Hello and welcome to this weeks SOS.
I have been off this week so gardening has taken central stage. I have not been out in my garden as much as I would like as my Nephew Tom turned 18 so I had to buy him his first pint or 6 from his ever sensible uncle. I did spend Thursday and Friday and visited Branklyn Gardens and Japanese Garden, Cowden Castle as well as searching for the Holy Grail st Doune Castle – I was not using Coconuts.
My hay fever has been pretty bad this week and I am blaming the fields of oils seed rape that seem to be taken over the countryside where I live. It got so bad my eyes were stinging when I drove up to Edinburgh on Wednesday. Surely farmers have to be made to plant these fields away from main roads.
Here is my SOS.
1. Lewisia Rediviva Pink Form
This flower fills me with delight. I have grown this pant from seed. I showed the seeds 18 months ago and the first flower bloomed this week. The flower is stunning with candy pink and white petals, light pink and dark bunk Anthers and a light pink and yellow stamen. Funnily enough when I was at Branklyn Gardens this week I got talking to one of the gardeners and he said that one of their projects is going to be to fill one of the borders down the side of the house with Lewisia like it was in the 70’s.
2. Geum Mai Tai
Part of the Cocktail Series this is one of my favourites. Flowers over a long period during the Summer Months. Split this plant last year and now have it in 3 places and all plants are doing well.
3. Tulip BleuAmicable
This is the second year of flowering. It is a little bit lighter this year in colour in colour but the centre of the flower is still vivid and so vibrant. The colours remind me of a night sky.
4. A trio of Heucheras
I wonder what a collection of different colour Heucheras? A garish? A Dulux? An Opal Fruit of Heuchera’s. These may not be to everyone’s liking but I think they are fantastic. They add colour all year around and there dainty flowers on long coloured stalks always add a bit of interest to the borders in the summer. Above we have 3 varieties Lime Marmalade, Red Sea and Marmalade. I was surprised to see a couple of brightly covered Heucheras in both Branklyn Gardens and the Japanese Garden this week.
5. Saxifraga Southside Star
A plant that has a dainty white flower with a red stripe. I moved this plant into a more sheltered area last year and it seems to be thriving. This is now going to be it’s permanent home so hopefully it will go from strength to strength.
6. Smashed pot
A pot came apart in my hand when I moved one this year to take the Tulip bulbs out. I have seen these “fairy” gardens on the internet before and was a bit sniffy about them. However I had a changed of mind this week as I have enough crocks from broken pots and didn’t want to put it to waste. So in Monday morning I spent an hour planting this up and whilst I am a 100% convert I quite like it especially because it was a big pot and I have managed to plant a lot of plants in it from separate pots.
That is my SOS.
Unfortunately it’s back to work for me on Monday but thankfully I have another holiday in 4 weeks time.
That is my SOS. If you want to write one it is not that difficult. 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 
The planted up broken pot looks smashing (sorry!) Looks good though. That tulip is rather nice indeed. Hate hayfever. Mine usually starts in June during grass pollen season. Sure it goes on longer these days than it used to.
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I agree, that fairy garden is lovely! Just about enough Sedums to keep me happy! The Sedums in my little troughs are now covered in sand and dirt – I was mentioning the other week how vibrant the colours were! Spoke too soon! 😥
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They”ll soon bounce back Granny..
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My doc tells me that hayfever (which usually isn’t caused by hay) runs in cycles: you may get it for, say, seven years then have seven years off. I’m currently in the off-period which is good as the only antihistamine that has any effect on me is now banned. When I get it, my only response is a wet flannel over the nose and mouth or, if I’m driving, a builder’s dust mask which I wet from bottled water. I featured a Southside seedling in my six this week but I understand that, correctly, it’s “Southside GROUP” as there are several different Southside types and yours is different to mine. Nowt wrong with a trio of Heuchera and your three go well together (mine are more apart). That pot looks really good (I see “smashing” has already been copyrighted!).
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Thanks Jon. I was crippled which was a bit of a problem as I was driving. I have taken an Antihistamine. I can never understand all the varieties of Southside Seedlings. With regards to the pot it is starting to grow on me.
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Your trio of Heuchera look lovely (but I would say that as I have the same colours) and I have been contemplating creating a fairy pot for a while, must do something about that one. Cocktail Series sounds like something I really ought to be collecting, if only for the names! Good that you had a lovely week off and the weather to get out and about. Been a bit chilly down here.
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I’ve been wanting to plant one of those broken pots too, but haven’t broken anything! Maybe I’ll find something chipped at a garage sale and won’t feel too guilty smashing it!
I love your Lewisia. It has completely different leaves from mine. I struggle to keep them alive.
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As you said, we are featuring lewisias this week. This morning I nearly bought others; there were so many colors(7)! Reading your post saying that in 18 months you have flowers from seeds: it’s worth a try!
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Yes I am definitely going to try to grow more Lewisia from seed Fred.
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I like the contrasting heuchs and the main tai, which I featured as well. Mine are packed in a tight spot, so with your good experience as inspiration, I’ll divide and conquer this fall.
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I like the contrasting heuchs and the mai tai, which I featured as well. Mine are packed in a tight spot, so with your good experience as inspiration, I’ll divide and conquer this fall.
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Thanks. Yes you should devide them in the Autumn. You 0nly need to take small bits off and plant them in a nursery bed.
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What a clever use of a broken pot – I may nick it! Geum Mai Tai again – I definitely want one!
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Thanks. It is a little bit fancy for me but I may get used to it.
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Fairy garden? Not sure about that but I sympathise whole heartily about the woes of hay fever. I like the trio of heucheras,so useful. for containers. Good 6
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I’d not heard of a Fairy Garden before. I think I like it…….
The Tulip is a stunning colour
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Is Lewisia florific enough to fill a border with? It seems like there are better things to fill a border with that would not be so finicky. I think of Lewisia as soething that gets grown in small numbers or in pots. They are delightful little plants though
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There is if you put a lot in Tony. Remember we are British we like a challenge.
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Well, I suppose you have more of an appreciation for Lewisia too.
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