Sometimes (rarely, it has to be admitted) my life horticultural (retired) goes through a frenetic patch. Like this week; Wednesday evening, talk to garden club (Camellias); Thursday and Friday, filming for Gardeners World (Camellias); Friday evening, talk to garden club (Begonias); Somewhen, write a Six on Saturday post; Saturday, escape to allotment for weeding and watering.
I’ll let you know when the Gardener’s World piece is going out, assuming it ever does; watch this space.
So here I am on Thursday evening, putting together a post for Saturday, containing, as required, six things that I am reasonably confidant will still be happening on Saturday, if they’ve not been trodden on by the cameraman or strangled by a microphone cable. The Participants Guide for Six on Saturday didn’t anticipate such shenanigans but is none the worse for that.
One.
Pachyphragama macrophyllum is looking good enough for me to have been asked twice in two days what it’s name is. On the first occasion I couldn’t remember and had to go look at its label. On the second occasion I’d already forgotten and had to look at the label again. It’s a name I can forgive myself forgetting. “Good in dry shade” can sometimes imply that that is the only merit a plant has, in this case I would add that it has lots of clean white flowers over a good period and seeds about but not, for me at least, invasively.
Two.
Erythronium ‘Susannah’ seems to have had a good year in that there are more shoots than I remember, not, unfortunately matched by more flowers. It’s still a beauty. I’m very tempted to splash out on more snazzy Erythroniums, they do seem to be happy in my garden in a way that many other bulbs are not.
Three.
Truth to tell, I get just as much pleasure from the best of the self sown primroses that are all over the garden at the moment. Like this almost white one, just to pick a random example.
Four.
Tropaeolum tricolor is flowering its socks off in a pot in the greenhouse. Too good not to include.
Five.
I left a number of things in the ground over the winter that in past years I’ve taken in. Most seem to have survived with a covering of leaves and are starting to shoot, including one or two surprises. I was looking closely at the base of the stems of Impatiens balansae, where they’d been covered by leaves and didn’t see any shoots coming, then realised they were growing at the top of the old stems which had been unprotected all winter. Perhaps this year it will start to flower before November.
Six.
I have to admit, that even with a garden packed with loads of different plants, it is not very often that I put in something that hasn’t appeared before. Everything in this week’s set has appeared before with the possible exception of that particular Primrose. Caltha polypetala is no exception but it’s been three years so you may have forgotten it. Once every three years is about all it warrants if I’m being honest. Celandines = weed, Buttercup = weed, Caltha polypetala = highly desirable garden plant? I’m struggling to convince myself. It’s not even good in shade!
Must dash, stardom beckons!
garden ruminations 
Hello,
I came from your other blog,
to check out this other space.
I really like plants and it’s great to see
others from around the world.
I make a single post on the first day of
each month.
Your pictures are beautiful!
Janice.
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What a wonderful garden you have !!!
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I did vow to give my Tropaeolum a bit more attention after seeing yours last year, but I have failed – yours looks even more stunning than before! I am intrigued by the Pachyphragama (which doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue – I could think of several places that would work here, where doing well in a dry shade really is an asset! I look forward to your impeding stardom – this time next year, perhaps? You will note from my post, that my new camellia has arrived safely – thanks for your input👍 https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-busy-with-the-bees/
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The Tropaeolum tricolor is stunning.
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Such a busy schedule. I am glad that you included the Erythronium. We have a beautiful native Erythronium which is just beginning to bloom now. Azaleas are in full bloom here now. Here is my effort for this week. Happy gardening to all.
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I’m loving the primulas and trout lilies. Are these the simple pleasures in your garden? And the Climbing Nasturtium. wow! Chile has some fantastic plants. Thank you for hosting, here is mine today. https://theshrubqueen.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-garden-goodies/
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GW eh? Stardom at last. I hope they didn’t trample on too many of your lovely plants. The primroses do seem to be very happy this year, only wish I had some of the natural ones. The erythronium is so pretty, but another one that I have failed in keeping alive. But I do have the marsh marigolds which are usually flowering at the same time as my tulipa sylvestris and are the exact same shade of yellow, but the tulips are almost over and the marigolds yet to appear!
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Jim, my favorite this week was the pink Azalea in your first photo that didn’t get a mention. It shows you are still running a bit ahead of us as we are still waiting on the first Azaleas to bloom here. The white flowering plant you actually featured is quite nice and a new one I’ve not previously heard of. The Erythronium is quite exciting, though, and the primrose is so cheerful. Congratulations on your segment for Gardeners World. I hope you had fun despite the fuss and cables. I’m sure you are helping and encouraging a lot of folks through your outreach and they will be better and more enthusiastic gardeners for it. My six for the week: https://woodlandgnome.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-3/
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I bought some new Erythroniums last autumn but there’s no sign of them yet. The one I already had is in full leaf but way behind yours on the flowering front. T. tricolor looks great. I hadn’t thought of keeping it in the greenhouse.
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I have to admit to really liking the little celandine, grateful for anything that flowers early in the year.
Here are my six: https://ricksplantworld.blog/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-03-2025/↗
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Oh, yes, you’ve been busy! Love the Tropaeolum tricolor. Regarding the Caltha polypetala, nothing can beat those blooms when they happen. It’s always fun to experiment and keep trying. Thanks for hosting.
https://plantpostings.blogspot.com/2025/03/six-saturday-buds-and-blooms.html
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I have to say WOW to the Tropaeolum tricolor. If only you had hummingbirds – they would be thick. Sadly, the migratory ones are just reaching an area that is set to have severe weather. Hope they can hunker down somewhere! The primroses are lovely. I am also watching my sticks for signs of life. Buds are slowly swelling, and the weather is changeable as is usual. 76F yesterday, snow tomorrow. Good thing my plants are not as impatient as I am or they would suffer in the weather whiplash. Here are my six – spring slowly revealing itself.
https://wisconsingarden.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/march-29-2025-six-on-saturday/:
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Ooh, Gardener’s World. How exciting! Yellow is a great spring colour. Let the buttercups have their moment! Here’s my first six for 2025 https://lifeonalondonplot.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-03-2025/
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Can’t wait to see the GW piece! How fabulous. Lovely to see the hairy headed man again! I’m also very impressed with the primroses this year. And all your other plants are looking wonderful – how it cheers us all up! Here’s my link https://n20gardener.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-things-are-brightening-up/
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My first thought seeing the tricolor was..red birds. Aka cardinals
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Wow – Gardeners World – how exciting. Will look out for that! Again I have greenhouse envy – that Tropaeolum tricolor is so pretty.
Here’s my six this week – https://thegarrett.garden/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-march-2025/
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The GW piece may not go out until next year, or it may be very soon. They’ll give me a weeks notice.
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I agree with you about the primroses, they are fantastic this year. Your Erythronium is beautiful, no sign of mine yet and the Tropaeolum is amazing! Will look forward to seeing you talk about Camellias, of course they came to you!
My six are here…………..https://www.leadupthegardenpath.com/
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Wow, Gardeners’ World, that’s brilliant, I look forward to seeing it. I’m not surprised you can’t remember the name of Pachyphragama! But it is beautiful. My much more mundane six is here: https://mysanctuarygarden.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-03-2025/
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The other I unfailingly forget is Trachystemon orientalis. Lovely plants with ugly names; perhaps better than the other way round.
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Wow Gardener’s World, exciting! Love the Erythronium, incredible colour!
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🙂 I’ll stop by and read later but I can see that your clematis is doing as well as mine!
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Ooh you have one too!
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The Tropaeolum tricolor is indeed beautiful. As for remembering plant varieties beyond daffodil, rose, cucumber or tomato I gave up long ago. ‘A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet’ philosophy.
I confess my six on saturday diary was compiled over the week
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I can’t wait to see when Gardener’s World will be broadcast too ( and with a YouTube link, since I don’t have access to English channels, it will be perfect!)
Once again this year it was the Erythronium and the Tropaeolum that caught my eye this morning. They are really very pretty flowers. Regarding the impatiens flowers ( other varieties than the one you showed us this morning ) , those you sent me are still going strong and survive the winter. And in fact, they have been showing signs of life this spring for a few weeks. My link for this week: https://fredgardenerblog2.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-03-25/
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The GW thing may not go out until next year, or it may be very soon. They’ll only give me a weeks notice.
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So much to say! First of all, can’t wait to see you on Gardener’s World, hope the filming goes well. Secondly, what fabulous plants this week, love the tropaeolum, crazy flowering! The dog’s tooth violet is a beauty and horrah for the impatiens! Hope you get a restful weekend. Here are my six https://offtheedgegardening.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-competition/
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The film crew seemed very happy with what they’d got. There’s always the worry that once a day and a half’s filming gets edited down to seven minutes that it will portray something very different from what I’d hoped for. I’m not sure I shall be able to bring myself to look at it. The impatiens arguta ‘Alba’ you sent me is shooting up strongly, which reminds me, I had one last year that looked like a hybrid between the white and purple, I’m not even sure where I saw it now. Must go looking.
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Did you have a “celebrity” gardener? Looking forward to you finding the hybrid.
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Wow – Gardener’s World? I look forward to seeing that. I love ‘Susannah’ https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-29-march-2025/
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All well deserved, I’m sure.
I like Primroses too, but for me your Erythronium is the star of the show today.
Here is the link to my six.
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I am sure the Limelight won’t spoil you Jim, but you may have to have a limit on your open garden visitors as coach loads turn up! Your Tropaeolum tricolor is looking magnificent, and the shelter of your tunnel has certainly been beneficial. Here are my six: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2025/03/six-on-saturday-end-of-march-2025.html
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It would truly be a nightmare if we had huge numbers visiting the garden; it’s small and has no big open spaces to mill around in.
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Oh, I remember that nasturtium. It is one of the few rarities that I actually wanted to grow. (Most of my favorites are common.) I am sorry that I did not do better with mine.
https://tonytomeo.com/2025/03/29/six-on-saturday-pruning-apple-trees/
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You’d be able to grow it outdoors I imagine. I think it’s hardy enough to do so here but wet and/or slugs did for my only attempt so far.
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Yes, but the last time I grew it, certain health problems prevented me from maintaining it. It dried up and died. I have not yet tried it again.
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