As you may have gathered from the decreasing levels of enthusiasm in my weekly posts, gardening has become something of a chore in the last year, much lower down on the priority list than its previously unassailable position at the top. For me, Six on Saturday has become less a joy and more a weekly reminder of how much there is to do that hasn’t and likely won’t get done, and I feel like there is less and less to show off. I’ve decided to give myself a break, so this will be my last Six on Saturday, at least for the time being.

Fear not! I am passing the hosting baton to Jim Stephens who has been in the gang since the very first one back in May 2017. Jim is an excellent gardener and with ‘Garden Ruminations‘ he writes a mean blog post too. I think I’m right in saying he has a 100% attendance record for Six on Saturday as well as posting other interesting and informative content. If you aren’t already following his blog, do! I expect I will pop by from time to time, but as a regular punter, not the host. I’ve agreed with Jim that he is the custodian “for the time being”, allowing for the possibility that at some point I’ll regain both the time and the mojo to take it on again.

I remain tickled pink that this random idea I had over 5 years ago has become a weekly joy to so many, and will be very happy to see it continue to thrive in Jim’s capable hands.

With all that said, here are my Six for this week…

1 – Untidy windfall. Among the many things not done this year, windfalls are lying uncollected. If I ever get around to it, they’ll go on the compost heap. There are still apples on the tree, I really should get the pole picker out of the shed and retrieve them before they also hit the deck.

2 – Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’. Planted earlier this year, and still alive. This is a by-no-means guaranteed outcome in my garden this year, so bravo to lil ole heuchera here.

3 – Salvia ‘Amethyst Lips’. The less brash, more sophisticated cousin of ‘Hot Lips’. I recall complaining last year that this plant was not doing well in its large pot. It still isn’t doing well, very few flowers. I really need to plant it out. Might have to wait till the spring now.

4 – Amelanchier ‘Robin Hill’. Definitely autumn.

5 – Aster ‘Bahamas’. Next to actually being in the Bahamas, I suppose this is a poor second place, but still, some October brightness is always welcome.

6 – Melianthus major. I’ve gone on about this plant a couple of times, I think. To recap, I grew this and another plant from seed last year. They hung on for dear life in the greenhouse over the winter and were planted out in the spring this year, I believe. They are both about 3′ tall, bit more perhaps, and looking rather splendid. If happy, and if they don’t get killed off by frost, they should grow to 6′ or even 8′. I really like the blue-green, sawtooth pattern of the leaves. Technically an evergreen sub-shrub, it’s typically grown as an herbaceous perennial in the UK. Unless it is a very mild winter, it should die back to the ground and emerge again with vigour in the spring.

Those are my Six, what are yours? If you’d like to have a go, just publish your post and pop a link to it in the comments below, as usual.

Since this is the last one from me for a while, from next week Six on Saturday will work exactly the same way…BUT… Look out for Jim’s post instead of mine, and pop your link in a comment on his post instead of mine. Thank you to the gang, to all of you that contribute, whether that is regularly or as the mood takes you – I hope that you continue to do so. And a special thank you to Jim for agreeing to take it on.

Au revoir for now!