Tag: Begonia

Six on Saturday 27/9/2025

I’ve been missing for a few weeks as, to be frank, I had very little to show without constant repetition. The main show now is the Eutrochium maculatum Atropurpureum Group which, despite my earlier fears, when there were hardly any butterflies to be seen, has done its job. This year the buddleias were covered in Peacock Butterflies and then there was a gap even though Joe Pye was in flower. Now there are plenty of mainly Red Admirals to be seen, when the sun comes out. I am assuming it is to do with the hot dry summer, but I have not seen so many different species of bees as I have this year either. Another new visitor attracted to an old honeysuckle is the Hummingbird Hawk Moth. It is easy to spot as it jinks about, but much harder to photograph!

Eutrochium maculatum Atropurpureum Group or Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium maculatum Atropurpureum Group or Eupatorium purpureum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium fistulosum ‘Atropurpureum’ or Eupatorium purpureum var. atropurpureum according to the RHS, or just plain old Joe Pye Weed, between two Phyllostachys aureas.

Flutterbies. People ask “why do you have such a large plant in so small a garden?” What you see is why. I even have another one in the even smaller front garden. I’m happy to think my garden has become a butterfly oasis in the wilderness surrounding me.

I can never make my mind up about Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’. I just think the leaf colour could be brighter. I don’t think its sprawling habit is for everyone, but it does have an AGM.

This plant of Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’ suffered very badly from the drought, all the flower spikes, bar this one, drooped never to recover. you can see the brown crinkled leaves to the right of the photo. Also known as Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Brunette’. I look at Actaea rubra and wonder how they can be related.

What’s left of my begonias. The other, more exposed, baskets were finally decimated by the torrential rain and wind that we had last Saturday. This one is in a very dark spot, lacking nutrients, and is definitely running out of steam. I grow these every year from plugs as I get little in the way of sun on this side of the house. Begonia Illumination ‘Apricot Shades’.

Sedum spectabilis ‘Autumn Joy’ or Hylotelephium telephium ‘Autumn Joy’. From Sedum to Hylotelephium please make it stop!

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.

Clematis

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

Begonia ‘Illumination’ Strain

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.

Salvia officinalis

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.