Six on Saturday (6 November 2021)

All of a sudden it’s gotten cold. So cold that a heavier tog duvet was deployed a few days ago. And a duvet of the several-sacks-of-manure kind has been acquired ready for the garden beds later in the month. In the meantime some more of the ‘delicates’ have been dug up and brought indoors (although I very nearly forgot about the Chocolate Cosmos) and while we’ve not had a frost I suspect it won’t be too long now. Bulb planting has yet to commence but I’m hoping to make a start this weekend. Possibly, once I’ve emptied a few pots of this and that, moved the odd perennial here and there and biggerfied the wildlife pond. I just need to remember that I don’t need to do it all this weekend. There’s plenty of time yet. Anyway, let’s get on with Six on Saturday.

1. And we start with the Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ which has gone full-on autumn. Planted back in 2018, this top-grafted half standard was supposed to grow upwards and help hide the tops of vans above the fence behind the garden. That was the plan, but it’s turned out to be a very slow grower. I had been entertaining thoughts of replacing it with something else but after looking back at old photos it’s definitely wider and perhaps a little taller than it once was. It is also rather splendid in the spring and autumn. I will stick to the plan and try to be patient.

2. I’ve moaned about the Cosmos quite a bit this summer. ‘Gazebo White’ is another one that did really well last year but has struggled this time around. However, a few are still flowering.

3. While some plants appear to have good and bad years, the Verbena bonariensis has just gone and done its spready-abouty thing without any fuss ever since it was first introduced to the garden back in 2013. True, it can topple over sometimes and pop up in rather daft places (getting to the patio has proved tricky at times this summer) but the butterflies and bees love it.

4. Another week, another Viburnum. This one (Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’) has always been a spring flowerer. This year it’s making a halfhearted attempt at blooming for a second time.

5. Next up we have Penstemon ‘Garnet.’ For reasons unknown I’ve neglected to take any cuttings of it this autumn. Hopefully there are enough scattered around the garden to guarantee at least one survives the winter should it prove to be a harsh one.

6. And finally… The flowers of the Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’ have opened and proved to be something of a hit with a few wasps and an ant the other day. I can’t detect any fragrance though which is ever so slightly disappointing.

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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