A brisk Six on Saturday as I’m feeling cream-crackered. I suspect the most green-fingered thing I’ll do today is put up the artificial Christmas Tree, but fingers crossed I may resume the bulb planting tomorrow.
1. First up, a houseplant. They don’t feature very often in my Six on Saturdays but this was rather noteworthy. I’ve been growing bored of the post-Covid loss of smell and taste. On a whim I decided to rub a Pelargonium leaf between finger and thumb to see if I could detect the slightest whiff of the lemon-sherbety foliage. And you know what? I could!
2. Keen to see if I could detect the scent of any other fragrant foliage I went outside and sought out a Corsican mint I planted earlier in the year. Again, success. This bodes well.
3. Several weekends ago I planted up a pot for a bit of evergreen interest during the winter months. It contains a new fern (don’t tell my wife), a variegated ivy, a red cyclamen and some primula or other.
4. Talking of evergreens, the Clematis ‘Freckles’ is continuing to climb up the garden arch. It’s growing surprisingly quickly.
5. I always forget I have the Cotoneaster horizontalis as it’s hidden away in a corner behind the Buddleia. To take this photo I had to clamber over a few bags of manure and negotiate several trays of primula, getting snagged by a standard rose in the process. I must tidy things up a bit.
6. And finally… This Rudbeckia ‘Daisies Mixed’ is still going strong. The least said about the ‘Cherry Brandy’ variety the better.
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. Stay safe.
One Man And His Garden Trowel 
I was also surprised to see one of my clematis give new shoots again in December… Despite the little frosts we’ve had at night, it seems dynamic. This rudbeckia is amazing!
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It was late to get going but now doesn’t seem to want to stop flowering.
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Good to hear you are recovering well after Covid – smell and taste are very important.
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It has been very strange to be without these senses. Fingers are crossed we’ll be able to enjoy Christmas dinner.
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You are clearly getting better – thank goodness – but do take it easy. Is that clematis hardy? It’s doing very well if it is still growing. Nice, bright Six-on-Saturday at this full time of year.
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It’s an evergreen clematis that they advise growing in a sheltered spot – so there’s a risk it might not make it. Having said that I find I kill off most clematis so it’s bucking the trend at the moment.
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The sensation of smelling again after covid is quite something, pleased to hear you are getting better, but has your wife’s eyesight been affected too? Does she like or dislike ferns, or maybe you had promised you would not acquire anymore? As good as a toast and marmalade ending to a breakfast: your rudbekia to a SOS.
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My wife isn’t a fan of ferns for some reason. There are now three lurking in the garden!
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The garden’s working for you when it’s telling you that your sense of smell is returning. 😁Glad you’re over the worst, I hope your wife’s health has improved too.
I love the little winter pot with the red cyclamen – I usually have a cheery winter pot on the doorstep, but this year it would mean going to a garden centre and I’m not up for that at the moment. Smashing winter colour with the cotoneaster and the rudbeckia too – and I’m cheering ‘Freckles’ on. 😁
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My wife is doing well thanks. Fingers are crossed Freckles might flower over the winter!
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That rudbeckia is so uplifting, we need those colours! And the lemony scent of pelargonium is one of my favourite plant smells, great that you can enjoy it again now.
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The rudbeckia has done well after a slow start. I hope it makes it through the winter.
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Glad to hear you’re on the mend. Don’t do too much 🙂
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I thought I was alone in waiting for the neighbours to go out before doing things in the front garden. Another reason to grow Rudbeckia, still flowering in December.
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Nope, I’m rather antisocial. The Rudbeckia is showing no sign of stopping yet.
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I’m glad to hear you are starting to feel better. The winter interest pot looks great.
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I’m so glad you’re on the mend and that your plants have proved your sense of smell is returning – those lemony pellies are so lovely aren’t they? My middle teenager is in isolation in her room at the moment as she’s a close contact of 2 positive cases. So far she’s symptomless but enjoying the 5* room service. I did laugh at you nipping out to garden whilst the neighbours were out. I was the opposite in London – I loved being in my front garden watching the neighbours go by. They probably were staying indoors until they saw I’d gone inside before they nipped out to the shops!
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Heck, I hope your middle teenager doesn’t come down with it. I’ve been eyeing the lavendar and rosemary from indoors today. I may try them out tomorrow – foliage sniffing is becoming a bit of an obsession now!
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Glad to hear your sense of smell is coming back. Good news indeed.
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Thank you. Hopefully it will back to normal by Christmas Day and Christmas dinner can be enjoyed!
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It’s good to know you’re on the mend and your sense of smell is returning. I suffer from permanent loss after a fall I had some years ago, so I know what it’s like…pretty bad for a keen gardener! I love your colourful pot. What a cheery welcome.
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I feel for you – I’d taken my sense of smell and taste for granted. It’s been a bit unsettling. Ours is slowly coming back thankfully (we keep shoving things under each other’s noses saying “can you smell anything?”)
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Haha! You’re not alone, another antisocial gardener here. Love the Rudbeckia. I grow ‘Rustic Dwarf’ most years but tried ‘Cherry Brandy’ this year for a change. As you say, the least said the better.
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I gave up on my Cherry Brandy and pulled it up last week. Very disappointing.
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Good news hearing that your sense of smell is returning! It took months for my sister-in-law to regain her sense of smell – to my brother’s advantage, as he took the opportunity to eat as many kippers as he could! She detests the smell. That is a lovely colourful little pot that you planted up, and I love the colourful Cotoneaster.
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My sense of smell has taken a strange turn and I can smell exhaust fumes all the time. Very strange. The kippers story made me chuckle!
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You’re an intrepid photographer! I do like your cotoneaster, yet the rudbeckia is “níos áille”.
Reat that your recovery is continuing. 👍
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Intrepid or clumsy!
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