Mid-september has finally brought autumn, gusty winds and sharp showers are beginning to hammer my garden, but there’s lots of lovely stuff still holding on. I’ll feature some of these for this week’s #SixOnSaturday. But first, a little advert for a lovely garden in Northumberland. I was on holiday here this last week, the ‘quarry garden’ at Belsay hall is totally amazing. here’s a couple of shots of it.

Now I’m home, here are the autumn survivors. Dahlias always surprise me, yet always do well in September. I love a pure white one, especially with interesting petals.

I am also a fan of simpler flowers, loved by insects, with vibrant colours. red dahlia has done pretty well for me this year, despite a cold spring.

A friend gave me some snap dragon seeds a few years ago. These plants don’t always make it through our harsh winters, but I’ve managed to keep a few in pots and am now well rewarded.

On the edibles side, there is lots happening. We are still drowning in apples despite drying some for apple chips, freezing, juicing every day, phew, what a year.

Tomatoes were very late in 2025. I have been careful to strip off leaves fairly early to get that lowering sun fully onto the fruit. It’s going well so far.

As ever, delicious purple grapes are ripening in the greenhouse. This year I’m drying some to make home-made raisins. yes, it’s a faff, but in mid winter, they are wonderful.

I hope you enjoyed my vibrant autumn #SixOnSaturday. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

I fifth #SixOnSaturday for August this year. To celebrate what feels like a bonus, in what has been the UK’s hottest summer on record, here are 6 beautiful purple blooms.

One of my favourites is hardy geranium, maybe Roseanne. Even when I (frequently) forget to chop it back mid-season, it scrambles around and delivers flowers above all the used-up foliage.

There are a few sweetie left, they have had a great summer, perhaps because I have remembered to pick, feed, water, repeat.

For the new season, I now have Michaelmas daisies in flower.

And from the old season again, there are a few cornflowers in pots that have come up with a new brush of blooms.

Again, a last flush from some of my lavender plants now that they finally have some water.

To end this week, here’s a hint of autumn, colchicum are coming up, always a bright burst if I manage to clear away some of this summer’s lush growth.

I hope you enjoyed my summery six, I thought we all deserved a burst of colour to end this astonishing summer. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

August rushes on and despite some cooler, more ‘typical’ temperatures this week in our corner of Scotland, so many garden-highlights are SO early. I’ve decided to focus on fruit for my #SixOnSaturday this week, because apples and pears are ripening about 3 weeks earlier than usual. I’ll also show off my figs, yet again, because the outdoor fig trees have yielded almost a dozen fruit between them. I’ve never seen anything like it.

So, here you another delicious looking ‘brown turkey’ fig, almost ready to eat. grown outdoors in Scotland. Go for it folks!

In contrast, here are the fruit from a tree that is possibly over 200 years old. A pear tree grows against the south facing wall of the house and I like to think it might have been planted when the house itself was new. I don’t know the variety, they are delicious but have the annoying habit of all ripening at once. Perhaps I’ll find time to try some jam making this weekend.

I think my garden is probably partly an old orchard. There are 10 apple trees, only one of them planted about 20 years ago, the others — ancient! The varieties are also unknown, although the trees were planned by someone with knowledge as each tree’s fruit ripens in succession. The first (and largest) tree has already dropped 90% of its fruit, the others are just starting. By now, we pick up windfalls at the rate of a bucket per day! This one isn’t quite ready yet, has a thick skin, so can be stored for a while.

A few years ago, a storm took out 70% of one apple tree, leaving a 1m stump. The tree has somehow regenerated and offers a pale green fruit.

This year, most trees are simply heaving with apples. The branches are weighed down really close to the ground, as you can see here. This variety have a dark red skin and pink flesh, making a very pretty juice.

Last, but very much not least, there are several cooking-apple trees, some of which will hold fruit until November. great for autumn puddings, sour juice and to share with hungry birds.

That’s my fruitful six for the week. It’s calm and quiet outside this Saturday morning, a great time to go tidy up the latest windfall fruits. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Some seriously hot weather this week, with temperatures shooting up to 27 degC on Thursday (8 deg above average for August!). This was followed by a huge thunderstorm that delivered 1cm hail and 63mm of rain in 40 minutes. I’ve not seen anything like that in Scotland before, it felt like being in the Alps! My garden seems to have recovered well from the beating. But even so, I decided to focus on the greenhouse for this week’s #SixOnSaturday. All edibles this week, some doing very nicely.

The humble cucumber is a wonderful veg when picked fresh from the greenhouse. The small ones seem to be the most tasty. This one is about the size of my hand-width.

A range of chillies are coming on. This year, I have tried to give each plant a bit more space and light, else they don’t always get really ripe, or really hot. This one is as long as my hand, and beginning to turn red. I’m slightly annoyed that I’ve lost the species label. Time will tell how hot and spicy this one will be.

A thin vine from South America, Achocha does OK outside in a good year. In the greenhouse, it really thrives. Fruits are spiky and thumb-sized. I take out the (very sharp pointy) seeds and then fry or roast like a bell-pepper.

We have had a pretty good summer here. When cooler, it has been sunny, when cloudy warm. The figs have loved it. We’ve had a good few to eat from the greenhouse, and outdoors against a big south-facing wall, they are beginning to ripen.

Tomatoes have made a slow start, and seem quite variable. That makes a nice change, they are currently ripening at my eating rate, so no need to dry or freeze any yet. This gorgeous variety is “Audrey’s love”. Sweet, juicy and satisfyingly striped. She also grow under 1m tall, so ideal for the greenhouse bench.

Early this year, grapes are beginning to ripen. I’d better get eating as the vine fills the top of the greenhouse. They have enjoyed the recent heat.

That little lot show what can be grown at 56.6 deg north in a largish greenhouse. It is very much the most satisfying section of my garden. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

A week of high winds, sometimes really high (60kph) has flattened some of my border plants. And it’s still so windy that it’s no fun to sit in the garden. High summer huh? Looking around, though, there are many wonderful flowers. Here are a few for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

Although crocosmia has taken a hammering in the wind, and flattened some plants next to it, it has to be loved for it’s vibrant joyful colour.

A wonderful cluster of tiny blooms on the verbena bonariensis, which sways wonderfully in even the harshest gale!. Well worth a close look.

My dahlias are now becoming a regular feature on this blog. I love the way the bright orange-red seamlessly fades into yellow in this perfect bloom.

Somehow a perennial sweetpea (native maybe?) has found its way into the garden. Gorgeous, and easy to manage, but sadly no scent.

Another dahlia. I don’t grow many cactus, because the feeding insects can’t benefit, but one has to have a few, they are perfect.

Last this week, I’ve been waiting a long time for the most stunning lily to flower. here she is. This one does need a sheltered spot.

hanks for reading this week’s slightly grumpy six. Hoping for calmer weather next week, and still warm I hope. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

August. How did we get here? Summer is flying by, as it always does. I wish the weeks would slow down a bit. This week I’m focusing on blooms that insects love for my #SixOnSaturday. Specifically, you’ll see my different varieties of lily and budleja.

First, a lovely yellow-red lily that hoverflies flock to. These have lasted a long time this year, despite being in pots.

Second, a very typical lilac-coloured variety around here, attracts a range of butterfly species. The red admiral has only just started appearing in the garden this summer.

A fabulous bright pink lily has become one of my favourites this year.

Despite being in eastern Scotland, my hillside garden get’s very dry. All kinds of budleja do well. This bobbly one is just starting it’s flowering journey, and can go right into Autumn most years.

The most scented lilies in the garden are the white ones, which also seem to bloom in clusters. Unusually, there were not many hoverflies around for this shot. I suspect it was a little cool and windy.

Last this week, a newish ‘mini’ budleja, in bright pink. The iconic peacock butterfly appears to be particularly partial to its nectar. So here’s a real blast of colour to keep us going until next week.

I hope you liked my high summer blooms for #SixOnSaturday this week. It feels like we’ve had a pretty warm summer this year, even if a little great at times. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Summer has simmered down. After a cataclysm of rain last Saturday, things have been more usual in terms of temperature (20 deg-ish), not much rain, not too much wind. The summer carries on and late summer blooms are starting to appear. There’s so much colour now, and seemingly endless pruning and trimming. For my #SixOnSaturday this week, I’ve gone for wonderful red tones, I hope you like them.

Just about red, bordering on rust, my helenium is a bit late this, with just a few blooms. Loved by bees and hoverflies.

Much more on the pink side of red, I have a number of penstemon plants, all grown from cuttings of a single mother. I love the rich colour of the drooping blooms.

It hasn’t been my best dahlia year so far. This is a new one, and I think I have several of this rich plummy variety, very pleasing. A beer, a hoverfly, and another hoverfly is just coming in.

Just one edible this week. After a slow start due to some frosting of young plants early on, runner beans are now in full flower. I’m hoping for a good crop in a month or so.

Another plant late to flower this year is my favourite day lily. I love the way the rich red is picked out strongly because of the yellow stripes. This is the reddest day-lily I’ve managed to source.

To end this week, one of my favourite garden flowers, some of which will end up in my vase tomorrow. Crocosmia Lucifer. Fabulous.

I hope you liked my high summer reds for #SixOnSaturday this week. Some wonderful warmth in Fife now this summer (though I feel very lucky we are so far north, I can’t take real heat). Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

I didn’t manage a six last week as we were having a few days away in Northumberland, near Hadrian’s Wall. A fabulous spot, often windswept and chilly, even in summer. This time we sweltered in humid air and 26 degC. And similar things (not quite as warm) have been happening at home. Lots of warm humid days, allowing us to sit out in the garden with 20 degC even at 8pm. Makes for some unusual outdoor dining, and a pleasant outdoor evening, before we head in to watch the daily highlights of the world’s best sporting event — Tour de France of course. Anyway, to keep us cool in all the excitement (also just happening to be close to the team colours of the current yellow-jersey), here are 6 lovely white blooms for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

My first this week is cosmos. Perhaps my seeds were old, somehow this year I’ve managed to raise very few plants. This white one looks lovely in the evening.

Nearby, I’ve got some tatties in tubs (as the veg bed is too full). I think these are Shetland black, yet oddly, they have a white flower.

Some of you will know that I love dahlias. They have been slow to start this year. A new one for me is a big plant, delivering lots of white flowers. Hover flies seem to love them too.

In the last couple of years I have grown a few wild carrot from seed. They turn into a a huge annual plant, with side-plate sized flowers. Wonderful.

My garden is host to other native wildflowers. This is a tall daisy of some sort, very pretty.

The final flowers this week are another self-seeded wildflower. Feverfew smell a bit like camomile, with larger flowers that apparently make a soothing tea. they are also very pretty, flowering feeling in swathes of delicate colour.

I hope you liked my high summer white #SixOnSaturday. Some wonderful warmth in Fife now this summer (though I feel very lucky we are so far north, I can’t take real heat). Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Some wild weather this week. From a couple of lovely 22 degC days at the end of June, to a chilly, windy, wet 14 degC on Friday. Luckily no crazy heatwaves this far north. In fact, it is now as cool here as Shetland was when I was there for summer solstice 10 days ago.

There’s lots of luscious growth in my early July garden, though the wind is battering the blooms. And I don’t even want to mention my courgette plants, shivering in the wet and wind with just 4-5 small leaves each. Yet, elsewhere, there is veg aplenty. Edible therefore feature for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

Straight into the greenhouse this week. I’m very proud of this year’s peaches. My peach tree is never very happy, and often plays host to vine weevil, but this year a few more of the flowers were germinated. These are as delicious as they look.

While we are in the warm and dry, a few tomatoes are having a go. This one is a 3ft high variety, early fruiting, ideal for the greenhouse bench. These fruit are on the west facing side, and have been enjoying those sunny days.

Outside, I have been less lucky this year with strawberries. I had a few plants die back last year, the new ones are not really thriving, and I caught a red squirrel sneaking under the bird netting to get at the juiciest fruit. But they are a few, and such a gorgeous thing to behold, and to taste.

For once I’ve managed some successional sowing of lettuce, so we have lots of lovely salad right now, and they seem to be thriving in cool wet weather.

Some of the potatoes are looking good. I think these are ‘salad blue’. the purple flowers have a lovely scent, so far the foliage is standing tall against wind and rain.

Last, but by no means least, herb fennel stand 3m high, provide lots of interest and some tasty salad leave. And the flowers are just coming, delicate, pretty, and covered in overflies when the rain holds off.

I hope you liked my veggie #SixOnSaturday. Still not much sign of any longish warmth in Fife yet this summer. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Some of you may have noticed that my midsummer Six was missing. I was busy touring, walking, and viewing birds in the stark yet fascinating Shetland Islands. At more than 60 degrees north we were as far north as Bergen, Norway, or St. Petersburg, Russia. Gardens are scarce, lots of wildflowers on moorlands and cliffs, but tiny, to protect against the wind. And of course, it doesn’t get dark there, the sun skims just below the horizon for 3 hours in the middle of the night! They have an astonishingly compressed growing season, growing a few hardly grains like oats, and various kales and roots.

It was such a joy to get back to my lush, tree lined and flower filled garden this week. To celebrate, here’s a special #SixOnSaturday, featuring my roses.

I don’t know the variety of this rose. Almost dinner-plate sized, and very fragrant.

Just coming into bloom, this is a ‘small climber’ with lovely orange petals and a slightly spicy scent. I think it might be Lady of Shallot.

Another recent rose is a pale pink one, also from David Austin. This one enjoys a bit of shade.

This is a very pretty white rose, very old I suspect. In full sun against the west wall of the house. A wonderful form, but no scent at all.

Another majestic ‘old rose’ — a shrub that looks like it could have been in 60 years. Perfect rose shape, and yet another shade of pink.

Finally, always a joy, my huge rambling rose performs only once, in a huge flush of colour and scent in June. She’s been a little late this year, perfect to come home to after my wild holiday in the north.

I hope you liked my #SixOnSaturday as the year already is turning towards shorter days! Not much sign of any longish warmth in Fife yet this summer. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot