SoS-16/3/19…
Six odd ones…
Colchicum Byzantium which I purchased at the magnificent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show at this time last year. Thrilled that it survived a burning summer. The wire is to stop the dogs from treading on them.
A delightfully stepped layer of fungus on my Guelder Rose.
Seedheads that look like alien insects, on one of Clematis Montanas.
A delivery of tulips, crocus and grape hyacinths which arrived last week. Plus lifted tulips from last year. All to be potted.
Freesias popping up along with the leaf growth of ‘I don’t know what.’ It flowers with a carpet of cerise starshaped flowers in spring and grows from tiny bulbs. Is spread right through the whole garden. Here before we bought this place over 30 years ago.
Seeds from last season’s sweetpeas. I dried the pods and then popped the seeds out of the pods today, because I gather one must plant them in Oz as close to Saint Patrick’s Day as possible (that’s tomorrow!).
To all those who know about seeds: Do I soak them first? Do I then plant in tubes in my cold frame? Or do I just broadcast them now, along the foot of the fence up which I want them to climb?
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Happy SoS everyone! Do go to Mr.P and have a look at all the wonderful links!
And kind wishes to Basia – we’re thinking of everyone in NZ right now…
For sweet peas, I put them on a wet paper towel in a kitchen plastic box on a radiator: when I see the roots (just a few days), I plant them. As I said mine were sown in November and are ready for the season now.
Thanks, Fred. It’s not cold enough for heaters, so maybe if I place the towel in a sunny window? Rather like when we used to grow wheat seed on cottonwool as an experiment in primary school.
You definitely should soak the sweet peas – or as Fred does, keep them moist. I have one lot in my cold frame, well grown, ready to go out once there’s no risk of frost; I started them off in October, I think. I’ve just set another lot off yesterday, just in case – I adore sweet peas, but I have a bad record for keeping them alive!
Noted, Nicky. Frosts can happen here even in early summer. We did in fact have our first frost in late February which was so bizarre as we were knee-deep in the longest, hottest summer ever!
Not sure what to do once they begin to sprout because of the contrariness of frost. Shall have to proceed to my garden guru-friend who told me about Saint Patrick’s Day.
Spring is coming here with Hyacinths popping up and flowering tulips stating to pop up daffodils growing well and early ones flowering, Looking forward to summer here. Not sure if your blue plant is maybe a wild geranium, or a penstenom, lithospermum or salvia… it could of course be none of these 🙂 I need to think of starting of some seeds of my own.
None of those, Libby. When spring comes, I shall put up pics and we shall se what emerges.
Hi Prue – where are you planting all those lovely bulbs? Are you trying in pots to save them from dog feet?
Hi there, Katharine. Yes, pots to protect from dogs but also to make portable to remove from face of wind when it comes. Our spring winds are legendary and every year, i lose tulips before they have even thrilled. This year, I intend to think ahead. Will it work? Heaven knows. The sea daffs though, may go into the garden. (I’m not actually a daffodil fan, except for a big bunch on the table in very late winter to encourage me to believe that spring is days away.) They are rather showy and may belnd nicely with my white garden. It all looks great in my head. Time, effort and the weather are another thing entirely… 😉
Like the picture of the fungus really interesting. I love it whe J get a Tulip delivery cheers up a wet autumn day. Nice blog.
Hallo Paul. Our Autumn days are so dry and summer is holding onto it’s place in the scheme of things. It’s hard to imagine that we will ever see autumn and yet the deciduous trees are changing. A spotted a big bough of red to claret leaves in the liquid amber yesterday. But we are still swimming and wearing shorts. And no rain for weeks.
I also like the picture of the fungus – quite special.
I have no idea why it’s there. It’s the least damp spot in the garden – faces north west and has summer’s full glare in its face.
To soak or not to soak. A controversial topic! I bought my seeds from a specialist sweet pea supplier last year. He said don’t bother soaking, so long as you keep the compost fairly moist. Mine all came up quite the thing. Sweet peas can be grown tough so a cold frame is fine.
What your specialist says ties in with what my garden guru does. She plants directly into tubes in her greenhouse and has raging success. I have yet to convince my OH that a hot house is de rigeur. Hence cold frame.