What Are You Doing, Gran?

‘I’m trying to take a photo of this little flower, but it’s hanging its head down.’
‘Does this help, Gran?’ he said, slipping his little hand under the flower and turning it upwards.
‘That’s perfect, thank you.’
‘What’s it called, Gran?’
‘It’s a Hellebore and it’s meant to flower in winter’.
‘But it’s summer, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, it is.’
‘It’s all mixed up, Gran’.
‘Yes, dear, so am I.’

Hellebore Harvington Yellow

‘Can we take a photo of this one? It’s hanging its head down too.’
‘That’s a lovely idea, thank you.’

Fuchsia (variety unknown)

There’s no Six on Saturday from me today. There wasn’t a single day where I was able to take the camera into the garden. I could tell you of each day; the wind, the rain, and the days when I had to be elsewhere, but it won’t make any difference. No photos this week.

Instead, I thought you might like to see these two flowers and the sweet memory that goes along with them. The little hand belongs to our youngest grandson, now 6 years old, and full of wisdom. The shots were taken a few weeks ago, so you can judge just how early that pretty hellebore is. The plant has four flowers on it now. How strange.

I won’t be joining you next week, as one of our grandsons is coming to visit from the US. Now seventeen, this will be his second independent journey across the pond to see us. I hope he manages to navigate Dublin Airport, I don’t think he’s been through that one, even with his older brother & parents.

Have a lovely weekend!

Catherine x

First ‘Six’ of 2025

Six on Saturday

For a few days at the end of January and beginning of February, it felt almost as though spring had arrived. My husband and I spent several days in the garden – our first opportunity to tidy up after Storm Eowyn. It was still bitterly cold, but calm and sunny. We were dressed for the cold and it turned out to be quite pleasant in the sunshine. Unlike many in our area, the garden escaped the worst of last month’s storm. The blown-out glass in the greenhouse has been replaced and the one tile that had slipped on the roof of the house is back in place. I will never forget the roar of the wind that night. It was incredibly loud and sounded much like the hurricanes or tornadoes in movies. Scary.

That’s behind us now, new shoots are emerging everywhere and I’m feeling excited as spring approaches. I’m busy with gardening tasks like cutting back the last of the perennials and removing old or damaged shrubs when the weather is nice.

But now it’s time for my first 2025 Six on Saturday.

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Wishing You a Joyful Christmas

Since I arrived home from my visit to Washington I’ve had just one excursion into my soggy garden – almost afraid to find many plants ruined. Instead, the garden was slumbering gently…and displaying a few hopeful signs of plant life yet to come.

Seeing the first shoots of next year’s flowers is always exciting. Iris reticulata ‘Purple Hill’ is a bit early, but it’s reassuring to know the bulbs are alive!

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Purple, Pink and Sunshine Yellow

Six on Saturday

Glorious purple. It’s always an exciting moment when you find little clumps of crocuses here and there in the borders. I spotted these on Friday morning just after the rain had gone off. They were new, fresh and had held up well against the awful downpours of the previous few days.

Crocus. A welcome sight in any garden.
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Rest and Renew

Six on Saturday

Our gardens, whether large or small, welcome winter as a season of rest and renewal. It’s a time when we can reflect on the plants we have and ponder new additions that will fill the beds and borders with colour and vitality.

We snuggle up in the warmth of our homes, browsing through plant & seed catalogues and making lists, often impractical because of their length and cost. But still, we optimistically plod onward, full of hopes of sunny, warm spring days when the garden bursts into new life.

At a glance, my garden feels and looks desolate, but everywhere, shoots are pushing through the ground, shrubs are sporting new buds and hellebores are beginning to flower. Spring will come. Winter is a time of hope.

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