Why hello there! You may well be here because it’s Six on Saturday time; that’s just as well, because I am too. There’s no real order or logic to this week’s Six, just a selection of garden-related things for perusal at your leisure. There are, of course, many other posts to get stuck in to over at The Propagator. Do take a look. Here are my Six:
1. Bearded Iris (name: unknown)
This is a favourite of mine. It has huge white flowers (slightly edged with blue, when they first open), although they’re a little prone to being damaged by this weather of ours. I think this is the year to dig it up and divide it: it’s become a little large for the position it’s currently in, and there doesn’t look to be quite the same number of flowers on their way this year. I have a spot further down the same stretch of border reserved for one of the divisions.
2. Weather
Truly, we’ve had a bit of everything this week. Sun, cloud, rain, hail, cold, warm, no thunder (yet) though. Anyway, this photo’s from Monday evening. It was absolutely pouring with rain when I took this. Sheltering myself and the camera under my coat and standing in the middle of the garden; any neighbours that saw me would have been most concerned, I’m sure.
3. Acer palmatum
This was a present for my better half a few years ago. I don’t think she was hugely impressed with the twig I bought when she’d asked for an acer. It’s paying dividends now though! In my defence, smaller plants often establish much faster and better than bigger ones. As well as being nice and healthy, it’s also got a very pleasing shape.
4. Pseudofumaria lutea
I’ve featured this plant at various times in the past, but I really like them. Previously named Corydalis lutea, and also referred to as Yellow Corydalis, they spring up freely on the floor of the greenhouse. Occasionally I’ll pull one up if it’s in the way, but generally speaking, I let them do their thing.
5. Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’
The various Lamprocapnos have had a mixed start to their year: enjoying neither the cold, nor the dry. As a result, some have come up looking a little bit feeble, but I’m sure they’ll sort themselves out. The photo on the left is actually of some seedlings of ‘Valentine’. The flowers have the same dark red colour as the parent (as opposed to the pink of the species), but the leaves are slightly lighter. I assume they’re a bit of a mix between the species and ‘Valentine’. Below are the leaves of both as a comparison:
It’s a subtle difference, but one that’s more striking in real life. It keeps me amused anyway!
6. Griffin
Finally, a quick photo of Griffin. He’s back to his usual self now: head down, charging straight for me, ready to inflict all sorts of malevolent behaviour upon my innocent person.
That brings this week’s Six on Saturday to a close. Thanks for dropping in, and don’t forget to head over to The Propagator to have a look at some other Six on Saturday posts. Enjoy your weekend!
Great to see Griffin out and about again. So he doesn’t mind the weather then? Nice capture with the double rainbow, and that Acer is a most pleasing shape. I wish my iris would flower more profusely – do you follow the rules and keep other plants at bay so the rhizomes aren’t shaded?
I would say he’s not thrilled about the weather, but he’s being rather stoic about it!
With the Iris, I keep the neighbouring plants out of the way, and make the rhizomes as exposed as possible. They get really baked (in a good summer!), which I think makes all the difference to flowering.
Thanks, a lot of people are telling me to bake them, so that’s what I’ll do short of putting them in the oven! The danger is that the neighbouring plants will encroach, and I don’t really want to see just bare rhizomes, so there may be a bit of compromise involved.
I am watching a planting of 20 new bearded irises with great hopes and a certain trepidation. Last year I was sent, an extraordinary kind gift, 20 different Cedric Morris irises, the Benton End Irises I think they are called also, all bred by the artist Cedric Morris. A small number of people are great devotees of these irises and are working hard to preserve them – and spreading them to other gardeners is one of their effective methods. I have already made arrangements to move offsets to a large garden nearby – Mount Congreve.
Lucky you! I remember reading something or other about the Cedric Morris irises some time ago, and about the efforts to conserve them. How nice to be part of the story!
Your Japanese maple is flourishing, as is your Griffin. I like the fact that you leave volunteers to grow on the floor of your greenhouse whenever practicable.
Yes, they’re both doing well!
I also have a couple of cyclamen growing on the greenhouse floor – I think it’s part of the fun!
The acer bonsai is a wonder ! I love it ! I lost one 2 summers ago and I started another new one from seedlings… Rendezvous in a few years…
They are lovely things, aren’t they! I do move it against the house in the winter, just to protect it from the wind really.
The acer is a very pleasing shape. My wife’s Morrison’s acer is just starting to come into leaf. I’ve just been playing with the swipey Lamprocapno leaves photo – it’s strangely entertaining.
It’s fun isn’t it! I came across it on the WordPress editor a while ago, but didn’t really have a use for it at the time.
Good news: Griffin’s back! Bad news: another name change! How long has Corydalis lutea been whatever you call it? Lovely acer, hope your other half loves it now.
The name change happened at the same time that Lamprocapnos was created (and the climbing Dicentras were renamed Dactylicapnos). I think it was changed mid-2000s, following a study conducted at the end of the 90s.
My wife would like it to be known that she always liked the acer. I retract my previous, borderline slanderous, comments!
I just saw what I think is Corydalis lutea growing in a crack between wall and pavement down the road – may try to steal some seed later. I’ve only just cottoned on to the old name, so that’s that!
Pavements and walls seem to be it’s favoured locations!
That is a lovely Acer, and it is rather satisfying to have watched such a fine shaped plant develop from a twig.
Yes it is! When it was first planted it was quite lopsided, but it’s balanced itself out now.
It was worth the effort for the rainbow photograph – you’ve captured it beautifully. The acer is a stunning shape and colour. Can’t wait to see the Iris in flower with those daisies in the background.
I’m glad you think so – I was quite pleased with the results. I’ll definitely pop up a photo of the Iris again when it’s in flower!
Not called Corydalis lutea any more? I don’t think I can keep up. I’ve got a little patch of it in the garden. The acer is looking very good now with its rich red leaves.
I don’t suppose the plant itself minds what we call it! I glad you’ve got some growing in the garden – some people consider it a weed. I think it flowers too well to be treated as such!
A lovely acer and happy to see Griffin again!
Cheers!
Your Acer is very lovely and beautifully formed. And your tortoise is just like one I had in my childhood! It chased my friends and I around the garden and once took a chunk out of my grandmother’s heel. You have been warned…
Oh wow! Ours is quite aggressive, but not that bad. He also only attacks me – everyone else is safe!