Tomorrow marks 100 years since the end of the Great War the war to end all wars and unfortunately we still live in a tumultuous world but thank God we still have our gardens to keep us grounded. Indeed the symbol of remebrance day is the poppy a dainty flower that not makes us remember the blood shed and sacrifice but the ability of mother nature to bloom and take our mind away from adverse situations.
I have not managed to see the garden in daylight today because I have been leaving for work in the dark and come home in the dark. I did however manage to take some extra photo’s last weekend.
The weather has been warm over the past few days and the forecast looks much of the same so I have put some of my tender succulents outside.
Here is my SOS
1. Dahlia patch preparation for next year
One of my jobs this weekend is going to tidy up and prepare the Dahlia patch ready for next year. Like most people my Dahlias have not been brilliant this year due to the warm dry weather. I am going to mulch this space with manure and try and get a head start ready for next year. I havr orderd 11 new varieties for next year. These include Mick’s Peppermint, Blue Bayou, Embrace and Silver City. I am currently building a new raised Dahlia bed and aim to have it finished and prepped by early spring.
2. Heuchera cuttings
Heucheras or Coral Bells are not everybodies cup of tea but they do add colour and structure to the garden in winter. Above is a couple of cuttings of Lime Marmalade and Red Sea.
3. Aeonium Emerald Flame
A new cultivar from Surreal Succulents I am keeping this one in my mini gravel garden over winter to see how it fares. This one creates a low form plant. The parentage is Aeonium Firecracker and Aeonium Dodentralis.
4, Alpine Strawberry Flower.
A proloific spreader I have this all over the garden. Can grow in many different conditions this is my fallback for problem spaces.
5. Winter Flowering Pansies
In these dark short days it is always nice to see some colour from the Winter Flowering Pansies. These ones are loving the warm weather at the moment as you can see.
6. Alliums poking through in November.
Question is this normal? I bought 3 new kinds but unfortunately did not write down which ones I put where. I will have to wait to Spring to see which ones they are.
Well that is my SOS. I am off out to make use of this warm spell. I hope you have a good weekend.
As always to find out how six on Saturday works please follow the following link The Propagator. The don of six in Saturday
Sedums, Dahlias and Hayfever 
I’ve got tulips coming through and Muscari came up weeks ago. It seems early but perhaps we say that every year. I need to get some winter pansies or violas.
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Nice job with the heuchera cuttings. I must do some of that next year. I have a few more coming to me in the post so should have plenty of material.
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You’re the first one I read this morning about the Great War, … you’re right to think about it. Memories can also be with the flowers.
About your plants, I also grew Blue Bayou , but they didn’t completely bloom this summer (it was the first year), I hope the bulbs will have revived for next year .
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Thanks Fred…..looking forward to next year…
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Do you get any fruit from your Alpine strawberries? At our previous house, I had a couple of these plants just outside the back door. The fruits were tiny but packed with flavour. My sedums are quite happy in the small troughs beside the front door but I assume they won’t grow much unless I put them in larger containers or the garden. Should I remove the “babies” or “chicks? Interesting Six again.
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Only a couple TBH but they do taste good. With regards to the Hen and Chicks if it stays warm over the next couple of weeks do them now. If not just leave them to Spring. Of course you don’t need to detach them at all they are monocarpic so the chicks replace the hen after that flowers. That is why they are called Sempervivums which mean live forever…
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Lovely pansies and your heuchera cuttings are looking very healthy. You are very organised having ordered next year’s dahlias already.
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I was bored!
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I would not know about alliums. I have not grown them yet. I suppose that even if I had, our season would be quite different from yours.
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Who doesn’t like heuchera? But then, I was teased by another SoSer for not liking euphorbia, so I think I’ll decide it’s a good thing we’re all different. Those pansies are incredible in their colour. I always wish pansies were bigger, because they can get swamped in a bed (which probably explains why so many people grow them in planters). Your alpine strawberries are also really lovely & colourful.
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I haven’t noticed Alliums up yet but have got daffs and snowdrops. Seems early to me. Love the pansies
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