Hello and welcome to this weeks SOS.
It has been a snow free week up here north of the wall. It has been frosty though so much so I had to put a jumper on on Thursday! The garden has looked very idyllic after a couple of hard frosts and on Wednesday it got down to -5 degrees.
As the garden is rock solid there has not been very many opportunities to get out in the garden.
I have been bored with the lack of opportunities so have added a new hobby to my bow and started collecting Bolivian and Argentinian Cacti, especially the rebutia varieties. No doubt there will be more info and pictures to follow.
Here is this weeks SOS.
1. Sedum Makioni
A Sedum that comes from Japan I bought this last year and split it into a few smaller plants. It didn’t do much last year but I am pleased to say that it is starting to thrive. A low spreading luscious looking Sedum it will perform a dense mat. It produces yellow flowers in the summer
2. Aeonium Ice Warrior
I posted a picture of this a couple of weeks ago and said it was supposed to be frost tolerant down to -8. Well at the moment it doesn’t look very healthy. I am sure it will be ok. It will probably lose most of the leaves in the picture but hopefully new growth will start growing from the top.
3. Dry trough or Icicle?
I post a lot about my dry trough but is is by far my most favourite part of the garden. All the succulents in here are frost hardy and will survive but this photo shows just how hardy these plants are.
4. Sempervivums
I have a few pots of Sempervivums now. This is just a selection. Also know as House Leeks these go to sleep in the winter. As you can see a few of them look like they are suffering but these will bounce back in the spring and should produce lots of babies.
5. Heuchera cuttings
I took a few cuttings of my Heuchera’s last week just in case I have some spaces in the garden. They seem to be growing well.
6. Sedum Forsterianum
Another low growing Sedum this is almost living up to it’s name in a muddled way. Found all around the country. I have got this against the sleepers underneath my dry bed and it is filling in brilliantly. Will probably have to keep an eye on it but like all Sedums it is hardy and will thrive after a good cut back.
That is my SOS. Gardening might have to take a back stop this weekend as off to watch Spurs v Newcastle, Ireland v England and the Super Bowl.
Until next time goodbye.
Sedums, Dahlias and Hayfever 
Brillant pictures of sedums with ice and snow. After presenting for the first time the Aeonium ‘ice warrior’ I read on French website that it was not so hardy as the name means. Only a few degrees below 0 for a short time … You had the courage to leave it out at -5°c… … I would not have dared but you’re right to say that it will recover
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I like living on the edge Fred!
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Ice Warrior really does not look happy at all. I just got a new aeonium; but I do not know what it is. My primary one is the common one. There is also a very dark bronze one that looks like ‘Zwartkop’. The new one is something in between. A colleague gave it to me, so I could not decline.
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I’m always profoundly suspicious of claims like “frost tolerant to -8C”. What does “tolerant” mean? -8C for how long? outdoors in wet ground or under glass in a dry pot? After a long hot summer or a short wet one? Hardiness is so much more complicated than that. Your trough for example, looks like the plants are ready for a cold winter. Down here they’d still be growing in November and would be damaged by a cold wind.
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Aye J know what you mean Jim but I like to experiment. I have just checked it and the centre of the Rosette is very healthy. I have moved it some where more drier now. I am pretty confident that it will survive.
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Lovely sedums…as always! I only have the darker leaved variety of heuchra. I do like it but hadn’t thought of taking cuttings. Originally, I grew them from seed.
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I bought a sedum plant on the clearance section at the local garden centre last week. With a little tlc it’ll be fine to plant when a bit warmer. There seem to be a lot of posts catching my eye recently about sempervivums – a lot planted in interesting and unusual containers. It’s got my imagination going.
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Good luck with your heuchera cuttings, I have a few on the go too.
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Your sempervivens look so healthy. I’ve inadvertently overwatered mine and they’ve rotted. I was so pleased with them too. Will have to start again in a corner of the garden that isn’t irrigated.
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Oh Jane that is not good. I am sure next time they will be fine. They do survive drought.
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Yes, I have to be more careful!
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As always your succulents look fabulous. I have been checking on the sempervivums I left outside and in the main they are looking OK. One large one seems to have rotted, but there are teeny babies close by, so fingers crossed. Of course I get a lot of rain, not so much frost, and it is the wet that is a killer.
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They should be fine….did you plant them in a pot or direct into the garden…
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Hedged my bets by planting some in pots, some in the garden with loads of grit!
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Lovely frosty photos, hope you enjoyed the rugby!
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Thanks and yes I did!
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I love the contrast re temperatures that sedums endure. They really are a robust plant!
As I am cacti obsessed i’ll be interested to follow your progress with the Bolivian and Argentinian Cacti,
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