Six on Saturday 25/09/21

We had a lovely day at the Malvern Autumn Show yesterday. There were lots of nurseries with plenty of plants to tempt but I was very restrained in my purchases (even I have to admit that the garden is rather full). I also had an email this week to say that my bulb order has been despatched so I need to start making planting plans. The problem, as usual, is that the large pots are still full of summer plants and are still looking too good to empty. It’s a good problem to have though. Another problem I had this week was deciding what to put in my Six. I had an idea to focus on foliage but the tender climbers are putting on a show at last, the Dahlias are still looking great and the glasshouse residents have finally put on a display. In the end I have gone with the foliage.

• I’ve mentioned before that I am drawn to plants with large leaves, I like the way the leaves move in the slightest breeze. It took me quite a long time to work out why I’m not very keen on Ceanothus – on the whole the leaves are too small making the plants seem very static. As the Non-Gardener would say – she’s weird. New to the garden this year is Ensete maurelii ‘African Breeze’. It makes me so happy every time that I walk past it. It’s another plant that broke my rule of no new non-hardy plants and I’m going to have to find room for it in the house over winter. I haven’t mentioned this to the N-G yet.

The leaves channel the morning dew down into the centre of the plant

• The Ensete stands in front of the shed with a pot of Eucomis bicolor and Colocasia ‘Coco’. The latest Colocasia leaf to open is 28″ long. When there is a breeze the leaves sway from side to side – mesmerising. It took a long time for the round tuber to come into growth but it was definitely worth the wait.

Morning dew on a Colocasia leaf

• I’ve grown a few varieties of Zantedeschia for several years. The cooler, cloudier weather this year means that they haven’t flowered so well but they still earn a place on the patio because of their leaves.

Z. ‘Red Charm’

• While nowhere near as large as the above leaves Solenostemon leaves add a lot of colour for months and some varieties eventually get to quite a size.

S. ‘Burgundy Wedding Train’

S. ‘Pineapplette”

S. ‘ The Name Escapes Me’

• Some Oxalis can be a real nuisance and I wasn’t sure about buying this one to use in a pot with a Begonia but I’m glad I did, so far anyway. It has flowered for months on end, dead-heads itself and trails really well. The leaves aren’t huge but are very delicate and are a lovely colour.

O. vulcanicola

• I had several contenders for number six and it’s been hard choosing one but I’ve gone with Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’. The long leaves are made up of several leaflets. They are glossy green and the new growth is a fiery red. This colour seems to have persisted for the whole summer this year.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks Six. There are a lot more to look at at https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!