Six on Saturday (16 November 2019)

The first frost struck early last Saturday morning, finally finishing off the Zinnias, Dahlias and most of the Cosmos. It was something of a relief. As nice as all the late flowers were initially, most were beginning to outstay their welcome. The garden needed tidying ready for bulb planting, yet I lacked the heart to pull plants up or chop them back while they were still in flower, despite looking increasingly bedraggled. No, the frost did me a favour. It also allowed the Zinnias to go out in style.

But any hopes of getting out in the garden to start preparing it for winter last Saturday were soon dashed when the heavens opened. Fortunately, Sunday turned out to be rather nice and the big tidy up started in earnest.

Before long bare earth was exposed, pots were emptied, trugs were filled and, rather inevitably, shrubs were moved. Which leads me to my first SoS…

1. The Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’ got moved last autumn as part of the great shrub shuffle of October 2018. Back then I spent ages pondering the perfect new location for it. However, I hadn’t anticipated purchasing a rose, Gertrude Jekyll, a few months later. At the end of January I planted Gerty to the right of the Viburnum, against the fence. But enjoying her deliciously scented flowers during the summer proved tricky. So last Sunday the rose and the Viburnum were dug up. The latter was moved a few feet to the right to create space on the left for Gerty. I may regret this decision if she gets too big and I can’t squeeze past her to get down the side of the blue shed to the compost, pots and water butt without getting attacked by thorns. We shall see. I can always chop Gerty back rather than grow her as a climber if I need to… or move everything around again.

2. Moving plants inevitably lead to accidental bulb carnage. I’ve purchased a few bags of new bulbs over the past month or so in anticipation of such casualties and to add to last year’s springtime colour. We’re not talking 100s of bulbs but a dozen or so, not-really-trying, could-do-better, small bags of the things. I’m hoping to get some of these in the ground over the weekend. First up are these Falconet narcissus. I do like a fragrant narcissi.

3. Last year Jetfire featured in a lot of SoSs. Inevitably I added them to ‘the list.’ I’ve no idea what ‘relaxed petals are (presumably the opposite of tense petals). <update: a fellow SoSer has pointed out that the packet actually says ‘reflexed petals.’ A visit to the opticians is required!> I’m looking forward to them flowering.

4. After a successful attempt at growing tulips in a pot earlier in the year I’ve decided to give them another go. This time I’ve gone for a couple of varieties, including these lilyflowering tulips. I may try growing some in the ground, perhaps in the front garden.

5. Next up, the remains of the former Prunus have now been arranged to create a few log piles for wildlife. They’ve taken on a rather nice reddy colour.

6. And finally… Though the frost finished off a lot of the flowers last Saturday, this plucky Calendula is still flowering away. I’ll leave it be for now.

And they were my Six on Saturday on this cold and frosty morning. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, take a look at the site of the chap who started it all over at https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com.

Advertisement