Six on Saturday 16.07.2022

I started off last Saturday saying how hot it was, I spoke too soon, it is even hotter this weekend and due to get even hotter still tomorrow and Monday. I am doing everything I can to stay cool and start gardening at 5 am when I wake, when it is nice and cool. By 10 am though I am melting so retreat indoors to cool down wth a long drink and a good book! Plants are coping better than I am with only a few needing watering apart from my pots, so here are my 6 for this week….

No 1

Really enjoying this weather is Yucca filamentosa which is in the bed by the back door. This means that this plant will die once it has finished flowering but I will then have to wait for the offshoots at the side to grow to flowering size before I can enjoy the flowers once again. Worth the wait though.

No 2

A day lily or Hemerocallis that escaped my post about them. This is a really tiny dainty one, ever so pretty, I think there is one call Little Grapette, don’t remember if this is it or not, but the name would suit it.

No 3

Zantedeschia aethiopica Crowborough is all white and looking very sophisticated growing in the bog garden. I have had to water a few recent plantings up there due to lack of moisture where plants don’t have a good root system yet, but most of the plants, like this one, are perfectly happy thank goodness , obviously got their roots down deep to the underground stream!

No 4

Crocosmia Lucifer is well into his stride and strutting his stuff at the top of the garden, he likes to make a show and can’t be missed!

No 5

Another plant that can’t be missed is my blue hydrangea in the back corner of the garden. It is such a bright blue, it draws the eye and the colour is so different from all the planting around it.

No 6

I will finish with a seedling of one of my Acers which was found by Derek, the gardener, last year. I potted it up, and have just repotted it as it is growing so strongly. But it is the shape of the leaves that fascinate me.

All the new leaves are edged in red, which seems to be staying and not fading and also the long central “finger” is so different from any of my other acers. It turns the same fuchsia pink/red of Osakazuki in the autumn, so I think that is one of the parents, but the leaves are very different, I also have one with a purple dissected leaf so maybe that could be the other parent. Whatever it is, I think it will be well worth keeping and potting on. I’m hoping to make an Acer glade in the autumn/winter so watch this space, you might see it there!

There we have my six for this week, all plants that can cope with this heat except for my Acer seedling which needs a bit of TLC while so young. My grass is still green, so I hope the garden can cope with the increased temperatures we are supposed to have tomorrow and Monday.

I hope our host, Jon The Propagator,  stays at home in the shade this weekend and won’t be running in this heat! Why not pay him a visit and see how everyone else is coping.

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14 Responses to Six on Saturday 16.07.2022

  1. Fred says:

    I do like your blue hydrangeas (because mine are more neutral in colour): I dream of having a dark pink and a bright blue… in the same place!

    • Pauline says:

      The two hydrangeas in that corner Fred, used to belong to my mother. In 2002 she moved in with us when she developed Dementia and brought the 2 hydrangeas, in large pots, with her. I planted them about 8 ft apart, one straight away decided it was going to be blue, up till now they had both always been pink. It is only now, after 20 yrs that the second one has decided to change colour, it is now mostly lilac, maybe one day it will look as good as its neighbour!

  2. Rosie says:

    I agree with Fred the blue Hydrangea is a stunner. Love the seedling that is developing.

  3. Barbara says:

    Yes that is a gorgeous hydrangea.

  4. Denise says:

    The Yucca flower is just stunning Pauline. And that little Acer is going to be a real gem. The Acer glade is a lovely idea and I look forward to seeing how it develops. I have heard about the expected record temperatures heading your way. I hope you and the garden both get through it unscathed!

    • Pauline says:

      The Yucca is amazing Denise, suddenly from tight bud to full flower overnight, what a surprise that was. The little Acer is growing quickly, I wonder how tall it will end up?! Temperatures in London are expected to be over 40C today and tomorrow, thank goodness they say approx 35C for us. I have the curtains closed to keep the sun out but doors open to try and get any breeze through the house, I’m managing to stay cool so far by doing my gardening at 5am!

  5. Cathy says:

    How intriguing to see and read about these 2 hydrangeas, Pauline, so close together and yet completely different – presumably you have not added anything to the soil?
    Your new acer is an exciting discovery to nurture – well done Derek for finding it!

    • Pauline says:

      No Cathy, I’ve not added anything to the soil! The only difference that I can think of is that the blue one droops at the first sign of heat so that gets buckets of rain water thrown on the roots. The pink one has never wilted yet, it has taken 20 yrs to decide to change so maybe if I give it some rainwater it might speed it up?

  6. snowbird says:

    Your blue hydrangea is indeed a beauty as is that seedling acer. The yucca will be worth the wait, it is love;y.xxx

    • Pauline says:

      Thanks Dina, the blue is such a lovely shade, other blue hydrangeas that I have are much darker. I can almost see the Acer seedling growing, it seems to put on at least a cm each day!x

  7. Graeme says:

    Gosh, that blue hydrangea is a stunner and contrasts well with the pink one. I must look into day lilies – no. 2 is very pretty indeed.

    • Pauline says:

      Thanks Graeme, my pink hydrangea is turning more lilac each day, don’t know what is going on, but I hope it turns blue like its neighbour! The little purple day lily is one of my favourites, mainly because it is so little compared to some of the others, not very tall, front of border type,and such a dainty flower.

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