Six-on-Saturday 06-03-2021

A cold morning here, but we have been for a short walk around the town which was very pleasant.

The garden seems to be holding its breath, about to burst forth, at least I hope it is.

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

1)

The clumps of pale yellow daffodils among the lavender plants are beginning to flower now. The Potentilla at the front of the picture is showing plenty of new growth.

2)

I planted 7 tulip bulbs in this pot. I can count at least 13 now. I don’t know whether there will be 13 flowers, but it’s looking promising.

3)

I will be shredding this afternoon. Plenty of raspberry canes, rudbeckia and penstemons.

4)

The lichen on this berberis is increasing but I don’t think it has affected the amount of leaves yet. Quite a pretty colour combination.

5)

The miniature Kiwi fruit tree has plenty of healthy looking buds. I do hope it produces some fruit this year. I had about half a dozen a couple of years ago. They were delicious but that has been it for about 5 years.

6)

I have commented that the pulmonaria suddenly shows its flowers…..well, here are the first.

My excursion to B&Q resulted in this purchase. Does anyone else get excited about bags of multi purpose compost? 😀🤸‍♀️🎉

There we are, another week nearer to “normal” we hope.

Have a good weekend in the garden. 👩‍🌾🎋

Six-on-Saturday 27-02-2021

It looks as though we have a nice dry week ahead so I will tackle the weeds and start painting the shed………well, that’s the plan.On to this week’s Six-on-Saturday.

1)The red pansies are doing quite well, the only trouble is that I have to stand on tiptoes to see them in the hanging baskets since they don’t stand up very high.

2)I can’t compete with Mr Propagator’s selection of lovely crocuses but these appeared this week. I didn’t know – or had forgotten – I had a white crocus.3)Before and after with the raspberry bed and the path. The frost has attacked the top of some of the bricks so I will replace them soon. On the left you can see one of the garlics growing well.

4)Remember the buddleia behind the shed, it has had its annual prune. I’m leaving the bits and pieces here for any wildlife that may want them. Some of the twigs are soft enough to be suitable for nest materials. I’m not sure what to do with the longer branches (plus a branch from the tamarisk tree) too thick to shred…….I know, a rustic obelisk! 👍 😉 😀

5)This polyanthus is winning the battle with whatever is nibbling at it.6)The wheelbarrow which collapsed last year is screwed back together with extra brackets and is re-stained. I couldn’t get rid of all the old stain, even with the electric sander, so it looks a bit patchy close to, but the cat likes it.

(I’ve just discovered how to edit a published post.)

Have a good weekend in the garden.

Six-on-Saturday 20-02-2021

Here we go, Six-on-Saturday, or should we call it “Hunt for Six-on-Saturday “? We like a challenge. 🙄🤔

1)

This is quite a small daffodil, not miniature but only about 15 cm high.

2)

If you look carefully, you can see the shoots of the white Dicentra Spectabilis in amongst the perennial geranium, aquilegia and the dreaded celandine which has started going berserk all around the garden.

3)

The cyclamen which were flattened by last week’s frost have mostly perked up nicely. I have removed all the sludgy flowers, leaves and stalks and I’m hoping the masses of buds will open soon.

4)

The first sightings of rhubarb shoots on the left and a clearer view of the climbing rose (🌹) below the obelisk. (I know, not that again!)

5)

Now to indoors. The Money plant is flowering profusely, so we must be in for a windfall…….will the Premium Bonds oblige? 🙄😬

6)

That orchid again. It is at least 7 years old and will flower for about 4 months and, I must admit, I have done nothing all that time apart from watering it gently. Goodness knows what it would look like if I actually looked after it.🌸🌸🎉🤨

Have a good weekend. I’ve hung out the washing, so not much hope of a dry afternoon here.

Six-on-Saturday 13-02-2021

A bit chilly here, as well. I managed an hour or so earlier in the week but only positioned that obelisk and weeded a small area of the flowerbeds. Is it sensible, or safe, to prune in this weather? If so, I will get out there and continue tidying up.

Here are my Six-on-Saturday for this week.

1)

I like to start with a bit of colour and this is about the best I can do this week. 🤨 The anemone will stand up again when it gets warmer, I hope.

2)

You may remember I decided to try these slug traps last year. Unfortunately, not a success. I did manage to trap a few slugs but there were more worms drowned and a baby newt. I have decided not to continue using them. So, if not slug pellets, then what? Any ideas for using 10 of these?

3)

While in a negative mood, those beautiful cyclamen have succumbed to the frost…….as has the terracotta trough. I think the pansies should be fine.

4)

Three of our grandchildren did a splendid job of painting the garden shed a few years ago. I don’t think I can wait for their next visit, it could be a long time, unfortunately, so I will have to do it myself. Also, the self-seeded buddleia needs a good pruning.

5)

TULIPS! I can see at least 3 and there are a couple showing in the other two pots. (Only three pots of tulips? Yes.)

6)

If you look very carefully, you can see the red, climbing rose (🌹) that Mr Propagator gave me last visit. Honestly, it is there with several leaf shoots, but not very big…….yet.

Have a good weekend and keep warm.

Six-on-Saturday 06-02-2021

There is blue sky outside, so we will probably go for a walk this morning. A few more colourful items in the garden now, but not exactly a “riot”.

Let’s get started.

1)

My first open (well almost open) daffodil. I decided not to lie down to get a better view of the centre, the front drive was rather wet.

2)

These rather pale, but pretty, crocuses spread and appear every year…….along with the perennial geranium, forget-me-nots and a piece of chickweed. 🙄

3)

Rather chewed, but still pretty, primula. There are a few around the garden but not enough.

4)

Last summer there were hundreds of tiny Cerinthe Major seedlings but I can only find this one, or, are those a couple of little ones at the right? I hadn’t noticed until I selected this photo.

5)

A couple of weeks ago I couldn’t find any snowdrops, but now there are several clumps appearing all over the back garden. This one will need to be split soon. (That mini magnum stick was put there to remind me not to dig up the snowdrops when they had died back, I think.)

6) Now, you will, of course, all remember on the 25th July post that I kept some of the long lilac twigs/branches that I had sawn off the top of the shrub, to make an obelisk for the climbing rose that Mr Propagator kindly gave me….

There were about 8 like these.

Hey Presto! One (very rustic) obelisk.

I googled “rustic obelisks” and, believe it or not, there were several even more rustic than this. 😲

I decided to

*use some black plastic covered wire to wrap around and secure the joints….that didn’t work, or

*drill a hole through the ends of the struts and the main twigs, then thread the wire through……that didn’t work and it looked awful, or

*find some nice, brass screws to hold the twigs in place…………

Yes, that worked really well. I decided against having anything to hold the twigs together at the top because it is surprisingly solid as it is. Worth waiting for?

Anyway, have a lovely weekend, although it is due to be very cold. I was thinking that the earth will be solid enough for me to walk on so that I can prune some of the straggly plants without sinking into the mud. However, it’s not good to prune when it is so cold is it? 🤔😬

Six-on-Saturday 30-01-2021

The weather is awful just now, heavy rain with the prospect of snow in a couple of hours, but since the ground is sodden, I don’t see how it can settle.

Enough moaning, straight into Six-on-Saturday.

1)

The garden last weekend.

2)

These primulas are competing with the fuchsia that needs to be cut back.

3)

The blackcurrant twigs I put into the ground recently are progressing nicely.

I am not so sure about the redcurrant twigs. They are not looking any worse though.

4)

Further along the raised bed, the garlic is coming along well.

5)

The very healthy buds on one of the clematis plants.

6)

The garden this weekend through the rain on the window.

The search for colour is quite challenging but once the anemones, daffodils, crocuses etc. bloom, I will be spoiled for choice…….won’t I?

Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 23-01-2021

What a beautiful day it was yesterday and today looks promising too. The resultant photos were too bright but, I hope, clear enough. This morning is very frosty so it will be a while before I can go out to weed and prune.

Meanwhile, here is my Six-on-Saturday for this week.

1)

I took this several days ago just as I was about to prune the gaura. I hadn’t noticed the red stems before. They don’t quite compete with the dogwood but pretty none the less.

2)

The gaura had a couple of week’s reprieve, then this giant decided to attack it!

Looks a bit tidier now. I’ve left the penstemon just now, but cleared out nearly all of the perennial geraniums and nearly all of the forget-me-nots. There are plenty of bulbs showing around the garden now in fact there is a group between the bird and the pruned lavender

3)

I’ve started to fill in the border at the front of the greenhouse having removed the stonecrop and the weeds. It will need a lot more stones but it’s better.

4)

I always think the chunky buds of the peonies are a promising sign of spring.

5)

I have found the first snowdrops – badly photographed and too bright but very welcome.

6)

My homemade bucket/bin mop. A few strips of towel stapled to the end of a pole. It’s very effective and saves me putting my arm too far down into grubby bins, invariably getting mud or gunge up my sleeve. I didn’t want to use the in-house floor mop and can’t get to Wilko at the moment, so this suffices.

There are now 14 of the 16 of Fred’s Sweet peas showing. 🙂

That’s it again. It’s getting near to the main seed sowing season now so time to wash the flowerpots and seed trays.

Have a good weekend in the garden.

Six-on-Saturday 16-01-2021

Not many photos from the garden today, it’s wet and windy out there. Although the forecast is for warmer days, I don’t think we will go for a walk, nor will I go out to do some light weeding.

On to Six-on-Saturday.

1)

Let’s start with some colour. I bought these a few weeks ago for general gardening but I still need the proper wellies on the flowerbeds in this weather. They are very comfortable and the fluffy lining is so attractive!

2)

My favourite gardener, in fact “The Ornamental Kitchen Garden” was the television series that kick started my interest in the garden. I have been contemplating, in fact I have decided to, go along that route this year. Will planting the broccoli and brussels among the flowers around the garden deter the cabbage whites or just give them more exercise? There is a plan for a simple garden bench in the Cottage Gardens book which was my first venture into woodwork. It was quite successful but rotted eventually after about 12 years service.

3)0

The border of Stonecrop along the edge of the greenhouse was just what I wanted in 2018 and 2019 but last year it was very disappointing. It usually looks quite pretty, in summer and in winter, but it was just straggly last season. I have decided to replace it with the stones I dig out of the flowerbeds frequently. They look quite neat around the path behind the garage.

4)

I mentioned that I found this book last week. It has lost any scent it had but still has nice illustrations beside empty pages on which I am supposed to write my plans for the garden. There are pages for my…….Kitchen garden, Water Garden, Terracotta garden, Italian garden, Wild garden, Walled garden, Rose garden and Scented garden. I had better get planning. 😯🤔😁

5)

About 3 months ago I sent for some seeds that didn’t arrive so I was refunded. Last week, a thin packet arrived from China with almost illegible printing on. The amazing Royal Mail had deciphered my address and rewritten it more clearly, then delivered it. I think the seeds are Rainbow Chard.

6)

I know I have shown this before, but this bloom is far more exotic than the first one that opened on this plant. Slightly grainy effect, deliberate, of course. 🤥

That’s my mostly indoor Six-on-Saturday, I hope there will be some bulb shoots next week and that I can get out a bit more.

Meanwhile, in the greenhouse there are now 12 of Fred’s Sweet peas showing shoots.

Have a good weekend.

Six-on-Saturday 09-01-2021

The days are lengthening, apparently, although with the frost and fog and dull skies there is not a big difference yet. Today is supposed to be fine but it’s not very promising at the moment. Never mind, there’s plenty to report on in the garden.

1)

The red pansies I bought with the cyclamen are coming into flower and I am pleased with the colour. I had feared they would be more scarlet. They are in the hanging baskets with the remnants of the lobelias I planted alongside the pelargoniums in the summer. There are masses of seedlings I assume are lobelias.

2)

Look away if you are having your breakfast/morning coffee. I have planted out the clematis (see later) that I bought from Aldi a few months ago and when I released it from its pot, I saw this awful sight! Yes, another vine weevil 🥚. Aarrgh! I checked for more but couldn’t find any any. As Jim says, they do turn brown so are well disguised.

3)

The raised bed and the overcrowded “currant” bed. I decided to rehome 2 of each of the red and black currants in the raised bed but unless I prune back the branches, I can’t get at the roots to dig them out without breaking yet another fork, I did try but even the spade was not effective.

4)

So, I decided to do as I had done a few years ago and chop off a few twigs of each type and plant them straight into the soil then hope for the best. Now……..the first fruit cage is in position protecting the fruit “bushes”! (Notice the compost container, (not its prettiest view). Have I mentioned it before?😉🤭)

5)

My recent seed purchases. I may have mentioned that the first seeds I ever bought a long, long time ago were Clarkia. I thought I would sow some this year. I have decided I will try Morning Glory in the troughs. When we last visited Mr and Mrs Propagator, I was very impressed with Mr P’s Morning Glory at the back of his planters. Swiss Chard, which is still going in the raised bed, (in fact it’s potato and spinach curry this evening) has been excellent.

6)

The clematis, mentioned earlier, in place. There is a healthy bud on it which is not visible from this angle.

My little friend photo bombing again.

It was nice to have an hour or so outside yesterday, although it was snowing gently all the time.

Meanwhile, in the greenhouse, there are 8 of Fred’s Sweet Peas showing now.

Have a good weekend in your garden.

Six-on-Saturday 02-01-2021

Happy New Year! Well, we all hope that is going to be the case. GGHI and I stayed up to see the “bells”, but there wasn’t much on the television to welcome the year in………not even on BBC Scotland. It will be better next New Year without Covid restrictions?

Anyway, here’s the first Six-on-Saturday from me for 2021.

1)

No, it’s a different, darker pink cactus. We received an unexpected extra present this week from our daughter in Dubai “just to keep Christmas going a bit longer”, she said, nice bucket as well.

2)

This camellia, which I have had for several years, had at least 6 buds on a few weeks ago. They are gradually falling off one by one. You can see a couple beneath the leaves. I still don’t know what colour the flowers are. 🤔

3)

I have planted the 8 zonal pelargoniums from the hanging baskets into the tomato bed in the greenhouse. It has no heating so we shall see if they survive.

4)

We have a very tall house plant on our landing which needed to be pruned. I put 2 of the cuttings in a jar of water in the greenhouse and one on the windowsill in the conservatory. Since the water in this jar is frozen, I don’t think these will do very well!

5) This is where it gets exciting!

A few weeks ago I planted some cloves of garlic in the raised vegetable bed. I counted 4 this week and you can see 2 of them here trying to peer out over the snow.

6)…….and, even more exciting, if possible,🎉🎊…..

FRED’S SWEET PEAS!! I planted 16 of them about 3 weeks ago and, if you look carefully, you can see one in the first picture and two in the second appearing. Thanks again, Fred.

I did a little weeding this week and my usual companion appeared.

That’s it again. Very best wishes to all of you. Thank you for the “likes” and comments. Look after yourselves and have a good weekend.