Six-on-Saturday 21-11-2020

Rather a mixed week weatherwise. I did manage to prune the Mexican Orange blossom shrub which I will show in this post. I’ve managed to find some colour as you are about to see.

1)

Having removed the lobelia a long time ago, the pelargonium plants are getting more air and continuing to produce a few buds and flowers.

2)

The various stages of the pruning.

a) the pruned shrub with at least 4 barrowloads of twigs/ branches

b) the pruned shrub. It looks better from a distance but I will need to straighten those edges and gather the fallen leaves.

c) the shredded prunings in the compost container.

3)

There is now room to store the fruit cages and the wheelbarrow behind the pruned shrub.

4)

I’ve decided to plant two of each of the redcurrants and two of the blackcurrants in the raised vegetable bed and use one of the fruit cages as a……..fruit cage🤭. I had just plonked about 6 twigs of each variety into a small space and forgot about them all winter about 5 years ago and they all survived. They are far too close together and it’s difficult to pick the fruit but the birds manage very nicely.

5)

A blurred photo of the chrysanthemum that Mr P gave me. (It was blowing a gale while I was taking the photos.) The blooms are a slightly deeper pink than they look here.

6)

My companion in the garden since the cat was asleep indoors.

Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 14-11-2020

Forecast for today……..rain followed by rain and more rain. However, I managed to go out and take my photos between showers a few minutes ago.

I’ll just get on with my Six-on-Saturday.

1)

Yes, the same plant as last week’s starter. Some blooms are about to wilt already, so I thought I had better show them while in full flower.

2)

I don’t think it’s worth waiting any longer to see this in full bloom. It has been at this stage for weeks now. I’m going to dig them up and plant them earlier next year, or should I plant them in the garden now and see what appears in the spring?

3)

Yes, I curse these frequently since they are making a bid to take over the front garden. They are a beautiful flower though.

4)

I can’t ignore these.

5)

The Great Coffee Debate. Grannysgardenhimindoors has 1 cup of coffee a day and I have 1 cup of coffee a day and I always add the grounds to my compost bucket. I have read a couple of articles saying how coffee kills the worms in the compost heap and ruins seedlings. James Wong did a study and came out very much against using coffee grounds in the garden, whereas the RHS seems in favour of its use……….any opinions? I think I will continue to put our meagre amount onto the compost heap rather than flushing it down the sink.

6) At last, you cry, we’ve not seen this for weeks!

Last week…..

…this week. (A bit blurred, but I was hurrying to get in from the rain). Nice new cardboard (not all from wine boxes) and some shreddings from the lavender hedge and the tamarisk tree. I had to remove quite a big branch from the tree because it was in the way of the compost bins I was emptying.

I empty the 2 daleks’ contents around the garden, then fill them with the newer stuff from the main compost container (made by Mr P 🤭). This dalek was full to overflowing yesterday. It always amazes me how quickly those lovely worms get to work on a new challenge. There were thousands of them in the compost.

That’s it again. As I keep saying, there’s not a lot to show in the garden but I just need to look harder.

Look after yourselves and let’s hope that these vaccines are effective and can be administered soon….good news.

Six-on-Saturday 07-11-2020

Well, although it was really too wet, I did mow the lawns this week and the garden looks a little tidier. Jack Frost may not have attacked Mr Propagator’s garden but he has had a good go at the dahlias and has ruined the Apple of Peru here.

Time to stop waffling and on to this week’s Six-on-Saturday.

1)

As I say every year, healthy neglect works a treat with this – slightly early – Christmas cactus.

2)

Two of the blooms on the hydrangea are stubbornly hanging on to their spring colours.

3)

Three bags of mushroom compost ready to spread around. I gather that it doesn’t have much goodness in it but is a good soil improver. That’s what I want.

4)

Mr Propagator gave me this little chrysanthemum last time I saw him. Last week, the buds looked quite white but, clearly, that’s not the case now.

5)

A couple of the persistent rose buds. There are many more around the garden.

6)

A trip to Morrisons for Grannysgardenhimindoors’s favourite marmalade meant I had to check their plant sales. These should be good in the pots in spring. I’ll be so busy planting all 20 of them.🤭

That’s it. There are mostly maintenance and tidying jobs to do in the garden……….cutting back, shredding, neatening the edges of the stepping stones in the lawn, spreading compost etc., so my Sixes-on-Saturday might not be that colourful in the next few weeks. Never mind, I’ll find something. Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 31-10-2020

I don’t think it’s a day for mowing the lawns. I went looking for subjects for today’s post – it’s becoming more of a challenge now.

Do I sow my sweet pea seeds this weekend, or do I hope we will be visiting my #1 son-in-law when he needs more room in his greenhouse?

Anyway, here are my Six-on-Saturday for this week.

1)

Begonia of the week, last time, I think. Some that started as multi-layered blooms are now only singles……not this one.

2)

I thought I would put in a rose as well this time. Unfortunately, the wind wouldn’t die down for it to stay still. There are several around the garden that think it is spring again, but the foliage is convinced that it’s autumn, the buds are at the top of very leggy, bare twigs.

3)

The Cerinthe Major has come back to life but the flowers are a completely different colour and nearly all the leaves are covered in mildew as you can see.

4)

The rudbeckia are a mass of black pompoms. I think I will leave them for a while.

5)

Yes, again, but I think it’s a beautiful plant.

6)

The penstemon are all still flowering, albeit with fewer blooms. They have been excellent from early summer.

Finally, an update on that plant.

Will it reveal its true identity before the frosts? Will Granny manage to get her photos focused properly?

Someone couldn’t care less.

Have a good weekend ordering bulbs or decorating, I think, rather than gardening. I will pick the crabapples and make some jelly today. Some have fallen to the ground and been attacked by slugs and woodlice, the birds don’t seem that interested in them.

Look after yourselves.

Six-on-Saturday 24-10-2020

Well…….last week’s excuse was a brief holiday, this week I had toothache. Aaaaaaargh. 😫🦷 So, next week’s excuse is ready, the antibiotics disagreed with me, or, if they don’t work, I will have had to have a tooth out! We have a good friend who has quite a thick book of excuses for playing a poor golf shot, perhaps I need one for not getting out into the garden. 🤔🤭😃

Back to Six-on-Saturday. I can’t find the name of the mystery plant from last week, maybe Jim knows? There is still plenty of colour in the garden so here is my selection.

1)

Begonia of the week. The troughs are still a lovely splash of colour.

2)

The magnolia stellata is showing better colour than usual. I don’t know how long it will last.

3)

Here’s the last of the gladioli. It took its time but was worth waiting for. It’s escaped from its support so I will tie it back today, between showers.

4)

The two bay trees were affected by frost right at the start of the year and the tips of them turned quite brown. I’m pleased to report that they are very happy now with healthy new leaves at the top of the branches.

5)

That other dahlia isn’t yellow, it’s a lovely, soft white. I think I will try growing them from seed next year and ensure they are well established before I risk exposing them to the S&S. (I think I mentioned a couple of week’s ago, that I found the tubers of the failed dahlias were riddled with slugs and woodlice attacking from below!)

6)

Last (and by no means least) the ever-obliging, perennial geranium. It’s a constant presence all over the garden but rarely receives the praise it deserves. Having said that, one of today’s tasks is to remove nearly all of them from the front flowerbeds knowing full well that in the spring they will be jostling with the forget-me-nots for first place in the race to brighten the beds.

That’s it for another week. Hope you all have a good weekend in your garden. Be careful and stay safe.

Six-on-Saturday 17-10-2020

We had a couple of days away last weekend at a hotel near Worcester. We went there 3 weeks ago and found it very relaxing, so had another short break there before the weather gets too cold. Not quite a substitute for our usual fortnight in Dubai but that will have to wait a while. Anyway, the result is I haven’t done much in the garden but there are still a few plants worth a mention.

1)

Well, I would class that as Salmon pink, or pale pink with darker pink edging. I will take another photo next week before I make a final decision. (Almost as exciting as the potato saga!🤭)

2)

Another pretty penstemon with the euonymous pushing in.

3)

The euonymous is beautiful at this time of year. The berries may become an even deeper colour yet.

4)

I bought 10 bulbs of this back in April/May time. They are supposed to be an explosion of white blooms. This is the only one that is nearly obliging. Plenty of healthy leaves on the rest. Meanwhile, the fuchsia goes on and on.

5)

Who said the sweet peas were finished? A bit scruffy looking but pretty enough to be spared the chop.

6)

Special Child rose is blooming again. Another plant that earns its place in the garden.

That’s it for another week. There is plenty of tidying to do but I often give up when I feel there is more colour to come on a particular specimen.

Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 10-10-2020

I mowed the lawn yesterday for the first time in at least a fortnight. It “lifts” the whole garden. I keep thinking that finding 6 items will be too much of a challenge but each week I have to make difficult decisions. Anyway, so much to cut back, as Mr P says, but so much colour still – I’ll give it another week or two before I dive in with the secateurs.

Here are this week’s Six-on-Saturday.

1)

Begonia of the week again. The 4 troughs are still looking good, so 🤞no frost for a while yet.

2)

I mentioned to Pádraig I would show another picture of this blue salvia which, although a slow starter, has flowered on and on for several weeks.

3)

Well, I’m convinced it’s early summer…….what further proof do I need? The gladiolus may be a red or orange colour? We’ll see next week.

4)

Here’s one for Paul. Hope you are well and hope to see your blog again soon.

5)

You may remember that I bought a clematis from Morrisons several weeks ago. Well, I was robbed! It cost £1.80, but last week, Aldi were selling a similar one for £1.69! I’m not sure where I will put it but that’s not the point, is it?

6)

I mentioned this disaster last week. I don’t think there is a problem with the wood rotting, it’s the nails that have come loose. Any screws are quite secure. It’s drying out in the garage ready to be put together sometime in the winter.

I showed the beautiful golden tree in the cemetery last week. Here is a closer look, Jim, for identification purposes.

It is an even deeper gold colour now.

Have a good weekend. I must get out to the garden, if it doesn’t rain today, so I may not look at all the other posts for a while.

Six-on-Saturday 03-10-2020

What dreary weather we have had the last couple of days and it is still raining today. We are lucky to have avoided the worst of the gales. Consequently, my Six-on-Saturday this week consists of a few photos I took on Wednesday and Thursday, some in the house and one through the windows.

It’s just as well that I can’t show you the giant Brussels sprout plant on the compost heap……..I picked some which appeared large and ready but they tasted pretty uninteresting to rather unpleasant.😝 I don’t hold out much hope for the 2 remaining plants. Meanwhile, the broccoli are showing no little broccoli stems but are turning into leafy, bushy-branched shrubs, if that makes sense. So, those fruit cages didn’t protect the broad beans from the mice that slipped through the wire earlier in the season and they only protected the Brussels and broccoli from the first wave of attack from the Cabbage White butterflies. 😡🤬👹 Anyone any suggestions as to alternative uses for 2 exquisitely crafted, carefully designed, unique fruit cages?

On that note, here are my Six-on-Saturday for this week.

1)

As one of the founder members of the Salvia Hot Lips Appreciation Society, I feel this is the right photo to start the post.

2)

A bloom on one of the plants Mr Propagator gave me last visit.

3)

That strange plant whose leaves close when touched, as shown in the second picture. A present from my son and daughter-in-law last week.

4)

The second dahlia in bud. Will it flower before the colder weather sets in? My guess is that it is yellow.

5)

I keep thinking the sedum won’t get any darker, but each week it does.

6)

Not another long shot, I hear you cry. 🥱 I wanted to show you the lovely golden tree in the cemetery which provides a nice backdrop to my garden. What you can’t see is the “ornamental” wheelbarrow (behind the central flowerbed) which has completely collapsed and is one of my tasks for the colder weather. The problem is getting it into the garage to dry out without getting myself wet!

That’s it again. Have a good weekend and try to keep dry. 🌧

Six-on-Saturday 26-09-2020

A real mixture of weather this week. Very warm last weekend which was lucky for us because we had a couple of days away in a hotel on Sunday and Monday. I think many people are snatching short breaks in place of their normal holidays. Then the last couple of nights the temperature has plummeted – easier to sleep in colder weather.

Anyway, on to this week’s Six-on-Saturday.

1)

The Nerine in full colour. Just when summer colours are giving way to more autumnal ones, the Nerine is a lovely surprise.

2)

The euonymous berries will soon be turning into a deep rosy pink.

3)

I thought I had managed to capture a bee but it moved each time I took the picture. The flower is nice though.

4)

More evidence of a false spring. I am sure these are flower buds on my camellia. The ones that appeared in the real spring, both fell off.

5)

I couldn’t resist putting in those sweet peas again. As I walked past them, the perfume was lovely. The pelargonium plants that I plonked in the greenhouse last winter, have flowered all summer where I plonked them in the borders.

6)

Last week, all the verbena boniarensis flowers appeared brown and finished for the season. This morning, they are all covered in fresh looking new blooms. The bees and butterflies are very happy too.

That’s it again. As Mr Propagator said, several of our grandchildren are off to various universities now………..makes me feel even older.😟Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 19-09-2020

I’ve noticed this week

*new leaves on my miniature kiwi fruit tree

*a tall hollyhock about to come in to flower

*lots of new buds on my favourite, fluorescent pink rose

*the sweet peas with plenty of new buds too

*the Mexican Orange blossom is blossoming

*the Cerinthe Major blooming away.

So, what season is it now?

Some very strange happenings.

On to this week’s Six-on-Saturday and see what else is happening.

1)

The crabapple looked rather pretty in the evening sunshine yesterday.

2)

My sister gave me 2 hydrangea offshoots a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think the first one will be successful, but the second is showing some healthy leaves.

3)

I was looking forward to plenty of Green Tomato Chutney but it appears that the Gardener’s Delight (which didn’t delight this gardener) are suddenly ripening. They have been soft and tasteless, maybe the wrong seeds?

4)

The Nerine is coming into flower at various stages around the garden. This one is winning.

5)

Yet another gladiolus! They don’t really last very long, but are such tall, dramatic plants.

6)

The sweet peas I mentioned at the start. Masses of new flowers and buds on it. I will tie it up later, it has collapsed a bit!

Where is Chapter 5, you ask? Here it is in pictures.

Exciting climax to the whole saga? There were a lot of green, inedible ones which went onto that amazing compost heap, but underneath some very large potatoes, a few of which we had with salmon, cauliflower, carrots and onion sauce yesterday. (The cat is helping to illustrate the small area – about 1.5 metres long – from which I harvested about 8 kilograms of edible potatoes. Although the ones I harvested later were larger, the local beasties had had a chance to sample them.)
I have found that I can revert to the “proper” format.
Have a good weekend. I’m going for a lie down. 🤪😖😱