Wilting

Published on by Catherine

It’s been another dry and sunny week. There’s no sign of rain ahead, and it’s much the same throughout the country. Tuesday was exceptional warm – too warm to do any gardening, though I did try. Like some of the plants, I was wilting and had to give up. There has been no hosepipe ban, but we’re being urged to use water as efficiently as possible in homes and gardens. I’m trying to do my bit, but I can see the plants are stressed. Yesterday morning I found a large oriental poppy with four white flowers lying face down on the grass. It’s been watered and I have added supports that it doesn’t usually need. It’s recovering but I’m sure there will be more face flops.

It’s time now, to get on with this week’s Six on Saturday.

Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’. This year I’m growing a few more Geums, and this was the first flower on one of the new plants. It’s easy to see why it has been named Totally Tangerine. Most of the flowers will be single, but this first is ignoring the rules and has many gorgeous, ruffled layers. I’m hoping it does as it says on the tin, and flowers through until autumn.

  • Geum Totally Tangerine
  • and the more usual single version

Geum ‘Mai Tai’. From my sister, this pretty little Geum will have to be lifted and moved to a sunnier spot where she will be more visible and more admired. Other planting has grown around her now, and what once was a sunny spot is now in shade part of the day.

  • Geum ‘Mai Tai’
  • Just opening, the colours are rich

Aquilegia ‘Kristall’ (White Star). This is an elegant aquilegia with long, graceful white, spurs.

  • Aquilegia ‘Kristall’
  • Also known as White Star

Aquilegia (no name). There isn’t much a I can say about this aquilegia, it has been in the garden for a good number of years and I’ve long since forgotten it’s name. The nodding heads turn slightly upwards as the flower opens.

  • Pretty lavender-blue colours
  • Aquilegia

The Deck & Woodland Area. I say ‘woodland’ with tongue-in-cheek because it’s not in any way large enough to be a woodland. I’ve been planting and pruning in there this week. It’s shady and cool and very peaceful. It’s also the entrance to the grandchildren’s den, which is less used as they’re getting a little bit older, but when I suggested that I might make changes, there was a minor rebellion. The deck (which you can’t see clearly) is bordered by trees, shrubs and potted plants, and faces the rose bed.

The deck at the back of the garden

Rosa Rugosa ‘Hansa’. This is the first rose to flower this year. The flowers are beautiful and the fragrance is delicious – though approach with caution – rugosas are well known for their thorns.

  • Rosa Rugosa ‘Hansa’
  • A thorny beauty

If you want to know more about Six on Saturday, pop over to Jim’s site for information. Jim is the host and all the links are there to take you to home gardeners across the world.

I won’t be able to post next weekend, but let’s all make the most of this wonderful sunshine, because at some point the rain will fall again and we’ll be replacing t-shirts and parasols with jackets and umbrellas! On that happy (?) note, I’m going to look at my list of jobs to do in the garden that I might or might not tackle today! Just sitting and enjoying the sunny weather seems like a better idea. 😁

Have a lovely weekend!

Catherine x

33 thoughts on “Wilting”

    1. Thanks, Fred. The deck is small – just 3m x 3m, but big enough for a 4-seat bench with a large pot of roses on either side. I’ll show it in full if I can, when the roses and the climbers start to flower.

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    1. Thank you. 😊 The only issue with the garden right now is the lack of rain. The Astrantias, Poppies, Hardy Geraniums are the most visibly affected. Watering can to the rescue (with the occasional help of the hose!) Shhh…

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  3. Lovely May flowers, I love the geums. This drought so early in the season in the UK is worrying. I am worrying about my Suffolk garden. We have had rain here and are due more next week.

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    1. I hope your garden in Suffolk will be alright. I’ve accepted (partially) that I’m going to lose some planting, or at best, they won’t perform well this summer. We’re all at the mercy of the weather, but it’s more difficult for you when you’re living in France you can’t pop out with the watering can when something flops over. Possible showers here too for next week, but I’m really enjoying all this sunshine and warmth.

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    1. Thanks Rosie, I found another aquilegia this morning that I think is ‘Ruby Port’. I potted it up last year when I was making changes to an area and forgot about it. It’s a spindly wee thing, but I’m sure it will survive and look better next year!

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    1. Thanks Dock. I seem to be having problems posting a comment of your blog. It disappears and I’m sure it hasn’t been set up like that in the past? Any help appreciated! 😁

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  7. I love geums, I could do an SoS post on the different varieties I’ve now got, and still have a couple left over! I’ve found “Totally Tangerine” to be very long-lasting.
    I also love the deck area, it looks very serene.

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    1. I’m not sure how many Geums I now have, Helen. G. ‘Scarlet Tempest has been divided and I think there’s now three of them, but we’ll just count that as one! I’ve rescued ‘Petticoats Peach’ from a container with other planting that overwhelmed it, but it now needs nursed back to health. That might be one more…or might not…my nursing skills are not great. 🙄

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    1. At last there seems to be real rain on the horizon. From next weekend we appear to be returning to our usual sunshine & showers weather, with cooler temperatures – so I’m making the most of the warm days while I can! I’m hoping the plants will hold out until then! 😁

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  9. Those Aquilegias are beautiful, especially ‘Kristall.’ hope the poppy perks up. I have a red primula I planted a week or so ago & I’ve found it collapsed in a heap a number of times & in need of an emergency water. We could certainly do with rain.

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    1. With the help of a rusty bow the poppy is now sitting up. But another has collapsed on top of a hardy geranium. Skittles. I hope you’ve revived your red primula. The rain is coming Graeme, but perhaps not until next weekend. ☔️

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  10. The photo of ‘Kristall’ is wonderful, I love the long-spurred cultivars. I don’t have much luck with geums and I am yet to figure out why. It’s a pity as I like the colour range. In my last garden the weed geum (Geum urbanum) was the bane of my life!

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    1. All I know about growing geums is that they like moisture retentive soil, don’t like to be too wet in winter and some types like sun other needs some shade. I have to keep checking online to figure out where they’re going to be planted! 🤔

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  11. Like so many others, I am going to say how lovely your photographs are and especially those of your aquilegia. On this note, should any set seed and particularly the white one, and you should gather some, would you mind sending me a mixture for me to sow directly?

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    1. Thanks Noelle. Yes, I’m happy to send you seeds – all I will have to do is remember to gather them! I’ll put some notes on my calendar that will pop up every now and again as reminders! Once I have some I’ll contact you and you can give the address. 😊

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  12. Love your white aquilegia, must buy some seed to sprinkle here! Your roses are beautiful, what a wonderful time of year it is in the garden at the moment.

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    1. In recent years springtime seems to be performing better than summer. I wonder if that’s a trend that’s here to stay? But you’re right – it is a wonderful time of the year in the garden.

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  13. Some exquisite samples for your “six.” And your photos, as always, are lovely! ‘Hansa’ sure is a beauty, as is that stunning orange Geum. Enjoy the sunny, comfortable weather…and the gardening, of course!

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    1. Thank you, Beth. From my window I can now see 8 blooms on the rose, and there are plenty more buds yet to come. It’s thorny, but it’s also a happy buy! Temperatures have dropped slightly now, so it’s more comfortable and it won’t be long until everyone here returns to complaining about the rain, or the cold or the wind! 😆

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  15. Your garden must be so pretty right now Catherine. The rose is lovely – I am completely ignorant when it comes to roses, and had no idea there are cultivar rugosa roses. I just assumed rugosas are all wild ones like the ones that grow in our hedges! (And started opening at the weekend). 😄 Geum T.T. is now established here, but itvgets too hot and dry for mine to flower all summer. I hope yours will. They are gorgeous, aren’t they! Your photos are as always quite wonderful. Wishing you some gentle overnight rain…. we desperately need some too!

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    1. The garden is currently in a sorry state. It should pick up once the promised rain arrives this weekend, though if the forecast is right, it won’t be gentle – it’s apparently going to be heavy rain. As long as the plants hold up under the deluge, I don’t mind, as the soil is like concrete. I thought the same as you about rugosas, Cathy. I’m growing to love these tall airy gems with the dazzling colours, more and more.

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  16. As it is usually a wet spring that I am complaining about I am more than happy to enjoy the sun while it lasts! After all who knows what the summer will be like? I am watering pots though and an occasional soak around the rest of the garden. Apparently showers are forecast tomorrow and most of next week – typical as it is half term! Your garden must be full of colour at the moment. And yes, I have the TT geum as well as ‘Red Wings’ which has begun to flower and three more. One which almost disappeared last year, but seems to be making a come-back. I do like the rugosa rose. I’m thinking Cornish hedge?

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    1. I think I do as much complaining about the rain as you, Jude – but this warm, sunny month has been glorious. I will miss it. Rain is forecast to arrive here, late Friday night and all day Saturday. It will be welcome, because the ground is parched and too many pots are sitting waiting for the rain to arrive so that they can be planted. But I’m still hoping for a great summer! Buds are just starting to open in the garden, it’s usually early June before the roses really wake up – that’s when the garden really colours up.

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