Hi and welcome to this weeks SOS.
I have not spent much time in the garden this week due to work but did manage to do a little repotting of some of my tender succulents trying to figure out where I am going to store these over the winter. It looks like I am going to store these in a cold frame right next to the 10ft hedge that protects from and easterly wind. I am going to line it with some polystyrene packaging from work. I am also going to keep twi Aeoniums planted on the garden all over winter. Theses are on a dry place and will be protected by some sleepers. If this is successful I will transfer a few more Aeoniums from pots to this area next year.
On Sunday I am off to Cornwall on holiday and I can’t wait. I have been studying what Gardens I should visit when down there. I have always wanted to go to the Eden Project and this will be high on my things to do list. Ext week. Hopefully the weather will behave itself next week.
Here is my SOS
1. Sempervivum Planting
I have also decided to plant some Sempervivums directly into an area of gravel I have in the garden. I mostly have pots on the gravel but I have always wanted to try planting stuff directly into the gravel. This stems from a well established gravel garden in my home town I walk past once in a while. They have a couple of large clumps of Sedum which looks like they have been there for years. They look like a blob of vegetarian lava – a seething mass- that has just erupted through the gravel.
2. Mystery Dahlia solved.
I ordered this Dahlia from Pheasant Acre Plants along with 4 others. All were excellent quantity but this one was a wrong in. It was supposed to be American Dawn but when it arrived it was marked Quinty. It was neither. I got in touch with the nursery and they said that they had been let down by one of their suppliers and 80% of the American Dawn plants were actually Hapet Blue Eyes. Pheasant Acre has told me they will send out the correct plant next year. However as you can see from the picture the plant is that beautiful I am not to disappointed with the mistake.
3. Lily Summer Breeze
I bought 5 of these bulbs last year but unfortunately only one of them has grown and flowered. The flower head is massive and the colour is really shockingly pink and I love it. Hopefully there will be more next year.
4. Cheap Morrison Perennials
Morrison’s have had cheap perennials all year and these have been far my best performers in my perennial border. The triffid (Hollyhock) was only a pound and is about 10ft high at least. The flowers to TBH the flowers are a little bit underwhelming pale yellow. Next to it is a Verbena Bonariensis and a Polenonium (difficult to see). The bees love both plants.. All 3 plants only cost £4.
5. Spirea
No matter what I do I can’t get a photo to do this plant justice. It is the front of my garden and is about 5ft High and 7ft wide. I cut it down by a third every year and it just bounces back with masses of big flower heads. It has been in my garden for years and is in pity poor soil and has not been fed once in 15 years.
6. Echeveria Worfield Wonder
I bought this plant last year from Dobbies. The Rosette was about 15 inches across when I bought it and it grew and grew and gave a lot of chicks. Unfortunately it did not make the winter as it was to big to bring in the house. I am pleased to say however 4 of the chicks I took off of it are doing well. Rather interestingly the leaves of the parent was rounder but the chicks are pointy. The chicks are going to be small enough to store in the house this year and hopefully they will come into their element next year.
Well that is my SOS.
As always to find out how six on Saturday works please follow the following link The Propagator. The don of six in Saturday
I am off to Cornwall tomorrow and I am going to go plant hunting in a big way. Next weeks SOS will be Cornish themed.
Thanks for reading. Until next week
Sedums, Dahlias and Hayfever 
You have clipped that hedge to perfection. I am in awe.
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Abhhh it wasn’t actually me! I can’t be trusted with a hedge trimmer. I get a man to do it!
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Give him a raise! He’s amazing!
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Mistakes like #2 are a great way to try new things (especially for those of who do not like to try new things). We have spirea that looks just like yours, but it finished a long time ago. It always looks good in gardens in other regions. I am none too keen on it here. It finishes early and gets rather raspy about now.
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Thanks Tony. The Spirea is just on the turn. I will cut it back the end of October….
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Ah, so it DOES get some quiet time.
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The wall planting in the gravel for your sempervivum is original! 😂😉 (Joke)
I love them and also the echeveria.
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I am always forward thinking Fred….ahead of the game me😇
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Haha! 👍🏻 I didn’t talked about your spirea. It’s well bushy and this color at sun sunset is really nice
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I like your spirea very much. I only have white and they are just thinking about flowering. Strange that they should both be out ar the same time. Enjoy your Cornwall holiday!
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When you go to Eden Project, check out the Chilean arboretum which you can get to from the Pineapple car park according to their website and it used to be free admission. Walk in young Monkey Puzzle forest, amazing. You’re going to love the temperate biome too. Where in Cornwall are you staying?
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Penzance my best mate has moved down there. It is only 550 miles from Berwick he couldn’t move any further away in England from where I live.
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That’s a long drive, especially in one go. I take it Penberth Plants is on your itinerary.
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Splitting it up got family near Droitwich Spa. Yes it will be and Surreal Succulents.
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My spirea was over several weeks ago and only grows to about 18 inches high but serves its purpose. Like that dahlia!
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So do I considering I didn’t order it!
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Hiya. Have a fab holiday in Cornwall!
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I really like the gravel planting. Very neat & tidy. Will they over winter in the ground? I also can never get a photo of my spirea that looks as good as it does in person. Something about the ratio of foliage to bloom plus the shape of the thing. But yours is looking really good. Both the dahlia & lily are great bold colours – you’re lucky w/that freebie dahlia. And as to the hollyhock, I think the pale yellows are really lovely. Is the colour or the location that you don’t really like?
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Yes they should winter in the ground. I have taken some off shoots for spares. I am chuffed with my freebie Dahlia I have to admit. I think it is the location. It is in the middle of the garden and I can’t really get it to study the flowers.
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Safe drive down, supposed to be raining all day again tomorrow in Cornwall, but sun back on Monday. I hope so. I am already missing the sun. I look forward to seeing your Cornish post next week 🙂
BTW what do you plant your sempervivums in? I ordered several a few weeks ago and they are currently waiting to be planted out. Can I plant them into a gravel path? Do I need to dig a hole and fill it with grit and a gritty compost and then just spread the gravel back around them? Advice welcome when you have the time.
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Yes Jude. Plant the Sempervivums just as you say. They need a nice gritty compost for drainage. Although some of mine are on a mixture with not to much grit. But they will be put in a Cold Frame in October…
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I rarely get frost (except this year 😦 ) so will they survive outside? I can dig them up and bring into a cold conservatory if needs must.
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Definitely survive outside they are very hardy. Just putting them in a Cold Frame to save them from the wet
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Umbrella do? 😉
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Oh, and thank you for getting back to me.
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Thanks they don’t like having their roots sitting in water. I use a 30% grit and 70% compost mix. I sometimes use 40/60 mix. I hope this helps
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It does, thanks again.
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Enjoy your holiday. You’ll be spolit for choice for gardens to visit in Cornwall. The Lost Gardens of Heligan aren’t too far from The Eden Project. Your hedge puts mine to shame!
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