2025

We have had very little rain here in High Peak having avoided the downpours which have affected other areas and I am now having to water all my containers and pots on a regular basis. The forecast is currently showing an overcast day today (Saturday) but then temperatures are set to go into the twenties throughout next week. I am still very wary of a late frost even though it seems unlikely at the moment. I won’t be happy until we get to the last week of May.

I love this time of the year, the acers are now fully out and everywhere you look trees are bursting into life and the landscape is greening up. A gardener’s week is never done it seems, with the stronger sun and possibility of a late frost the acers stand to be scorched by either one whilst the leaves are so tender.

Specie tulip, Tulipa clusiana var chrysantha on a sunny day and not.

I no longer have cold glass so have to resort to outdoor sowing, of mainly hardy perennials, outside in a sheltered spot. These were sown in early February, as I would do normally under cover, using fresh society seed. Despite this two lots have been pricked out three weeks ago and are almost ready to go into the open ground. I get great pleasure in raising plants from seed and to be honest I don’t know where I am going to put them all. I do sow a good number of seeds, even though I may only keep a few plants of each, because in some cases poor germination is a factor. I am a great believer in raising them hard to get good strong plants.

I am making a bit of an assumption here that this is actually characias but it is filling up an awkward damp corner very nicely so I won’t complain.

These were planted very late and consequently we have February Gold flowering at the end of April. I find I can get away with planting tulips late, but narcissi, not so much.

How did that get there? This montana has appeared around the central heating exhaust after travelling under the tiles from the gutter level. It will be short-lived as I will be taking it down to almost ground level after it flowers in order to paint the woodwork behind it.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 12/04/2025

The warmer weather continues but, much as I am enjoying it, I feel it has come far too early and would be welcome in about a month’s time as I have a feeling of trepidation about what is round the corner. Many plants are thrusting up new tender growth and I have already noticed some damage caused by the light overnight frosts and possibly the cold winds. We can’t put out bedding with confidence until the end of the third week in May. The local NT gardens don’t start planting until the second week of June, mind you, they have thousands of plants at risk. On the 2nd June 1975 snow stopped play in Buxton, only a few miles from me, between Derbyshire and Lancashire cricket clubs. Play was resumed the following day in beautiful sunshine and the following year, 1976, was one of the hottest summers on record. Buxton Cricket Club are celebrating the 25th anniversary with a special event this year. We gardeners are very much at the mercy of the weather, but spare a thought for the poor farmers and growers who have to make a living.

This is one of my favourite small shrubs, I look forward every year to the emergence of the colourful foliage. I had one in my last garden which was quite a bit larger, it could be that the drier, less fertile soil this one is in is limiting its growth, but I think it’s a little gem nevertheless.

One of the remaining two flowers this year from a clump I planted about four years ago. I never seem to get longevity from my bulbs, tulips I can understand, as they need a good baking during the summer, but daffodils I tend to plant and forget about so probably my fault.

I used to grow numerous meconopsis as they are one of my favourite genera. This year is the first in my new garden that I am hoping to get some decent flowers. Crarae can only be raised vegetatively and I have never grown it before so fingers crossed! Crarae was raised at Crarae Gardens, Argyle, Scotland. If you are interested in meconopsis you might like to visit my page.

This berberis is another welcome splash of spring colour, it loses its reddish tinge as the year progresses. Like most berberis, it thrives here taking anything that the weather can throw at it.

**Arabis alpina ssp. caucasica ‘Snowcap’**

I grew the common or garden Rock Cress, or at least an improved form of it, from seed. It makes a useful early splash of white every year.

Currently growing in a pot until I find somewhere to put it, I bought this pulmonaria as a bare-root plant which is why it is flowering slightly later than normal. I have taken a real liking to pulmonarias over the last few years, as there are so many cultivars now, and can’t wait to increase my collection.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 29/03/2025

We have had a warm, mainly dry, spell with temperatures quite high for this time of the year so far, but have been dogged by a persistent cold wind which we get here. The garden is wakening up and the magnolias and early blossoms are in evidence not far from here but I am still vary wary of any late frosts which may occur.

I haven’t any A. nemorosa now unfortunately but I am always pleased to see these lovely spring flowers emerge.

The Bleeding Heart is one of the earliest herbaceous perennials to flower, and is always welcome. I think the emerging flower stems have a rather surreal quality about them. Dicentra was a lot easier to remember!

All lysimachias tend to be garden thugs, but I have never been able to resist the little yellow flowers contrasted against the deep purple of the leaves of ‘Fire Cracker’

The beautiful clusters of flowers of osmanthus have been out for the last week or so which means I have managed to enjoy their wonderful scent in the warm weather we have been having. All too often the whole of the flowering season is under grey skies. Apologies for the out of focus bit!

The buds on this acer are just opening, fingers crossed there is no severe frost now. The winter damaged tip has been taken off.

First of the tall primulas to emerge for me. Primula denticulata used to be a common site a few years ago, but not so much now. Shame really I find the powder blue flowers and farinose leaves and flower stems quite attractive and very welcome at this time of the year..

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 29/02/2025

I have not posted since last October when I ran out of subjects in my tiny garden however there are now signs of spring and, with rising temperatures and dry weather forecast for next week, I remain hopeful. Although it may be a few more weeks before I can post again I have managed to scrape together a rather contrived six for this week.

Slight problem with the header, I must have decided I was having my own leap year! Too late to change it now.

A real favourite of mine, particularly as it’s such an early flowerer. Unfortunately this one is almost all that is left of a clump I planted about five years ago, time to renew!

I am not a great fan of grasses, although I can appreciate them planted in drifts. I raised Anemanthele lessoniana (syn. Stipa arundinacea) Pheasant’s tail grass, from seed many years ago and had three large containers of it in my previous garden which were spectacular when viewed with the sun behind them. This is a recent acquisition which I hope thrives. Incidently I never cut them back just “combed” them, wearing a stout pair of gloves, in the late spring.

This leaf caught my attention, unfortunately when I tried to reposition it to get a decent photo I snapped it off! I am guessing at its nomenclature but I think I am correct.

The osmanthus is growing in a large container next to the door into the garden so I am hoping there are some warm days when it does flower so I can fully appreciate the scent.

I know snowdrops are everywhere but I just thought they would make up the numbers. I have no idea where the shell in the background came from!

Not everyone’s cup of tea and actually the first time I have grown it, Fatsia japonica just happened to fulfil a purpose and is currently in a container. The thing I did like was to have some healthy green leaves to look at during the grey winter months.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 12/10/2024

We have had a “proper” frost on Thursday night, as opposed to a couple of air frosts about three weeks ago, which is only about 10 days earlier than last year. It caused little damage even on the north side of the house but tells me that I have probably run out of options for a while for Six on Saturday.

I found a clump of clematis flowers hiding in amongst the honeysuckle and rambling rose that cover a boundary fence.

I have a few baskets on the north facing front of my house where at one time I would have used impatiens but find begonias an excellent substitute. Mia culpa, I no longer have the facilities to raise bedding so have to buy in plugs. The one I have always used is Begonia ‘Illumination’ Strain, Apricot Shades although I must admit they haven’t done as well this year which I put down to a very slow start.

Young primula plants which should be planted out by now but I have nowhere to put them. I always have this problem, even when I had a much bigger plot, I always over-produced. I get the most satisfaction from raising plants from seed, particularly the more difficult ones. Every year I would be inundated with seedlings as a consequence of taking advantage of various plant society’s surplus seed offers such as those from the Scottish Rock Garden Club. I will be ordering again this year, but no lucky dips!

Always had a place for a few hydrangeas but I inherited this one. Two out of three I brought with me were decimated by frost in their first winter and didn’t flower the following year so rather than risk a repeat I discarded them. It sounds a bit harsh but space is at a premium.

Mahonia buds waiting to come into flower. I like mahonias but can never tell when they will flower, I have had the same plant come into flower in October and even March in the past, this one came into flower last year whilst the bedding was still going strong but I doubt it will happen this time.

Despite the popularity of many salvia cultivars, I grow them myself but only have one that comes through the winter every year, the common or garden sage still looks good with its grey young leaves at this time of the year. This one is growing through a crack in the paving and I get the scent when I deliberately knock it in passing.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 05/10/24

After the heavy rain, not as bad here as in the south, temperatures have been quite good hovering around 15°C and remaining dry although it is forecast to go down to around 10° toward the end of the week with light rain tomorrow. I am still planting out some hardy perennials I have raised from seed plus a few geraniums that I have acquired as the soil is still warm.

Staple of the herbaceous border, phlox always remind me of autumn shows where the open cut flower class used to be full of them.

One of two acers I bought at a knockdown price from Aldi and brought with me to the new garden. This one is still in a container.

The king of autumn berries, this is a plant I bought last year as I have never been without one for as long as I can remember.

The other cut-price acer planted in the ground this time, I thought I had better take a picture before the frosts.

Something for winter colour, I tend to think of elaeagnus as being a less flamboyant brother to the euonymous.

More for winter colour, this is a fairly new introduction I think which caught my eye last year.

Unfortunately I think I have almost exhausted the available plants for now in my small garden, so fingers crossed, I might manage one more Six on Saturday.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 28/09/2024

The warm spell that we enjoyed is at an end, day temperatures have dropped by around 5°C and this morning my car is frozen over, signs of approaching winter are definitely upon us. To be honest I am not a fan of this time of the year and would be quite happy to hibernate ’til spring, not the least because I am now going to find it very hard to find subjects for Six on Saturday. Methinks I may have to go a wandering!

My current dwelling is built on an old railway yard, in fact I planted the back garden with a pick and trenching spade, so I do err towards tough hardy plants with a few treasured exceptions. Geraniums are top of my list but the little prunella, a British wildflower, fits the bill, it’s tough, has a long flowering period and is attractive to bees and other insects.

When I first moved into my little bungalow there was a broken down fence in front of the property, the first thing I did was to rip it out and plant a Berberis x stenophylla hedge. This fuchsia must have been planted against the fence and survived all the upheaval unnoticed, so I think it has earned its place.

What’s left, hanging on in there after being absolutely battered by the storm. I have planted these this year for the first time to give some late colour along with the rudbeckias.

**Anemone hupehensis var. japonica ‘Pamina’**

Another late flowering stalwart Japanese anemones can be invasive, but I find this rather ragged “double” less rampant. Unfortunately this flower stem is fighting its way through a bigger neighbour to show itself. Also known as Anemone x hybrida ‘Pamina’. Unfortunately the wind caught the bloom at the bottom of the picture and it came out a little blurred.

I like persicarias and particularly ‘Red Dragon’ because it is different, this is another plant I brought with me from my previous garden.

This berberis makes up the numbers, totally the wrong time of the year as in spring the new growth has fiery red tints, but I thought I better catch it before the leaves drop.

This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found with all the details and links to plenty of other blogs to enjoy at Garden Ruminations.

Six on Saturday 21/09/2024

We are having a remarkable spell of dry warm weather at the moment, misty mornings clearing to blue skies with the occasional overcast day still making above 17°. Here are a few subjects which are still going well before we get the inevitable thunderstorm, or at the very least heavy rain, to disturb the peace and tranquillity.

**Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’**

Where would we be without rudbeckias for autumn colour?

Another traditional autumn flowering plant. I was going to give it the chop this year but left it too late however the stems have stayed strong and not flopped as has happened before. Note the solitary insect, Joe Pye next to it is covered in bees and several butterflies, obviously the High Table!

‘Zéphirine Drouhin’ has been with me for years, it was the only rose that survived in my old shaded garden. It climbed up a cast iron railing that supported the handrail for the steps up to the backdoor and as such did get some sun and wasn’t in the shade like much of the garden. This allowed it to only be slightly affected by the plethora of fungal diseases that put an end to any attempt to grow roses, or even photinias, anywhere else.

Geranium ‘Patricia’ one of my favourites, note the G. pyrenaicum intertwining itself.

I allow Geranium pyrenaicum to seed itself as it will, the hedgerow geranium, now found growing wild in the UK is such a dainty little thing and any unwanted seedlings are soon pulled up. I did have the white form, but it has absented itself.

I make no excuses for including Joe Pye Weed again this week, its only there to show off the peacock!

All for this week, fingers crossed for next week! This meme is hosted by Jim Stevens who is to be found at Garden Ruminations where he is chewing things over.

Six on Saturday 14/09/2024

This is the first time that I have contributed to this meme hosted by Jim Stephens of Garden Ruminations and I have, without doubt, started at the wrong time of the year so it could well be the first and last until next season depending on what I can find. My current garden is literally postage-stamp size compared with my previous one so I think I may struggle.

One of my favourite trouble free hardy geraniums certainly worthy of all its accolades.

I grow several verbascums and let them seed around, the garden is tiny but acts as an oasis for butterflies, bees and other insects and my verbascums, although regarded as “weedy” by some are a great attraction. This is the last remaining flower-spike on the plant.

Two for the price of one, some late flowers on the sage which is actually growing out of a crack between paving stones, and ‘Hot Lips’ one of my favourite ornamental sages, so reliable, grows from ground level every year. Both are bee magnates.

**Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’**

I love the colour of this robust hardy geranium, flowers all season but down to the last few now.

**Helleborus argutifolius ‘Pacific Frost’**

I can’t wait to see how these young plants turn out. I cold sow all my hardy perennials but this year’s appalling weather definitely retarded the development of quite a few of my spring sowings. Talking of which, we had an air frost on Thursday night , one month earlier than last year.

Another two for one, Joe Pye Weed. This big striking American plant is too coarse for many people’s taste, but I love it. I had it in my last garden where it was far less prominent and have two in my present one. The plant dominates half of the front garden at this time of the year, but is covered with butterflies and other insects in my “oasis”. Plenty of Red Admirals and also Peacocks have been almost resident. The geneticists have been at it again and poor old Joe Pye has become Eutrochium maculatum.

I might just mange a six next week with a bit of luck.