While there is undoubtedly more going backwards than going forwards, there is still plenty of colour to be found. Harder to find is gaps between the showers to get out and take pictures. Low light levels and wind don't help either. At least I don't have to work out in it any more, for which…
Author: Jim Stephens
Gardener, no-dig allotmenteer, camellia enthusiast.
I love colour, it cheers me up.
Retired nurseryman.
Six on Saturday – 9/9/2017
Ah, the uncertain days of autumn. Things that look good on Thursday are trashed by Saturday; things that look like they will open in time don't. The weather forecast is for rain all day and it's been dry for hours. Right, what we've got is: One. Geranium procurrens. This appeared from nowhere about two years…
Gardening and getting older.
As gardeners we are very conscious of the life span allotted to the various plants we grow in our gardens. Some may be annuals, some perennials, some biennials. All of us will have had things die prematurely, sometimes for no apparent reason. Equally, most of us will have had the odd annual that manages two…
Six on Saturday – 2/9/2017
The elephant in the room regarding this six is the magnolia I have spent half the week removing and disposing of. It's gone, move on. One. Cyrtanthus elatus. Scarborough Lily. I included the variety 'Pink Diamond' two weeks ago, now the red flowering original form is starting to open. They're not frost hardy, but in…
End of month view 1-9-2017
I was going to skip this month, but the meme has a new host and I received a reminder, so here I am, a day late. A few days ago we were looking at a large Magnolia that has been near the centre of our garden for about twenty years and had reached perhaps 22…
Heaven Scent sent to heaven.
White and pale pink Magnolias need a dark background to be seen at their best. On flat ground those of tree habit need a backdrop of other trees or else you are looking at their flowers against the sky, which in the early months of the year is more likely to be cloudy than clear. Magnolia ‘Heaven…
Six on Saturday – 26/8/2017
What a busy week we've had. Last Sunday we went up to the flower show at RHS Rosemoor. It rained, which was a shame, but was enjoyable for all that. Restricted plant purchases to three items. Then Thursday we went the other way, to Penzance, taking in the National Dahlia collection field of Dahlias; awesome;…
This little patch of mine.
Somewhere on this site is a map of my garden, carefully measured and drawn to scale by me a year or two back. Only there is no scale marked on it, so you don’t know how big it is and nor did I. Well, I revisited it and worked out that my back garden is…
Six on Saturday – 19/8/2017
Another week has flown by and it's time for another six. I found myself in the luxurious position of having too many things to include. Hope you like the six that made the cut. One. Cyrtanthus elatus 'Pink Diamond'. Scarborough Lily. A very accomodating bulb that grows well in our north facing conservatory, though I…
Euphorbia mellifera
There are one or two spots in the garden where it's a struggle to get anything to grow. One such place is behind a brick retaining wall where I suspect the builders back filled with a load of rubble. Somewhere down the line we planted a Euphorbia mellifera there and it has loved it, growing…
garden ruminations 