The population in our house was reduced slightly earlier this week when #1 child was deposited back at university for his 3rd year. It will be reduced again tomorrow and by two more the following Saturday as yet more students head off to the four corners of the country to a strange covid-affected term. Not all the students are ours, I hasten to add, two are borrowed, nephews stopping over for a few weeks on their way back into the UK. Anyhow, soon be even less going on round here that might distract me from the garden! In the meantime, it’s Six on Saturday. Six things, in the garden, on a Saturday. Could be anything, you decide. Join in!
Here are my Six for this week…
1 – Leaping Echinops Seed. Caught in mid-flight, ejecting itself explosively from this globe thistle seed head. A miracle of photography, prize-winning I expect. Or, the seed is stuck on a thread of spider’s web, and just looks like it’s flying. Only you can decide the truth.
2 – “When will there be a harvest, for the woooorrrld”. Erm, not likely, at least not from my patch this year. Beans have been highly resistant on all fronts this year. They didn’t want to germinate, then when they did they were rubbish plants, then when they grew well they didn’t produce. The funny run of weather here, too hot then too wet then too dry, has not helped. In recent days, however, things have begun to change. The runners are having a late flush, the climbing beans are finally producing, and the dwarf beans are giving up a small number of beans despite frequent attacks by our slimy friends. Oh, and a courgette, well on its way to being a marrow. It was hiding beneath a whopper leaf.
3 – Eurybia divaricata, white wood aster. Very happy in the shade, I now have a few clumps of this brightening up the darker corners of my garden. It flowers for weeks at this time of year, probably taking me right up to first frosts. It does flop about a bit, so best to have it hemmed in by other plants, or some kind of support in place.
4 – Begonia grandis sinensis. I grew these from seed last year, or maybe the year before. They have been planted out since early summer and have grown into quite large plants. Covered in large numbers of white flowers at the moment, I actually grew them for the leaves, the underside of which are quite attractive. Happy in partial shade and bone hardy too. Supposedly it drops bulbils freely which become new plants, so who knows, I may have a forest of it next year. Nice problem to have.
5 – Salvia ‘Amistad’. Rather common these days, but still very pretty. Only one of mine survived the winter in the ground, but the dozen or so cuttings I took did well in the greenhouse and are now flowering with gusto. Even the leavings, the dark calyx, are rather pretty. I should get in and cut some of those spent stems back, I might get some more blooms in before Jack Frost visits.
6 – Dahlia. Another bargain purchase, this time bought as a tuber. I bought two, the other didn’t grow. I’ve no idea what variety this one is. To be honest, I’m not sure most dahlia growers know what variety a given tuber is, they seem to send quite random stuff out. Anyhow, it’s quite pretty, can’t argue with that for £1.
Those are my Six, what are yours? If you’d like to join in, just publish your post and pop a link to it below in the comments. If you also mention my blog in yours that would be marvellous. For more details you can read the brief participant guide.
Have a splendid gardening weekend, I have a lengthy list of things to get done, including planting some of my growing backlog of plants. Don’t forget to pop back later as more links get added during the day.
Stay safe, I’ll be back next weekend with another #SixOnSaturday.
Love the begonia! Things that re-seed always seem like a bonus. Here are my six: https://intrepidephemera.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-garden-report/
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I hope your uni students have a good year in these strange times. Like everyone else, I’m impressed with the echinops photo…would be well pleased if I’d taken one like that, spider web or not. Although, I note that the seed has rather cleverly done a flip turn during its short flight……
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Brilliant picture of the echinops, Jon! Good to read about your eurybia, something I have just added after reading about it on a number of blogs, and I might just move one of the 3 plants after reading about its floppy habit! I have really struggled to get a good showing from Amistad but am determined to try just one more time – do your cuttings grow to flowering size in one year? Thanks for hosting, always appreciated. My random six are here: https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-more-than-a-second-glance/
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The cuttings take now would flower next summer. Early cuttings might flower same year.
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Thanks for that Jon
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I thought it was just me that struggled with Amistad!
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Oh hurrah – there at least 2 of us then! I have just bought another one and will try for the Very Last Time…😉
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I do like your Eurybia divaricata. Good to see yo are getting some produce too. OUr beans did okay in the end but not a great year for us either – I think you are right the weather had a lot to do with it. More six here –
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Love the echinops photo, amazing. Agree about beans, never had such lovely tender ones in September. The wood aster is charming. I’m very late with the blog this week, but here it is: http://kasmaty.blogspot.com/2020/09/sixonsaturday-plants-giving-long-term.html
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White wood asters!!! Your flowers don’t look quite like mine, but then I couldn’t get near enough for a close up. I didn’t know they flopped about. I’ll have to come up with a plan for that.
My six: https://wp.me/p4Y6ke-2Fp
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Well maybe they don’t all flop, but mine sure do!
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Oh what a lot of lovely things you’ve got! The dahlia is lovely, the flying seed was a great spot and I’ve never seen that begonia before, but it does look intriguing. I am growing wood aster for the first time and I think it is lovely, but you are right about the flopping … even short stems on mine!
Here are my six (can’t find the short URL form with the new editor): https://frogenddweller.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-the-early-badger-catches-the-worm/
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Ah good, another flopper. Not just me then.
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The shortlink is under the Jetpack symbol – the green circle with the two white triangles. I know, an intuitive system it is not!
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Your ability to grow things from seed just astounds me. Speaking of astounding me…you most certainly DO need an award for the Flying Echinops Seed photo! How fun (no matter how it was captured). Feeling the nip of fall in the air here and spending time cleaning out flowerbeds in preparation for planting a few more tulip and daffodil bulbs which will arrive soon.
My six…
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I can’t claim much of the credit, nature does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to growing from seed.
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I love that white aster. I definitely don’t need more plants right now, though. I’ll skip making an entry this week while things return to normal from the smoke, but plan to visit other posts this weekend to view all the beauty. Have a safe week!
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Oh hush now, you definitely need more plants!
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Afternoon! For what it’s worth, I’m completely on board with the prize-winning echinops photo story. And that dahlia is pretty. A nice #Six. Here’s mine… https://mysecretgarden61808037.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/sixonsaturday-miniature-heros/
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Yay! Is it in the post? My prize? Oh what could it be?
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Love the wood aster, and duly noted. This is my Six on Saturday – all about dahlias! https://hurtledto60.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-09-2020/
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Gorgeous Dahlia, whoever she is. My experience with Begonia grandis, pretty but don’t be cavalier about leaving all the seedlings around. I had a similar bean experience last year, life in the veg garden. Oh well, six from frying Florida https://theshrubqueen.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-summer-whites/
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The “leaping” seeds is a nice picture, no matter how the seed got its jump. I thought courgettes and marrows were the same thing! Zucchini. A squash, that by any name, I do not grow, because I do not like the taste of summer squash. I will add, nor the taste of winter squash, at least in savories.
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Ooops…
https://lisasgardenadventureinoregon.blogspot.com/2020/09/six-on-saturday-september-19-2020.html
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Happy Saturday Prop! Hope all those students have a good time at uni – a difficult time for them all. I love the wood aster – first saw one in the Beth Chatto woodland garden and was very impressed. It does get to be quite a large shrub though, at least it was there. But the flowers are like little stars.
I’m focusing on the overall appearance of the garden this week instead of individual plants.
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Not a shrub, maybe a clump. It dies back to the ground in winter.
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OK. Well large bushy clump then 😂
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Plant envy mode engaged. Wood aster is gorgeous and Salvia Amistad is one I’ve been fruitlessly searching for in the US.
https://pruneplantsow.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/sixonsaturday-september-19th/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
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U.S. gardeners can buy Salvia ‘Amistad’ at Annie’s Annuals (https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=4645) or Flowers by the Sea (https://www.fbts.com/salvia-amistad.html?utm_source=search&utm_medium=site_search&utm_campaign=4)
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Lovely Aster! I have the same one here, as well as Heath Aster – S. erichoides – also white but growing out in the open. Happy Saturday!!
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The white wood aster is something I am going to have to look into as viable here. Very nice. Of course, little could outdo the self-ejecting Echinops seed! Here are six more from me: https://aftereden.blog/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-september-2020/
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Here’s mine: http://janesmudgeegarden.com/sos-september-19-2020/
I’ll be back to read all tomorrow southern hemisphere time.
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A quick post this week. Back later to read all. Cheers
https://digwithdorris.wordpress.com
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Now you’ve got a wonderful selection of unusual plants fantastic. Dahlia is not unusual but is looking great. It’s amazing isn’t it to find a courgette that’s almost a marrow.
Here’s my Six. https://gardeningmyway.home.blog/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19th-sept-2020/
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White wood aster is going on the shopping list immediately. I was only looking at the shady end of the garden this morning, wondering what could give it a lift at this time of the year and voila – you have given me the answer – the cheque’s in the post! Here’s my six for the week https://wp.me/p97pee-DP
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I can send you some seed if you like.
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A great first photo! Definitely a flying seed!! Good to hear that your veggies are producing again. Ours also hit a slow phase during our winter, but they are all producing like crazy now. That is a very pretty dahlia. It certainly does take a while to get used to the quiet when the youngsters leave the nest.
My Six for the week can be found here: https://hairbellsandmaples.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-w38-20-ka-bloom/
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Morning all! Good luck with dropping the students off – sounds like a handy workforce. https://peerlessgardening.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-17-09-2020/
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Yeah right! Zero interest.
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I’ve had a rubbish year with beans too, but I’m hoping the courgettes will surprise me with a late but plentiful harvest. Well I can dream, can’t I? Seems you got enough for a couple of meals anyway.
The dahlia photo is fab, and as for the echinops seed, what can I say?
I see your to do list has ‘Tie in mad alfie. Again’ on it. I’m just looking the other way when I walk past mine. I can’t face it yet.
https://www.hortusbaileyana.co.uk/2020/09/pottering-in-garden.html
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It is certainly an enthusiastic grower, that rose. Hoping for lots of flowers next year.
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Echinops photo impressive, surely one for Countryfile calendar 😉 more impressive is bargain dahlia 🌸
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My post stopped too quickly.(Is there a limit to Block edotor?) I did close my brackets and carried on to say I had to cut away parts of the later potatoes. I also said to have a good weekend.
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You can edit it post publish if you want.
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Definitely an award winning photo. I also have Salvias in my Six but not ‘Amistad’ – I really struggle with it. I picked up a new plant from a sale bench last week and am going to have one last go with it next year.
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Good luck with the salvia!
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Good morning. I assume that I have just had my first experience of WordPress block editor. It published my post when I was trying to edit it, so any bad grammar, spelling or punctuation would have been corrected. (Good excuse this week! ) That’s a lovely dahlia. I have a second bloom on the only one that has flowered but there may be another one yet. Hope all the journeys go well with all the “little” ones. Have a good weekend.
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I’ve sneaked in a small brag about onions but a lot of my veg was like yours this year, my beans could have been worse. I must nip out and see if my white begonias are red veined or red all over, lovely plant that it is either way. Here are my six: https://wp.me/p6bCCa-2ug
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My veg growing is usually a bit indifferent, but this year there may be carrots.
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Carrots is good, lot more points than courgettes.
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Enjoy the extra time as the house empties. I’m now starting the phase of losing Saturday mornings as Alice is going to dance lessons. The dahlia looks well worth a quid.
This week I’ve still got the builders here so working around piles of materials to see what I can get at to photo that hasn’t featured recently.
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Am in the final year of lost Saturday mornings, am on touchline of slightly chilly footy field as #3 child warms up for the first league match of the season.
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Those days are gone here, thankfully; those days of seeing them off to college and they are now all settled into their careers. The house is quiet and time is our own. Changed times! Anyway, gardening: Salvia ‘Amistad’ is common because it is the one which grows so very well. We had a big number of salvia cultivars in the garden a few years ago but only a handful now – those that survived and those worth keeping – and ‘Amistad’ is the best of them all. Have you propagated that Eurybia divaricata? We have one plant and would like to make more of it as it does seem to suit the shadier parts of the garden very well and we have a corner to fill!
We have had a good week in the garden though I spent quite an amount of the time painting this week – three coats on the road gate and then other bits and pieces – and more to do this coming week.
Here is my look back at the week: https://anirishgardener.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-09-2020/
Best wishes to all. Stay safe!
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E.divaricata divides well and comes true from seed too. Piece of cake to get more.
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Oh, from seed – it hadn’t struck me!
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Morning! Love your begonia, the leaves are beautiful, especially when backlit. Great dahlia, mine have been dreadful this year, they are mostly in pots so I blame the compost. It couldn’t possibly be the gardener. Enjoy your harvest and a quiet(er) home. Here are my six https://offtheedgegardening.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-slack/
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I’ve found compost, particularly new horizon, to be very unreliable this year. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
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I use New Horizon. 🙄
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Rubbish, I’m never using it again.
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I’ve had poor results with New Horizon too.
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Clever photo with the Echinops Seed. I’ve been removing masses of webs recently, but only because they’ve been covered in sawdust, explanation on the blog. Glad your faith in your harvest is being restored, home-grown food on the table is a pleasure, no matter how small.
The bargain dahlia is putting on a great show for you, no matter what variety it might be, it’s quite spectacular.
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Yes I enjoy growing the veg, although it doesn’t get the same level of attention as the rest of the garden.
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You’re right, this begonia looks like mine, although mine has completely red leaves underneath. Very nice photo of this seed in flight ! (even if there is a pretty spider’s web 😉😄 )
My link this week : https://fredgardenerblog.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-09-20/
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Must be a similar type of begonia. Red underside sounds nice.
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My household is shrinking too but that should leave a little more time for gardening I hope. I love your dahlia – £1 well spent. Here’s my six focussed on the stars of late summer including like yours some dahlias and asters.
https://www.teabreakgardener.co.uk/the-garden-ablaze-6-plants-for-late-summer-colour/
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Can’t go wrong with dahlias and asters at this time of year.
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Again, I do not have many flowers to show; but people were interested in our situation here last week.
I would have been more impressed with your first picture if you had not pointed out the web. I really would have believed that such seed were ejected explosively, just because I never caught them in the act.
If it is any consolation, some our vegetables were duds too. The garden was abandoned too many times to catch up.
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I think I have the perfect spot for a white wood aster. I’ll have to look out for one. The dahlia is a stunner as is the photo of the sort of flying seed (I didn’t spot the web until you mentioned it!) Stay safe, your family too. https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-september-2020/
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I can send you a chunk, or indeed some seeds, which is how I grew them first off.
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Seed would be great if that’s okay? Much appreciated.
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Okey doke, will watch out for it.
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What a great action photograph, with a little help of your spider. Seeing your Amistad has reminded me to go out and take cutting of mine this weekend. I agree its been a strange and weird season for veg growing here too.
Here are my six: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2020/09/six-on-saturday-19-september-2020.html
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Oh yes.. Its too early for remembering to pop my link… https://growwriterepeat.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-11/
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That’s a very select Six, a chara… with the exception of the beans perhaps.
The flying seed is remarkable, and I’m choosing to ignore the possibility of a web in favour of award-winning expertise! Enjoy your Saturday gardening, Jon.
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Wow! I can’t go past the Echinops image and have decided. your a whizzbang pic-taker!
Does it make you feel old when the kids depart leaving you to fester in the nest? It did me…
Here’s mine for this week: https://pruebatten.com/2020/09/19/six-saturday-1909/
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Please ignore spelling. I need a new keyboard as current one has dead letters and inserts punctuation where there should be none!
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Years ago I taught 12-year-olds. They pulled off two keyboard letters M and N and transposed them! Had me flustered for a short while.
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We have 4 (normally) so #1 going still felt quite busy, I bet we’ll notice the difference more when #2 goes to uni and again even more so when #3 goes next year. Peace and quiet!
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Absolutely love that first picture! How lucky you were to capture that. Lovely salvia too. Here are my springtime six https://basia329.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/six-on-saturday-19-09-20/
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