The last few days of fine weather have almost entirely gone into getting my allotment licked into shape, a task delayed by the endless rain. I have never seen, or killed, so many slugs in my life. For the last ten years I’ve had two plots and I’ve decided that this year will be the last for one of them. The decision made, I find myself relaxed about the mess on the plot I’m giving up on and much more able to cope with the one I’m keeping. I’m only losing half a plot really, as I’d been subletting the other half. They pulled out leaving me the whole plot, at which point I realised I didn’t want any of it. It’s the one with my tunnel on it though, and my strawberries, neither of which am I prepared to be without.
Meanwhile, back home in the garden proper, it’s starting to reach the point where the soil disappears and I find myself looking at planted areas as a whole, rather than at individual plants. My efforts to get pictures have been thwarted by bright sunshine and harsh contrasts but I’ve got one I may use.
Six on Saturday then, six things in your garden, posted on a blog or some other medium, link in my comments below. I’m so busy now I’ve barely time to take the pictures, though there is an abundance of potential subject matter. There’s a participant’s guide, should you need it. Right, on with the motley.
One.
Back in the rainy season I sowed some cucumber seeds, kept them indoors for warmth, potted them on and tied them up and would have put them in the greenhouse if there was any room. We’ll be picking cucumbers before they get out there.
Two.
Sue’s greenhouse is somewhat dominated by three plants of Aeonium ‘Pomegranate’ in flower. The tallest is over 2m and wedged against the roof, the next a mere 1.75m. The colours are a bit weird because I took the picture against the setting sun, but you get the idea.
Three.
Holboellia brachyandra is doing what it does at this time of year, flowering its head off and making a bid for world domination. It’s up into the tree above it, again. Again, it will in due course be shown who is boss. Through the half blocked archway it runs another 25 feet along the fence.
Four.
The ex pond and surrounds will be a mass of flower in a month or so but is already looking full, colourful and interesting from a range of foliage colours and textures. If I remember I’ll repeat the shot in a month and two months time.
Five.
Fern of the week goes to Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliant’.
Six.
Obviously, I should have cut down my Miscanthus nepalensis months ago, but I didn’t and I still haven’t and this is my reward.
At what seems like long last, the Dahlias and Salvias that were left in the ground are now starting to shoot. By some miracle it has coincided with a short-lived spell of dryer weather but until they are a couple of inches or so high they are immensely vulnerable to the attentions of the slimy assassins. Night time patrols are a regular undertaking, no quarter given, no mercy shown. The RHS might want us to be the molluscs friends and to the extent that I don’t use indiscriminate chemical warfare, I am. Other than that, I am on the side of the underdog, the plants.
garden ruminations 
Late to the party due to holiday jollifications http://mytinywelshgarden.home.blog/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-11-may-2024/
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That was a pertinent observation, that you are now beginning to look at planted areas than individual plants. It’s the ‘clumpiness’ of plants in the planted areas that I find particularly appealing at this time of year. I need to look up Holboellia, something I have not come across before – more than a good do-er, by the look of it! Thanks for hosting, Jim. https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-sun-and-shade/
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Your ex-pond area is stunning. I’m also wondering why you filled in your pond and I know exactly what you mean by endless rain. My six plus: https://stoneyknob.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-sos/
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Hi everyone, hope you’re all having a great gardening weekend! Here’s my six: https://notesfromtheundergardener.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-may-11th-2024/. I have more gardening to do, then I’ll be settling onto a garden bench with some wine and catching up with you all!
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PS: that miscanthus is rather lovely Jim, and would be fun in a dried arrangement – I think that’s a happy accident!
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The slugs sound dreadful! I suppose we all have our trials, here there are gigantic orange grasshoppers that eat everything. That Aeonium is fantastic! Good luck with your strawberries. https://theshrubqueen.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-the-advent-of-humidity/
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All looks lush, Jim. Sounds like a wise decision to give up one plot. You have quite enough to handle! I’ve attempted to post, but the newer format has its challenges! https://gardensatcoppertop.com/2024/05/11/spring-2024-may-11/
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That Holboellia brachyandra is quite something. Never seen it before and I have just the place for it! Here are my six https://davidsgardendiary.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-117/
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https://wp.me/p79zFr-6W4
I can’t imagine how you manage your garden and an allotment! But the garden is looking good. Are you open for the NHS again this year?
I’m sure that I have asked you before about the reason you filled in the pond. It’s just every garden designer seems to think we should all have water to encourage wildlife.
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How dedicated you are to have cucumbers in your window doing so beautifully! They are quite amazing, rather like Sue’s Aeonium! You certainly have large plants to share this week and it is wonderful to see everything filling in so beautifully. And your Miscanthus photos are just lovely. What a treat to reward one for patience to allow things to unfold on their own.
I am fixated on large plants this week, as we have been dealing with some interesting bamboo emerging in the most unexpected places. Here are my six for the week: https://woodlandgnome.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-vigilance/
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The Dryopteris is a beauty. I like them in planters. They tolerate more sun than other ferns and they are almost evergreen. Here are my six for this week.
https://mensgardenvestavia.wordpress.com/2024/05/10/mothers-day-week/
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I have no idea why my comment did not post and the link is noted as a “pingback” but there ya go. I blame technology. Anyway, love the fern, the seed heads and the exuberance of growth that rain followed by sun will bring. This week I finally ate some violets! Have a great week!
https://wisconsingarden.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/may-11-2024-six-on-saturday/
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The Holboellia looks like an interesting alternative to Clematis eh? And fragrant… Looking forward to seeing the former pond area as the season gets on…
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It does indeed seem like you will be getting a lot of cucumbers. No post again from me – mix of cold days and going to another dance performance tonight!
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Wel,l that’s the way to grow cucumbers! Mine, sown much later I would guess, are just about ready to pot on for the first time! Enjoy your crop. I love the stipa too and as we have discussed share your views on the slimy ones. It’s lovely to see the garden fill out. Here’s my link https://n20gardener.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-eyes-peeled/
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Everything is growing so well in your garden, must be all the rain! Your ex pond area is a lovely tapestry of texture as well as colour and I love the seedhead of your grassy nepalensis, looks as though someone has been out with the curling tongs!
My six are here……………https://www.leadupthegardenpath.com
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The ex-pond area is a lovely tapestry of colour and texture already, flowers will be the icing on the cake. I’m going out to give my Aeoniums a stern talking to, they’ve a lot of growing to do! I’ve had the same Dryopteris in the Fern Wall for two years now. I’m not sure it’s suited to a pot life as it doesn’t seem any larger than when I first added it.
https://thequiltinggardener.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-11-05-2024/
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Ferns do seem happier in the ground I find, except the handful that the slugs love. I think Pomegranate might be an exceptionally large growing Aeonium, it’s the only one Sue has that gets anywhere near that big.
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I looked at Holboellia brachyandra when I was searching for a climber for my back fence, but decided that it was too vigorous for my space and possibly wouldn’t do well in my climate. Sarah Raven describes its perfume as ‘melon crossed with jasmine’ – which must be lovely. Here is mine for this week:
https://notesfrommygarden.co.uk/2024/05/11/having-a-bal
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https://pigletinportugal.com/2024/05/11/sos-vegetables-in-may/
Despite being kept indoor your cucumbers look happy and healthy plants. Sue’s Aeonium ‘Pomegranate’ are amazing. I grow Aeoniums but they have never grown that big. HAppy plants, Sue.
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Wow, “Pomegranate” is incredible, but I’ve never heard of holboellia before and that’s stunning too.
I’ve not used any chemical means to kill slugs for many years but I just can’t agree with the RHS’s take on slugs and snails either, when you invest a lot of time and money into the garden it’s soul destroying to see it being decimated.
My six this week is here: https://mysanctuarygarden.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-11-05-24/
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https://tonytomeo.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-blooms-with-a-view/
Here are my SIx on Saturday.
I needed to look up Holboellia brachyandra. I thought I knew what it was. Actually though, I am completely unfamiliar with it and its fruit. It sounds interesting now.
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It needs two to get fruit; one is more than enough. I’ve seen pictures of forms with better flowers, so it would be worth seeing it in flower, but I suspect mine was an unflowered seedling.
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Do you mean that one vine is more than enough for the space available? What would prevent any seedling, whether male or female, from blooming?
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Well that is just showing off! My cucumbers look Lilliputian in contrast. Must go out and have a word. Love the fern and Sue’s aeoniums are just crazy. I’ve not heard of Stipa nepalensis, but Miscanthus nepalensis is one of my favourites. If, however unlikely it might be, you have mixed them up, can I bagsy some seed? Here are mine, enjoy the sun! https://offtheedgegardening.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-guano/
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oops. This is happening more often these days. I suspect the seed is long gone but I’ll have a look.
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Loving the cucumber binds/curtains – very tropical looking. The slugs and snails do seem vast in number this year and were most certainly a pest when it came to daffodil flowers this spring and now Dutch Iris flowers it seems. The Stipa seedheads looks like a work of art made from gold https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/six-on-saturday-11-may-2024/
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These cucumbers are awesome! But you must not have much light in this room….😂
This aeonium is stunning. The flower dominates the entire greenhouse. Mine is at the same stage and I’m still waiting to collect some dry seeds to cut the flower stem.
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I doubt very much that Sue will try to get seed from the Aeonium. She REALLY doesn’t need any more of them, let alone hundreds.
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I love May for the reason you mention- the plants fill out and you don’t see them individually. I’ve planted dahlia tubers for the first time in years and the first shoots are appearing.
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