Oh for some rain. Some proper, water butt replenishing, soil moisture deficit correcting, Gene Kelly song-and-dance-number-inspiring rain. Despite a few minutes of drizzle Friday afternoon, there was no sign of the MET Office ‘yellow warning’ thunder storms. Over the past few weeks three and three-quarter water butts have been emptied (I’m trying to eek out what remains of the fourth and final one to top up the mini pond for the frogs and newts) and bucketing has commenced in an attempt to minimise mains water use. Note to self: take note of last year’s note to self and actually cut down on pots next year.
Arriving back from North Wales on Tuesday I was relieved to discover that most of the newly planted Cosmos and Zinnias had survived the heatwave. However, the Salix gracilistyla ‘Mount Aso’ was decidedly crisp of leaf and the Hibiscus that was plonked back in the ground in early spring (having spent the previous summer in a pot) didn’t look too clever either. Fingers crossed we get some plant-reviving precipitation sooner rather than later. Anyway, time for Six on Saturday.
1. First up: tomatoes. I didn’t bother growing any from seed this year, buying plants instead. This one is ‘Tumbling Tom Yellow.’ Truth be told they’re a bit tough skin-wise and I won’t bother with them next year. I’m hoping the other two varieties I’ve planted in the same pot will be tastier.
2. Back for a second year, these ‘Drumstick’ Alliums are proving popular with the bees. If someone could remind me to plant some more in the autumn it would be much appreciated.
3. Also proving popular with the bees is ‘Miss Manners,’ Physostegia virginiana (the Obedient Plant). I really should try propagating it.
4. Next up, Sidalcea ‘Party Girl’ (Prairie mallow). A bit like a diminutive Hollyhock, I’ve decided to look up what other varieties are available as they’ve coped with the recent heat rather well.
5. Alas, none of the annual Rudbeckia from 2020 survived a second winter (I must have got lucky last year). However, a new batch (‘Gloriosa Daisies’) are just getting going. Expect to see more photos of these over the coming months… if they survive.
6. And finally… Way back in the spring of 2020 I sowed some Dahlia ‘Bishop’s Children.’ They didn’t flower that year, nor the year after that (although in fairness most of my Dahlias were a complete disaster last summer) and one assumed one had got shot of them all. Apparently not. Potentially siblingless, this one may get pampered.
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 
A shame that the yellow tomatoes are tough skinned, I always preferred a yellow one as a child as it was sweeter than the reds. I have been admiring other drumstick aliums. They need to go on my gardening wish list.
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I think my mum grows a slightly elongated yellow variety of tomato that I seem to remember was tasty and not tough. I must ask her what it was.
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I came to the same conclusion on that variety of tomato and posted as such this week. Magic pictures of bumble bees on your pictures.
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They’re okay mixed with salt, pepper, basil and olive oil (and reading your blog they sound delicious roasted!)
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You just can’t beat a bee photo, I had forgotten that those alliums are so late, I might have a go myself. Do you think you could remind me, when you get reminded or remember? Thanks. The BC dahlias are wonderful, hopefully, now that they have got going, they will behave every year. I had forgotten about sidalcea, interesting that it is drought tolerant. It is raining here today, I hope it is with you too.
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A brief fine drizzle again but nothing of note unfortunately. I’ll certainly try and remember to remind you that you wanted to be reminded to get some drumstick alliums… if someone remembers to remind me to do the same.
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And they say Somerset is damp, not so either here, hope we get some of the rain overnight.
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It’s a shame these tomatoes are a bit tough skin-wise because they look really tasty… I didn’t grow yellow cherries this year but I have red cherries and red cherry pears. I also note that the Red Cherry Pears and the ‘Coeur de Boeuf’ are also tough skin-wise: perhaps the heat and the lack of rain? Very nice photos with the bumblebees and I also do like your pretty rudbeckias
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Thank you. You could be right regarding the lack of rain – although if it rains now the skins will probably all split!
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We can’t have everything ! 😂
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I get very confused as to whether rudbeckias are annuals or perennials or both, even Google won’t give a straight answer. None of mine make it through to the next year anyway. Good to know the mallow (or sidalcea I guess) is drought tolerant, that’s going to be a key consideration I think when picking new plants! Love the alliums and dahlias.
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Thank you. I think the two times I bought a definite perennial Rudbecki they died over the winter.
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I love the allium, and keep admiring them in other gardens, but I’ve never remembered to plant any either! I have Sidalcea too, and very pretty it is, but it has stayed very small. Perhaps it doesn’t really like it here.
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These here are about 50cm high maybe. I’ll try and remind you about alliums come the autumn!
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I’ll try to remind you about the alliums. Mine seem to be very floppy this year! And I am still trying to grow dahlias from seed (last year). They are small plants this year but I doubt they will actually flower. Question is can I be bothered to keep them over the winter?
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Thank you regarding the allium reminder – it will hopefully remind me to prompt Hortus Baileyana to get some too! I was all set to give up on Dahlias after last year but I’m glad I didn’t get shot of them. I haven’t bought any more though.
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Those bees make an excellent finale to your post……the dahlia’s looking good too. We had an exciting half hour of rain on Friday but very little since, we are still waiting for the “2 inches in 2 hours” we were warned about. 🙄
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Half an hour of rain must have been lovely. Thunder storm weather warnings usually tend to be more miss than hit – although my parents in North Wales had torrential downpours one day.
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I love your array of flowering plants and note most have bees on. 🙂 We seem to be lacing in bees at the moment which is a concern. My little cherry toms also have tough skins this year so I am going to cut in halves, freeze and then use for pizza toppings or for breakfast with balsamic vinegar. As for water, I’m not down to try and reusing grey water from the washing machine which means only buying natural soap washing liquid.
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Yes, I’ve been pouring the washing up bowl contents on some plants sometimes, varying it each time as I’m a bit concerned about the salt content in the washing up liquid (Ecover). Great idea regarding the tomatoes.
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