A dreich week in eastern Scotland, low cloud, mist, chilly easterly breeze. Yet I had to get out and pop the plant supports in: growth is bursting forth. With too many blooms to choose from, I’ve gone off-piste this week to show you how my home-grown veg is coming on for #SixOnSaturday.

I will start in the greenhouse. This year, I’m pleased I’ve left the courgettes in here, as there have been many cold nights. I’ve only got 2 decent plants so far, so busy sowing more seeds. This is waiting for warmer nights to be put into a hopefully-sunny spot.

Lots of tomatoes are now braving the greenhouse. This one is a ‘sprawling bush’ variety, called Urbukany, should be producing fruit in 6 weeks or so. It’s in its final position now, in prime position in the south-west corner of the greenhouse bench.

I tried a new trick this spring. Growing pak choi in a tub that can be moved in and out of the greenhouse as the weather dictates. Has been very successful, with no slug or bird damage at all. And I have baby plants ready to go in for crop 2.

Into the cold of the veg bed. Broad beans were planted out in mid-March. They have shivered their way into growth but are beginning to kick into growth now.

I recently planted out a few broccoli. Despite being thrashed about by a gale, they are looking perky now.

Last, but very much not least, I am in the process of planting a new strawberry bed. Although not all of the plants are in yet, some of them are developing flowers. Lots of promise for the eating season ahead.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

From a warm week, to the next with 4 nights of frost and day-time highs of 7 deg C — I’ve been fleecing the sweet peas. I guess a good thing about a cold snap is that spring bulbs last longer. Let’s celebrate that with a tulip-special for #SixOnSaturday.

I’ve gone for a few new ones this year….perhaps the most purple variety I have tried yet, I like the rich colour of these.

As a contrast, nearby there’s a pot of tulips with a sort of spiky flower, in hot pink. Nice.

I managed to get hold of a range of ‘species tulips’ this year, the ones closest to the wild-type that grow in eastern Turkey. These are lovely, each flower about the size of the top-joint of a thumb. Not out yet, but I bet they burst open soon.

Another pretty pink, this variety are enormous, and the centre of the flower holds a rich black portion.

I think I’m going to like these too when they fully flower, a sort of orange-to-pink, they look like they have been painted.

And finally, last year’s tulip display got a bit out of hand, but I managed to keep a load of bulbs and plant into the borders later. So as well as the pots, I now have some in the garden. This low border looks particularly good with an array of red tulips providing some colour before the perennials get going. It was worth the extra effort.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

It has been a gorgeously sunny week in Scotland. I’ve been away up north, where it was calm, sunny and 18 deg C…..a week of Scottish Highland paradise. meanwhile, the sunshine has brought the garden on tremendously. Here’s another splash of new season colour.

First alamanchia, a great shrub, I love the way that the red-bronze leaves set off the white blossom.

Last winter, I hacked away at a huge set of old clematis montana set against the stone house wall. They’ve looked ropey, but suddenly a few flowers have arrived.

Also against the house wall, I host a very old pear tree, probably 200 years old, and it spreads it branches round one of the windows. It is just COVERED in blossom this year.

Tulips are coming into their own now. I’ve got some nice new ones in pots, and last year’s are doing well in the garden. I think this little pot is a leftover from last year…still doing well.

Pond plants have just started, some lovely ranunculus, flowering away in buttery yellow.

The pond has been giving us a little trouble for a while. A HUGE waterlily, has been floating up to the surface. Yesterday I plucked up the courage to get in, pull the whole thing out (very heavy) , and chop it up. The pond was very cold lower down, but the sunshine kept me warm. We’ll put about 25% back into the pond and removed all the rotting bits.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Despite our Scottish weather turning up the ‘wet and wild’, every time I look around there seems to be a new flower blooming. I do love spring. Let’s celebrate #SixOnSaturday with some blooms. First up, finally my large camellia in the shaded north-facing area has got her act together. Well worth the wait.

Magnolia stellata has also just begun to raise a few shy flowerheads.

Does anyone know why old cherry trees send out blossom on tiny branches coming out from their old thick stems? I don’t know, but mine is up to its usual tricks.

At the other end of the garden, my first rhododendron has started flowering while I had my back turned. How did I miss this?

To end, I went mad on potted tulips last year. This year I couldn’t resist a few bright red ones again. On the right are some new purple ‘species tulip’ — I believe this is one of the species that grows wild in western Turkey…subtle, much smaller, yet gorgeous.

Bang! ….for the finale, a new colour for me this year, a really ‘pinky pink’ pot full of tall elegant tulips…hope the rain and wind don’t destroy them.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

A long weekend for some, but in Scotland, not all employers offer the holiday, mine included. So just a normal weekend…..but fairly promising weather, including some sunshine to bring on flowers and growth. In which case, it’s high time I showed you my daffs at their best. hard to know where to start, lets go with my new favourite, some delicate white ones.

As a contrast, how about a bright orange centre setting off more standard yellow petals?

I do like the gentle colours, this one is a rather pleasant white with just the palest yellow centre.

This variety has a very similar shape, feels like someone has turned up the yellow button, to deliver yellow petals and a pinky-orange centre.

More frills in the middle, and more colour, but less is more on the petals, and yes, there’s also a free insect (tiny little fly, I don’t know what!).

And to finish, of course some lovely all-butter-yellow daffs. Gotta love how narcissus bring us properly into spring.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Winter dragged on forever this year, so how come we’ve suddenly hit April? Blimey. To celebrate I’m going to sow all those lovely annual flowers that I always mean to and so often forget. Because I live in Scotland, where we can get frost into May, I risk little outdoors, sowing most stuff into my generous greenhouse first. I will start my #SixOnSaturday there this week. Here’s the current state of part of the greenhouse bench, with the first two brave tomatoes that looked tall and strong enough to graduate from the house. You can also see a selection of veg, from peas, though pak choi and kale, to a few chilli.

While I was in the greenhouse, I noticed some of my osteospermum, which I overwinter in there, and draw cuttings from in spring. This plant is into full rock and roll mode already.

In demure contrast, and out in the wilds of the garden, possibly my favourite Scottish spring plant, and one I’m hoping to see over in the west very soon, the delightful primrose.

This year I bought a range of ‘species tulips’ to try. These are the native types, as, I suppose, one would see in the wild in western Turkey or Iran. They are not what I was expecting at about 3cm long and 0.5cm width, but they are very pretty indeed. I hope they don’t get too bashed this weekend in the rain.

When I moved to my current home, spring offered the amazing surprise of hundreds of daffodils. As I haven’t dug them up to replace, I think I’ve fewer now, but they can still put on an excellent display.

April has opened with driech, grey, drizzly weather. Something that always delivers, despite the rain, is the wallflower. This one has rich wonderful colour, especially against the grey stone wall. so this deserves to be the last of my six this week.

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. 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

Clocks spring forward this weekend and I know spring is coming, but somehow I’m feeling tired of being chilly, I wish things would cheer up a bit. A quick tour round the garden always helps the mood, so here goes for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

I may be taking spring slowly, but it’s all happened this week in the pond. Four, or maybe five, frogs feature here. I counted at least 20 males, they sang almost non-stop for 10 days. Only one female was spotted, yet there are buckets full of frogspawn now, so I guess those girls knew what they were doing.

I do love the secret flowers that pop up in springtime. Erythronium occasionally appear, one has popped up this year. The flowers are delicate and the foliage distinctive.

It will be a good while until fruit season, but blossom is on its way. I have a 200 year old pear tree that is about to burst forth. It is full of buds this year.

For the first time, it looks as though I’ve managed to overwinter a cordyalis. Here it is, tiny, but very pretty for a few weeks.

My favourite hellebore has taken many weeks to arrive, but is here now. This is a reminder to me to pop out and keep soaking in the view. The centre of these flowers is what I love the most.

Last, and certainly not least, peak scilla seems to have hit. On a sunny morning, this is what they do. How could anyone not smile when they see this.

It really is very cheering to get into the garden and have a mooch around. Hope you have time to do so too this weekend. 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. 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

This week has offered a mix of freezing temperatures and calm mild days. For my #SixOnSaturday this week, I offer the spring-like activity that has survived the eastern Scottish late winter.

First up, I do love a drumstick primula. They tend to disappear if planted into the garden, with the potted ones coming back again and again. This year, I suspect the summer drought and winter variation has stunted them….the flowerhead is sitting on a rather stumpy drumstick. Last week I showed you these in frost and snow. The flowers are coming now, well worth a close-up look.

Spring is almost here, heralded in recent years by a few pots of mini-daffs. I don’t know if they come first because of the variety, or because the pots warm up in the sun. They are very welcome. The close up makes it hard to judge the size: each flower is about 1.5cm long.

This is likely to be the final view of this year’s hazel catkins. They have been magnificent. Look carefully here and you’ll spot a big fat bud coming behind the tiny red female flower. I assume that means there’s been some successful pollination and we’ll have hazelnuts this year…ALL of which will be snaffled by the red squirrels.

Iris have featured often in my blog this year. And again, here’s possibly one last look at a pot with really dense planting of bulbs. I do love the effect, so cheerful near the front door.

I’m never hugely satisfied with wallflower. They flower early, they last a while, but from the second year onwards, they get very leggy. Here are some flowers on a purply-red-orange variety. they look great, but the rest of the plant is a bit scrappy. Is there a better way to keep these going for a few years?

Finally, somebody HELP me……..I am sinking even more under the spell of the ‘courtyard robin’, who now offers a really hard stare if I forget to pop out and feed him….scary!

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. 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

That ‘polar vortex’ came down and got us. -6 deg C these last couple of a nights, and a sprinkling of snow. This week’s #SixOnSaturday is a shivery boundary between late winter and early spring.

First, I caught a pot of crocus and primula with the snow still on them. Astonishing how similarly purple these two very different flowers are.

Things are starting to stir in the (unheated) greenhouse. A new experiment this year was to sow some very early coriander a couple of weeks ago. It has germinated in there, and now is almost ready to scatter over a salad, I’ve sown another pot full today.

I’ve got around to clearing most of the winter wreckage from my main flower borders, to reveal a host of cheerful scilla. I love their blue-white flowers popping up to replace the snowdrops.

Clematis were hit hard by last year’s heat and dry spells. Having died back in August, I feared the worse for some. There’s hope yet though, here they come. The tiny specks of dew are what’s left when the snow thaws.

Having spotted my first little clump of native primrose on a recent walk, I hurried home to check the status of my garden varieties. This one is full of bud with a few burgundy flowers doing their thing. The tiny hairs all over the stem make an interesting close-up.

Last, but very much not least, spring has started for me as I have plucked my first posy of daffs from out of the garden. What a burst of golden joy.

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. 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.

I was away last week visiting family, so sent just a very quick #SixOnSaturday post to Mastodon, which you find here. This week, I’m home in time for ‘spring’ — a cold snap is coming, but not quite yet, so there’s a chance to do some veg bed prep this weekend, before possible snow and ice. In the mean time, here are some promising signs of spring for my first #SixOnSaturday of the new month.

I’ve been waiting, and finally those tiny little red female flowers on the hazel here here, nestled at the top of each catkin.

I’m pleased to see the very first mini-daffs are flowering, amidst pulmonaria in full flower now.

Magnolia are having a slow start this year, but soon, soon their will break their buds. Meanwhile, the fluffy texture of the buds is very pleasing.

Another new iris for this year. These were much later to flower than the typical blue, or the plae yellow, but well worth the wait. I love the rich purple.

Perhaps just a bit too early, I do hope that the first few muscari don’t get blasted by snow and ice!

For this week’s finale, it is worth waiting a few years for hellebore to establish. I’ve been posting flowers from this one since they started to appear: now the plant is showing its full floriferous glory.

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. 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 now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.