🌺News From My Hampshire Garden As We Head Into April. #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #GardeningMakesMeHappy🐞

Posted on April 1, 2023 by Rosie Amber

As March blew out with some strong winds, will April be full of Spring showers?

I have a very mixed bunch of items for you this week.

First photo goes to these Glistening Inkcaps which have popped up in a corner of the garden. The top left one in the corner of the photo has been nibbled by slugs and I think it looks like an alien.

Second photo is of the wildlife pond that we are working on. I am very excited about it. The recent rain has been filling up the pond and we will soon sort out the edging to hide the liner. I went ahead and bought my first pond plants; I have a water hawthorn which is already flowering, 2 tiny fringed water lilies, some pond weed, Marestail, Water Forget-me-not, Marsh Marigold, Dwarf Spearwort, Great Spearwort, Brookline, Upright Water Milfoil, Marsh Pennywort and some Ragged Robin for the edge.

Third photo is of two tiny pink Pulmonaria flowers surviving after the badger has been trampling the flower bed.

Photo four goes to the Forget-me-nots which are just starting to flower.

I spotted this ladybird on the Rock Roses – hopefully she’s found some tasty aphids.

Final photo goes to a tiny Violet, I do love these quite unassuming flowers.

Thank you for joining me for this #SixOnSaturday post. I hope that you enjoyed it. Jim is now our host for this gardening meme and you can find his blog here where you will be able to catch up with links from all the other folks who take part.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🌷Spring Forth Into Bloom From My Hampshire Garden For #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #GardeningMakesMeHappy

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Rosie Amber

This is the last weekend of March and in the UK we move our clicks forward an hour on Sunday morning.

This week we have had rain, sun, wind and mild temperatures in Hampshire, so the flowers are blooming well.

Photo one is of this lemon coloured Hyacinth, it has a very short stem and only just peaks out from the leaves.

Picture two is of the first of the Muscari with their tiny blue flowers, each one reminds me of a lace edged capped sleeve of a dress. Hopefully I will have some other coloured ones too, if the squirrels have left me any.

Photo three is of this lovely clump of Primroses.

Pinks and purples now. First this pink Hyacinth. Followed by the pink flowers on the flowering currant bush and finally some purple and mauve Violas. A bargain pack from Aldi at £1.89 for 10 plug plants.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🌺Marching Through The Month. Spring Flowers In My Hampshire Garden For #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #GardeningMakesMeHappy

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Rosie Amber

After missing last Saturday (snowy weather that pressed pause in my garden) we are back with more of a seasonal selection of flowers.

Looking around this week, the daffodils are making up for lost time and the recent rains have spruced the ground up making everything look a lot healthier.

The first photo is of ‘new to this garden,’ Tête á Tête. I have been waiting patiently for them to appear and then these popped up when I wasn’t looking!

Second photo goes to this lovely purple Hellebore. Of course all the flowers are facing down and impossible to photograph without a little handy help!

Third photo is one of several emerging Hyacinths.

Fourth photo is of some mauve Polyanthus, I always think that these are from a cross breed of Primroses and Polyanthus as they all grow together, but I’m not sure.

Fifth photo is of the more common Daffodil. Mine are quite late this year, compared to other gardens.

Sixth picture goes to the Camellia which is now full of blooms.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🍃House Plant, Ginger Harvest And Signs Of Spring. #SixOnSaturday From My Hampshire Garden. #GardeningTwitter #GardeningMakesMeHappy

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Rosie Amber

Here we are again for another Six On Saturday Post.

I had to hunt around for items to include this week, but I’ve found a few things to entertain you.

First photo is on an Echeveria which has been re-homed with us. The flower has emerged after we rescued and watered it.

Next photo is of the second crop from my ginger plant. This is about half of the total crop. I’ve made it all into crystallized ginger which I regularly use in the kitchen.

The third photo is of curled leaves on the variegated holly. Small caterpillars have been making their homes inside the rolled leaves.

The fourth photo goes to the anemone plants which were new last year. I’m pleased to see them emerging once more.

The fifth photo is of the Spring buds on one of the Blueberry seedlings. These were given to me last Summer and I have over-wintered them in a cold frame and intend to plant them in the garden this year.

Lastly the Mahonia is preparing its berries.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🌺#ViewFromTheStreet For My #SixOnSaturday Post This Week. #Flowers

Posted on December 10, 2022 by Rosie Amber

The arctic temperatures have arrived this week! Well, we had a frost and the low temperatures look set for about a week. Nothing like the cold felt in other parts of the world. There is so little flowering in my garden that is new, this week, so I took my camera on a walk about as I went to the local shop.

I can only name three of the six plants that I have below: Holly, Yarrow and Buttercup.

These are the ones I can name!

These are the ones I’m unsure of!

All suggestions welcome.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🍃The Last Saturday Of Gardening In October. #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #AutumnGarden

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Rosie Amber

It’s the last Saturday in October. We change our clocks tonight too, so we will get a little longer daylight in the mornings for just a short time. Plus, I shall have an extra hour in bed tomorrow morning!🛏

What is flowering inside and out in my house and garden this week?

I was disappointed with the Busy Lizzies this year, they didn’t enjoy the heat, some bolted, some died; it wasn’t their best show. So I took some cuttings a few weeks ago which I hope to keep going as stock for next summer’s pots. These have taken off and are showing me what they could have been like in a moderate English summer.

Here is an update on my Poinsettias which I showed you a few weeks ago as they began their 12/12 dark and light training to turn the leaves red. This is the progress after about 6 weeks.

Third photo is of my spiky leaved Mahonia which is now coming into flower.

Next photo shows my Christmas Flowering Cactus which looks ready to flower even though we have about 7 weeks until the festive weekend.

The fifth photo is from the Japanese Anemone which I recently bought. It is just going over, but hopefully by next year it will have settled in.

Final photo is of a yellow Shasta Daisy, also a recent purchase.

I’m hoping to get to the Longstock water gardens for a belated visit this afternoon. If I’m lucky I might get a few useful photos for next week’s post.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🍃Nature’s Wonders. Second Chance Flowers For #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #GardeningLife

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Rosie Amber

Sunshine and showers, foggy mornings, warm days and winds. We’ve been having a real mix of weather this week. Out in the garden plants are still flowering, with some putting in a second showing.

First photo goes to this lovely Laurentia which I proudly managed to photo in focus, this has powered through all summer. It is only a half hardy annual, which I would definitely grow again.

My second photo is a lovely ‘smiley’ Cosmos. Smiley because they make me smile rather than any particular variety.

My third photo is of a little cornflower which is still flowering. I do love this blue.

The soft leaved Mahona has more flowers now and the bumblebees are feeding from them.

Fifth photo is of the Hypericum Hidcote (St. John’s Wort) – well I think that’s what it is, it’s one of our inherited plants again, which I don’t know the name of. It had put on a great show until the drought got it and all the flowers seemed to drop overnight. But now it is flowering once more which is lovely to see.

Finally, Cupressus ‘Goldcrest Wilma’ a new plant for me and one I was able to choose to review, although how you can review a live plant quickly, I don’t know😉 I said it was a little damaged by delivery, but that it was perking up and would make a good house plant.

Happy gardening

Rosie

🍂What’s Flowering In My Garden For This Week’s #SixOnSaturday Post? #GardeningLife #GardeningTwitter

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Rosie Amber

I had great plans to bring you photos of a trip to Longstock Park Water Gardens in Hampshire, however, Covid has circled back to my household and the friend I was going with agreed it was best to postpone our trip. So I have had to scramble around my garden in search of six items for this week’s post instead.

First photo is of a lone Linum (Bright Eyes) flower. This is from a packet of seed that I bought very late in the season. I sprinkled a few seeds out in the flower bed to see if they would still germinate. The rest I will sow next Spring.

Second photo is of a mystery flower. This plant has been growing all summer, it is just over a foot tall, has multiple heads (and some mildew!) The foliage is dark green with small slender leaves. The one flower that has just opened is small, no more than 2cm in diameter and has propped itself on the Cordyline. The only plant which I have found which might be similar is Sneezewort, but I would welcome your thoughts.

My third photo is of my Squashes, they are slowly growing although one has disappeared and may have been eaten by the visiting badger.

I am going to try growing garlic over the winter. I couldn’t find any at the garden centre, so I am using one from the supermarket. Not ideal, but I shall give them a go. I am starting them off in a tray in the cold frame.

Fifth photo is of some of the Morning Glory, the drought has kept them from taking over the garden, but they are still putting on a last show.

Finally, I found that the harebells were still flowering behind the bushy Kolkwitzia.

Thank you for joining me for this #SixOnSaturday post. I hope that you enjoyed it. If you would like to know more about this hashtag, read founder Mr Propagator’s post here also find him on Twitter here.

Happy gardening

Rosie

Linky to the Prop’s post is here.

🍂Autumn Colours, Vegetables And Pot Plants. My #SixOnSaturday #Gardening Post.

Posted on September 24, 2022 by Rosie Amber

Although the evenings and mornings are drawing in we have still got a mix of sun and warmth while a sprinkle of welcome rain arrived on Friday. I have rummaged round in my plot and found enough items for another week.

Six photos from my garden — September 24th

First photo is one one of my Cotoneasters. this one fans across the front wall below a bay window. I think it may be the Grey Cotoneaster.

Own photo of a cotoneaster — Cotoneaster

Second photo is of the third Squash growing on this self-seeded plant (from my kitchen compost). The first two didn’t get beyond walnut size before the pests ate them. This one is cricket ball size.

Next are my courgettes. I have eaten one and have more growing. Fingers crossed that the first frosts stay away and I can harvest them.

Fourth photo is of one of the Fuschia which drapes itself over the pink rose. It then hangs down over the lawn.

Fifth photo goes to one of the Tradiscantia cuttings from last year which has really enjoyed the hot summer.

Own photo of a Tradiscantia — Tradiscantia

Last photo is of another one of the Cotoneasters, this one may be a European variety the leafing is different from the first one. This plant is more upright in growing style.

Happy gardening

Rosie

Links:

The sun has been out in Sarah’s Australian garden
Check out the impressive Gourds in Wild Parenting’s post.
Jon’s linky post for all your Six On Saturday posts.
Graeme has a super Honka Fragile dahlia in his post.
Always lots to see in Fred’s garden.
Tony has several rescued plants on his six.
Stunning Amaryllis belladonna in Jim’s garden.

🍄What’s In My Garden For This Week’s #SixOnSaturday post? #GardeningTwitter #Autumn🍂

Posted on September 17, 2022 by Rosie Amber

Night temperatures have dropped into single figures suddenly this week. There is an autumn chill in the air and the toadstools are in abundance out in the woods. In the garden I have been collecting seeds for next year and planting Spring bulbs. So what have I got for you this week?

Six plants and flowers from my garden — September 17th

First photo goes to this toadstool which popped up in my flower bed. I have been unsuccessful in identifying it from my book or the internet and I don’t have an identifier app. If anyone can help me I would be grateful. It has a sponge like appearance underneath and it looks like a Crème Brûlée on the top.

Second photo is an update on my Sedum, this week they are much pinker than last week’s photo, which I have added to the corner for comparison. Update: Julie Grows from Twitter has identified this as a Bolette, either a Bay Bolette or a Slippery Jack.

Photos three, four and five are of my dahlias which have done so well and are continuing to flower that they deserve another showing.

Lastly a before (there will be an after in a few months) photo of my Poinsettia as they begin their daily twelve hours of dark, twelve hours of light routine to get the leaves to turn red in time for Christmas. This will be my third year of doing this. I have experimented with the start dates, this year will be my earliest start time, as the previous years the plants were at their peak in January.

Happy gardening

Rosie

Links:

Mr Propagator’s post for the linky to the meme. He’s off on a 50 mile run today.
Sarah is planting citrus trees in her Australian garden.
Still lots flowering in Graeme’s garden, plus he’s off on a scything course.
30 Days Wilding show us his latest plant finds.
Fred’s has a lot of rain, go and see his video.
Sel’s found some great free items in Belgium.
Tony’s been getting free plants too.
Off The Hedge Gardening has a lovely amaranthus with poodle puffs!
Great pruning of a Box Chinese Ginger Jar on Lead Up the Garden Path’s blog.
Last week of summer on Chris’s blog.