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