This week we have had a cold snap, with daytime highs just above freezing and some proper night frosts (-4.5 dec C). We are well above the snow belt that is covering the rest of the UK, so there have been lots of glorious skies and wonderful winter light. I made the most of it to show you a couple of blooms, and lots of buds, for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

A wonderful bloom, this is a simple hellebore with mostly a lime-green flower that is easy to overlook. Yet, look a bit closer, those petals have a very odd red rim. Interesting ancient-looking flower.

My second blooms is also somewhat diminutive. Tiny flowers come on the pieris at this time of year, well in advance of the new red leaf growth that will come in late winter.

As I browse around the garden, with my walking sticks crunching against the frosty grass, I see many plants coming into bud. The pear tree against the house wall is full of buds, standing out against the solid blue winter sky.

A year ago, I tried a bit of rhododendron pruning, which must have been at the wrong time of year, because the flowering was disappointing. It’s looking much better a year on.

I’m also hoping for many blooms on the little shrubby magnolia stellata in February. There’s a wonderful cluster of buds this year, with an interesting fan of branches.

Last up, I caught one of the apple trees in the afternoon sun, just before sunset at about 3.35pm, a great time to be in the garden attending to what’s new. Also good to feel the light coming back, this week sunset was more like 3.40pm….it’s getting lighter every day.

I hope you enjoyed another winter #SixOnSaturday. It is midwinter, yet just a short stagger into the garden on a sunny day brings hope and joy. 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

The start of a new year. Each time it happens now I feel old, how did we get 25% into the 21st century, and what a mess we’ve got our world into……but enough of that. The first snow-sprinkle of the year has given my garden a fresh perspective. A new year also brings new ideas for the garden, new growth, even a few new blooms. I have a new hip going into this new year (3 weeks old!), so can’t get down as far as I’d like for close-ups, but I had a try, to find lots of little gems for the first #SixOnSaturday of the year.

The VERY first persicarium flower of the year was spotted this morning, poking out from a recent sprinkle of snow. What a delight.

On evergreen plants there are often winter berries. This shrub has had lots, but only a few are hidden enough to evade the squabbling blackbirds.

This creeping oleander vine can be a bit of a spreading menace at warmer times, but just now, its little flowers glowing against the sun-warmed house wall look lovely. I have always admired the slightly spiral form of the petals.

On a winter bench, I have small tubs of species tulips beginning to appear. Last year, they enjoyed a little winter sun, came early, then got hammered by pouring rain. This year, I’ll take care to move to the greenhouse if there’s rain due when they get into flower.

My favourite winter bloom is the hellebore, and this purple specimen is my favourite of them all. Starting to flower now, with wonderful simple blooms. It is always hard to see the full flower due to their nodding habit.

A cold day today, the pond was just beginning to thaw a little to allow garden birds to come to wash and drink. The textured surface looks peacefully beautiful.

I hope you enjoyed my first #SixOnSaturday for the year. It is midwinter, yet just a short stagger into the garden on a sunny day brings hope and joy. 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

The last Saturday of 2024. I thought I’d do a review of the year for today’s #SixOnSaturday, especially as it’s been dull and grey over the holiday week, so not much incentive to approach the garden. I must say, it has not been the best year. Dull, cool, damp weather has coincided with my ability to get working in the garden being compromised by 2 hip surgeries (on the same sad joint) that bookended the year. Urgghhh, bring on 2025 and let’s make a fresh start. There’s have been a few plusses this year.

First plus is that it turns out Swiss Chard love a cool, grey damp summer. Some have grown almost 1m tall, as you see on farmed crops. We are still enjoying the harvest (if the frosts don’t get too bad in January).

I always exhibit my fabulous (and sometimes less than fabulous) veg at the local village show, always near the start of August. This year was poor, mostly because the veg simply wasn’t ready. I often win one or two prizes for tomatoes, that are grown in a wonderful large greenhouse. This year, no such lock, there were barely any ripe for the show, but they were marvellous about 3 weeks later. the striped ones to the lower left were really juicy (Audrey’s Love I think). The black ones were fun, but tend to have rather thick and bitter skin. Perhaps we’re too far north for such exotic delights.

Garden beans usually require a really good summer. I was unsurprised that my ‘climbing French’ varieties just disappeared. However, runner beans and borlotti did well, and well into September. I had a couple of bowls to enjoy in winter soups (as we are doing now).

2024 has not been a wonderful year for flowers. I love dahlias, they really did not like the lack of sunshine. Others did well though. Spring was long and cool. A number of different varieties of narcissus enjoyed the cool, and bloomed for weeks.

In what wasn’t exactly a tall ‘high summer’ in June, there were lots of lovely blooms around. It is fun to look back at the photos, hard to imagine all this pink in the garden when December dark hovers over all.

Finally, this was very much the year for roses. Across most years, they don’t do much. Maybe a combination of dry and coolish. They flourished in this year’s wet spells, there are just a few even trying to send out buds now. Here’s a stunning example from September.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week, and for the year. Time for a refresh, bring on 2025. Enjoy it when it comes folks. 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

As the sun set to herald the onset of the longest night of the year (at 15.36!!), I was pleased I’d remembered to take some photos for this week’s #SixOnSaturday. There’s a double celebration this week: Happy Solstice to those who celebrate our coming out of the dark. I’m looking forward to it. Here’s a bonus view from the west end of my garden, for once the solstice sunset was stunning.

And of course, this is Xmas week. I’m never sure, what a hugely over-hyped load of nonsense. But I do like a tree, and some tasty food and drink, so Happy Xmas to all who care. With celebrations in mind, I sought out blooms that had weathered the storms at the darkest moment of the year.

Courtyard roses, in a tub, probably never get enough water, but the stone walls shelter them from storms and cold, so here they are still flowering.

In full shade (all year round), just coming into bloom, and displaying last year’s fruit, I do like to view a sarcococca in the winter.

Nearby, growing out of the lime mortar in the garden’s old stone walls, ivy leaved toadflax has a few tiny delicate blooms, and some fresh green foliage.

A more classic winter flower comes from the viburnum shrub, I have several of these, they always bring forth copious flowers mid-winter. The trick is waiting for the wind to drop to get a good close up of the detail of their many flowers. I managed it.

I will admit that I had to resort to the greenhouse for today’s brightest bloom. A wonder geranium, which will hopefully winter in the greenhouse to provide next spring’s windowsill planting.

And, as the year turns and the light slowly starts to come back (tomorrow’s day will be 1 minute longer!), here’s a festive wreath to celebrate the circle of life.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. I hope wherever you are, and whether it’s the longest or shortest today, you enjoy seeing my garden while thinking about yours. 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

It is dark dark dark, but not quite the shortest days yet. This week, the garden has been filled with weird light, as the freezing fog comes and goes and the plants stand tall, or drop away. Here are my #SixOnSaturday, illustrating some of that light.

The greenhouse has been a pleasant place to be when the sun is out. I’m hoping to winter some non-hardy geraniums and a few snap dragons.

Outside, honesty seed seems to create it’s own light source when the low sun shines through.

Sunshine on the glossy foliage of camelia shows the robustness of this plant, and buds of those later winter flowers are promising.

Much smaller than holly, but similar in appearance in winter, the leaves of berbers darwinii shows gloss and spikes.

Afternoon sunshine coming low from the southwest shows up one of the few remaining roses. this one is pure white, though looking slightly rosy in the afternoon glow.

Last but not least, reflections on the pond on a calm day are beautiful, relaxing and absorbing.

That’s my #SixOnSaturday for this week. I found it absorbing to think about light when we have so little in the almost-mid-winter. 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

Into December, this weekend is our 4th major storm of the season. These storms are getting regular in the winter. We REALLY need to attend to fossil fuel burning…..and in the garden, things are quiet and I’m struggling to fins much to look at as we head to the darkest days. A bit of a mish-mash therefore for my #SixOnSaturday

I managed to catch some blue skies somehow and discovered that hazel catkins are already on their way.

In another part of the garden, ivy are coming into full flower. They do have an interesting form, noticeable when the rest of the garden goes to sleep.

Down at ground level, a borage plant has somehow got the wrong message. This really isn’t a great time to be trying to flower.

In the hedge, some hawthorn has held onto it’s Autumn colour for just a few more days.

In another sheltered spot, pulmonaria is trying to grow. this will be bad news, as heavy frosts and snow to come will simply turn this to mush in a few days or weeks. Ah well, good for the soil I guess!

To finish off this week, I wonder if this will be the last vase of the year of fresh flowers. A few plants are giving it a go, so I will continue to pick. In the background on the windowsill, you can see my Xmas cactus has decided to go early…as usual!

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

Happy St. Andrews Day to all who celebrate. The garden has gone from very cold, back to fairly warmish this week. Here’s a selection of things from different weathery parts of the week for my #SixOnSaturday this week.

A warmish start with wallflowers having a go at gently struggling into flower.

Sage keeps its leaves all year, looks good in rain or snow.

This is the time when robins form territories. There are several beginning to pair up in the garden now. Here’s one hoping I’ll do a bit of digging.

Some veg are pretty if you let them go to seed. This is a leek from last year. It put up a huge flower in summer and this is what remains of the seed stem.

I had to look hard to find any leaves left after a couple of storms have passed through. The colour and frost combination are appealing here. A very short lived garden scene.

Teasel again, looks great with a touch of frost. This is a wonderful native plant that has a place across all seasons. I’ll always welcome it self-seeding around and about in the borders.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s frosty and not-so-frosty selection for #SixOnSaturday. And 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

The cold finally arrived out of nowhere. 5 days with daytime highs of 3-5 deg C, and at night -3 or -4 deg C. We were lucky not to get the snow that hit further south. All of the lush growth has collapsed, but it seems fitting as we’re VERY close to winter now. Here’s some of the recent garden sites, and a couple of comforting edibles.

First, wow, squish went the nasturtiums, who had been growing well over knee high, all around the garden.

Perhaps that wasn’t surprising as there was a really decent grass frost over all these recent nights. Its is beautiful to see it clinging to grass and moss.

There was some fairly major collapse in the main borders too, 1.5m tall persicaria are coming down. Time for the compost heap.

I was a little sad to see the last roses flopping after the frost, they have been so beautiful and so long lasting this year.

Yet a late crop of broccoli have escaped those pesky caterpillars and appear to be growing on.

These cold days have also provided an opportunity for finally giving up on the greenhouse chillies. The crop has been very poor after a dull summer, but at least there are a few and colours are pretty.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s frosty #SixOnSaturday. And 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

In mid-November temperatures have been warmish 6-12 deg C, and not much rain this year (unlike the deluge of 2023). I guess the new normal just isn’t normal, or the same, it’s just different, so far. Whatever it is, there’s plenty to be looking at in the garden. This week I’ll be showing off some still-green stuff and a couple of pops of colour for my #SixOnSaturday.

I’ll start with some green. I’ve decided to keep the window boxes simple for winter this year, letting these hardy succulents look lush and green through the harsh weather. They have recently taken up residence on the windowsills, where non-hardy geraniums spend their summers.

An unusual pop of colour, or is it colourlessness? Honesty seed heads are just beginning to pop and lose their ghostly glow.

Some colour next. No serious frost yet, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen nasturtiums up to 1m tall and flowering their way well into November.

Most trees have shed their leaves for the year. There has been so little wind that each tree has a puddle of leaves below it. Here’s a hazel, hanging onto it’s last few green leaves, with a golden carpet below it.

These plants just go on and on, overall my garden favourite. It has to be the hardy geranium, glowing purple in the middle of November!

I’ll finish today with a final green edible. These are oca, a member of the oxalis family (as is easily noticed from the petal shape), sometimes called New Zealand yam (though they are not a yam, and don’t originate in NZ!). Their leaves make a tasty lemony addition to salads, but what’s hiding underneath are colourful roots, a bit like a Jerusalem artichoke, but with lesser gustatory consequences. BUT, those roots keep growing until the leaves are frosted, and as you can see, we’re nowhere near there yet…..the coming week looks promising.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s surprisingly green #SixOnSaturday. They have given me something to be cheerful about. And 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

Still mild, still rather grey, and overall still still. A very calm autumn given the deluge we were subject to last year. And some odd patterns of flowering too, allowing me to show you 6 blooms on a pink theme for this week’s #SixOnSaturday

The most surprising bloom comes first this week. I saw my giant poppy having a go by putting up a few flower shoots weeks ago, most of which got frosted. But since then we have had mild temperatures, and a bloom has made it through. My first November poppy.

In a sheltered border a just-about hardy fuchsia is having a final go. These flowers are gaudy, and yet so delicate. A lovely late-autumn friend.

My next choice is a regular for giving a last blast of colour, and often one of the first of the season too. I love the intricacy of the fine veining on the petals of this one.

Another surprise. These sweetness were sown in a shady bed and sulked for months. yet here they are still pushing out flowers in November. Nice!

Roses sometimes save a few blooms for the dull days. This one is a favourite. A big blousy flower (I hope), a fabulous spicy scent. If this one makes it, it might be gracing a small vase before Monday is out.

Last, but not least, here’s another beautiful hardy geranium. This one battles through heat and drought in a very dry bed next to the house. And still has something to give me now. What a great value plant.

I hope you enjoyed my remarkable pink six, in this week of terrifying international politics. They have given me something to be cheerful about. And 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