The weather’s been fabulous this week, what a joy to have light winds, sunshine and real warmth. Here in Scotland, we moved into Covid-19 Lockdown Stage One yesterday. Some friends were anxious to be able to get out for walks or go to see family members, but right now I feel happy to just stay around my own house and garden until any initial rush is over.
If I had to complain it would only be to say that the heat has slowed my gardening efforts. I have to remind myself that this is only the end of May, where I’d normally just be thinking about putting out tender plants, and I’m actually way ahead of my usual planting schedule.
There’s not a huge amount of colour in the garden at the moment, spring planting is fading and the summer replacements are only gently starting to bloom. The roses are beginning to open, so hopefully, the garden will be rich in colour within another week or two.
Meantime, here’s my Six for this gorgeous, sunny Saturday.
First Flowering Peony
I’m rather chuffed with this peony, it’s the first to bloom this year, and there was a great deal of doubt about whether it would bloom at all.
It was given to me by a friend many years ago, shortly after we moved in here. Last year the tuber was getting so large that it was rising out of the ground, and so, out of necessity, we lifted it during autumn and divided it. When I say divided, that’s a kindly description of what actually happened.
This tuber was massive, and I had read online that it probably wouldn’t flower again for many years after division. But it had to be done, so I pointed to the places where I thought it should be cut and my husband took a big saw and sawed it into several pieces. I potted up some of the pieces and passed them on this year after I made sure that they were growing well.
Two of the divisions are back in the garden, both with buds, and this is the first flower from one of those plants. The other buds are small, and I’m a bit doubtful if they will flower, but now that I know it’s capable of flowering, I’ll see if it can be persuaded to do a bit better next year.
Clematis ‘Fleuri’
This is a small clematis, only 4ft in height, and a recent purchase. It sits in a container at the front door, beside the pots of pelargoniums. I wasn’t sure about the dark purple & magenta colour of the flowers when it started to bloom shortly after delivery in April, but it’s growing on me.
It seems that it likes full sun, so it’s in an ideal spot, and it flowers from late Spring to late Summer. If it continues to flower as well as this, I might end up loving it. 😊
Astrantia ‘Buckland’
Four Astrantia ‘Buckland’ plants border one side of our raised patio so I can look straight down onto the tops of the almost-1m high flowers. Astrantia ‘Buckland’ blooms a little bit earlier than some of the other astrantias in the garden and its soft pink flowers are very attractive sitting on silvery-white bracts.
Unknown plant
I have been looking at this plant for several years now, and each year I ask, ‘who are you?’ It stands about 30″ high, is in a semi-shaded spot and I wonder if it could be some type of anemone? Anyone willing to hazard a guess?
Patio Planter
While this planter was under construction on our front drive, it was dubbed ‘the coffin’ because of its size and appearance. Last week it was finally planted up for summer. There’s not a huge amount of colour at the moment, but like the garden that will hopefully change over the next few weeks.
A hidden gem
I was on my knees weeding during the week when I looked up and noticed this astrantia that grows in a fairly secluded spot. It’s nodding heads are just getting ready to stretch up and open to reveal its tall, delicate flowers that are in stark contrast to its surrounding neighbours.
Be sure to check out all the other Six on Saturday posts from around the world, where you’ll find plenty of inspiration and garden ideas. Enjoy your gardening weekend and stay safe and healthy. 🌈
Here are the details:
ABOUT SIX ON SATURDAY
Six on Saturday is like a weekly journal. Take six photographs and post them to Twitter and/or your blog. You can get all the details from The Propagator who kindly set it all up. If you want to join in and see what everyone else is doing in the garden, just follow the link!
All photographs copyright of Catherine Wood unless otherwise stated.
Notes From My Garden 
The peony is gorgeous. I am afraid I don’t know what the unknown plant is, but it is really pretty.
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Thank you. Jim, in the comments below, has made a suggestion that I’ll follow up.
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Now I want to know what the unknown plant is! I must remember to keep checking back to see if anyone has the answer. Love the peony, such a joy this time of year. Have a great week 🙂
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I believe that Jim (below in comments) has come up with the answer: Anemone rivularis.
Enjoy your week too – I hope the weather is kind to you and your garden. 😊
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Fantastic, he is a clever chap!
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I was going to suggest that one too. It is a very pretty flower.
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A lovely colourful Six! The peony is gorgeous, and the colour of the Clematis is really deep and beautiful. I really do hope that my Clematis survives to spring, and hopefully flowers. Mine is also in a pot. The Astrantia flowers are really enchanting. I have not come across one before, but I have already investigated and found I can buy one online from Victoria! Unfortunately I have no idea what the mystery plant is. It is lovely.
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There are many varieties of Astrantia and the lovely airy flowers fir well into many different garden schemes. I hope you manage to source one. I hope your clematis makes it through your winter! Take care, and have a lovely week.
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I did indeed source a plant. Unfortunately they only have one variety. Such a pity, but probably better for my pocket! Hopefully I can post some photos of the Clematis in spring. Hope you have a great week too!
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As I had to move my peonies last autumn , I’m pretty sure I won’t have flowers this year… Not a single flower bud yet. Very nice unknown plant but unfortunately I can’t help you to identify it because I don’t know either. ( but I will google !)
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That’s a pity about your peony – I don’t know enough about them to be of help – except that they won’t flower if they’re planted too deep. I think the recommended depth is just 1″ under the surface of the soil. Jim appears to have answered the question about the plant – Anemone rivularis. 😊
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Maybe mine are too deep… thanks !
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That planter must look good at dusk with those whites and yellows. I have not tried astrantia, yours arc lovely.
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Thank you. 😊 I’m hoping the planter will look better when the plants grow a bit more and some more purples and pinks appear. I think you would like astrantias in your garden, and there’s plenty of varieties to choose from.
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The clematis is lovely. I don’t usually have much luck with them (apart from a Montana) but two have risen from the dead and buds have been spotted so fingers crossed. I don’t know what the unknown plant is but it’s a beauty. The coffin looks great planted up!
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I’m not great with clematis either and hoping a don’t kill this one off. 😁 Jim Stephens (below) has provided the answer – Anemone rivularis. I’m pretty certain that’s it – I’ll look tomorrow to see if it has blue tinges on the underside.
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I think the coffin looks absolutely stunning. A very clever combination of plants and I’m sure it will develop even better over the summer.
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I really should stop calling it the coffin. 😂
Thanks for your encouraging comments about the plants. The original planting plan went out the window when the snails had a couple of the key plants for breakfast, lunch and dinner while they were waiting to be planted. This was plan B…in other words, what I had left. 😁
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If the clematis really does flower all summer then I for one want to know about it, I love the colour and would certainly find a spot for one. The peony takes me back 50 years to my parents’ garden, they had lots and I wish I’d taken one with me when I left. I’m fairly sure the anemone is one I saw and nearly bought this morning at Treseders Nursery, which was Anemone rivularis.
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Jim, you’re a gem! I think that’s it.
“Anemone rivularis, commonly know as ‘riverside windflower’ is a clump-forming cultivar. It has saucer-shaped white flowers, indigo in the middle and tinged blue on the reverse.”
I’ll be out there in the morning to see if it has a blue tinge on the reverse. Thank you. 😁
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I can’t believe how far along your astrantia are! Very wow. You’ve given me serious peony envy, as well. Ours haven’t bloomed for 2 years now after separating them. Wonder what the secret was for yours? Your mystery plant is certainly beautiful. Google Lens on your Google page identifies plants, so perhaps that could enlighten all of us.
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a. ‘Buckland’ always blooms first. Elsewhere in the garden a. major is just starting to open.
Re the peony – I watched a YouTube video about how to divide it, then marked sections with 3 (I think) eyes and let the saw do the rest.
I understand that they don’t like being planted too deeply, just about 1″ under the soil. I have a different peony in the garden that doesn’t flower, and I keep meaning to lift it and replant it – I should make a note of that for autumn. Might solve my problem too.
Jim (above) has suggested Anemone rivularis – and I believe that’s exactly what it is. 😁
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Jim is an excellent plant identifier. How wonderful to be able to store all that info in one brain! I shall have a discussion w/my peonies this autumn to make sure they’re not too deeply buried. Thanks for the info.
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Duh!
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Beautiful Peony. Such a gorgeous rich colour. I second Jim’s comments regarding the clematis. I hope you keep us updated on its flowering power because it sounds like a very good addition to the garden.
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How long the clematis flowers might be dependant on whether I manage to keep it alive or not. I have to put reminders everywhere to water & feed plants at the front door. But I’ll do my best and let you know how long it flowers/survives. 😁
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What a welcome contrast today’s heat and sunshine has been compared to the ferocious hooley that blew last weekend Catherine. Things are moving more quickly on this side of the border as far as lifting restrictions go but like you I’m happy to linger in my bubble of home and garden for longer. I am off to find out more about your gorgeous clematis. Is it growing in a pot or in the ground?
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Yes, the weather has been a real treat Anna, and I just hope that not too many people venture outside and create crowds.
I bought the clematis from Sarah Raven (and the colour on her website is not like the real colour of the plant I have) hence my initial dismay at the colour when the first flower opened. It’s growing in a pot.
Enjoy your home and garden bubble, it’s still the safest and probably nicest place to be. 😊
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The peony is glorious. I’ve just moved my one and only, and I’m hoping the new position will encourage it to flower, which it has never done in five years. I suspect some of it is left behind in the old spot too, so perhaps I’ll have two of them. The colour of your clematis is rich and beautiful. I love astrantia too, but can’t grow them here.
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So much hope goes into a garden, we plan, we do the work and then we have to wait until the following year to find out if our efforts have been successful. I hope your peony flowers for you…and perhaps even two. 😊
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Thank you!
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Your anemone is very beautiful and I can well imagine your excitement to see the peony flower after division. They seem to stay in buds for ages, then suddenly come forth.
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It’s always a joy when those buds spring open!
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I don’t grow peonies, my site is very windy so I suspect the flowers wouldn’t last very long. I rather like your clematis colours – very striking. I seem to have lost a clematis in a pot which is annoying because it wasn’t a cheap one. Got too wet I suspect. The glorious weather has turned today, I hope it turns back, I was rather enjoying all the sunshine.
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Perhaps your clematis will grow again next year. I mentioned a week or two ago that I’d lifted two that looked lifeless and potted them up. One started growing and I was about to throw the other out when I noticed a tiny bit of life pushing through the compost. It’s now growing and looks fairly healthy. Won’t get flowers this year, but perhaps next.
Our good weather has deserted us too, and as well as only being 12C we have high winds today – so my hopes are the same as yours. 😁
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I will remove the ‘dead’ clematis from its pot and see what the roots look like.
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Thank you for shharing this
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