What a struggle it is in December to manage to even enter the garden during daylight hours. A blizzard of snow this week has been rapidly followed by a deluge of snowmelt and rain, it has barely got light. So this week’s #SixOnSaturday are a bit of a mis-mash of frosty snowy times.

First, my garden hosts an ancient sundial, at least a couple of hundred years old. Local experts have suggested it was a weeding gift, with the newly wed’s initials carved into the top surface.

Hard frost really sets off some still-standing seed heads.

Frosted roses are lovely too, these look a lot like they’ve been crystalised in sugar.

Meanwhile, in the greenhouse, a potted cosmos has had one last blast at trying to flower. Heroic for December!

And then came the snow and cold, freezing the pond, making the garden gorgeously white.

But bamboos in the courtyard flopped a little, making the exit from the house into a winter jungle adventure.

I hope you enjoyed my wintry #SixOnSaturday. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Winter started this week, with the onset of December, and here she comes with -4 degC frosts. So where better to look in the garden for material to celebrate my #SixOnSaturday. I’ll start with a simple leaf, the sun bleeding through it’s almost translucent skin while frost provides an edgy highlight.

I’m pretty sure that my hardy winter veg will recover from being deep frozen. For now, frost provides a pretty sprinkle to enhances the curves and bumps of the Cavalo Nero kale.

In the borders there are seed heads galore. Perhaps my favourite comes from the statuesque wildflower teasel.

Although it is fun to also let some veg go to seed. This is the seed head left from a lovely purple leek flower.

And crocosmia can also have a good solid set of seeds to display, at least until winter storms flatten the lot.

Last, but not least, I go back to the last few autumn leaves, holding sharp splinters of frost on what has been a very chilly morning.

Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Thanksgiving for some, a crazy shopping weekend for others, and for the rest of us, just another dark dreary end-of-autumn weekend. So I went out to find some garden joy, and thus here are my #SixOnSaturday.

I thought I’d start with an autumn favourite. A few stems of sedum have defied the wind and rain and are still standing proud, though this weekends frosts could well be the end for them.

I love the texture of the spiky, yet soft, foliage and stems of borage. There are still a few shy blooms creeping into flower too.

Bang! The very last of the cotinus leaves are bursting with joy.

A little more demure, a lovely coloured geranium is doing its best to keep entertaining us.

Autumn is a great time too for noticing that hardy fuschia CAN make it through the Scottish seasons….often these plants die to the ground in winter but can sprout back from the roots to give lovely colour now.

And last, I managed a flip round the garden before the frost hit, to collect some flowers and herbs for an autumn vase of loveliness. I am particularly enjoying the look of the parsley flowers here.

There goes my surprisingly colourful #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

There was no six for me last week, as on family care duty. but I’m home this week, wandering through a totally sodden garden, but with a lot going on still, as there’s been little frost. iInoticed this week that rats had tunnelled into the greenhouse to eat recently planted tulips..I have no idea how many they’ve dug up…AHHH, rural life! Anyway, all I’ve managed this week is a selection of bits and pieces of what’s going on in the garden. Here are my #SixOnSaturday.

A lovely beech hedge lights up the short autumn days now. There are many many beech around here, so a local walk, even in fog and mist, is rewarding, and will be for a few more weeks.

On the flowering front, a tiny little hardy geranium is still trying to do its thing.

Back in the garden boundary, ivy is providing some sustenance for any insects still remaining.

One or two shrubs are forming a flower here and there. Pruning a hebe, and having no frosts yet, seems to result in blooms.

Seed heads can provide structure and beauty, like a swathe of clematis seed heads.

Last, but not least, a few roses are cheering up the dark dreich days.

There goes my surprisingly colourful #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Now we’re in November, I have to remember to go searching for garden joy. It has been tough this week as we’ve had yet more rain as a consequence of this year’s third named storm. But there was a little respite, with a couple of hours of sunshine, on Friday, so here we go for #SixOnSaturday.

First up is some proper seasonal foliage. the old cherry tree has somehow hung onto a few leaves despite weeks of gale force easterlies. The colour is great against a little blue sky.

In the main border, I’ve had not time to clear yet, but did notice a bit of colour coming from michaelmas daisies going well beyond their usual season.

In the warm and sunny corner next to the greenhouse there are a couple of holders on too. First, a few sweetpeas….in November!??

….and second, a more seasonal nod comes from the last of the nasturtiums.

Elsewhere, there are a few early birds on the winter-flowering front. This one is lovely, the first of the wall flowers has opened. The mixture of delicate shades i na single flowerhead is very appealing.

And last, some really strong seasonal colour has held on via the cotinus shrub this week. WOW, those reds really pop as the light ebbs away into November.

There goes my surprisingly colourful #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Some slightly spooky pictures of the garden for a nearly-Halloween #SixOnSaturday. We’ve another major storm in now, that’s 3 of the last 4 weekends. Not much to do but browse this year’s garden pics as it’s mostly far too nasty to get out into the garden.

To start the spooky feel, wet hosta, yellowed by the first frosts, I feel they do look a little ghostly.

Now for some spooky veg: how about black tomatoes? I don’t think these will ripen now, but they do suggest a seasonal shiver, with the purple-black colour and the spider-like hairy stems.

This is the very best spooky veg of the year. I have a few ‘fat boy’ achocha clinging on in the greenhouse, they do look a little scary. Taste great popped into a stir-fry.

Not spooky, but somehow still delicious, greenhouse gorwn grapes have been very fruitful this year. I’ll probably dry another tub full down for home-made raisins.

Seasonal cheer comes also from the tiny lanterns of tomatillo. I need to get these picked and maybe made into salsa for freezing. Anyone have any good recipes?

For my last this week, not spooky, but downright wierd. I took advice from the Gardener’s World TV program, and grew ‘trombochino’ squash. A triumph! They LOVED the cool climate here, producing 3 fruits like this for each plant. I’ve hardened off a few, hoping they will still be good to eat as the dark days approach.

That’s my slightly spooky #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

My #SixOnSaturday this week is a climate change special. As we sit here in our 2nd major storm of the autumn (Babet this week), with the 2nd dump of ‘half a month’s rain’ in 2 weeks, travel and medical appointments cancelled, the wind blowing down a tree in garden…..I guess there is some solace in the fact that there’s some very odd flowering to enjoy.

The oddest flower currently in bloom must be this poppy, who usually flowers in May, and again in August if I’m lucky.

A late bloomer for me this year has been monarda. I’m not sure I really love this rather pale lilac version, but at least the form of the blooms is interesting.

Marigold are doing well, where the stems are small, like this one. Sadly, others have been smashed by the storm.

Two days ago I picked yet another ‘one last vase’ of sweetpeas. In October! This might well now REALLY be the last flower, as Babet has prised the plants away from their supports this time.

One or two snap dragon are snapping still. I caught this one as the first inch of rain fell yesterday!

Yet again, I have the privilege to show off yet another couple of dahlia. Having been a bit wind battered, these two are now safely in the dining room in a cosy vase.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Feelings of melancholy as the nights draw in are mixed with the joy of crips autumn sunshine, for a colourful #SixOnSaturday this week.

The last vestige of summer is holding on as the cosmos continue to flower. There’s a rather pleasing colour clash between the flowers and some background foliage. The first frosts are forecast very soon, so these bountiful flowerers will be gone soon.

I have not quite got around to sorting out the greenhouse yet. Consequently, I’m still holding out a little hope that the last few tomatoes ripen. A stripey one here is close to going orange….

Wonderful foliage is everywhere when i take the trouble to look for it. Blueberry bushes are one of the most stunning for autumn red.

A wonderful contrast is to be found in the yellow-brown hues of amalanchia, another wonderful autumn shrub.

Even the perennials in the flower border are a flush of exciting colour in mid-October. Here is the last flash from this year’s euphorbia. Tones of yellow to pink are an unexpected pleasure.

Last this week, before the blackbirds finish them off, take a look at these lovely cotoneaster berries. This bush sits in a sheltered courtyard, the berries last longest here as blackbirds are shy about coming so close to the house.

One of the joys of doing #SixOnSaturday is that I really take the time to look at what is going on in the garden. I hope you’ve enjoyed these six little snapshots as much as I have.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

What will they throw at us next? Some tempting warmth this week, but now there could be. month’s rain this weekend. For my #SixOnSaturday, here are some calm scenes and rich autumn colours for this week’s viewing.

I’m going to keep showing off the dahlias as long as they keep going. There’s still a sweet little pastel one having a go at flowering.

There is also a good showing from a spiky, cactus type in a glowing autumn red.

The veg garden has been productive this year. Kale has done really well, I suspect because there were so very few common white butterflies.

And apples, will anyone take them? We are drowning in apples. Time to take another bucket full to work each day!

And for my last image for this week, here is some autumn calm by the pond, before the big storm came.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

After a warm, windy and sometimes wet September, it has been fun to spend time reflecting on what sums up the early Autumn garden. I’ve gone for rich colour in fruit, flowers and foliage to celebrate the Harvest Moon. Here are my #SixOnSaturday.

Colour starts the show. This is the time of year when I love dahlia more than ever. they blast on until the nights get really cold. I picked this little lot this morning for a vase for the house.

In the veg garden, despite a wet and miserable July, August ended warm and sunny. Climbing French beans have just gone for it this year. Purple beans look great in a salad and if quickly steamed, they retain their colour on the plate too.

Nearby, autumn raspberries are doing their usual thing. Today I picked enough for 2 bowls of fruit, filling for a cake, and a tub for the freezer.

The mid-summer damp has also been great for this season’s blueberries. There are a few rich purple fruit left, even as the foliage is turning it’s gorgeous autumn bergundy.

Another rush of colour comes from nerines, which have just started to flower. A wonderful rush of colour in the dry south-facing corners near the house wall.

Butterflies have suffered this summer. Yet at the back-end, my garden is now full of red admiral. Take a close look here: not just a few tattered leaves on some mouldering apples. there are 3 red admiral butterflies feasting here. I hope they don’t get too drunk.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. Join the sixes on Mastodon or other instances in the Fediverse via #SixOnSaturday, we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. 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/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot