Six on Saturday (15 August 2020)

At last, some rain! Though not the thunderstorms that were predicted every day last week. Foolishly trusting the weather forecasts I was a bit free and easy with the old watering, depleting H2O supplies to tend to droopy hydrangeas, phlox and other struggling plants. The rain finally arrived on Thursday, though one of the water butts is still half empty/half full (delete based on your outlook on life). Still, the garden is looking refreshed and the slugs and snails have an extra glide in their slide as they seek out tasty morsels to sample. And that leads me to my first Six on Saturday…

1. A flowering Zinnia. I was beginning to fear none of the Zinnias were going to make it to flowerhood this summer. This one had gone unnoticed by the slimy ones until a week or so ago. Thankfully it has pulled through. I hope some of the others make it. I’m assuming this is one of the Zinnia elegans ‘Dahlia-Flowered Mixed.’

2. Now this is embarrassing. I can’t remember what this plant is. I want to say it begins with an ‘L’ but it could well start with one of the other remaining (does a quick google and some lightning fast mental arithmetic) 25 letters of the alphabet. It was bought a few years ago and always struggled in the South facing bed out the front. I’d given it up for dead and was surprised to find it growing in a pot with the Buddleia ‘Buzz’ that I removed from the aforementioned bed to make room for some Stipa grass. It’s thriving now.

3. A few years ago I dug up a Golden Hop from the back border as it was getting far too big for the fence and was starting to take over. However, I spotted a small seedling growing near the patio bed last year. I intended to remove it but one thing led to another which inevitably led to something else and in the end I forgot all about the golden climber. It was starting to sprawl across the patio so I directed it towards the bird table as a temporary measure. Entwinage has been swift. I’m pondering whether to grow it up the new arch next year, or would that be foolhardy?

4. Last year wasn’t a good one for the snapdragons. Most of them died after their first flush of flowers, falling victim to rust. Yet one plant survived out the front and is blooming for a second time this year. I sow ‘Circus Clowns’ every spring but the new batch are taking forever to get going for some reason.

5. A late flowering allium up next. ‘Millennium’ was purchased at the Taunton Flower Show last year. I should have another late flowering allium somewhere but it appears to have vanished. I have a horrible feeling I may have accidentally dug it up.

6. And finally… I planted some Gladioli last spring and wasn’t all that wowed when they finally flowered and toppled over. They were all a tad too pastelly and I thought I’d got shot of them all. Apparently not. A few have returned and upon closer inspection this one is actually rather pretty. I fancy some brighter, bolder varieties though. Perhaps next year.

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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