What a Difference a Week Makes

Published on by Catherine35 Comments

Seven days on and the garden is blooming. It felt like a long wait, but finally, several of the roses and other plants decided it was time to greet 2024. Since last Saturday and until mid-week we were enjoying a calmer period of weather that was a few degrees higher than it has been for many weeks. Our last warm spell was in May so this was welcome, but typically, it didn’t last. I photographed on Wednesday because one glance at the forecast told me it would be the last calm day and strong winds, plus rain, would make photography impossible on Thursday and beyond. So here it is, my selection of photos for this weekend’s Six on Saturday.

Six on Saturday

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Summer Go-Slow

Published on by Catherine23 Comments

The garden’s growth has been a bit sluggish lately. The recent weather has been cold and lacking sunlight, which is quite different from what I captured in my photos at this time last year. Back then, many plants, including the roses, were in full bloom. At that time, everyone here was basking (melting!) in the heat. This year has been different and I’ve been impatient for the garden to burst into glorious colour.

But I have to ask myself – why am I in such a hurry? The roses have plenty of buds, and perennials and annuals will flower soon. When they do, temperatures will have risen enough to be able to sit out and simply enjoy the garden, its colour, its perfume and the warmth of summer. Perhaps the plants are wiser than me. They’re patiently waiting for the right moment.

My apologies for missing all your blogs last week, I’ve been a bit under the weather for a couple of weeks, but on the mend and back working (gently) in the garden. My other half is the real workhorse in our garden now, and I’m mostly the one who points and says, ‘Dig this out’ or ‘plant this here’. It’s a pity he doesn’t love the garden, but I’m working on that! 😉

However, I’ve been around the garden with the camera and found plenty of prettiness to capture for this week’s Six on Saturday.

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Chilly

Published on by Catherine39 Comments

I packed away my winter clothes when I thought summer had arrived. I was too hasty. I should know by now how unpredictable our weather can be and now I’m searching around for warm clothing. Our top temperatures have hovered around a chilly 13℃ (55.4℉), with a ‘feels-like’ 11℃ (51.8℉) thanks to the relentless cold winds – but I hope you’ve been enjoying warmer weather than we are here.

Despite the unseasonably cool weather, the garden is beginning, slowly, to show summer colour, though some plants, such as the oriental poppies are struggling to stay upright, and refusing to open fully.

I was visiting one of my daughters and missed last week’s Six on Saturday, but here is my garden offering for this weekend.

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Chelsea Week

Published on by Catherine38 Comments

Six on Saturday

Hands up if you are following the Chelsea Flower Show on tv this week! Or perhaps some of you were lucky enough to be at the show in person? Did you enjoy it, what do you think about this year’s gardens – did any give you inspiration, make you want to rush out and dig up your garden and start all over, or maybe you weren’t enthused about the show gardens? Whatever your feelings about the creations there’s no doubt that a huge amount of talent and hard work (not to mention expense) went into creating them.

I spotted some little cameos in the gardens that I thought were lovely. The floral marquee, was as always, full of magnificent displays of floral magic. My favourite gardens have always been those created by Chris Beardshaw who sadly wasn’t exhibiting this year. I’m sure we all managed to find something that had us reaching for Google to find out what online nursery stocked it!

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A Floral Six

Published on by Catherine38 Comments

We’re still being blessed with mostly dry, sunny and warm weather. We’ve had thunder, a few torrential downpours and heaps of sunshine. Friday was very warm, prompting my 10-year-old granddaughter to complain that it had been too hot for the school sports day! The teachers though, were delighted – it was a welcome change from rainy sports days that usually result in cancellation.

My garden has suddenly sprouted but it’s not only the flowering plants that love this weather – the weeds do too! I can’t believe the amount of weeds that have sprung up since last week! And now there’s abundant evidence of slugs and snails! The herbaceous plants are growing too big for their space – I should have predicted that and thinned them last Autumn, but here we are – I’ll have to lift a few here and there and put them in pots, otherwise the borders are going to be too congested throughout the summer.

Here is my selection for this week’s Six on Saturday.

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