Six on Saturday - 28th August 2021

Remembering and celebrating

After a week's gap, welcome to my 12th #SixOnSaturday. Ostensibly six things going on in the garden this week but in reality, a bit of a "dear diary" for gardeners, particularly so for me at this time of year. Eight years ago last week I lost my mum to cancer. She was a passionate gardener and made the most of her little plot in Chelmsford cramming it with flowers, shrubs and with a little plot for veg that was fantastically productive. Some of her plants were in pots, three of which are now in my garden. Not long after her death we embarked on some hard landscaping, renewing the fencing, paths, and the summerhouse roof. It seemed an appropriate way to spend what I inherited from her estate, and I know she would have absolutely loved the results. 

1) Hard landscaping

We reckon that the hard paths and patio areas were laid out fifty or sixty years ago. We are on the side of a hill and on clay soil and over the years the inevitable movement had resulted in a lot of cracking and tilting. Paths had become treacherous and the bottom part of the garden had fallen completely out of use and into the hands of the ivy, sycamore and ash saplings. Mum's money enabled us to declare "out with the concrete" and in with block paved surfaces and retaining walls. Here's a little before and after, and above is one of our seating areas, one we call "the Gin Seat" (pic taken at 18:30 so you get the idea). 

2) Hydrangea

Mum's hydrangea has been in several spots in the garden over the years. its current location is just through the arch so that it is visible from the house, and it greets you as you move from the first very open area of the garden to the more secret and secluded area beyond. As with "Zorro" featured on 10th July, I've failed in my daughterly duty to keep it blue despite giving it ericaceous compost, feed, and nothing but rainwater.  Nonetheless, now with its head in the dappled sun and the base of the pot relatively sheltered, it is thriving.

3) Platycodon

You saw this first on 31st July. It outgrew mum's pot and is now in a larger one. It sits beside a monbretia (as mum would have called it) and they both flower at the same time. I love the combo of the purple and the orange. For both plants, their flowering time is relatively short and both are gradually coming to an end. The original pot now houses the Canna which is now throwing up blooms three, four and five! 

4) Blueberry

The third of mum's pots that is now with me is her blueberry. It is doing fantastically well and there is really nothing more rewarding than popping out first thing and picking fresh blueberries to have for breakfast. 

5) Fuschia

Another plant that takes me straight back to my childhood and our family garden. I know they are very common but I still marvel at the elegance and detail of the blooms.  

6) Buddleja weyeriana sungold

I came across this one last year thanks to one of our garden club members. It has really pretty round yellow flowers rather than the more usual flower spike. As with the more common variety, the flowerheads are made up of many tiny tiny flowers.  

As for the "celebrating" part of my title, the garden received an extra special tidy since last time as we prepared to welcome a few of our friends to help us celebrate my other half's 70th birthday. Thankfully the weather held out enough to enable us to enjoy the fruits of my labour and we all had a great time.

Here's the participant guide in case you want to join in. Thanks as ever to The Propagator for the inspiration.

Six on Saturday - 14th August 2021

Introduction

One consequence of the exceptionally wet period we've had recently is that my water buts are all full, something I dont' think I've ever known in August before. That's the good news. Not so good are signs of early blight on the tomato plants that I'm growing outdoors in my veg area in a part of the garden which is becoming increasingly shady because of the surrounding trees. The rain has made that part of the garden very humid which is the most likely cause of the problem. On a cheerier note, I'll welcome you to my eleventh #SixOnSaturday post, six things going on in the garden this week and inspired by The Propagator.

1) Agapanthus Silver Moon

Another first for me. This was an impulse buy when I visited the Secret Garden, a garden centre in Crystal Palace. I was attracted to the foliage which is variegated. I'm glad I went with impulse rather than sense - I have another pot of agapanthus plants which have never flowered so I'm not entirely sure why I thought this might be any different. Anyhow, it has rewarded my inpulse. 

2) Butternut Squash

I'm growing Butternut Squash for the first time this year. I have two plants which I'm growing vertically. I'm intrigued by the exceptionally hairy stems and flower buds. Despite looking very healthy and reaching a height of about six feet, the flower buds are still tight. I'm hoping that with the current warmer, dryer and sunnier weather that we've had over the last week, and which is promised for next, might persuade the flowers to mature.  If not, then I'll have some good material for compost.

3) Water

In addition to the pond, we have a few bowls which we keep filled with water for the birds and insects. This one has a stone in it which helps bees, wasps and small birds reach in to drink. It doesn't stop birds of all sizes using it as a bath - everything from robins and tits right up to pigeons and magpies spashing around, sending water flying everywhere. There is a seating area nearby and sometimes when I'm sitting reading the birds will come down to bathe which is lovely to see so close at hand.

4) The lawn

The part of the garden nearest the house is largely lawn framed by borders all of which gently slope upwards towards the summerhouse. We like it that way because from the house it enables us to see the sky, the birds and the wildlife and the borders blend in with the woodland behind giving a sense of borrowed landscape, a real treat for London's travel zone 2! It is not manicured grass and other than a regular mow, an occasional edge trim, and rake towards the end of the year to thin the moss, it gets no special treatment whatsoever. Over the years it has settled to a combination of grass, white and pink clover, daisies and buttercups. One corner has gradually been colonised by bluebells and primulas and throws up a lovely spring display before being mowed towards the end of May. I regularly let it go for a couple or three weeks so that the bees can have a fill of the clover. From a distance when freshly mowed it looks immaculate, that is, until a squirrel decides to excavate a long-burried peanut!

5) Canna

I know, Canna two weeks in a row. Since last week a second bloom has started to emerge from the plant that previously reflused to flower for two years. I'm holding out hope that there may be a third. 

6) Hydrangea paniculata "Bombshell"

Another reluctant flowerer which has redeemed itself this year. I planted this two years ago out the front of the house following some re-modelling of the area. It flowered the first year and did zilch last year. This year it is back. I love how the flowerheads start off a delicate lemon colour, then go creamy white before taking on a delicate pink tinge. 

That's all for this week as there is a lot on the "to do" list. Check out the participant guide if you want to join in.

Six on Saturday - 7th August 2021

 Introduction

Well, it's a pretty soggy Saturday here in SE London. Even with that, there are still new things popping up in the garden. Without further ado, then, I'll welcome you to my tenth #SixOnSaturday series, inspired by The Propagator.

1) Nasturtium

Wonderfully easy to grow from seed, reliably undemanding, and always colourful, I'll often poke a few seeds into little blank spaces. This is a tumbling one with variegated leaves and I absolutely love it. 

2) Japanese anemone honorine jobert

I love these late summer flowers which pop up as other things are starting to fade, particularly now that I've got them under control. Their original planting place was at the back of a border and before I started paying serious attention to the garden, they'd spread not only to the front of the boarder but under the path and to a neighborouing border! Some digging and dividing later, and they are now back where they should be. Meanwhile, new plants have been established and placed elsewhere in the garden for that late summer interest. 

3) Erigeron

Another discovery via a member of our gardening club. Jolly little daisies which start off white and then fade to pink. It seems to have a really long flowering season. I have one scrambling through a pot along with some Bidens and the combination is very jolly

4) Pest control

Say hello to one of the night pest patrol brigade. Our garden is home to a veritable army of toads - I counted at least ten of different sizes recently. Given the size and number of slugs and snails that I still find, the toads are in no danger of going hungry. We re-established the pond a few years ago and it is very pleasing to see younger generations of toad out and about.  A few years ago we had one that took to over-wintering in the outside loo. It gave me the fright of my life when I first encountered. Thereafter, we co-existed quite happily. 

5) Canna

This has not flowered for two years, despite careful overwintering, and masses of lush deep brown leaves. I'd threatened it with the compost heap if it did nothing this year and lo, two huge stems are emerging as are these fantastic orange flowers.  I'm not sure they will get to reach their full splendour in this rather persistent rain but I'll keep my fingers crossed. 

6) Buddleja 

Another late flowerer is the Buddleja. This one one is the common "davidii". I've taken this close-up pic which shows how each of those large conical flowers is in fact made up with lots of tiny flowers each with an orange centre. No wonder the butterflies love them. 

That's all for this week. This weekend is looking like a perfect one to catch up on the ironing! Check out the participant guide if you want to join in.