Hello and welcome to this weeks SOS.
Well what a soggy week this week has been. Mind you I am not complaining in my post last week about the gardening struggling due to lack of water and my water butts are full up again.
Gardening opportunities have been limited this week mostly because of the rain but I have tweaked my ankle a little after last weekends shenanigans in York. Before you ask it was nothing to do with all the beer I drink…honest!
I have started to move some of the pots and junk I have got near the hedge as it will be getting cut in the next couple of weeks. As I said before I don’t trust myself with a hedge cutter so I get a man who can.
Her is my SOS.
1. Dry trough.
An experiment from last year this is really starting to come into it’s own. All the Sedums are starting to fill in and it looks very vibrant and alive. I am going to leave this trough alone for the most part bur might add a couple of more types of Sedum if I find think they will enhance the trough.
2. Lavender Failure
I bought 18 plug plants of lavender from J Parker’s last year and I have only got one left. I gave a few of them left. I gave away a few and kept 6 but 5 of them have died and look like the above. I suspect that the ground may have been too wet. I always thought where I had planted them had good enough drainage but obviously I was wrong. When I buy another plant I will make sure that I add loads of grit and sand. I realise that some Lavenders don’t like cold temperatures but this winter has been relatively warm. It would be interesting to see your thoughts on this.
3. Sempervivum Othello
Following on from the last post about the ground being to soggy. This Sempervivum is planted right next door to 2 of the lavenders that have not taken. Same soil and a plant that doesn’t like soggy soil but a plant that is thriving. The burgundy rosettes of this plant are some of the biggest I have got in my collection. I have planted 6 Semps directly in the garden and all are doing well. If I can find any other Sempervivums with relatively big rosettes I will plant them directly into the garden as well. One of the borders around the front is relatively dry because it is built on top of paving stones and it gets a lot of sun in the summer.
4. New Shelving Succulents
To manager my succulents a little bit better I have bought this shelving to put my succulents on. This should help me protect them fro the direct sunlight in the height of summer. It is just a cheap one from Homebase and it looks like I am going to have to create some new shelves as the ones supplied are very flimsy and not waterproof.
5. Saxifraga London Pride
A somewhat overlooked and forgotten plant. I picked up a couple of cuttings from a deserted garden next door to my sister. This plant can be very invasive so I will have to be vigilant. As you can see from above the leaves have taken on a Zingy like green colour. The flower heads are starting to point through and should start to flower by the end of the month. In Ireland it is known as St Patrick’s cabbage.
6. Allium Mount Everest
I think this is Allium Mount Everest. I bought 3 lots of Alliums last winter and going by photo’s on the internet this is it plus I only bought 3 bulbs and 2 are showing. The shaft is very thick and reminds me of a show leek. My father used to grow show leeks for his factory show each year. Not very successfully but I can still remember as a kid driving with him to his workmates to pick up all sort of concoctions which is usually involves sheep’s droppings and seaweed.
That is my SOS.
I am away out to see how the succulent I left out in the downpour. I have scanned them quickly and all seems in order. I will also be putting up some shelving in the garden to put my succulents on and keep out of the direct sun.
As always to find out how six on Saturday works please follow the following link The Propagator. The don of Six on Saturday.
Until next week goodbye.
Sedums, Dahlias and Hayfever 
Your dry trough is very well photographed and well highlighted. This gives the impression that it’s huge! For lavender, yes no soil too wet, add sand so that the soil is well drained, otherwise there will be rotten roots. But especially not a pruning too short after the bloom in late summer, otherwise the young shoots will not restart.
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I have added a couple of annexes to the gravel trough this weekend. More photo’s to follow. Only problem is these 2 new troughs are a little bit bright and white.
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I’m waiting to look at them . Add a little mud and rub it to age them?
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Yes distressing them was on my list. I will probably tell them about Brexit!
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😂 You won’ t see the trough !
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I remember London’s Pride from my childhood. Haven’t seen it in the US. I’ll have to do some research. I have a dry bank that needs attention.
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I was told that lavender doesn’t like wet soil nor does it like being cut right back. I must be lucky because it thrives in the horrid clay soil and shoots up from the base quite happily! I also find little seedlings in the tiniest of gaps in the paving bricks. Maybe you are too kind to yours. I hope I can find my London Pride this year. I forget about it and dig it up by mistake then quickly push it back into the soil! Lovely sedums….. I think I have said that before and I am sure I will say it again!
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Thanks Granny. So jealous that you have Lavender that seeds!
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I don’t think I’ve ever had a lavender in a garden of mine. I don’t get the appeal. Full sun all day and good drainage is not something I have much of and I think that’s what they need. I do keep a bit of London Pride going though.
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I keep London Pride on a go with a pint of light and bitter for me late dad he was from Sarf London
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I only like Lavender as it seems to attract the bees a lot in my garden.
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I used to have London Pride in my garden in Doncaster – sandy soil and well drained. It grew well in the north-facing front garden and was an easy plant to maintain. As for lavender… I have never been successful growing it, always gets too woody, but I have ordered 9 new plants for the gravel garden this year and I shall make sure I dig in lots of sand and grit before planting!
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Thanks Jude…will make sure I put plenty of gravel and sand in the next time I plant Lavender…
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Well I am no expert, but they are lovely plants!
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I’ve a soft spot for London Pride, always brings a smile to my face. Looking forward to seeing your alliums flower, whatever they might be!
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Thank you..
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Great gravel trough. I will put some photos up of my alpine grave soon, if I ever get time to post again! I can only agree with everyone else on the Lavender.
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Thanks I have actually expanded the gravel trough this weekend. I had planted a couple of smaller troughs up earlier this year and I have put them beside this bigger one. It is like a shanty trough town. More photo’s to follow.
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I have had mixed success with lavender. But I kept trying because they attract the bees. Now i have two huge bushes which I never water… but these aren’t a fancy variety and so far extremely forgiving. They have just self-seeded into the gravel and I have lots of baby plants. Shame they would not survive postal travel otherwise I’d send you some. Maybe seeds?
I am pleased you reminded us of London PRide. This used to be a very popular plant but I never see them now.
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Yes I grow lavender for the bees. I might stop and grow another bee friendly plant.
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Your Othello is a knock-out. Full of shakespearean drama that one! I’ve got a swathe of London Pride and am also trialling some in a pot with good drainage. They don’t look as happy as yours though.
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Thanks yes the Othello is a show stopper. I have another one in a pot I bought this year called El Toro. This one has big rosettes and will probably go into the garden at the end of the year.
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It depends on what the lavenders were. If they were French lavender – the ones with a couple of long petals you don’t stand a chance really as they a really super fussy. You need a good doer, and good drainage as it’s the winter wet they don’t like as opposed to the cold.
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Your trough is looking great. My little semp experiment is doing ok too. I am partial to London pride but in my experience it comes in a pint glass!
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Others are mentioning their alliums too. This should be interesting. I have not grown them. ‘Mount Everest’ happens to be one of the cultivars that I was considering, of course, because it is as close to white as allium can get.
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