Six on Saturday 4/1/2020

Here I go with my first Six on Saturday. Christmas and New Year are gone and we’re into another decade. Good luck to all and a great gardening year ahead.

1). Back in September or October I planted two containers with bulbs. One with Daffodils Tête-à-tête and species Crocus. The container I chose was one I rescued from the border. This container is I hope just the right depth for the Daffodils. The crocuses are just beginning to emerge so should be all flowered out by the time the daffodils come into bloom. All I have to do is move the heavy planter to the front of the house, its warmer there being south facing. I’m sure this will brighten up the front garden for several weeks.

2). The second planter contains Tulip Angelique, which are pink peony-flowered. We have in the past grown these in the garden. In the first year they’ve grown and flowered very well. However, beyond that these tulips failed to continue to grow. This I believe to be down to leaving them in the ground and severe weather has played a part in the rotting of the bulbs. At one time, many years ago, I would have, after flowering, dug up tulips dried them off and stored them away until late autumn then plant again. So, now I have high hopes for these in the pot. I planted them in layers so should be a brilliant display. Looking forward to Angelique Tulips again this Spring. They’re already showing life coming through now. Is the a sign they’re planted too shallow? We shall see.

3). This silver grey plant, Helichrysum petiolare, is in the hanging basket we had for the summer near the front door. I had not realised until recently that the flowers are not necessary and can be cut off. Well, it put on a great show for the summer and into autumn including its flowers. Now it’s bringing some slight colour and light to side of the house. It can be seen from the kitchen window and is a welcome sight to an other wise seeing mostly oddments of plants past on or no longer showing signs of life and the red brick wall that is the house next door.

4). Variegated Ivy. This has been a bright addition to the garden. It sits in its pot inside an old chimney pot. The Ivy has been slow growing which has been the more or less the same position at the corner of the greenhouse. I move it around from time to time as ants tend to build their nest in what must be a perfect environment under the chimney pot. In the spring the ivy is joined by a purple flowered variegated leaved Aubretia.

5). Welcome site of colour from the yellow flowers of Winter Jasmine. Jasminum Nudiflorum. This year its proving to be the ace colour and there’s lots of it. This grows down along most of the the fence from what was originally six plants. It’s becoming a little unruly along with a rogue bramble that’s going to be dealt with as it’s easy for brambles to take over a garden. For now the sight of seeing such a mass of yellow is quite welcome at this time of year, in fact, by this time what has flowered last season from November 2018 was all over and done with but now. The view of this winter jasmine is even better viewed from high up.

6). Variegated Holly is giving its all. It’s become somewhat dishevelled looking but still gives a corner light and colourful. This shrub was in the front garden bed but I moved it some year’s ago so as to put in an Forsythia. Here it needs some attention from itself and the large rose bush and climbing honeysuckle that is become entangled with.

That’s it for now for my first Six on Saturday. I have noticed there’s a theme here in that a few things need attention and several of the Six on Saturday are variegated themed. Well that’s accidental not intended and sometimes gardening is just that.
Hope people was able to get some gardening done. The weather has been milder, though now becoming cooler and windier. I’ll drop by for my next Six on Saturday next weekend. Thank you to The Propagator for his inspiration for this regular blog idea.