The Future

Last week, on my first day back on Button Moon, we prepared the annual wildflower beds for the coming year.  It seemed a fitting way to mark the occasion of my return to the fold.   The border was weeded, the bones of last year’s blooms were pulling up and any remaining seed broadcast.   Looking forward to the future.  It is the only way to go.

This is the carcass of a particularly frou frou, bruise purple poppy that infiltrated the native mix.   It might not be true to the standard meadow form, but it was welcomed with open arms.  The contents of the pepper pot seed head will be scattered with the rest.  We do love a bit of frou frou.

Six on Saturday – Brrrrrr!

Happy Six on Saturday to you all!  It has been a week of weather; from the unimaginable cold in the North of America to the searing heat in parts of Australia.  We had some of the white stuff in the UK too, which has been followed by the inevitable chaos on the roads and the panic buying of Mother’s Pride and Chardonnay.  In Ilfracombe we had a pathetic smattering, but you didn’t have to venture far to see the real McCoy.  But I didn’t bother venturing anywhere.  I decided to just imagine it instead.  This morning I asked OH if it was too late to indulge in a little panic buying.  We bought a multi-bag of snacktastic crisps and a pack of blood oranges just in case.   If you are tempted to join the not-so-secret society of SoSers or would like to be shown how it is supposed to work by more sensible folk, pop over to King Prop’s blog and all will be revealed.  Let’s get on with it, too cold to hang about.

First we have a snowdrop.  A distinct feeling of déjà vu?  This is in fact my other snowdrop Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’, also bought at Helen’s Little Ash Garden open day.  Don’t worry, this is the extent of my snowdrop collection.  I’ve got a long way to go before I can be classed as a true galanthophile.

Although we had but a mere smidgen of snow, it has been both very cold and exceptionally windy.  So windy that in the early hours of Sunday morning, after lying awake listening to the roaring and scaffolding boards dancing, we got up and listened to the World Service until light.  We then called the builder who came to tie down the boards again.  He was grumpy to have been roused from his weekend slumber, I hadn’t slept a wink all night, he didn’t stand a chance.  This Lycianthes rantonnetii is paying for its vigour, the leaves are withered and lifeless after the desiccating gales.  I am hoping that beneath all is well.

papaver

On to my oriental poppy.  It is in the middle of the superhighway that the builders macheted through the Bed of Anarchy.  By some quirk of fate it escaped a size ten steel toecap.  They were back yesterday, the Velux in the office roof has sprung a rather impressive leak.  Before they started I pointed it out to them  “That is a poppy” I said “It is called Simon and I would like you to do your utmost to avoid standing on it.”  They did their best.  Quite sensibly they were concerned about the potential for retribution by someone who names their herbaceous perennials.

hedychium It appears that one of my hedychiums has set seed.  This is good.  I have grown a ginger lily from seed before and it only took a few years to get to flowering size.  These will stay on the plant for as long as possible.  Perhaps Mr P would like some?  What do you mean “creep”?

Rose

Lastly we have an example of the importance of being in the right place at the right time.  The crimson tinged foliage of this rose, which could be ‘Peace’, has not suffered in the slightest in the recent inclement weather.   It is as fresh and pristine as the moment it unfurled from the bud.   I hope I haven’t summoned the demons of fate tempting.

gazania

And second lastly is a gazania that was in hiding, possibly due to the fact it doesn’t want to be spotted by the evil north wind.  Did I get away with it?  Maybe not.

Another SoS completed, always a triumph.  Until next time!

 

 

Myrtle Mania

Today I worked beneath the myrtle tree in Max’s garden.  Here, left unfettered, weeds had made a stronghold, finding firm footing amongst the roots.  This is a large tree, and has looked rather sorry for itself since last year’s twin beasts.  Still it is a great favourite, the fragrant pompom flowers and the limbs of peeling bark, looking a little too human on occasion, along with the glossy evergreen leaves make it almost perfect.  Not quite though.  It seeds itself around with abandon, the tough little myrtlings send roots deep and quick.  I must have pulled up at least 3 million this morning.  Then my foot began to hurt just a little too much, the snow clouds were gathering as I retired, promising to return on another day to continue my quest.

Back to Work

Apart from a rather dodgy, frankly terrifying in parts, but then I am a scaredycat, journey to work, today was everything I could wish for a first day back to work.

Lord Mantle picked me and my tools up from the car park at the top of the road where we marvelled at the views across the channel to the snow topped Brecons.  We spent a sun blessed morning pruning apple trees and roses, distributing the garden compost I had sorted on my last visit (many moons ago) and reaquainting ourselves.

On the way home I popped by to hatch plans with co-conspirators on a yet-to-be-confessed event being held in a couple of weeks time.  After wandering around a star filled garden, in fine company, escorted by a handsome tabby, I returned home.  The slush and ice had mainly thawed and the demon low sun has risen enough to enhance not to blind.

All was well.

Six on Saturday – Dark Weeks

Back so soon?  Taking part in Six on Saturday is a splendid way to mark the passage of the darkest weeks, which I am making a concerted effort not to wish away. This wild beast is overseen by our very own lion tamer The Prop.  It works like this, he point an upturned chair at us, cracks a whip and we occasionally try to eat him.  Something like that anyway.  If you would like this confirmed, pop over to his blog and check out what is going on.

First we have a heart, suspended on our bijou cherry.  I would like to say that it was a gift from Tom Hardy, but that would be at best misleading.  In fact I bought this tiny terracotta tile for myself along with two other similars.  They hang on the cherry tree, which was grown from a pip and therefore unlikely to doing anything of much merit, to add ornament where there is none.

Geranium bohemicum

Next we have Geranium bohemicum which I grew from seed last year.  A few SoS’s ago I featured a geranium given to me by my college friend called ‘Blue Orchid’ . I have since discovered that it is actually called ‘Orchid Blue’ and is a cultivar of this very plant.   Both are flowering now, they look the same, you would have thought I could have worked it out before.

Galanthus 'Magnet'

Now onto Galanthus ‘Magnet’ a strong and upright chap, purchased last year when visiting Helen’s wonderful open garden at Little Ash.  Later I transferred it into a terracotta pot, so it wouldn’t get lost in the fray.  It has particularly long pedicel, the bit that attaches the flower to the rest of the plant, and therefore is noted for its fine bobbing.  In fact, as I write I can see it, bobbing away in the breeze.  Later there are gales forecast, I hope it doesn’t over-bob and lose its head.

Mummified apples

Then some mummified apples and associated damage, is it canker?  Perhaps.  This is one of two apple trees in our garden, and they have outgrown the space.  The jackdaws scoff the fruit before we can get to them and they aren’t all that special when we do.  I have attempted to keep them pruned to size but it is a case of wrong plant, wrong place.  Or is that a double negative and mean it is the right place?  Whatever, my saw twitches when I am close by.

Tibouchina urvilleana

Another hit for Teacher’s Pet Tibouchina urvilleana.  Although it keeps shrugging off the overcoat I so lovingly draped around its shoulders, it is still looking quite happy.  One leaf has turned.  And very beautifully too.

“Did you put a pottery horses head in one of the pots”  I asked OH.  “Yes” he replied.  “Thank goodness, I thought the ceramics mafioso had been calling”.

That is it, all done for another week.  Another day, another dollar!

Mystery

This little flower is blooming in a narrow border maintained by the local council, just around the corner from where I live.  It is a newly planted shrub, just two spindly twigs, and I first noticed it last week.  But what could it be?  It looks very much like a philadelphus, but flowering now?  Am I being dimmer than usual?  Any ideas anyone?

Rewind

It is time to indulge in a little healthy recollection.  Let me take you back to a sweltering June day.  I was visiting a good friend in Somerset and we had taken a trip to the Bishop’s Palace in Wells.  The gardens were bountiful, seemingly not suffering from the unfamiliar sultry weather.  From the herbaceous borders to the vegetable gardens all was lush and lovely.  There were enough other visitors to make it a sociable occasion but not too many to be intrusive.  The heat ensured meandering rather than rushing, enforcing a more leisurely tempo and therefore a more enjoyable journey.  Afterwards we rested at the edge of the wide rill, that fed from the spring to the moat, and dangled our appreciative feet in the cool water.  Perfect.

A Short Hike

My mind has been on overdrive.  Not bad thoughts, just a noisy constant irritating chatter that I can’t seem to tame.  I am having trouble getting to sleep and waking late with a headache.   This will not do.  Sleep is my specialist subject, I have never had trouble with it before.  The number one suspect is lack of exercise.  Although I have been trying to get out and about, going for short but leisurely walks, I fear these have not been enough.

This morning I did a little yoga, trying very hard to silence the nattering, with limited success.  Then after lunch I set off on my own, intent on striding up and around Hillsborough, the rugged hill between ourselves and the sea.  Both ancient hill fort and nature reserve, we are very lucky to have it almost literally on our doorstep.  It was chilly, with intermittent blusters of rain, but long before I had got to the top I rued wearing quite so many clothes.   Three quarters of an hour later I stepped back in the house, flushed and thirsty.  Good medicine.