the glimmer of a swelling bud”. These suggestions of action happen each and every year and every year the extent of this thrill comes as a surprise. This is what makes it all so wonderful. Please feel free to push me into a deep hole and fill it with unrotted cow manure if this joy ever evades me. Thanks to Jim for being the fulcrum of our Six on Saturday wheel. Shall we proceed?

We are having a little competition in our house. The words have not been spoken, but the intent is clear. Every year OH grows spuds in a trug in a manner that annoys me. I say nothing. This year he has his trugfest with just one earthing up (wrong) and I am growing my own potatoes in compost bags that I roll up and fill as the tatties grow (correct). The same amount of seed potatoes, planted at approximately the same time. We shall see.

Tulipa sylvestris is lovely in all kinds of ways. Just when you couldn’t think that they couldn’t get any better, some sparkling raindrops add a little bling.

Much too much, much too soon. No need to flower just yet, you can wait a little longer. Rodgersia ‘Heavenly Gill’ is getting a little previous.

Impatiens omeiana is as happy as Larry, perhaps a little too content, as it is beginning to encroach on its neighbours. A little dig and share, I think.

Onoclea sensibilis Red Form struggled in the heat last year, I am very happy to see it emerging as I was a little worried it had voted with its feet. On reflection, I think it might do better closer to the pond, a spring shuffle.

Finally, Tulipa ‘Queen of the Night’, magnificently jewelled, befitting her royalty.

That is your lot. Keep the faith, my friends.

Well Wrapped Teapot

We have just spent a few days away in Machynlleth in the Welsh county of Powys. My aim is always to buy plants whose name I can pronounce, and the same applies to places that I visit. There are a few that slip through the net. Although I underwent an intensive training regime from a Celtic Bard, which mainly involved him pointing and laughing at me when I said it wrong, and repeating this humiliation ad infinitum, I was still struggling to get it right. Fortunately, on our first day away, I was told that most local people call this delightful market town Mach. All was well.

Whilst we were in Mach we visited several antique shops, in one of which I bought this pewter teapot. It wasn’t my first choice, but the £1,650 Welsh stick chair would have been tricky to get on the train home and impossible for my bank balance. The delightful eighteen century wooden horse toy, a mere £350, was also a little above my means. The teapot it was to be. This beauty (to me anyway) was made in Sheffield in the mid to late nineteen century by James Allan. It is a bit bashed about but I loved the finial and for £10 I thought it was bargain.

My plans do not involve tea, or perhaps only comfrey tea. I am going to use it as a watering can for the greenhouse. I haven’t tested its pouring abilities yet, but it will look very pretty, dribble or no dribble.

There was an added bonus. My purchase was wrapped in a couple of sheets of The Cambrian News, dated 1 January 1971. There are many gems in the few crumpled pages which, I hasten to add, will not be going into the recycling bin. One of which is the review above, of two fine films, one of which is “indestructably mad and indescribably funny”. Wonderful.

Six on Saturday – After the Storm

To be honest, I’m surprised anything is still standing in the garden after Wednesday’s storm. The storm was named Noa, which seems appropriate as the amount of rain that accompanied the strong winds was biblical. All things do pass and although it at times felt like the downpours would never end, today we are back to blue skies and a chilly morning. Later I will be out surveying the damage and whispering kind words to the traumatised. I am sure I am not the only SoSer lamenting the harsh weather, pop over to Jim’s and you can find out for yourselves. Shall we shake a leg?

First Tulipa ‘Tabledance’ which has managed to keep its head, against all odds. It doesn’t look like it should look, but I am guessing that its flouncy time will come soon enough. At the moment I am appreciating its demure self. Planted with Queen of the Night, I am hoping they will be a match made in prima donna heaven.

This is not what was on the label. I am quite happy about that.

These Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’ were planted rather late, but I am pleased to report that they also have withstood the battering, with only a little crinkling around the edges. Last week I watched as a bumblebee stumbled up into the corona, moments later emerging a happier chappie.

One lone, spectacularly tall, Anemone Mistral Fuchsia has emerged from a pot of pansies. Ever the drama queen.

The dahlias are all potted up and the majority are making a sterling effort. Peggy is hanging about, as is the Dahlia imperialis. Small Single Orange, the one that had rolled under the bottom shelf of the plastic greenhouse and wasn’t found until February, is also being a little slovenly. I think we can forgive him that.

This photo of Omphalodes cappadocica ‘Cherry Ingram’, (no it’s not new, I’ve had it in my wardrobe for ages) reminds me of my abstract photography course. It was cancelled at the last minute. Apparently not enough people signed up for it. I would have thought just the one would have been sufficient. Still, as you can see, I’m still inadvertently producing the goods.

All done, I hope spring is springing for you or your autumn is golden. See you next time.

Six on Saturday – Lobster Claws

Six on Saturday time again and what a day! April Fool’s Day, it couldn’t have been better arranged. To be honest, I’ve never really bought into the AFD concept, I’m too anxious that I will be made to look an idiot, there are enough opportunities without special days. Still, you can rest assured that there will be absolutely no tricks here. I wonder if there will be clever ruses by the other SoSers? If you would like to find out, check out our leader Grand Master Jim, generally I’ve found him to be trustworthy, but on such a day I can promise nothing. Shall we shake a leg?

First we have a crammed planter which some Muscari latifolium have managed to weasel their way through. Join the party, I say, the more the merrier!

Next the border with no name has been extended and is now approximately twice as large as its first incarnation. It is directly opposite the reimagined Bed of Anarchy so I thinking “Bed of Sensibleness”. No? This extension means some plants will have to be moved and *cough* I will need to get some new ones. Needless to say, it has been so wet it is impossible to do much at the moment. We have bought some spent mushroom compost which will be used to improve the clay soil, which will hopefully make everywhere less claggy and more manageable in the future. This, of course, will take time. At the moment I am just looking at the border and thinking a lot.

Over the winter I have come to the conclusion that some evergreen shrubs are needed. Pseudowintera colorata ‘Moulin Rouge’ was bought to serve that purpose and is now in position near the tree at the shady end of the BoS (working title). I have grown this shrub before, but not this cultivar, and I rather like the look of it. OH asked if I was going to send it back because it was obviously dreadfully disfigured by some terrible disease. I pointed out, a little deflated, that it is supposed to look like that.

I was thrilled to discover that the Erodium manescavii has done us the great honour of seeding itself about. I have dug up five or six of the little ones and am growing them on. Fabulous.

Onto Primula sieboldii ‘Winter Dreams’, so delicate and ethereal and getting so battered at the moment by the gales and lashings of rain. Do I feel guilty? A little. Enough to go outside and put it in a sheltered position? Not quite.

Finally, a lobster claw amongst the tulips. Quite bizarre.

That is your lot. Have a good week, keep plugging on, we will get there in the end.

The Heavenly Pet Show

Hands in the air, who needs cheering up? I thought as much, me too. Shall we indulge ourselves?

Welcome to The Heavenly Pet Show. It is heavenly, not because they are all in heaven, although admittedly several are, it is heavenly because it is my show and I make the rules. And of course they are all supremely heavenly creatures. Over the years, many of my clients have had canine and feline friends who have “helped” me do my job and given me great joy in the process. In fact having an animal distraction is a plus point, big tick, gold star, during the interview. Wouldn’t it be great to get them all together and indulge in a little virtual Crufts/Catty Equivalent? Yes, let’s do it. I have no favourites, I loved and love them all the same, but that is not to say they were similar.

First we have the wonder that was Josh. Now sadly passed over to the beach in the sky, he was a champion in many disciplines including making friends with burglars and deer alike, giving his ball to other dogs and running away from cats. He was a self confessed beta male. Most days he would sneak away from home and visit me for morning garden tours and stray stick collection. Moments that will grace my days ’til the memories fade. He won best in show at the Dog’s Trust Show even though he was up against a puppy and a 3-legged staffie. That’s how good he was.

The first cat in the parade is the wonderful, King of the Withering Look, Wills. He was the proud owner of Lord and Lady Mantle. He would occasionally deign to allow me to get quite close and even to stroke him on high days and holidays. Crunching mice a few meters away from where I was working was a specialty.

Next, Bobby, another who has passed over. She was an escape artist, chicken watcher, cucumber thief and the most adorable of girls. Never have I been greeted in such an exuberant manner, flying through the air, running crazy garden circles then sticking her head through the gate in glee. I started my working day with a broad smile and a bolstered heart. Happiness in doggy form.

Max was very special to me and we spent many hours together gardening and chasing seagulls. I’ll leave it to you to pick who did what. Champion of all things stick, back rolling and tail wagging.

Pickle might be the smallest of the pack, but what she lacks in size she more than makes up for in personality. A joy indeed. Her specialities include tennis balls, which she never gives up voluntarily, and porridge.

The first time I saw Zeus he was lying behind the glass front door of his human’s house. I rang the door bell and he sat looking at me, he didn’t move, he didn’t make a sound. “Shouldn’t you be telling someone I’m here?” I eventually asked. His eyes replied “But I’m busy watching you.” It conspired that he is, as in all the best fairytales, a gentle giant, fond of a wrestle and barging you out of the way.

We cannot forget Buster. As I arrived at work, he would be watching me out of the window. I would wave gleefully. He would ignore me. He was a gem. I pursued him relentlessly for photo opportunities. Sometimes he had to hide under big green bags. He was The Prof’s faithful sidekick. He is greatly missed.

So there we have it, a few of my furry friends. There are more to come. Did I tell you about the alpacas ……….?

Six on Saturday – The Spring Feeling

After a flash-in-the-pan snow incident, I am left elated and feeling like I dodged a bullet. I went to bed with a white garden, I woke with it all seeming like a chilly dream. The other side of this polar blip is that I am feeling the spring vibe. This optimism has yet to manifest itself visually, so nothing vernal to share that hasn’t been shown already. It is more of a feeling. I have had a good day in the garden. I could Strictly Come Dancing style pretend that I’m talking about yesterday, but when questioned further I would blush and it would be all too apparent that I was telling porkies. Today (not Saturday) I culled more lawn in my quest to create a better border to grass ratio (the resultant photo: bare earth). I’ve sown seed (photo: bare compost). I’ve potted up dahlias (photo: bare compost with a desiccated stalk). I’ve done my best for you, which is exactly what I am sure is happening over at Jim’s where the rest of the SoSer hang out. Shall we get on with it?

We are beginning to see who are the Softy Walters are who are the Denis the Menaces. You can be strong and beautiful too. This is proven by Lamium ‘Silver Beacon’.

Hemerocallis ‘Lois Burns’ is an another stalwart and last summer it thrilled me with large yellow blooms. Daylilies were must-have in my new garden and Lois was purchased (with a couple of others, it is illegal to buy them singly) from the wonderful Pollie’s Daylilys. Please be warned that if you enter this website you are unlikely to emerge undaylilied.

I was under the impression that Rudbeckia ‘Sahara’ was an annual. It appears not.

The day before yesterday these nigella seedlings were under a couple of centimetres of snow. I had spotted them just before the weather changed and I worried about their safety, telling myself there would be other seed in the ground to take their place if necessary. There was no need for concern.

Copromosa repens ‘Pacific Sunset’ is holding on by its finger nails. Pray for its recovery.

Finally, the Polemonium ‘Purple Rain’ seems to have weathered various storms and the new foliage is looking splendid. These will have to be moved in a week or two as, due to my expansion, they are no longer at the front of the border. I hope they don’t mind.

I know that some of you will be experiencing a lot worse weather than we have had here, please stay safe. As I finish this post (really Saturday) there are a couple of snowflakes meandering towards the ground. It isn’t over just yet. No need to fear, I haven’t lost The Spring Feeling, it is a state of mind not a weather forecast.

Snow Business

After a balmy day at The Prof’s yesterday, scoffing at the Met Office weather warning, I awoke to quite a different morning. Snow! And, although not serious enough to send in the St Bernards, it was severe enough to halt any outdoor adventures for the day and for masoor dhal to be made. I’m not sure these things go together in other peoples’ worlds, but they do in mine. Inclement weather equals cooking curry. Sometimes bread but mainly curry.

I did venture into the garden to take a couple of pictures and check on the greenhouse. However old I get, and I am getting on a bit, I am always charmed by a gleaming, fresh snowfall. It is the “after ” bit that does not impress me; the slush, the sodden earth, the crumpled plants that had stuck their head above the parapet in a bid for spring and have been found to be a little premature. As it is March, I don’t think we can judge this enthusiasm too harshly.

There are, however, those who are in the right place at the right time. The Tete a Tete’s are nonchalant and the violas not bothered in the slightest, but I was particularly impressed by the oblivious crocus flowers.

Six on Saturday – It is what it is

Are we there yet? It seems not quite. It has turned cold again, with threat of frosts and attendant late afternoon greenhouse swaddling. Of course this is how it should be. It is February and even the most season-swindling of us all must admit that, any way you look at it, it is still winter. I hold my hands up, I am as guilty as the worst of wishing my days away, dreaming of spring. Winter can be good too (I tell myself). It can (I tell myself, again). I cannot promise wall to wall winter on cat herder Jim’s site, which is where the other SoSers hang out, some are just contemplating autumn, but I can assure you there will be garden joy. Shall we make merry?

We have been very lucky to have had two visits from Torrington Tina in as many months. This time she brought another present and the adorable Milly dog with her, a gift in herself. The “It is what it is” sign has not found its final place in the garden yet, it may move around forever, however the mood takes me. I love it. Oh, and there are also a few seasonal things doing their seasonal thing.

Next we have part of my Dust to Dust art installation. This is the remains of a frost shattered, elephant pot foot, slowly being laminated by the weather and engulfed by Achillea ‘Cerise Queen’. This achillea is definitely an empire building monarch, a little culling will be in order before the new season gets going. She will have to learn to play nicely.

I am not a galanthophile, neither am I a galanthophobe. I am, however, a covetous kinda gal and when I saw everyones’ recent snowdrop acquisitions I wanted a piece of the action. On a recent rest stop, breaking up a long journey Cornwall bound, which coincidently happened to be at a garden centre, I picked up Galanthus elwesii ‘Beluga’. I am very fond of whales.

Unless you are here under the misapprehension that this is an abseiling site, I am presuming that most of you are gardeners of some persuasion. This being the case, I am quite sure you will understand the concept of wondering if you actually did plant the daffodils (admittedly rather late) and appreciate the moment that the compost begins to crack open and reignite the faith that indeed something lurks beneath.

The violas have done rather well this year, they haven’t had their usual flowering hiatus, which lasts from a week after planting until a week before the bedding needs to go in. This year I poked a mixed bag of crocus amongst them. The result, although a little ragged, has made me very happy.

Finally, another new member of the clan. This is Rhododendron ‘Graziella’, spotted on a leg-stretching wander around the above mentioned garden centre. I was particularly attracted to the foliage and flower buds and when a gallant young (at heart) gentleman offered to buy it for me, well, it would have been rude to decline.

That is your lot for this week. Stay well and be happy, ’til next time.

Holiday

Last week we had a condensed-family holiday in Cornwall. Unfortunately, The Cloggies couldn’t make it and they were missed. In spite of this, it was a wonderful few days away.

There were hypnotic sea views and brave/foolish surfers to entertain us. There was frosty sand and nurturing sunshine. There were fish and chips. There was a 1,000 piece jigsaw and a scarily giant jenga. There were beach walks and town wanders. There was a floorboard-sliding grandma and a chair-crumbling niece-in-law (baby due early April), both events executed with elegance and luckily quite safety. There were full moons and sunset skies. There was a rock pool paddling Maggie dog and a cliff climbing fox. There were slightly dubious magic tricks and a secret pool room. There were, of course, pasties and also a wonderfully bizarre tapas restaurant. There was chat and banter and laughter.

It was great. Thank you.