There’s been a strong, gusty wind blowing all day here, but from the south, so not especially cold. Not pleasant to be out gardening in, but anything near to freezing seems barely conceivable at the moment. It’ll come suddenly and catch me out with plants all around the garden that need protection. As an item on my to do list, it remains unticked. A few other things have been tackled, cutting down the Magnolia, planting a hydrangea and moving another, getting bulbs planted.
Things done, actions as it were, very definitely qualify for inclusion in a Six on Saturday post; it doesn’t have to be six plants at all. So if you’ve been busy doing stuff but have no good looking plants to feature, join in and tell us what you’ve been up to. It’ll be covered in the participants guide, not that I’ve looked there for a while.
One.
Every day I draw the curtains in my bedroom onto this view. I’m pretty happy at how it looks at the beginning of November.
Two.
Some of our potted plants get shoved in my allotment tunnel for protection from winter wet. Some, like this Nerine bowdenii ‘Ostara’, then get forgotten, left up there until they do this:
Three.
The autumn and winter Camellias are flowering, some earlier than usual, some not. This is ‘Show Girl’, a hybrid between an autumn flowerer (‘Narumigata’) and a spring flowerer (‘Damanao’), and this is the earliest it has flowered in my garden. The flower is 12 cm across, so unsurprisingly it has been damaged a little in the wind, even though this particular bloom was tucked in behind a fence.
Four.
I put Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ into a pot because it was invariably lying flat on the ground by this time of year when in the ground. In the pots it manages to stay more upright. It’s flowering, which doesn’t add a great deal to a plant that is a graceful mound of bright yellow from spring until late autumn.
Five.
Years ago I planted Magnolia ‘Anne’, one of a series of eight and the one that the book described as particularly upright. It has grown to 8 or 9 feet tall but would be twice that in width if it had not been cut back regularly. It is now neither tall nor wide, I have cut it back hard in the hope that when it regrows it will be strongly upright. Now that I see the space and views created I am tempted to finish the job and get rid of it altogether, though digging out the root would be tricky. Sue’s for doing so, the view from her potting bench is much improved.
Six.
I have several Begonias around the garden that are borderline hardy and probably best lifted and overwintered under cover rather than protecting with a pile of leaves. If left out they survive OK but come into growth very late, meaning they give me a short period of looking good. In the glasshouse they start much earlier and can then be planted out early summer already looking good. This one is Begonia palmata ‘Tye Dye’, looking as good as it has at any time this year, making the timing of lifting it a balance between getting the most from it now at the risk of it getting clobbered by cold weather.
Onwards and upwards. I’ve a post about my allotment to finish too, it being another new month. Housework and garden work are equally never ending.
garden ruminations 
I’m hoping that My son and I have sorted my WordPress problem out and will try again!
Like your Nerines and Camellia, your overhead shot is amazing, such a neat tidy garden! Love the begonia hiding among the bamboo, lovely photo.
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Wow, what a beautiful view to greet you in the morning! That Hakone grass is a lovely cultivar. I have some growing here, but I must cage it or the rabbits eat it. It’s interesting to see how your view changed when you cut back the Magnolia, and it will be fun to see how the plant grows back. Thanks so much for hosting!
https://plantpostings.blogspot.com/2025/11/tiny-surprises.html
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Wow – that view from your bedroom window shows just how tidy your garden is – I am in awe! You will probably tell me that it doesn’t look nearly as tidy from ground level though… 🤞 Gorgeous splash of colour from your camellia (there are a lot of buds on mine, the one you gave me guidance in sourcing), lovely grass and great use of the sliding images to show off your achievement with the magnolia. Thanks for hosting https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-a-bit-of-what-you-fancy/
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This was another delightful post. My favorite quote is, “Housework and garden work are equally never ending.” Couldn’t agree with you more!
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My Hac mac is now fairly flat after the recent winds. I might try some in a pot next year though I’m supposed to be cutting down on pots yet the total seems to grow each year. I’m very unprepared for frost but at least the Non-Gardener helped by moving the pots of succulents into the glasshouse before the recent rain started. I’m taking small victories his year. The Begonia/Bamboo combo looks so good and I can see why Sue is keen for the root removal to happen.
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Once the pots are bought it seems wrong not to use them. I feel I’m locked in to having far more than is sensible.
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Decisions, decisions…and then, as you say, you’ll have a sudden hard frost and it will be out of your hands. I really like the flowering grass in a pot – it gives an additional layer of texture.
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I have made the choice to remove several trees this fall which had become ungainly. Like you, I found that the increased light and the view achieved are worth the loss. I am thinking of adding more hardy begonias. My weather is a little more favorable for them than yours.
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Hiya, lovely to see that overview of your garden.
I’ve also been thinking about the view when you draw back the curtains, and we’ve made ‘lasagne’ planters packed with spring bulbs to put by the house and cheer up the winter mornings. I calculated the ‘cost per smile’ based on drawing the curtains and seeing these planters – and it’s excellent value for money. These are my six: https://doingtheplan.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-bee-bulb-lasagne-nasturtium-winter-shadows-raggedy-blooms-rainbow/
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What a great phrase – ‘cost per smile’ !
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Two great aphorisms in successive comments; Sharon’s “season of editing and shuffling” and your “cost per smile”. My Camellia ‘Navajo’, just outside my front window, has paid for itself in smiles a thousand times over.
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It’s the season for editing and shuffling. Here’s my six from the garden. Thanks for keeping this going. six-on-saturday-01-11-2025
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The season of editing and shuffling sums autumn up perfectly. I have a great deal of both to do.
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I love the camellia, and what a treat the nerine are! I’ve scraped together a bit of a mixed bag six this week: https://mysanctuarygarden.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-01-11-2025/
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That’s a great garden view – it must give you a lot of enjoyment to look over it from height each morning. The Nerine and camellia flowers are a real tonic at this time of the year. Last week was supposed to be my last six of the year as there’s little worthy of the camera now. But then I did this and thought, well, there’s six photos, so why not. 😁
https://notesfrommygarden.co.uk/2025/11/01/colour-therapy/
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It is like a game of who blinks first at this time of year, I have got pots lined up (mainly in my head) ready for protection. There just needs to be a little diversion at the wrong time and I will be scuppered! That is a gorgeous begonia. The nerine is also lovely. And what a wonderful bedroom view! Here are my six https://offtheedgegardening.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-12/
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A very pleasing view to draw the curtains to each day. Seeing the Camellia and Magnolia has reminded me you’re going to be on GW some time – presumably they’re saving it for the spring now or perhaps a winter special after it finishes this month https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-1-november-2025/
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I’ve still heard nothing about when they intend to show my GW piece. I’ll put something on here as soon as I hear.
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I went and caught your allotment update and thought that was your SOS for this week! I rather like the flowering phase of your Hakonechloa macra, at least I do with mine it has an added airiness and makes the season. Here is a link to my SOS: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2025/11/six-things-about-garden-at-start-of.html
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The combination of begonia and bamboo is very nice! I really like it, just like the Hakonechloa, which has roughly the same clump size here. https://fredgardenerblog2.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-01-11-25/
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The begonias planted among the bamboo are OK for the first year, then the bamboo roots grow back and there’s no way Begonia can compete with the bamboo.
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Well, that is one way to prune a magnolia. Ouch.
Here are my six.
https://tonytomeo.com/2025/11/01/six-on-saturday-off-color-angels-trumpets/
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