Note: Many of you have found me as @julie3dharris on Twitter. I’m not sure I can face Musk-world now, even if the company survives, so you’ll find me more and more on Mastodon @julie3dharris@mastondon.scot

What a difference a week makes. The first snow of the winter forms a sort of floppy theme for my #SixOnSaturday this week. The frost came hard and fast, followed by a gentle sprinkling of snow and then some cool sunshine. My first this week is an end-of-season image: the last apply on the bramley tree. Look closely and you can see peck-marks from the fieldfare that have shown up for their seasonal munchings.

Top of the proper flops must be oca. I grow these for the occasional leafy addition to salad, the leaves are sour and lemony. Also the roots, they look like a bright jerusalem artichoke, but taste brighter, and don’t give the gut grief. The roots will be harvested on a non-frosty day when the foliage has fully died back to the ground.

I noticed a few funghi still having a go in the lawn, I think they look beautiful with sprinkling of snow.

What a difference a week makes. last week nasturtiums were flowering, today they are well on the way to scrumpling up to nothing.

And yet, a feisty foxglove appears to defy the frost and snow and just grow on through. I wonder how it will weather the winter?

Last, but not least, sedum are still standing tall, colourful, and look elegant and even seasonal with a wee dusting of frost.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. We are starting to get the sixes going on Mastodon (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Note: Many of you have found me as @julie3dharris on Twitter. I’m not sure I can face Musk-world now, even if the company survives, so you’ll find me more and more on Mastodon @julie3dharris@mastondon.scot

The first #SixOnSaturday of the last month. It is hard to find colour in the garden now, especially when the weather has been characteristically dreich:, grey, misty, hovering around 5deg C, drizzling. At least we are now into the countdown to the solstice. i don’t have a theme this week, just some nice bits and pieces.

First is cotoneaster, which has reached the pretty stage where it just holds onto a few bright leaves.

For flowers, there are still a few blooms coming through on a range of roses, mostly pink. the perfect colour to brighten a dull day.

On the foliage side, a few leaves are holding out still on my twisted hazel tree, yet catkins are bursting through, here quite literally.

Flowers again, more pink, this time from a plucky little fuschia that hasn’t been frosted yet.

Proper winter flowers are starting to arrive. This one a classic hellebore. Each year I wish for more hellebore, so perhaps it is time to nip to the garden centre and pick up a few more while the soil is warm.

This last flower has featured so many times on my #Six this year, but what’s not to love. Still growing, still offering bright leaves that puddle raindrops so that they sparkle, and still a handful of cheerful flowers. My heartening nasturtium.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. I THINK we can also get the sixes going on Mastodon (other instances in the Fediverse are available). For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Note: Many of you have found me as @julie3dharris on Twitter. I’m not sure I can face Musk-world now, even if the company survives, so you’ll find me more and more on Mastodon @julie3dharris@mastondon.scot

The rain finally eased off early this week, we had one frost, now it seems to have warmed up again, so, yet again, I’m posting my #SixOnSaturday as a motley crew of November survivors. Some edibles, some flowers, some…just nice colours.

I will start with flowers. Despite the dark, wind, rain and general November miserableness, a few cosmos are hanging in there flowering away. I don’t have the heart to cut them back until they flop. Cheery on a sunny morning.

On the edibles front, leeks are doing very well. They slowed right down in the unusual summer heat this year, but now are looking blue-green, healthy and bug-free. Friday night’s dinner featured creamy leeks mixed with ‘home-grown’ back-bacon from some friends with a small-holding. Yum.

Back to flower, I accidentally got pansies, instead of the usual viola, for my autumn-winter bedding. they get a bit knocked around by the rain, but they do like a bright blustery day to show-off in.

Another edible that often makes it to November are my autumn-fruiting raspberries. They are very much doing that this year.

I am very slowly starting to clear away beds for the winter. Hampered this year by an elbow-tendonitis issue that means I shouldn’t even be using secateurs….hmm…I did, a bit. And whilst doing so, felt a burst of joy from back-lit persicarium leaves. What colour!

For this week’s finale, wow, here’s a brand new flowering Welsh poppy (sorry about the football Wales, I’m not watching, but sad to see one of the UK nations struggling). I love the brightness of this little beauty.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. I THINK we can also get the sixes going on Mastodon. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Note: Many of you have found me as @julie3dharris on Twitter. I’m not sure I can face Musk-world now, even if the company survives, so you’ll find me more and more on Mastodon @julie3dharris@mastondon.scot

In a normal November, the area I live in gets around 66mm of rain. We’ve had over 80mm here in the last 48 hours. The garden is rather blasted, the street awash. I’m very lucky I live on steep hill, many down in the valley are in trouble. What can I do for #SixOnSaturday? Cheer myself and everyone else up with some flowers. These WERE flowering this week in the garden, I didn’t dare look in the last couple of days.

First up: there little that more cheerful than a wonderful marigold (though check out my sixth this week). Last year, these overwintered. Still looking good.

I wonder how long my roses will keep going for. This first lot are tiny little pink ones that do flower well into winter if there’s not too much frost.

I don’t know the name of this big blousy bright pink rose either. I suspect there’s not much left of this lovely bloom, this was how it looked on Thursday!

A self-seeder is giving some joy. Feverfew, thought to be good to use flowers and leaves to make a tea if you have a fever. The tea tastes pleasant, a bit like camomile.

Possibly my ‘best value’ family of plants for flowering on and on and on….one or two teeny weeny geranium flowers left (<2cm across). just look at that fine detail of pink stripes in the petals?

And for my sixth little joy this week, another blast of colour. Fabulous nasturtium.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. I THINK we can also get the sixes going on Masterdon. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now on masterdon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

By mid-November, my #SixonSaturday offerings are often reduced to bits of the garden I’ve tidied or let rip for winter: not this year. This week we have had the highest November night time temperature ever around here at 15 deg C. I had assumed that, as someone within a decade of retirement, I wouldn’t get to see the effects of climate change. I think that assumption may have been wrong. But let’s focus on the joys that can still be had from the garden, with this week’s theme of ‘what’s still going?’.

I’ve always loved drifting around gardening Twitter on a Saturday morning (@julie3dharris). But I’m not sure I want to stay in what looks like an increasingly hostile environment that may not respect my data privacy. So I’m (for now at least) also posting on Mastodon: @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

For the first time, I have my summer window boxes still on the go, no need to bring into the greenhouse and prune for winter yet. There’s nothing as cheerful as a bright red pelargonium.

In the greenhouse, there isn’t enough space for the pellies yet anyway, as tomatoes are somehow still ripening.

Waiting in the wings to go into my dark winter courtyard are a couple of boxes of winter violets. Despite very high winds, they are doing their best to get into flower now.

It has been a tremendous apple year. Eaters came early, didn’t store well, and have long been eaten or turned into juice. With mild weather and very high winds, I’m picking up 2 buckets a day of cookers. I like juice from these, but my partner finds the juice too sour…any ideas for novel apple use?

I’d always thought that snap-dragons were annuals in the Scottish climate. These were grown from seed for me by a dear friend, in spring 2021. They came through last winter and look like they are ready to take on this one too.

Last but not least, a smoke-bush is offering it’s last flash of brightness. It wasn’t possible to catch these is a quiet moment, but perhaps you can get a feel for the 25 mph winds that have lashed the garden all day.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. I wonder if we can also get the sixes going on Masterdon? For regulars, apparently the Propagator is taking a rest, but has handed his trowel over to Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now on masterdon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Bonfire night in the UK. By now there have usually been a few frosts and masses of leaf fall. It’s starting, but still rather warm, which has led to some garden surprises that feature as my #SixonSaturday this week.

In the greenhouse, I have edibles. I guess it is a bit optimistic to hope for more ripening on tomatoes, but I don’t have the heart to pick them and clear out the plants yet.

A new variety of chilli for me, Chilhuacle Negro, have been reaching their ripe brown state — interesting variety, hot yet also sweet and rich. I’ll try them again next year.

Into the garden proper now, and cooking apples are looking ripe and juicy. There’s more of a flush of pink/red this year, and this lot are sweet enough to make delicious juice.

There’s a splash of colour coming from the last blast of euphorbia foliage. Stunning red. I’ll have to try these in a vase before they finally collapse.

Flowers too. I have been vigilant in deadheading a couple of late-flowering budlija, and here’s one, still performing for me. Perhaps also feeding the odd late hoverfly or bee.

Last, but very much not least…..WHAT a year we’re having for nerine. Perhaps baking hot and dry weather in summer offers these kinds of compensation.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. For regulars, apparently the Propagator is taking a rest, but has handed his trowel over to Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens.

At the end of October, there are flowers and a few veg enjoying the oddly warm weather. And, of course, fabulous autumn colour. It wasn’t hard to find colour and interest for a slightly spooky #SixonSaturday.

First up, I don’t know the fungus variety: this one popped up in the middle of the lawn and is a beautiful mushroom, with various garden leave falling all around.

Second, some wonderful autumn colour. Not to missed, but all too fleeting, Boston ivy leaves are starting to fall, and in the few days before they do, are really glorious.

Here’s a Halloween hopeful. A lovely little squash, looks big in close up, but was smaller than my fist. Must admit, this is from last week, has already been baked and featured in a veg curry.

Is it just me, or do these clematis seed heads look just a bit ghostly?

I guess the vibrant oranges of nasturtium suit the season. In my pots and barrels, they are giving their best, still lots of cheerful flowers.

Last, my firm favourite, again, dahlia, here in a very seasonal colour, is (probably) one of the Bishop’s Children. Perfectly lovely.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday as the autumn is now moving at full pelt.. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. For regulars apparently the Propagator is taking a rest, but has handed his trowel over to Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens.

I no longer recognise the country I live in, but at least the garden thrives and I find joy and brightness all around it. This week, there’s so much colour for later autumn in my #SixonSaturday. I’ll start with an experiment. Cold weather is on its way, and so many dahlia had buds, so I’ve moved some into the greenhouse to try and stretch the flowering season a bit. This one seems to like it, though glowering at me in a slightly sinister manner.

Also sheltering from the wind and rain is a stunning small, but perfect flowered bright red dahlia. It is so hard to capture the colour when the camera over-saturates.

On the theme of red colour, euphorbia foliage will get knocked about by the wind soon, but while it stands, it glows.

At the other end of the garden, in a very dry spot against a south-facing stone wall, nerine have come into their own. the very dry summer hasn’t stopped them.

And yet, there are still outdoor dahlia performing for me. This one had red-yellow blooms in summer, which are washed to mostly-yellow now, still looking lovely against chocolate foliage.

And surely, this must be the LAST flush of flower for the big blousy all-white dahlia, which is too big to manhandle into the greenhouse? Check in next week to find out.

Another week, another Pm resigns, hay ho…. I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday despite all the fuss. Stay safe, take care out there, get a flu jab if you can afford to (its going to be a tough old winter, again) and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter. Apparently the Propagator is taking a rest, but has handed his trowel over to Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

It feels like a long autumn – in a good way. There’s barely been a frost (just-about one morning), trees are still partly green, and the garden has some colour. To celebrate, I’ve gone for a mishmash of flowers and foliage for this week’s #SixonSaturday

First up, witch hazel foliage is offering a bright yellow patch of colour in a shady corner.

I’ve tried various mixes of nasturtium this year and come up with some lovely colours. In a close-up the flowers details are beautiful.

Although their main offering of lush flowers was many months ago, peony foliage provides some lovely colour just now.

Hardy fuschia love Scotland. These looked absolutely hammered in the heatwave, but with the late summer rains, they have recovered and are at their best now.

Boston ivy on an east-facing wall is doing that colour change thing. I like the way you can see how the chlorophyll slowly drains from each leaf to reveal a vivid red.

Last, but not least, another lovely nasturtium. I hope they keep going for a few more weeks.

That was my attempt to keep chipper with colour, despite world and national chaos. I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, get a flu jab if you can afford to (its going to be a tough old winter, again) and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter and via the web from links to the originator of #SixonSaturday, the Propagator himself.

No frost, still lots of flowers, I’ll go for warm autumn colours for this week’s #SixonSaturday. Of course, the first must be dahlia. This is a small plant, with perfect little red flowers. Well above the ground, it has managed to avoid critter damage.

Himalayan honey-suckle got hit by the summer heat, slowed down, but now is doing its flowery thing.

Summer bedding in window boxes and pots has geld on. Perhaps this is the last chance to show them off before they head for the greenhouse and an autumn prune.

Autumn raspberries are offering two bowls full per week, still sweet, delicious, although a bit battered by the strong winds.

Autumn colour is coming. Blueberry bushes have long finished their fruit but now putting on a lovely show of foliage.

Last, and of course, never least. Another stunning red dahlia. I’m going to move a few pots into the greenhouse to see if I can extend the flowering season.

That’s my #SixonSaturday for this week. Stay safe, take care out there, get a flu jab if you can afford to (its going to be a tough old winter, again) and don’t forget to follow the crowd on twitter and via the web from links to the originator of #SixonSaturday, the Propagator himself.