Six on Saturday (15 April 2023)

Well, spring was nice while it lasted. The weather took a turn for the worse on Monday and has remained nasty, off and on, for much of the week.

Last weekend I finally managed to get most of the seeds sown (none of which have appeared at the time of writing this). That just leaves the packets of the scatter-and-hope-for-the-best lot to sow if I can find some soil that isn’t swamped by the foliage of Tulips and Narcissi. Talking of which…

1. Some of the earlier flowering Narcissi are starting to go over now. However, the paler varieties, most of which seem to flower later than the the yellow lot, are still going strong (apart from those that have been flattened by the wind and rain). On the left is a rather pretty variety that was in a free pack of mixed Narcissi from J Parker’s. On the right is ‘Sorbet’ which has flowered for ages.

2. Next up is Narcissus ‘Geranium,’ a deliciously fragrant variety that has returned for a second year. I must plant more of these come the autumn.

3. It’s not all Narcissi though. Oh no. The Tulips are managing to withstand the inclement weather. I think this one is ‘Burnt Sugar,’ planted back in 2020. I forgot to check out their scent when I took these photos.

4. Another Tulip planted back in 2020, ‘Green Dance’ appears to to be thriving in this spot. It’s an unusual looking thing. Sometimes I really like it. Other times I wonder why on earth I bought it.

5. I definitely like ‘World Friendship’ though. Tall yet surprisingly robust, it’s a lovely yellow.

6. And finally… Reading The Nostalgic Gardener’s SoS a few weeks ago I realised that my 10 year old Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’ was looking decidedly bare of both leaves and flower buds. Upon further investigation the flower buds (which tend to start forming in the autumn) had barely developed at all and newly emerging leaves had died. Chopping back a stem revealed a tiny bit of green, but it didn’t look hopeful. I’m not sure what went wrong: the drought last summer, the cold snaps during the winter, the deluge of rain? Who knows. When I dug it up the ground seemed very damp and cold. It’s not an easy shrub to find and even the nursery we bought it from originally (Triscombe Nurseries) no longer listed it on their website. However, undeterred, my wife gave them a ring and it turned out they had two left. We reserved one (hence the blue label) and headed off early last Saturday to collect it. It has been planted in a new spot and a Hydrangea has been moved to take the place of the deceased Viburnum. Order has been restored. A spring without these fragrant flowers just wouldn’t seem right somehow.

They were my Six on Saturday, a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of the current Six on Saturday host, Jim. Hmm, it looks rather pleasant out there this morning. Sunny and calm. Perhaps spring has isn’t over after all.