Good morning! It’s been a bit warm this week, to say the least. The garden is starting to look a little bit cooked, but there’s rain on the way over the weekend; hopefully that will keep everything ticking over for the time being. Last week I commenced my Six on Saturday by showing some shots of the borders (as opposed to individual plants). This week I thought I’d potter around with the macro lens, taking some close ups of whatever tickled my fancy. As usual, The Propagator will be providing a home for all those Six on Saturday lost souls.
1. Leucanthemum x superbum
This is a particularly unnecessarily frilly Shasta daisy. Last year it struggled along, putting on a rather mediocre display. This time around it seems a bit happier, and is doing it’s ruffled, flouncy thing with more purpose.
A client of mine recently said “Oh, I’ve bought a new plant – it’s called Leucanthemum… er…”. “Super-bum?” I suggested, helpfully. I then pointed out that technically it’s meant to be “superb-um”, but given the opportunity for a cheap joke, who’d opt for the latter?
2. Santolina rosmarinifolia
A lovely little shrub which I grew from a cutting. It always seems to put it’s flowers out around the sides and edge, rather than on the top. Being such a nice looking thing, I don’t judge it too harshly.
3. Salvia confertiflora
It’s not yet in flower, but I do like the leaves of this. The tiny little hairs on the leaves give them a silvery edge which I find rather appealing. If you’re the tactile sort, it has a nice feel to it as well.
4. Wiggly Wisteria
The Wisteria is trying to grasp on to blue sky and clouds. It’s due for a haircut, but I like it’s ambition all the same. It is also trying to get in the bathroom window. Not a chance, you cheeky plant!
5. Sempervivum
One of the teapot-dwelling Sempervivums is flowering. I’ve always quite liked the flowers; somehow they don’t look like they match the plant. The central rosette will die after it’s flowered, but I’ve never found that to be a problem as the gap soon fills in.
6. Dicentra formosa leaf
I like the blue edging on leaves of some of the Dicentras. They often have glaucous leaves and I thought this particular plant was displaying these blueish tones very nicely indeed.
Looking back over the post, it seems a little brief, but that’s all for today’s Six on Saturday. I think my brain might have been slightly baked. I hope you have a good weekend (and a cool, refreshing one for those of us who need it!). See you next time!
Love your wiggly wisteria!
Me too! It’s got several of those shoots grasping on to thin air 🙂
I saw a huge bush of Santolina rosmarinifolia at the botanical gardens here, though theirs had golden yellow flowers – I like the softer colours on yours. Love the sage leaf too, nice fuzzy feltyness. Hope you’re feeling less baked now.
That sounds great. There’s not that much room where mine is growing, so it’ll have to be tamed once in a while.
It’s a lot cooler outside now – quite refreshing!
I like your frilly shasta daisy, a lot more frilly than mine! I also like the blue shading on your Dicentra leaf, very pretty.
It is a very frilly variety – I’m afraid I don’t know the name of it.
Great photos. I find myself wanting to run by fingers through the foliage of that Santolina rosmarinifolia. My mum always refers to superbum as ‘super bum.’ I thought that was its actual name until I saw it for sale and the penny finally dropped!
I much prefer ‘Super bum’. Taxonomy can get a bit dry at times, so anything to lighten the mood slightly is more than welcome in my book!
Always super-bum! Your santolina is very sweet. Nice photos. It is good to look closely sometimes.
Glad I’m not alone! Thanks 🙂
My Leucanthemum is doing well having grown it from seed courtesy of Mr P a couple of years ago. No corydalis this week? No room with all the other lovely plants.
I thought I’d give everyone a break from the Corydalis!
I’ve always like the sempervivum flowers, so intricate.
Yes they are!
This photo of Leucanthemum is superbly well taken. ‘Super-bum’ you say? I would say ‘Super Boom’!💣😍
I also have a salvia which has velvet-like foliage. I should present it soon but I’m still waiting to have flowers… (salvia sclarea)
Sempervivum in bloom here too ; maybe in my next Six
I would like take the credit but it’s a very photogenic plant! I have a few more which I’ll probably pop on Instagram or Twitter at some point 🙂
Those photos are fantastic. I’d like to take some better close ups but the cost of the macro lens for the Canon was eye wateringly expensive. I’ll stick to admiring your shots instead. I particularly liked Super-bum.
Thanks! Lenses can reach pretty astronomical prices – often more than the camera themselves.
Great photos 🙂
Cheers!