Urrgh. I hate the heat, tending to wilt easily. Friday was sweltering (the garden thermometer registered 36 degrees Celsius in the sun at one point) and resulted in some mid-afternoon lucky-I-had-the-day-off-work emergency pot watering and a vow to plant out the long since hardened off young plants next week, including my first Six on Saturday… the Cosmos.
1. So far the Cosmos have done a lot better than they did last year… they’re all still alive for one thing. Fingers crossed they continue to fare okay once planted out in the wilds. I don’t hold out much hope for the Zinnias though.
2. Out in the south facing front garden, this Helianthemum lostthelabelus has been flowering for a few weeks now, its yellow, crêpe paper-like petals looking rather splendid.
3. Also looking rather splendid is the Philadelphus ‘Belle Étoile.’ Once prone to annual aphid attacks, it was banished to the back of a border (behind the dwarf Eucalyptus) a couple of years ago. It has thrived ever since. In fact it’s thriving a little too much and could do with a severe prune once it has finished flowering. On a hot day like yesterday the heady fragrance can be delightfully wafty.
4. Back in November I expanded the mini wildlife pond. It’s getting more sun than it used to and the blue Flag Iris (Iris Versicolor) has flowered more prolifically as a result. Unfortunately, it’s prone to toppling sideways as my ‘shelves’ for the marginal plants proved to be far too narrow and, err…. not very level. Some thick wire has since been deployed to moor the pot to the edge of the pond.
5. Now apparently Valerian officinalis was all the rage at Chelsea this year. Well, I’ve been growing it for years don’t you know, although I think I saw a much shorter variety featured on Gardeners’ World last month that I’m tempted to seek out. Alas, there were a few casualties the other evening (venturing daintily into borders to pull up weeds rarely ends well when you have size twelve feet), including a stem of one of the Valerian plants. However, it has been providing a rather pleasing fragrance indoors.
6. And finally… The garden has been visited by a few butterflies of late, including this Small Tortoiseshell. Sweet Williams appear to be a particular favourite of theirs, as does this one solitary Chive flower (I never have much luck growing regular Chives).
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.
One Man And His Garden Trowel 
What a lovely philadelphus, glad it has now escaped the evil aphid, do you think the eucalyptus has helped? Glad the cosmos are co-operating, they are my favourite annuals. I’ve got a mini pond now so I might be asking you some mini questions although I think ours might be minier that yours. 🙂
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I wondered about the Eucalyptus. Possibly. My pond is still mini, although more mini clubman now.
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Your plants don’t look at all as though they’re suffering from the heat….such a lovely selection of flowers. I have to say that Valerian is an absolute thug in my garden and I’m often pulling it out. I planted the white one, but the red one appeared all by itself! Happy gardening and stay cool.
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I suspect the Valerian you are referring to is really Centranthus ruber – often known as Red Valerian, but also comes in pink and white and yes it is a thug. The officinalis is the herbal one.
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Yes, you’re right, Jude. I didn’t realise there was a difference, but it’s obvious now I see the name.
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Thank you. I see the red and white varieties of that Valerian (with the more fleshy leaves) growing wild here – very pretty though!
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Your Helianthemum lostthelabelus is looking as good as all the wild ones on the Mendips, and I am looking out for some now for the front garden, of course not digging them from the wild. Similarly as seen on the hills Valerian is blooming well, and the likes of you and I are of course ahead of the Chelsea pack. I do however think the plants you sow were grown short somehow specially for the display garden. If you do find a truly shorter cultivar I too will be seeking it out. Maybe Jim would comment on the possibility of the trad’;s growing technique for making plants smaller for exhibits?
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The exhibitors who regularly show out of season have the business of controlling growth down to a fine art, the rest (including me, back in the day) just pick out what is looking good at the time, from their own stock or wholesalers. The height stuff grows varies a lot from year to year, I doubt they were treated (Cycocel or some such) to make them short, though they may have been.
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I think I’ve found the variety I saw on tv a while ago – Valeriana montana (https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/a-z/s-z/valeriana/valeriana-montana.htm). I’m not sure it’s fragrant but it looks like it would suit the front of a border.
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Very nice shots of these butterflies !
You’re right, the cosmos are doing better than last year and they seem to like this weather. Good luck on the last hot day (I think)
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It was – it turned rather chilly the next day!
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Nice, sunny, colourful pictures, as usual. I took my photos today in the duller light which does show the colours better. I like that Valerian, you are clearly well ahead in the horticultural fashion field! Isn’t the pink variety considered a weed down in the south? 😅
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I think that might be a different variety – similar to the red one. I have a feeling someone has commented on it further down the comments section. Hang on…yes – Heyjude mentions it.
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Cosmos are looking great. I tried growing mine from seed that I saved from last year and they are pretty small and so many didn’t germinate. I have a few perhaps they will be enough. Love all your colours.
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Fingers crossed your remaining Cosmos do okay – they can fill out quite a bit once they get going.
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I too am growing the Valerian here, bought it for its lovely perfume. My Philadelphus Belle Etoile isn’t flowering yet, it needs to get a move on! My chives seed about in the cracks on the patio, they are spreading far too far. The original plant in the border above died, didn’t like my wet soil, but the seedlings are quite often under water for most of the winter!
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I think I’ll have to have a word with my chives and tell them to up their game!
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I was about to enter the Helianthemum into my wish list 😀 might it be Wisley Primrose?
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I’ll have to take a look later. Thank you!
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I ought to find some of the Valerian officinalis for my herb garden, it does look rather pretty. My Cosmos are also looking better this year, but none of my zinnia seeds germinated. Oh, well, less fodder for the S&S.
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My Zinnia are looking very poor this year – they won’t stand a chance out in the borders!
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My sunflowers have met the same fate ☹️
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Now there’s a plant I rarely have much luck growing and yet they are always said to be easy to raise.
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I managed to get two flowers last year! I have planted some that germinated this year into containers and so far they have not been eaten, but the ones in the ground are no more.
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Love your butterfly pics. I am planning to take a cutting from my neighbour’s Philadelphus, yours is looking glorious and I can just imagine the fragrance. Good luck with the heat, sweltering here too.
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I don’t think you can beat the fragrance of a Philadelphus. Although having said that, perhaps it would tie with roses and sweet peas. Do you take semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings? I’ll have to look it up some time.
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Am going for semi-ripe but haven’t got round to it yet. It was in my RHS course notes!
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Chamaecyparis and Viburnum tinus were my semi-ripe examples. Not that came up in the exam!
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I feel a bit cheated when I try so hard to remember to spell something correctly – Chamaecyparis being a good example – and then it doesn’t come up!
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Lovely butterfly photos. You must be patient to catch them like that. Wildlife disappears the moment I get my camera out.
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I was lucky with the butterfly on the Sweet Williams – it didn’t seem to mind being photographed – usually they scarper if I get remotely close to them.
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Never understood why Kentranthus is a widely grown garden plant but proper Valerian very rarely so. It’s a much nicer plant, although in truth I am happy to enjoy it in the hedgerows.
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I think I grew this batch from a packet of seed. I once foolishly bought some Prunella vulgaris from a ‘wildflower’ section of a garden centre. My mum went to pull it up when she visited that summer and when I stopped her she pointed to it growing throughout the lawn.
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A lovely selection. I am impressed that you grew those cosmos from seed. They look fantastic. Glad to hear that your mock orange is enjoying its new location – is it shadier?
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No – it gets more if anything. It’s possible the Eucalyptus may discourage them – although it could also just be a coincidence!
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I am also very inclined to wilting in the heat and find it very uncomfortable and we are here hoping for rain as the garden is so dry. Re the Valerian: another good one for the garden is V. pyrenaica which has a bigger head and larger basal foliage so good to fill a spot! Easy from seed too.
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I’ve just looked it up – that is pretty.
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Bet the philadelphus smells heavenly. We had a hedge of it in our old garden, but it used to get murdered in the summer by black aphids. Valerian like a weed here, pops up everywhere. I’m a winter too, but I love the hot weather. I prescribe a shady corner and a huge parasol!
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They do seem prone to black aphids usually, as do the ornamental Elders (I got shot of the Black Lace variety in the spring as it was a constant battle with them)
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