Six on Saturday – 18/3/2023

Categories six on saturday, , 43 Comments on Six on Saturday – 18/3/2023

It’s turned wet, hour after hour of drizzly rain, so not enough to fill Colliford Reservoir and get the threat of water restrictions lifted, but enough to keep this gardener indoors most of the week. On the whole, the garden is happy with it, though I’m seeing a lot of slugs and expect them to be a problem, nothing new there. I found a couple of self sown surprises this week, always welcome, and there is growth all over the place. It’s six of the best you’re after though, so here goes.

One.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus lobularis, I think. I planted a few of these some years back. I seem to recall about three out of five coming up, a couple of blooms in the first year, probably less the next, then nothing. A week ago I noticed leaves on the other side of the adjacent path and now I have a self sown plant with a flower. Perhaps having chosen where it gets to grow, it will do better.


Two.
The other self sown surprise was this Corydalis solida. ‘George Baker’ would seem to be the name that fits but looking at pictures online I suspect a lot of what is on offer is seed raised, so not strictly the true clone. I’m very happy with this version of it, all I have to do is make sure it doesn’t get disturbed during its ten month dormancy.


Three.
Another self sower, but not much of a surprise, is Corydalis cheilanthifolia. It ebbs and flows but I doubt I will ever be without it. Nor would I want to be, it is lovely in leaf and flower and very easily removed if it causes problems.


Four.
Scilla forbesii ‘Pink Giant’, I think. These were planted and seem to be doing pretty well. The blue ones are trying to flower but the slugs look to be keeping pace with them, these are a bit more vigorous and have got away.


Five.
Two more camellias to finish off this week. This one is called ‘Adorable’ and is a very free flowering, somewhat strident pink.


Six.
Camellia reticulata ‘Mystique’. I bought perhaps 50 of these as tube-stock, essentially rooted cuttings, from New Zealand, back in my nursery days. From a nursery point of view, I probably wished I hadn’t because they had no vigour and just wouldn’t get going. Some of them at least eventually did, and this thing is now more than vigorous enough. Being a reticulata it will not much enjoy being pruned, which will have to be done sooner or later.

I’m off to a Saturday morning gardening talk that our local HPS group have organised because several mebers struggle with driving at night in winter particularly. “Exotic Plants, Bringing the Jungle to your garden”; should be right up my street.

Published by Jim Stephens

Gardener, no-dig allotmenteer, camellia enthusiast. I love colour, it cheers me up. Retired nurseryman.

43 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – 18/3/2023”

  2. I understand the hesitancy of driving at night in winter, I hate it, the headlights seem to blind me these days despite having anti-glare glasses. The Scilla forbesii ‘Pink Giant’ do seem to stand up well, my blue ones which were called Chionodoxa when I bought them, tend to flop on the soil.
    I managed a couple of hours in the sunshine this afternoon until the mist came in again. It’s been a very wet March here so far.

    Six on Saturday | Middle-March

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  3. The rain spattered loveliness reminds me of Seattle this time of year. One thing I miss about living there is that the garden gets going so much sooner. I despair to think I have another month to begin to plant. I see a hint of green at the base of the cardinal flower, and there is purplish green at the blue eyed grass and the prairie smoke. Buds closed tight on cherry and lilac as well they should be. I could only manage three today, not much to see, and too cold!

    Have a great week!

    https://wisconsingarden.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/march-18-2023-six-on-saturday/

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    1. As a retic ‘Mystique’ is very hard to propagate and is not in commerce. I intend to enquire about getting it registered nevertheless, it is absolutely outstanding for flower power.

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  13. Jim, such a fine collection of beautiful flowers this week! The Camellias ignite my plant lust, particularly C. ‘Mystique. I have never grown Corydalis. I wonder whether it would perform well in our climate. It is such a delicate pretty thing. It reminds me of columbine, which does grow easily here. My six this week are not so elegant, but give a peak at our Virginia spring: https://woodlandgnome.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/six-on-saturday-equinox/

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  16. I love the odd things that happen when things are moved around. But here I have found that Cinquefoil and perennial ground elder are the most successful hitchhikers. Why have I not learnt the lesson of planting camellias? Then I would have something to show. I’ve headed for the greenhouse to look at the promise of things to come as I try to be a patient gardener. https://n20gardener.com/2023/03/18/six-on-saturday-stop-whingeing/ Enjoy your talk.

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  19. I do love those corydalis. Mine seem to disappear into nothing after a year. Could be slugs? One the other hand, my garden is full of blue scilla. This week, I’ve got flowers, and a master robin for my #SixOnSaturday offering: http:/www.balmerino.net/geekygarden

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    1. I think my garden will be a carpet of Scilla in a few years, so far I’m happy with that. I haven’t done well with keeping Corydalis solida going, it doesn’t help that they’re above ground for such a short time.

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  26. The weather this week has been rather miserable hasn’t it? Not much opportunity to get out in the garden, although any rain is welcome of course. We need those reservoirs and rivers topping up.
    The Scilla photo is very good. It certainly makes me want to grow them. My thoughts have also turned to Corydalis this week – as in why don’t I have any of those lovely red or purple flowered ones?
    Here’s my Six
    https://www.hortusbaileyana.co.uk/2023/03/daffodils-and-dull-days.html

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  27. We seem to had the same idea about a few of our plants! I have been sprinkling the seed of my Narcissus pseudonarcissus for a few years now and they are spreading nicely in the little woodland. I bought Corydalis George Baker last year and he looks the same colour as yours, mine isn’t very big so far, maybe it will be photographed next year. Lovely Camellias as usual, keep them coming!
    My six are here……….https://www.leadupthegardenpath.com/

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    1. It’s encouraging that wild daffodils will spread like that. If my single bloom sets seed I’ll try to spread them a bit further into the bed and away from the path edge.

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    1. Scilla forbesii! I could not remember that name earlier! Well, thank you for reminding me. How could Corydalis solida ‘George Baker’ grow from seed? Is it that stable? What I mean is, would its seed grown progeny still be of the same cultivar.

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      1. Seed grown progeny would not be the same cultivar but without wanting to sound accusing, I suspect they are often passed off as such. I am assuming mine is a seedling but it may have been a displaced bulb. I moved that area around a couple of years back.

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      2. No one sticks to the rules anymore anyway. I do not argue about cultivars that grow from seed anymore. There is supposedly a white Canna cultivar (not that I need any more canna) that is true to type from seed, I sort of doubt its status as a cultivar. Also, I sort of wonder how true to type it is. That seems to good to be true.

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