Hello and welcome to this weeks SOS…Well the weather is hot, hot, hot again. It is getting a little bit boring now, unrolling the hose most nights, giving the garden a good dousing and by 1pm the next day the garden is parched. No sign of any hose pipe bans up here, in fact I can’t remember there even being a hose pipe ban up here.I have been on holiday all week so have spent most of it pottering around the garden.
I have bought 3 Clematis Montana’s to help cover the back fence after the shed move and the north facing side of the shed. I have put these in bigger pots and will plant them in the garden in the Autumn.I have also taken cuttings from some of my obscure Sedums and have transferred some Sempervivum chicks into a nursery planter. I am also glad to say that some of my Dahlia’s are starting to bud up and I should have some blooms soon.
I spent Thursday at the Kalzie Gardens in Peebles. They have a wonderful walled garden with a stunning herbaceous border, roses and a green house full of Fuscias . My heart however had to go out to the gardeners because boy it was dry out there. I have taken some photo’s and it looks like they have got an impossible battle keeping the garden watered.
Here is my SOS.
1 Astrantia Major Florence
Snapped this little fella enjoying my Astrantia. A border staple this has go to have one of the most interesting flowers out there. I grow it in part shade but it does also get about 7 hours of sunlight. It seems to have self seeded so I will give these to my sister who has just started to do her garden in the Autumn. Next year I want to plant different varieties of Astrantia in the new border and I am currently looking at options.
2 Begonia Love
It is my first year growing Begonias and I seem to have hit the jackpot. The flower is 12cm across and the red is that vibrant it is difficult to take a photo of how stunning it looks.
3 Hermoncillas and Knautia Melon Pastels
The Hermoncillas is a couple of years old and did not flower last year for some reason and despite me trampling on it several times in the spring it has produced 3 healthy flower spikes. The anthers really stand out on this flower and add to how striking the flower is. The Knautia of course is Melon Pastels. I bought this plant on a spur of the moment when getting plant labels at a garden centre and while not a prolific flower the pin flowers float with out a care in the border and add a different colour.
4 Dahlia Taxi Driver
My first Dahlia is in flower at long last with was many others queuing up ready to burst into life. Just like with my tulips we are always a little behind in the North (no jokes please) this is because it is slightly colder and due to the privet hedge on the east side of the garden we do not get any sun until about 10am. It looks like all the other Dahlias are going to bloom in the next 2 weeks. I need some advice however. How often are you supposed to water them? I have a few in the garden but many more in pots that of course dry out faster. I water the pots 3 times a week. As they come from Mexico I guess they can be somewhat drought tolerant but I am not sure. This plant has small flowers but it looks like it is going to be a prolific flower. Dahlia love has arrived in North Northumberland
5 Sedum Blue Cushion
This weeks Sedum is Blue Spruce. A member of the Rupestre family it is a prolific grower. The flowers of Rupestre remind me of an upside chandelier. They are long lasting and a magnet for pollinators.
6 Delosperma Cooperi
This Ice Plants are loving this weather. A native of South Africa they thrive in heat. This plant is in my mini gravel garden which has been hag much of a success I am looking to expand it. For a mini project I started last autumn I have been proud (something I don’t use enough to describe myself). As you can see the photo’s below the mini gravel garden it has really taken off. Go me!
Well that’s my SOS. I am starting to make big plans for the Autumn., 2 new beds at the back of the garden and an extension to the gravel garden. Bring it on!
As always to find out how six on Saturday works please follow the following link The Propagator. The don of six in Saturday.
Lastly I would just like to say. Come on England! Bring it home!!!
Sedums, Dahlias and Hayfever 
Rather too much yellow in your Six-on-Saturday this week! Apparently Megan Markle was criticised for wearing a yellow dress in the lead up to the match! Anyway, I do like your gravel garden – I am hoping my sempervivums will flower but I didn’t think of that when I bought them.
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I did make sure the first 2 posts were red and white! I see what you mean.
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Oh and I have got a Dahlia called Alf Ramsey. Hopefully that might flower on next Sunday. It will be a sign!
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That’s all right then. Fingers crossed…….. for the team as well as the flower!
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I love yellow. I also like your gravel garden. Do you have glass on one side of it? What all do you have planted in it? I just might borrow this.
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Ah the yellow comment is because England Is going to play Sweden today in the Football World Cup. No glass on the side. There was gravel already there but I removed that and the membrane and added equally parts compost and alpine grit.
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I think Astrantia is a very charming flower- too hot for it here though. I didn’t understand about the yellow until it was explained. I guess all of England will be on tenterhooks today! Good luck.
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What a red begonia! And your photo is successful.
I grew ice plants last year with good results and different colors as you can see here. https://twitter.com/frdvil/status/901709655575064576?s=21
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Thanks Fred sorry for the late reply. Having trouble with WordPress on my Iphone IOS. The Begonia’s are going from strength to strength.
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That is dry and hot? Is still looks green. That is more than what we have, and we certainly do not have as much bloom this late. Weirdly, while most everyone north of the Equator is dealing with this this unusual warmth, our weather had been unusually mild. It just started to get warm yesterday, and still has not gotten to 100 yet. For a while, it was warmer around Portland than it was here (nears San Jose). You know, I sort of liked the mild weather.
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Great shot of the bee on your astrantia – I agree with you it’s a great plant, although I still haven’t got any. Like you I am making plans for autumn now having more or less given up on the garden in this weather!
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Thanks. I have actually made a start of the border over the weekend. No wood front but plenty of soil. Photo’s to come next week.
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Love your gravel garden! And what is the hedge in the garden you visited? Has such a pretty red glow.
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Thanks. Yes particularly pleased with the gravel garden. I am afraid I don’t know what the hedge is. Will try and find out.
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Your garden’s sooooo colourful at the moment. Tho I don’t follow the football, thank all the garden gods your yellow contribution did nothing to jinx the match. I really like how the knautia slips in a discrete bit of contrast, both in colour & texture.
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Thanks Lora. Yes the Knautia adds a bit of something. I agree. Hope all is well
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Have been trying grow astrantia from seed, mainly failing. Painful though it is, I might have to put my hand in my pocket and buy a plant or two.
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Sorry for the late reply. Having problems reading the WordPress app on IOS and it is doing my head in as they say. Wait till Morrison’s start selling Astrantia. That will be the cheapest option. The cheap Perennials I bought earlier on in the year is blooming.
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