Six on Saturday (27 April 2024)

A lightening paced, blink and you’ll miss it, here’s-one-I-typed-a-few-days-earlier Six on Saturday (I’m in the Big Smoke as I post this and about to enjoy a Premier Inn breakfast).

1-3. The deliciously fragrant flowers of the Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) have begun to open, the daisies out the front (the offspring of a plant from the former free plant nursery up in North Wales) are blooming away, and the Bluebells at the nearby Hestercombe Gardens were looking rather splendid last Sunday.

4-6. The rather straggly and possibly short-lived perennial Erysimum ‘Apricot Twist’ got chopped back a few days ago. Cuttings have been taken and the flowers are filling the living room with their wonderful scent (which oddly enough is rather orangey). The Daphne x transatlantica ‘Pink Fragrance’ is doing it’s perfumed pink petally thing by the back door, and look who’s returned! Actually, there have been at least three hedgehogs in the garden these past few weeks – and there was a bit of hedgehog courting too!

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of the current Six on Saturday host, Jim.

Six on Saturday (20 April 2024)

Making the most of the dry and reasonably sunny weather last weekend I finished off most of the tasks on the ‘to do’ list. Dahlias have been repotted and vine weevil larvae dispatched. An old large Coronilla out the front that hasn’t produced many flowers these past few years was dug up and replaced by one of it’s offspring. Most importantly, a few seeds have finally been sown. I almost didn’t bother this year, tempted to buy pre-grown plants instead. But once I started writing out labels and filling pots with seed compost, I found my enthusiasm for the task returning. The Strawflower seeds have already started to germinate and a few Cosmos seedlings are starting to poke through the surface of the compost. It’s all very exciting.

While it’s been a much drier week, it’s been rather chilly, and the ‘moderate breeze’ forecast on the BBC weather app these past few days has been full on windy at times, making photographing this and that for today’s Six on a Saturday a little challenging.

1-3. I seem to have lots of clumps of Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ coming into flower, which is odd as they don’t usually survive many years in my garden and I don’t recall planting more last autumn – although II guess I must have done. One of the last of the Narcissus to flower, they’re a pleasing sight and miraculously unnibbled so far. I introduced Red Campion to the garden many years ago. It seeds itself about, mingling nicely with this and that – although it can suffer from infestations of black aphids sometimes. The egg custard tart/nutmeg scented Clematis montana has escaped over/through the fence into the neighbours’ garden, despite my best efforts to contain it. Still, it must be better than the ivy and brambles we get from their side.

4-6. The mini-standard Ceanothus growing in a pot out the front has burst into bloom. It seems to thrive on neglect as I often forget to water it over the summer. It could do with a good prune after flowering. Also out the front, a few of the fragrant ‘Brown Sugar’ Tulips planted several years ago are still coming up – I really must plant some more come the autumn. And the Weigela grown from a cutting by my mum a number of years ago has bloomed.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of the current Six on Saturday host, Jim. Hey up, it’s calm out there this morning, barely the whisper of a breeze. I hope it lasts.

Six on Saturday (13 April 2024)

A fairly brisk Six on Saturday today as I’m off to work in a moment (one of the rare Saturdays in the year one has to do archivisty things). Thankfully, I made the most of my Friday off, enjoying the first dry, warm, sunny day in what seems like months. The swing seat was uncovered and treated and the Trachelospermum was tied in to the newly installed wires on the fence. I still haven’t sown any seeds, the Dahlias have yet to be inspected and repotted, and I’ve ended up with a bare rooted rose to try and find space for. But it felt good to be out in the garden without having to dash into the house to avoid the showers. Hopefully I’ll have a few hours this afternoon to complete a few more tasks.

1-3. Up first, suspicious Bluebells (although these look less suspect than some of the others elsewhere in the garden). Attempts at getting shot of the hybrids have failed miserably. Maybe I should just learn to tolerate them – they are pretty. Narcissus ‘Winston Churchill’ was planted last autumn thanks to a timely reminder from Heyjude who introduced them to me. They smell wonderful. I nearly went for the pink Daphne x transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’ for number three but substituted it at the last minute for a foliage photo instead as the Astilbe, Fern, Jacob’s Ladder and moss over by the small wildlife pond looked rather pleasing together.

4-6. Next up, a selection of Tulips. A lot are going over now but ‘Mistress Mystic,’ the orange fragranced ‘Ballerina’ and the diminutive ‘Honky Tonk’ (I think) have started doing their thing. There’s been no sign of ‘Tulip Lady Van Eijk’ or ‘Kansas Proud’ yet though which is a shame – I have a lot of dark orangey-red Tulips though which makes me wonder if an error was made with the order back in the Autumn. We shall see.

Six on Saturday (6 April 2024)

I’m feeling a bit weary. Making the most of a reasonably dry day yesterday, I spent all day painting the repaired fence. Yet there seem to be so many things that still need doing. The swing seat has yet to be uncovered and treated. The blue shed could do with a fresh coat of paint – but that will require emptying a water butt so I can move it to paint one of the walls. I’ve yet to set set up the water feature, check on the Dahlias, clean the mini greenhouse or sow any seeds. I’m not usually this behind with everything but the weather really hasn’t proved very cooperative on the days I don’t work. I hope things improve soon. Anyway, time for Six on Saturday, and we start with the newly painted fence…

1-3. Worryingly, I discovered that the one original fence post we left in, thinking it nice and sturdy, without any sign of wobble, is rotting at the base. Typical. Still, it’s painted now, although an hour after finishing the heavens opened. Let’s hope the ‘Misty Heathland’ paint really is shower proof after 60 minutes. What’s that? It looks grey? Well, it didn’t on the little wooden sample at B&Q – it was a sort of creamy colour. The Honesty has begun to flower here, there and everywhere, and my new small tree has arrived – Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale.’ It’s going to take the place of the Callicarpa which hasn’t lived up to expectations.

4-6. Next up, a Bleeding Heart which resembles upside down turtles. The white variety has never survived the winter here for some reason, but this one, planted last spring, has returned. I was given a free packet of mixed double Tulips by J. Parker’s when I placed my bulb order last autumn. I shoved them in a pot and really wasn’t expecting to like them, thinking I was a bit anti double tulips. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. And finally, the Bee Fly has returned to the garden, just in time for the Forget-me-nots. This little chap was enjoying the sun near the fragrant Coronilla.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of the current Six on Saturday host, Jim.

Six on Saturday (30 March 2024)

I don’t think I remember having experienced such a wet and windy spring before. Last Saturday, a sudden gale hit, and I noticed the old fence at the back of the garden wobbling rather ominously. It turned out two posts were on their way out.

The fantastic chaps that put up our new fence back in 2022 began work on it yesterday, in between the frequent heavy showers. It’s one of those closeboard fences that are built from scratch on site – so it’s had to be completely dismantled first, leaving the back garden completely exposed. It’s likely to remain that way until later next week. It’s a little unsettling stepping out there at the moment – rather like having a second front garden. Thankfully, most of the photos for today’s SoS were taken before the fence was taken down.

1-3. Up first we have Narcissus ‘Tahiti.’ I didn’t plant any additional Tahiti bulbs last autumn but a few of the older lot have returned – although only in this particular part of the garden, near the wildlife pond. This dark Tulip was part of a mixed pack purchased a few years back. I think it might be ‘Ronaldo.’ Alas, he seems to be the sole ‘Ronaldo’ survivor, which is a pity as he’s rather nice. Nearby is the love it or hate it Tulip ‘Green Dance’ that reappears every year without fail. I wasn’t a fan initially, but it’s growing on me… I think.

4-6. One lot of Tulips I wouldn’t be without are T. Prince Mixed. I plant a pot of these very November. Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’ has finally produced a few unnibbled yellow flowers, contrasting nicely with the dark purple foliage, and do you remember Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum II’ from last year? Well, it’s in full bloom, although I’ve foolishly planted it just a little bit too far away from the edge of the path to fully appreciated the fragrant flowers. Hopefully, once it gets a bit bigger the flowers will be within easier reach.

Six on Saturday (23 March 2024)

Proper gardening finally commenced last weekend. Lawns were cut (it’s amazing how a neatly mown and edged lawn pulls the garden back into shape), a few shrubs were pruned (including the increasingly large Daphne x transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance,’) the skeleton remains of this and that were pulled up, and a new small tree/large shrub was ordered. Spring has definitely sprung, although the weather has still been a bit of a mixed bag and is set to turn colder at the weekend, with yet more rain. Anyway, ’tis time for Six on Saturday.

1-3. We start with yet another photo of the half standard Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-Mai’ purely because it’s blossomy beauty is somewhat fleeting. Leaves are beginning to unfurl and I’m curious to see if this will be the year that it finally exceeds the height of the ancient bamboo screen & helps to hide the tops of cars and vans behind it. Planted back in 2018, it was only last year that it really put on any significant growth. I’m hoping the nearby standardised Photinia x fraseri ‘Louise’ will also help improve the old privacy situation – I took the plunge and pruned the branches back a bit last weekend to encourage it to bush out. I’m not usually a Photinia fan but this variegated variety won be over. And this deliciously scented Narcissus ‘Geranium’ has just begun to flower. Whether its blooms will still be unnibbled come the morning who knows?

4-6. Another late flowering Narcissus up next – N. ‘Thalia’ looks rather elegant with its slender petals. Again, I suspect it’s only a matter of time before the slimy plant assassins of the night discover it. I planted a few more last autumn but I think I need more still. The diminutive and stripey Tulip ‘Czaar Peter’ (a bargain purchase from the very much missed Wilko) has returned for a fourth year (looking rather lily-like here). I wasn’t a fan when it first flowered in 2021 but it has grown on me over the years. And finally, Tulip ‘Apricona’ is still looking lovely – especially backlit by some rare sunshine. More have appeared over the past week.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of our Six on Saturday host, Jim.

Six on Saturday (16 March 2024)

Okay, all this blustery wet weather is becoming tiresome. Actually, it was tiresome back in February. It’s just tedious now. Perhaps a bit depressing too. In fact, let’s say it’s depressingly tedious. When’s a gardener supposed to get an opportunity to mow their increasingly untidy lawns, clean the mini-greenhouse and re-paint the blue shed? Actually, perhaps I’m grateful not to have had an opportunity to do that last task. Many of the spring flowers are looking decidedly battered – not helped by the continued petal munching of the tiny snails. But enough moaning – in the grand scheme of things such trifles are, well, trifling. Hmm, now I’m thinking of trifle. Stay focused Edwards – get on with your Six on Saturday… and it’s another mostly damp looking one.

1-3. Up first, a returnee from a free mixed pack of Narcissi that came with an order of bulbs from J. Parker’s back in 2022. I’d quite like some more but I’ve no idea what variety it is… although now I’ve typed that I have a vague recollection someone may have identified it last year. I’ll have to check later. Purchased after seeing it featured in one of the Propagator’s SoSs, Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’ has returned for another year, although I never did remember where I planted its partner – I’m assuming it is no more. I’m having to enjoy this lesser celendine purely for it’s foliage at the moment as the yellow flowers are proving popular with the slimy ones. The dark leaves are rather great though. And as predicted last week, here’s the Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-Mai’ again… and a brief glimpse of blue sky yesterday between all the showers.

4-6. After suffering a few wounds when pruning the climbing roses the other weekend, I’ve been pondering getting a third Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca ‘Citrina.’ They seem to do well in my north facing back garden, grown against the south and east facing fences. Tying-in is essential as the branches are rather lax, but it’s a fast grower, doesn’t get too tall, and the fragrant flowers are popular with the bees. A Narcissus of short stature, ‘Toto’ (and hands up if you said that doing a Dorothy Gale/Judy Garland impression) is just about surviving but not really thriving. This photo was taken earlier in the week before the snails set to work on the flowers. And finally… more disturbingly early Tulips – possibly ‘Apricona’ which started flowering at the beginning of April last year and the middle of April the year before that. It’s proving to be a reliably perennial variety.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of our Six on Saturday host, Jim. Err… I’m still thinking about trifle. As Mabel from You Rang, M’Lord? would say “I can’t remember the last time I had trifle.”

Six on Saturday (9 March 2024)

It’s been a week of sun, frost and showers. The sparrows are busy gathering nesting material in the garden, pulling at the silvery strands of Stipa out in the front garden. Last Sunday dawned bright and sunny and I finally felt motivated enough to get out in the garden to do a bit of tidying up. Roses were pruned, blood was spilt and wounds were attended to. They weren’t the only plants to receive a bit of a chop, and that leads me to my first Six on Saturday…

1-3. The faded blooms of Hydrangea ‘Miss Belgium’ were removed, initially with great care, chopping back to a strong bud, and then a little less carefully as I couldn’t quite reach far enough into the border to get at them without trampling on this and that. The Hyacinths have done really well this year, although several have toppled over due to the sheer weight of the blooms. This is a double flowered variety in the front garden (I raced out with my camera having checked there was nobody about – I’m not very sociable). In a corner of the back garden the half standard Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-Mai’ is bursting into flower – I suspect it will feature again over the coming weeks.

4-6. One plant that has featured on numerous occasions is the Winter Honeysuckle. It started flowering in December but is still producing the odd fragrant bloom. A few of the oldest stems will get chopped back to the ground in a few weeks to encourage some new shoots. I’m still having issues with tiny snails munching on the flowers of this and that. They’ve even had a go at the pea-like flowers of a Coronilla – something I’ve never seen before. Thankfully, they’ve overlooked these Primroses – for now though at least. And finally, set off perfectly by the upside down yellow bucket weighed down with a brick to protect the water feature, is this rather keen Tulip (‘Word Friendship’ I think). Worryingly, they seem to be flowering about 4 weeks earlier than last year.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of our Six on Saturday host, Jim. Hmm, it’s raining out there. I don’t thing there’ll be any more tidying up in the garden today. Perhaps I’ll do a spot of online seed buying instead.

Six on Saturday (2 March 2024)

For one brief moment on St Davids Day (the first day of meteorological spring) the rain stopped, the wind dropped and the colours of the flowers popped as the clouds cleared to reveal a seldom seen of late big yellow shiny thing in the sky. These photos were taken during that short respite from the gloom…

1-3. Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ is doing its iridescent blue thing, Hellebore ‘Single primrose shades’ is doing its translucent primrose shades thing (and yes, that’s blue sky), and what was once a rather drab corner of the garden, over by the conservatory, is looking rather colourful with the return of a Narcissus ‘Jet Fire,’ co-mingling rather nicely with Hellebore ‘Sugar Plum,’ Helleborus liguricus, a blue Hyacinth and some Primroses.

4-6. One of the most resilient and early flowering Narcissus, ‘Tete-a-Tete,’ has been weathering the, err, weather rather well (I must plant some more), Hellebore ‘Single white blotched’ has got into its flowery stride, and the first Muscari has bloomed, over by the small wildlife pond.

That was my rather brief Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of our Six on Saturday host, Jim.

Six on Saturday (24 February 2024)

Oh for more than one dry day in a row. The pretty much relentless rain is becoming rather tiresome now. It makes taking photos for Six on Saturday particularly tricky when you have to do the old 9 to 5 what-a-way-to-make-a-living thing, although the evenings are getting noticeably lighter of late. We SoSers don’t let the weather defeat us though. Oh no! We wait for a brief respite from the wet, rush out there with our cameras, snap away and hope that at least a few of our photos turn out to be non-blurry.

1-3. First up, a sweet smelling Narcissus that might be ‘Martinette’ (returning for another year). The flowers of Hellebore ‘Sugar Plum’ are aging rather gracefully (that’s a metal mushroom lurking at the back) and I succumbed to the allure of a new Hyacinth as I was passing the Country Market shop on Friday – this is ‘Purple Sensation.’

4-6. Up next, another Hyacinth – a yellow one this time, and growing nearby is a Cyclamen coum (with a rather keen Tulipa sylvestris in bud behind it). And to end, the beautiful flowers of a Japanese Quince that I admired when walking into town yesterday. Around this time every year I ponder getting one for my own garden… although I never do. May be one day.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of our Six on Saturday host, Jim. Before I go, a shameless plug for a short story in the latest edition of the ‘new-look’ People’s Friend, vaguely inspired by a trip to the theatre to see a Neil Diamond tribute act back in September.