Friday evening, still raining, as it has since about 1pm. Three couples braved the weather and visited the garden, three more than we had expected. Tomorrow should be better. Our antipodean visitors move on to London tomorrow, taking Sue with them, so it’s going to seem very quiet.
Between last minute tidying up and having the garden open, I snatched a few pictures for my Saturday six, not sure yet if I took enough. Six things from your garden on a Saturday, picture plus a short bit of explanatory text, couldn’t be simpler. Join us, there’s a fuller guide here should you need it.
One.
I’d better start with a couple of views of what our visitors got to see. Our garden doesn’t exactly have a peak time, there’s always a sense that the best of some things has been missed, the best of others is yet to come.
Two.
Diascia personata is looking pretty good. This clump survived the winter and is now about five feet tall and flowering like mad. It is partly supported but I’m surprised it hasn’t collapsed in the recent rain and wind. I’m reluctant to truss it up more than strictly necessary.
Three.
Our metal obelisk has been planted solely with Rhodochiton atrosanguineus this year. These are plants I grew from seed sown last year, probably around June or July. I overwintered them in 9cm pots in the greenhouse, cutting them back a number of times in an attempt to stop them getting tangled together. They’re already to the top ring of the obelisk and will make a lot more growth yet. I expect them to flower until September or October.
Four.
Campanula poscharskyana is at its peak and is starting to become tiresome, climbing up and over everything around it and seeding fairly prodigiously as well. It also provides excellent cover for slugs. I’m planning to have a lot less of it next year, I wonder how that will work out.
Five.
We set up a sales table for our open days, providing an outlet for some of the many plants that mostly Sue can’t resist propagating. We pretty desperately need to sell most of it, win ourselves some room to move.
Six.
Self sown Foxgloves, Aquilegia and Geranium palmatum provide much of the May-June flower power but are all but finished now. As soon as this opening is done and dusted they will get pulled up to allow planted annuals and tender perennials to fill the space. One volunteer annual that has only just started is poppies, this being one of two blooms that appeared just today.
That’s it for this week. It looks like we’re done with rain for a couple of weeks at least so until everything starts to dry out, it should only get better. Have a good week.
garden ruminations 
All looking fabulous, lucky visitors I wish I could come. Fabulous rhodochiton looking so impressive whilst the rest of us have tiny little plants. I have never had much success overwintering it.
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I hoe you had a decent number of visitors today Jim – your garden certainly looks ready for them👍What a lovely clump of diascia you have – I used to have it too but presumably lost it one winter, Certainly something to be replaced, I think, as it is makes a good statement and always flowered well. You seem to have had more than your fair share of rain – we have the odd shower here, but very light. Thanks for hosting as always https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-mostly-clematis/
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Love that obelisk! I grew Rhodochiton atrosanguineus along with Black-eyed Susan ‘Africa Sunset’ in a container in 2020 and liked them a lot. I did cheat though and buy seedlings! No thunderstorms here despite the warnings, but we did have some wet days this week. Hope you get lots of visitors today and sell lots of those plants! I have stopped propagating as I simply have no room to put anything any more. Some of the little things we find in the garden this week.
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Your sales table looks interesting. I would LOVE some of those plants. I also can’t resist propogating plants, especially succulent and cacti.
I should really sell some.
I love the vibrant poppy.
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I love the poppy, simple pleasures?! The obelisk looks fantastic, I hope you share another image later. Why is it so difficult to resist propagating too much, I do exactly the same thing. https://theshrubqueen.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-summer-visitors/
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It is a challenge something blooming all the time. I want to keep the pollinators busy in my garden. Pity that campanula has been commandeered as cover by the ‘assassins’. That red poppy is such a stunning surprise.
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We could use some rain and should get some tomorrow. It is meant to rain on the toddler who would be king’s parade today, but will warm and sunny for the local protests. Your garden looks very lush. I love the obelisk, the purple flowers are quite effective there. Also the poppy – I planted some seeds of two double varieties, but they did not like where I put them, apparently. Bunnies and I are in an arms race. I may have made a breakthrough. It looks like they are starting to stick to the lettuce of which I have more than I can eat, and my bunny cage around the eggplants now has elderberry stakes through the upper holes of the cage to discourage jumping in and eating everything anyway. Cayenne pepper is also in use. Here are my six. I finally feel like the garden is moving along well.
https://wisconsingarden.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/no-kings-day-2025-six-on-saturday/
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I love your line “…there’s always a sense that the best of some things has been missed, the best of others is yet to come.” – that’s SO true! Also love your metal obelisk and the Rhodochiton growing up it… Hope you have more visitors today!
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Madly envious of your rain. Enjoy your day today. Like Fred the rhodochitons had me thinking. For me it would a first time. Hope you sell out! Here’s my link – plants that self seed feature this week https://n20gardener.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-plants-that-do-it-by-themselves/
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Very impressive I am sure that your visitors will be very pleased. We keep missing all the rain, just getting a few drops here and there.
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The Rhodociton obelisk is stunning, I might “borrow” that idea for next year.
I really wish I lived nearer to you, I’d be there rain or shine and would happily buy lots of the plants to give you more room! Fingers crossed the weather improves and that you get a better turnout today.
My six this week is here: https://mysanctuarygarden.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-14-06-2025/
I’ll be back later to see what everyone else is up to today.
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The rhodochiton looks very impressive. Although I think it would have done well this year, I very much doubt it would be as good in our normal spring. Every year I dig out chunks of Campanula poscharskyana to keep it in check. It has even seeded itself into the paving now, which I quite like. The problem is it becomes a bit of a trip hazard!
My six: https://ricksplantworld.blog/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-14-6-2025/
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I can remember a weekend when it poured down the whole time when we used to open our garden and got the same numbers as you, we all ended up in the conservatory with our tea and cake and had a wonderful time chatting about their gardens! My Campanula is also flowering and having thoughts of world domination, a bit of a thug!
My six are here…………………..https://www.leadupthegardenpath.com
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Goodness! Easter Island Karen! (middle of first picture)
Many mixed gardens and most (supposedly) well designed landscapes do not have a peak time, and even if they do, every season is different. Things can bloom early or late. That is what five of my six express.
https://tonytomeo.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-making-up-for-lost-time/
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I’m tempted to have a go at growing Rhodochiton atrosanguineus – it’s a beauty. Herman is looking very surfer dude with his hair – if only I could pull off that look. I hope the weather improves and you have more visitors to appreciate your great garden and make some purchases https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-14-june-2025/
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Rhodochiton can be slow to get going so I find it works best as a biennial, which means keeping it under cover for the winter. I’ve also had rubbish results from bought seed so if you want some, I can send you fresh seed as soon as some ripens.
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Thanks Jim, that would be great. If I can ever return the favour let me know.
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The view of the garden at the top is one which would catch my breath, should I walk into a back garden Jim. Your sales table would also have to be perused, with what I know will be hard to resist plants. Here are my six: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2025/06/six-things-to-note-from-my-garden-six.html
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You make me want to sow rhodochitons again. I have some seeds left and it will indeed be the right season to have some next year. What is in the “cage” with the ropes behind the diascias? https://fredgardenerblog2.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/six-on-saturday-14-06-25/
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The “cage” has no bars except at the four corners, top and bottom. I’m hoping to get Lophospermum Wine Red to grow up it but it’s only done about 30cm so far.
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It will be beautiful !( and sorry I couldn’t find another word to describe the cage 😂)
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