Six on Saturday (18 January 2020)

Well that was a wet and blustery week. Initially I thought everything in the garden had escaped the storms unscathed. However, yesterday evening I noticed that a branch had been snapped off the Coronilla that grows outside the front door. A branch with emerging fragrant yellow pea-like flowers too. On the plus side, the fact that it was still light enough to spot this mini calamity when I returned home from work means the evenings are getting lighter. Thankfully several calm, sunny days have been forecast. We even had a frost last night. Anyway, let’s get straight on to my first Six on Saturday…

1. Last Sunday morning, in-between the odd shower, I planted my latest acquisition, a new standard lilac ‘Belle de Nancy’. There had been a brief moment of panic a few days earlier when, unpacking the tree from its sodden cardboard box, I glanced at a label attached to one of the branches. ‘3-4m in 10 years’ was considerably larger than the 2-3m maximum height in 20 years listed on the supplier’s website (and a few others). But after a hasty email to the supplier it turned out the label was incorrect. Hmm, I hope so. After multiple ponderings, re-positionings, more ponderings and a few more re-positionings I finally settled on a spot, dug a hole (slicing through several new bulbs in the process) and planted it.

Only later, as I was drinking a coffee and helping myself to a fourth After Eight, did I think to check photographs of the garden taken during the summer. And that was when I was reminded how big the Buddleia gets.

The Butterfly Bush had received a light pruning in the Autumn and I’d based my positioning of the lilac on its current size. I think I should have planted it further to the left, nearer the fence post. Then again, perhaps I should leave it where it is for now and see how things go. Okay, who am I kidding? The lilac’s getting moved later today.

2. My attempt at taking cuttings of this Iberis failed last year, possibly due to a lack of watering. However, I’m going to give it another go as I’d like more of its evergreenyness elsewhere in the garden. It’s already started flowering and should continue to do so for many months.

3. The majority of the Jacob’s Ladder plants in the garden are the offspring of a pale purple one that was planted 6 years ago. I’ve tried growing some white and pink varieties but they always tend to disappear. It’s one of those plants where the foliage is just as pleasing as the flowers.

4. A Hydrangea next. Miss Belgium flowered for the first time last summer and her blooms, in all their various stages, have provided many months of interest. I should have got a Hydrangea years ago.

5. There are numerous bulbs coming up all over the garden. I can’t for the life of me remember what most of them are. However, even I can recognise the leaves of a crocus when I see them. Alas, a few of those near the small pond got trampled on by some clumsy clot planting a lilac tree.

6. Talking of which, when I was over on the other side of the garden planting the aforementioned tree I caught a whiff of some sweet fragrance. I was initially puzzled as there was nothing flowering nearby. Following my nose, I walked across the lawn to the curving path and found the source of the heady scent: the dwarf Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis (or Christmas Box).

Tiny flowers. Mighty scent. This is another plant I’d like to have more of. It’s much more compact than other varieties and is perfect for a small garden.

And they were my Six on Saturday. 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.

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