We are being treated to some of the traditional March weather. Wind! It is quite nice to have some fairly normal weather, I am not in a hurry to repeat last year’s unseasonal chill. I am fortunate not to have suffered any damage, no falling trees or missing panes, a couple of flattened daffodils is the worst of it. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I seemed to have avoided sycamore seedlings in their usual numbers. Spoke too soon! There are now zillions of them. It’s easy to imagine how quickly the country would return to forest if left to its own devices. Anyhow, time for Six on Saturday – Six things, in the garden, on a Saturday. Could be anything, a tool, a flower, foliage, a job to do, a failure, a success, anything at all. Join in!
Here are my Six for this week.
1 – Rose foliage. I’m looking forward to the roses this year. I have 15 or so now, nearly all climbers. Most have been planted in the last year or two so are just getting established. A couple of weeks ago I went round all of them removing any of last year’s foliage, making sure to clear any left around the base of the plant. I think this is intended to reduce the risk of fungal disease, but it has the added benefit of tidying the plant up and allowing us to enjoy fully the glossy new leaves as they come through.
2 – Tulipa sprengeri. I got seeds two years ago and sowed them, not fully appreciating how long they take to establish and get to flowering size. They germinated a year after sowing. Last year the seedlings were all in one 7cm pot, so I moved them into modules, one seedling per. Of course the foliage soon dies down and I had assumed that they had objected to being transplanted. Fortunately I never got around to tidying the module tray away – I noticed a week or two ago that fresh growth is emerging from all but one of the modules. This is a fairly rare species tulip that is reliably perennial and is one of the few that is also happy in full shade. I might plant them in their final positions this spring. If I’m lucky I might get flowers from them in summer 2020, possibly not till the year after.
3 – Salvia, probably x caradonna. I grew these from seed last year and am pleased to say they are all coming back now. Salvia aren’t especially hardy but should be OK outdoors darn sarf. I will have plenty of salvia action this summer, I hope, there’s about 10 plants in the ground and another 6 or 7 s. Amistad to come.
4 – Crocus ‘Pickwick’. These were a 50% off bargain, 100 bought in an end-of-bulb-season sale at GeeTee Bulbs. I planted them on 19th January and was unsure if they would flower this year as it was so late to plant. I put most of them in at the base of one of my two new trees, this one is the cercis canadensis. Despite my doubting them, most have flowered nicely.
5 – Tagete x ‘cinnabar’. First seen at Great Dixter, I got seeds via the HPS scheme last year. The plants grew nicely and flowered profusely for months. They also produced an enormous quantity of seeds, some of which I collected. I sowed them 12 days ago, they are doing very nicely. I shall move them to less crowded quarters this weekend.
6 – Crocus ‘Joan of Arc’. Bought in the same purchase as Pickwick up above, I planted half of them around the base of my other new tree, the amalanchier. Like their purple cousins, they are doing very nicely. I will get more crocus this autumn, I think. They are very jolly at this time of year.
Those are my Six, what are yours? Do tell! If you’d like to take part, just publish your post and pop a link to it below in the comments. For more details and for other ways to get involved, please see the brief participant guide.
Have a super weekend, I will get a little bit of gardening done, weather and other distractions permitting. Don’t forget to check back in later on as more links are added during the day.
I’ll be back next weekend for another #SixOnSaturday.
I’m back into the swing of it – cheers!
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Whoops, wrong week- embarassing!
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Just realised I forgot to post my link! Saturday feels like a distant memory already. 🤔 https://southfieldgardener.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-snow-rain-more-wind-a-cold/
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Better late than never!
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Heres my post a day late again https://patientgardener.wordpress.com/2019/03/17/six-on-saturday-16-march-2019/
Like you I love the new foliage of roses and I have Crocus Pickwick as well.
Top tip you dont need to pick out bulb seedlings like you would annual seedlings. If you have another go sow the seeds in a deep pot and then just pot up the clump every other year. I have friends who grow lots of bulbs from seed and this is the approach they take which seems to work well (less space taken up as well)
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Good tip on the bulb seedlings, thanks Helen. Am enjoying the garden at the moment, so much is revving up.
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Here I am, late to the party as usual. Are you taking off the old dead leaves off your roses, or all the leaves? Removing all the leaves seems a bit drastic. Here’s my six this week: https://stoneyknob.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-seeds-and-sprouts/
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all the leaves from season just finished. Not many of those left anyway.
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I’d given up on crocuses a bit as the ones I have either get flattened very quickly or do not flower well. But yours especially the ones among the tulips look really good, so I may try some new ones this autumn mixed among other spring plants.
My six for the week: https://www.parabola.me.uk/blog/2019/Mar/six-on-saturday-16-march/
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Ah hey Steve, sorry, didn’t see you sneaking in at the back there! I am definitely getting some more crocus this year. Parker’s wholesale a good way to bulk up for reasonable money.
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This my first time here Jon; thanks for hosting. I was interested to read you were defoliating your roses – after learning last year that Davis Austin nurseries defoliate ALL their roses every autumn I did the same on some of mine and looking at them now they seem all the better for it. It didn’t take as long to do as I expected and this year I will do all of them. https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-reduce-reuse-recycle/
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Do they now, interesting. I didn’t do mine till quite recently, I shall do in the autumn this year. If it is good enough for DA it is good enough for me. You are right, it doesn’t take too long.
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Your crocuses are looking great at the base of your new trees. Smart move! They will get better and better every year. There are some very nice new salvias round now aren’t there? ‘Amistad’ leads the pack and I’m hoping to have brought several ‘Love and Kisses’ and ‘Embers Wish’ cuttings through the winter too.
Here are my six: https://wp.me/pM8Y1-7lk
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Your crocuses are faring better than mine. Here’s my six https://greengirlgardener.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16th-march/
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I WILL read everyone’s post in the next few days. I just love the garden posts! No news from me today I have had FAMILY here for a week, (need I say More?) I think your Joan of Arc’s are beautiful! There were the highlight of my Spring Garden this year!
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Hello everyone.
It’s lovely to see so many spring flowers this Saturday.
Here’s my selection from Frome in Somerset.
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Hello again!
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Hi there,
Here’s mine
https://oldhouseintheshires.com/2019/03/16/spring-is-here-six-on-saturday/
I also have zillions of sycamore seeds that fly in from my nearest neighbour. They are a real pain and best caught early and they root quickly and deeply! Good luck.
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Hiya, yes a bit of a pain.
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So…this is from my past week on the allotment due to ‘other engagements’ on Saturday…including a certain game of rugby 🏴🏉🇮🇪
Tales of #dahlia love and the old enemy, a good workout by turning compost heaps, seed sorting and the start of #figwatch19. Plus earthing up potatoes and the signs that Spring is in the air! Enjoy!
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I am delighted to see that your late planted Crocuses have done so well. here is mine for today
All the best to you and all your Readers. 🙂
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Thanks, you too!
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Lovely Six. I’m a huge Crocus fan but find most don’t last many years. Thomasinianus multiplies well though. Wasn’t going to post this week (time, weather…), had a quick look at a couple of other Sixes then had to go out and take some photos. What did you start???😁
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I’ve created a monster!
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Lovely crocuses. I don’t think I have ever seen white ones before–or if I have, they didn’t make an impression–but based on your photo I’ll be looking for some to plant this autumn. I have several clumps of purple crocuses blooming now (name long-lost), but the daffodils are dominating the garden.
Here are my six: https://sweetgumandpines.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-40-march-16-2019/
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Yes, have plenty of daffs too.
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Just about!
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Glad you are surviving the winds. Here are my six for this week.
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Both of those crocus are the Dutch hybrids that seem to do so well for everyone else. the bloom well here only in their first year, but do not get enough chill to bloom so well in the second year. By the third year, there are only a few left. As much as I do not want to admit to it, I think think that the more basic specie might be more reliable and willing to perform here. I will not be planting any this autumn, but might do so the following autumn. The saffron crocus happened to do well, although I do not think that it really is a saffron crocus.
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That’s a shame, I am hoping mine will colonize.
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I get the impression that they do in other climates.
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another brilliant post and your crocus are standing thats brilliant https://mudcakesandwine.blogspot.com/2019/03/six-on-saturday-lawns-gyo-and-flowers.html
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Yes just about, although Gareth is doing his best to flatten em
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Thank you for the crocus picture – I get to see what my garden would have looked like if I hadn’t just planted a massive number of snacks for the squirrels and actually grown some crocus. I got pickwick from GeeTee as well, I like the stripy flowers instead of the classic purple.
For the tulips; I guess that is why they tell you to throw away the ‘baby’ bulbs – I didn’t and they grew tiny flowers the following year. Each year the flower is a little bigger.
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Oh no! We do have squirrels round and about but they obviously aren’t desperate enough for crocus. Or the cats put them off.
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We had such a mild winter that they ate all season long so they dug up every bulb. They are rude because they even dig up the ones they don’t like just to see what they are.
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Lovely crocuses. I planted new ones for this year too and well impressed. I shall buy more for planting under the trees in autumn. I want some of the orange ones. I also had species tulips planted in 2016, but they only appeared for one year never to come back. Eaten? Rotted away? Who knows. I shall plant dwarf daffs there instead and hope they survive better.
No gardening for me today – I’d be blown into the Celtic Sea if I went outdoors!
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Yes it has been pretty blow here too today. Mostly shed and greenhouse bound.not a terrible fate.
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Your shed and greenhouse must be a darn sight warmer than my shed (soggy floor) and conservatory!
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Not cold out, just windy. Besides, have a heater in the shed! All mod cons.
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I think spring is finally here. And we didn’t get the predicted rain last night. Yay!
Here are my six. https://doesthisfontmakemelookfat.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-spring-has-arrived-march-16-2017/
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Hopefully you can start to dry out a bit!
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Fingers crossed.
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Here are mine. I am sorry for the delay. I waited until past midnight, but did not see your post to post this link to. I will get back later. It is a quarter past six and I just got here.
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Boa Tarde, Mr P
Your rose looks nice and healthy! You are so lucky to have the space to grow 15… 🙂
Here is my offering for this week
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I may have room for a few more in the front garden…
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How exciting to have a rare species tulip – something to look forward to in 2020 (hopefully). Looking at your crocuses makes me think I need to plant a lot in daughter’s flower beds for next year. This is my Six on Saturday for the 16th
https://hurtledto60.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16-march-2019/
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I am going to buy crocus in bulk this year I think. 1000 should do it!
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Oh my back aches just thinking about planting so many 🥴
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I will use the drill to plant, make such a difference.
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Clever stuff!
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Use the drill? More please…
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Wide wood bit, drill hole in soil/lawn, pop bulb in, done…
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Ooh, clever. I shall have to investigate the OH’s toolkit – he never uses it anyway.
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What a great story your planting of the crocuses is! I should have done that, I have not one single crocus in the garden. Joan of Arc is very lovely. But best of all is the tulip, you are truly a propagator of great patience and skill – with some luck thrown – my favourite gardening ingredient. I’m very proud for you!! Here’s my link. https://wp.me/p97pee-mH This week I have managed a short link by clicking on something called the jetpack. I am considering a return to the classic editor but each week I stumble across some new solution to all my little problems!
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Crocus is a recent discovery for me, a very welcome one. Worth it for a bit of early colour. The tulips are just sat there in the modules, no real effort on my part.
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Each of your six very interesting this week. I have T sprengeri at exactly the same stage as yours. Interesting to hear that your late planting of crocus has been a success. Mostly from my conservatory this week: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2019/03/six-on-saturday-16-march-2019.html
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Hello again Noelle. Will you plant out your sprengeri this year?
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I had over 100 germinated, so I have planted out four groups of about 7 each. They have been there for a couple of weeks, and have not been touched by S & S,. The rest are in pots with 5-7 bulbs in each. A bit of an insurance. I understand that once they are established if they like the garden they will self seed. I am sure that we shall be comparing over the coming years!!
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I’m very excited for you with those species tulips. Imagine when they flower for the first time – your patience will be rewarded.
Here’s my Six – mostly greenhouse based. The wind plays havoc with my hair so it’s well to take shelter when the weather is blustery!
https://www.teabreakgardener.co.uk/my-gardening-week-six-on-saturday-16-03-19/
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Ha, your hair! That is not something I am troubled much by these days! Yes i will be pleased to see those tulips flower, along with some hesperantha I sowed 3 years ago…
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I love your Jeanne d’Arc. I’ve bought them for my spring pots and do hope they are as beautiful as yours. I love the Pickwick too. So pretty. I have a writer freind who lives on the edge of Dartmoor and frequently posts on Instagram. Last week on one of his dog rambles, he passed a churchyard that was carpeted in a crocus that looked very similar. Lovely. Here’s mine for this week – astonishingly I’ve found things to talk about! Cheers and thank you. http://pruebatten.com/2019/03/16/sos-16319/
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Yes I am a recent convert to crocus, will definitely get some more later this year.
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Nice crocus. Mine are in the wait for the foliage to die down so I can cut the grass phase. It’s good when your brood reward your patience by waking up, even if it will take a while yet to get them out of bed. Still got 45+mph winds and heavy rain here so won’t get much done today, given it’s our HPS group afternoon too! Which conflicts with a certain sporting event. Still my sackcloth and ashes special is at https://rivendellgarden.blog/?p=4082.
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Enjoy! Bit windy here too, but dryish. I shall get some gardening done I hope.
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I just realized that I have the same crocus and that I didn’t even know their name. They finish their flowering here now (the wind doesn’t help them to flourish) and the tulips arrive quickly … Isn’t it a bit early for the tagete? I’m still waiting a little … Yours are doing very well, though!
Here is my Six: https://fredgardenerblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16-03/
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My earlier planted crocus are all done, so there was some benefit to planting these ones late.
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I planted three barefoot climbing roses in the Autumn but no signs of glossy leaves like yours or even life yet, I actually think they are dead!
We have been battered by #StormGareth and his friends this week and yet, the garden still manages to amaze in its ability to be undefeated!
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Yours will be a couple of weeks behind maybe. Also depends on the rose. I had one that was very slow to get going last year.
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Good morning. Are crocuses taking over from tulips as your “passion” this year? You have certainly been most successful with them. Here are my Six-on-Saturday.
https://grannysgarden229242407.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday
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Only until the tulips arrive!
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Good morning all from a rather wintery looking Fife. Snowing quite heavily this morning. Where did spring go? I think my gardening might be confined to the potting shed this weekend. I admire your patience in waiting for the tulips to flower. What do you think is the longest you have ever waited for a seed from planting to flowering?
Here are my six…
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Snow! Rather you than me. The record so far is 3 (or is it 4?) years, hesperantha. This year perhaps…
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Lovely Pickwick crocuses. I have grown Dixter Tagetes in the past and wish I had saved the seed like you. Are Salvias quite easy to grow from seed? I am going to give it a try this year. My six this week is mainly books I’m afraid. More flowers next week – I’m going to start a factory production line.
https://carrotsandcalendula.co.uk/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-fairweather-gardener/
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The salvia seemed to be straightforward to grow, would do again. I have spare cinnabar seeds if you want some.
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Ooh yes please.
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Lemme check the shed, sure I have some.
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If you do I can message you my address and see if there is anything I can send in return.
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Will do
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Love the Joan of Arc and Pickwick crocus. The more reliably perennial tulip sounds great. You’re far more patient than me though. A year to germinate? I’d have assumed they had all failed and chucked them away!
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Yes I would have done the same a few years ago. There are lots of seeds that need one or even two winters to break dormancy. Never chuck a pot, just stash it out the way somewhere.
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Hmm. Forgot to include a link. Better late than never. https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16-march-2019/
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https://sedumsdahliasandhayfever.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-16th-march-2019/ morning Tulip and the grand opening of my Aeonium House this week
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Morning! That sounds very grand!
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Oh by the way Joan of Arc one of my favourite Crocuses
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I have Tulipa sprengeri sown somewhere, or in the packet still maybe. Sounds like one for the long haul. I like Pickwick, I think I have some without knowing what they were. And I was trying to get Cinnabar, did I order some? did I get them? where are they? following your enthusing about it last year. Here’s my six: https://wp.me/p6bCCa-1N6
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I can send you some Cinnabar seed if you like, have plenty spares.
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Thanks but I just looked and Tagetes ex Cinnabar is in my HPS stash. I’d better get sowing.
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Very slow process developing flowering bulbs from seed. Tried alliums but don’t really have the space for something to slowly develop over several years.
My six marks a year of sixes. https://wp.me/p7AXpE-2kF
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Wow that went fast, happy birthday!
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It has. Thought I’d struggle to keep posting through winter but always something going on whether it’s jobs or plants.
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Yes there’s always something going on.
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Love the crocus. Very brief post from Wellington this week https://basia329.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/six-on-saturday-17/
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Hiya! Awful news from your neck of the woods, hope things calm down soon.
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