Six on Saturday 23/12/17

It’s been such a mild week with lots of misty, murky weather and a distinct lack of sunshine. We gardeners are never really satisfied with the weather we’ve got!

I think I’m finally on top of the Christmas preparations and so thought I’d steal some time to get my fix of Six on Saturday.

1. I’ve several large pots planted up with layers of bulbs and topped with either Violas, dwarf wallflowers or Bellis. These Violas looked very sad in last weeks frosty weather but have rallied this week.

2. I also fill several shallow pans with single species of Crocus and Iris reticulata. As they come into flower I put them by the patio door to look out on. Little rays of sunshine, whatever the weather. They’re coming up really well.

3. Whilst on the theme of bulbs the snowdrops seem to have appeared overnight. I’ve waited patiently for several years but now have several good sized clumps – some singles and some doubles. I don’t know the names, sadly.

Narcissi are also through well in some places

4. Last weekend I cut all of the old leaves away from the hellebores. I’ve bought a few plants but most of mine are seedlings that I’ve grown on and selected. I used to diligently collect the seed and sow it in pans, prick out etc. Now I realise that they are really a posh weed and pull handfuls of seedlings out each year. As it’s been so mild this week the flower stems are beginning to rise up, especially on H. foetidus.

The last photo shows a sale table purchase. The label said it was an unnamed double flowering one. We’ll see!

5. Griselinia littoralis ‘Variegata’ grows in quite a dark corner. The variegated leaves really brighten up this bit of the garden. In a hard winter the leaves can go a bit black but it always recovers come the spring. It’s a good seaside plant, apparently.

6. Many years ago I planted two hollies – ‘Golden Queen’ (a male) and ‘Silver Milkmaid’ (a female). It took years for them to reach a good size but they got there eventually. Sadly ‘Golden Queen’ eventually got too big despite, or probably due to, regular clipping and had to make way for drive widening. Luckily, although I can’t see it in a neighbouring garden, there must be another male variety nearby as I still get good crops of beautiful red berries on my remaining plant. I meant to take a picture of it’s bountiful crop earlier this week but it’s been too dark in the mornings to do so. Since then the birds have been regular visitors and it’s been stripped! I managed to find these few berries on a low branch.

A seasonal plant to end on. Merry Christmas and thank you for reading my six. I hope to find another six next week but it’s getting harder!

Thanks to our host. See his latest six at https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/