Six on Saturday: 3 October 2020

Tags

Aeoniums, amelanchier, Helianthus salicifolius, Leucanthemella, Rudbeckia, six on saturday, Succulents, Verbena bonariensis

That was September

Into October and how the weather has changed. Deluge from Friday and for days to follow. Ghastly gardening conditions but thankfully mild overnight. Flowers will continue although most of us are unlikely to want to venture out to see them. My six were taken on Thursday, a dry day which already seems a distant memory.

Joining our host The Propagator

Leucanthemella

These are such good flowers, I cannot recommend them highly enough. Tall daisies, late flowering and fresh as, well, as a daisy. No staking needed. The funny thing is that they are facing towards the light and are looking away from the garden towards the fence!

Amelanchier

This is Amelanchier turning-to Autumn colour. A good reason to find space for one, that and the early spring blossom.

Rudbeckia

These bright yellow daisy types are great for autumn interest. Vivid yellow petals but these do need staking on my rich soil. A good back of border perennial, shown here against the backdrop of the woven willow fence.

Now is a good time to put all succulents in the dry. Actually with this weather they should already be under cover, a sunny garden room, window cill or a greenhouse is ideal. They dislike our winter wet and will not survive a frost. Mine are now in the cold frame until it gets very cold when I shall bring them indoors. Mollycoddling very necessary.

I grow the willow leaf sunflower this for its bonkers foliage and height. I do not like the flowers and generally dead head them however next week, I have a National Garden Scheme, by appointment, visit. I shall allow them to beam. I’m all heart.

Verbena bonariensis. You know it. You grow it. It’s everywhere.

At this time of year it’s an invaluable blast of colour.

That’s it. Have a good weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: 19 September 20

Tags

Aeoniums, Catalpa bignoides pulverulentum, crimson glory vine, Leucanthemella, penstemon, sanguisorba canadensis, six on saturday, Stipa Calamagrostis, Verbena bonariensis, Vitis coignetiae

There has been some beautiful weather here this week but noticeably the evening light is dropping sharply by about 1900hrs. Consequently the temperature has dropped sharply overnight. As a result the mornings are dewy and the light is just plain lovely.

My six to share with you lovely readers and our host The Propagator are snapshots of the garden in the autumnal light.

Morning light with Verbena

Sunlight warming the wall with Vitis coignetiae

Shafts of light on the yet to open Leucanthemella

White penstemon illuminated in the sunlight

Foliage of variegated Indian bean tree
Catalpa bignoides pulverulentum

Still plenty of colour from the white Sanguisorba canadensis,, Verbena, Rose A Shropshire Lad, and the pink from the plant formerly known as, Sedum Autumn Joy

The incredibly beautiful Aeonium

Drifts of fluffy Stipa Calamagrostis

More than six this week but I’ve kept the narrative to a minimum, hoping that’s allowed.

Have a great weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: midsummer

Tags

Aeoniums, Alchemilla mollis, Catalpa pulverulentum, David Austin Roses, Dianthus carthusianorum, lilies, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', six on saturday, speckled Indian bean tree, supermarket plants, variegated Indian bean tree

After the deluge the last couple of days I can almost hear the garden sighing in relief. I am joining The Propagator our host for this meme of six things in the garden on a Saturday. Simple. Do join in. Take a look at his blog for details.

Come into the garden with me

Firstly the roses are coming into their own. Rose Gertrude Jekyll smells divine and in early light her colour sings.

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

Another pink ( I did not realise I had chosen as much pink as this, I don’t think of myself as a pinky sort of girl).

Lily the pink the pink the pink

Unscented these supermarket bulbs were popped in a few years ago. Normally I get half a dozen to enjoy . Alas this year, the lily beetle has eaten the rest to a stump.

To counter all the pink I like Alchemilla mollis. As an edging it is delightful and I allow it to seed around. The chartreuse colour is great when against pink.

Alchemilla mollis

Another similar shade of green is from the foliage of the variegated Indian bean tree species Catalpa pulverulentum.

Catalpa pulverulentum

The leaves had started to emerge and then they were hit by the late frost. I won’t lie but I was rather worried that I might have lost it. Thankfully new leaves have emerged and it is looking gorgeous.

Back to more pinks and it seems I really do like them after all. This time Dianthus.

Dianthus Carthusianorum

I love this Dianthus for its tall willowy habit that blends so well with Verbena bonariensis.

Aeonium corner

In the run up to my open garden last year, I received over 30 Aeoniums which had been generously donated. ( Thank you Anthony if you are reading). I sold some entire plants on the day and lots and lots of cuttings. I have overwintered the leftovers in the house and taken cuttings to grow on for further sales. As I have had to cancel my prearranged openings I shall grow them on for another year. Now outside I have created a little collection.

These are my Six for today. I hope you have a good weekend and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: National Garden Scheme

Tags

Aeoniums, apple juice, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Carers Trust, Cercis canadensis, Cerciscanadensis Forest pansy, grasses, Horatio's Garden, Hospice UK, Leonard Cheshire, Macmillan Cancer Support, Maggie's Centres, Marie Curie, MS Society, National Garden Scheme, NGS, Parkinson's UK, Perennial, Queens Nursing Institute, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Verbena bonariensis

Tomorrow my garden is open in aid of the National Garden Scheme, NGS.  For those who do not know, the NGS is a registered charity which in 2017 raised a whopping £3.1m, not bad from open gardens and selling tea and cakes,  This was divided amongst the following charities: Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Queen’s Nursing institute, Parkinson’s UK, Perennial, MS Society, Maggie’s Centres, Leonard Cheshire, Horatio’s Garden and not amongst gardeners as one friend thought.

I have worked flat out in the month of September, weeding, digging, trimming, edging, sweeping, deadheading and watering to prepare the garden as best as possible. I am on first name terms with the chaps at the dump.  Rather annoyingly then that the weather has decided to be somewhat inhospitable blowing in a gale and rain.  Undeterred I am hoping that a hardy group of gardening types and perhaps Aeonium fanciers will show up.

This splendid bunch have been donated by a very generous chap who prefers to remain anonymous and I shall be selling cuttings for folk to take home.  All in aid of NGS.  Absolute Aeonium heaven.

2.  There will be a selection of cards, old gardening magazines and apple juice for sale.  The apple juice has been pressed from the tree in my garden.

 

3. The roses may be almost finished but there are Cosmos and Zinnias. The main sight is perhaps the Verbena bonariensis.

It has self sown all around the garden and in the cracks in the paving.

4.  Blowing in the wind will be a mixture of grasses which are at their peak in early Autumn.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Calamagrostis brachytricha and Stipa tenuissima

5. A small tree which is always admired, not least by me, Cercis canadensis

The red toned heart shaped leaves are delightful.

6.  There will be some shelter from the worst of the weather inside my rather grandly named summer house.  (It is neither summer nor a house).

Joining our host the Propagator who encourages us to list our top six from our gardens.  Thanks for reading.

Now if the weather would just be kind….

Thank you to all my helpers and cake makers, lenders of time and lenders of other bits and bobs, givers of general moral support.  I certainly would not be able to this without you.  Wishing you all a lovely weekend wherever you are.  D.

Silent Sunday: an avid accumulator of Aeoniums

Tags

Aeoniums, plant hunter, seed collector, Silent Sunday, the secret world of Aeoniums