Six on Saturday: November 21, 2020

A week of hot dry days has seen the hoses out seriously for the first time this Spring. There has been some wind as well: on Monday it was 35 degrees and very windy, a recipe for lethargy and languor which could only be assuaged by the application of water.

The roses have pretty much completed their trumpet fanfare and now it’s the turn of other garden stars and troopers to carry on with the rhythm and base riffs .

At number one, above, a Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’. I have read that the darker leafed Heucheras can deal with hot temperatures better than their lighter coloured siblings, and I hope this is true as this garden bed isn’t shady yet. Not until the Sapium (Chinese Tallow, considered a weed, but to me a beautiful shade tree) grows taller. My plan is to divide my Heuchera ‘Caramel’ in Autumn and plant some of it next to “Plum Pudding’ and create a delicious colour scheme.

Two: A quartet of Lobelias provides bright spots in the garden.

Three: Continuing with a red and purple theme, these Penstemons have been sotto voce in the garden for a couple of years, but this Spring have chosen to sing out courageously.

Four: Unidentified Shasta Daisy and Pelargonium complement each other in Flora’s garden.

Five: The photos above depict a sad downfall occurring in the space of a couple of weeks. From a symphony of blooms to brown spotted diseased looking leaves, to eviction, the chop and replanting. I hope I have eradicated a potential problem.

Six: This visitor nearly frightened me to death as she (or he) made a beeline sortie across our terrace, but he (or she) is quite harmless. It’s a Blue Tongued lizard, quite common, but the first one I’ve seen in this garden. Blue tongues can grow to 60 cm long and live for 20 years. Sadly, I wasn’t able to capture the decidedly blue tongue in any of my photographic attempts. There is more information here if you are interested.

Finally, I’ve been a bit cheeky and added another photo because I can’t resist the caps on the Alliums. This one (main picture) is at a decidedly jaunty angle. I wonder what the conversation is between these two?

As ever, I’m joining in with the Six on Saturday crowd conducted by The Propagator. Wonderful gardens and a great deal of gardening know how can be found on the Six on Saturday pages.

Weather today: Very sunny and hot. 18 – 34

Happy gardening, everyone.

51 Comments Add yours

  1. Paddy Tobin says:

    Your beautiful sunshine and flowers are such a contrast to water-logged Ireland and a tonic to view on this Saturday morning.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Paddy. We’ve certainly had a lot of sun and no doubt plenty more to come.

  2. Great vibrant colours. Your Penstemons are a show. I think I would have let out a manly shriek if caught unawares by the blue tongued lizard.

    1. Heyjude says:

      They are excellent for eating slugs! I would be happy to have one.

      1. Jane says:

        I’m delighted to have this one too. They’re rather beautiful and I’ll be even more pleased if it eats the S&S.

    2. Jane says:

      I’m loving the strong colours of these plants. The lizard isn’t really scary, but it gave me a fright because I’m always on the lookout for snakes, which are a different story altogether. Fortunately, we haven’t seen any of those in the garden. So far.

  3. fredgardener says:

    Very nice carpet of lobelia.
    You tell us about 35° last Monday and today it’s cold since it ‘s freezing this morning all over France… (except in the north-west where I am (very fortunately))😁
    Enjoy your coming summer.
    PS : Superb verb capture of this blue tongue lizard. And thanks for adding the link to find out more

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Fred. I’m glad you enjoyed reading about the lizard. I don’t know about enjoying the summer…it’s forecast to be 40 degrees this coming Saturday, and I’m hoping it isn’t a sign of a lot of unbearably hot weather in the near future.

  4. Lovely colours and unusual lizard. We could do with some of your warmth here.

    1. Jane says:

      I’d send some if I could, Granny, we’re going to have more than enough!

  5. Goodness me, I wonder what has gone on with your bearded iris, Jane? Your pink and purple flowers look great. They look like they are happy with sunny days.
    I worked up a real sweat today watering my veggie garden. The earwigs have eaten my pumpkin seedlings!

    1. Jane says:

      I think the iris has had a fungal infection, Tracy, and I’m hoping my measures will fix the problem. On the bright side, the clump needed dividing anyway. Sorry to hear about your pumpkin seedlings….perhaps that’s what happens to my veg seedlings too as I have so little success with them.

      1. The earwigs are vicious! 🙂

      2. The earwigs are vicious this year, Jane. 🙂

  6. That is a big lizard. I’m not sure I would like to that in my yard.

    1. Jane says:

      He’s really harmless, and I was delighted to see him as I hope he’ll eat some of the slugs and snails.

  7. Heyjude says:

    Plum pudding and caramel are making me hungry! I have some dark purple ones too and one which may well be plum pudding, sirs nicely with Marmalade 😂

    1. Heyjude says:

      *sits

    2. Jane says:

      I like the sound of Marmalade. I’ll have to keep a look out for one myself!

      1. Heyjude says:

        Marmalade is lovely, oranges and hints of green and caramel, there is a lime marmalade too, which is bright green. I love Heucheras, they are much more suited to my garden as foliage plants than Hostas.

        1. Jane says:

          The S&S don’t seem to like them!

          1. Heyjude says:

            True. Though something is making tiny black holes in one of my Heucherallas. I’ll have to try and get a photo and see if one of the sixers have any ideas.

  8. Cool lizard! My Heuchera Caramel is in a pot looking handsome, was also thinking of planting out with plummy coloured Heuchera Indian Summer. They are tough plants, mine do fine in dry conditions in summer.

    1. Jane says:

      I’m glad to hear that Heuchera are tough, Sel, as I’m developing a real fondness for them. I’ll have to keep an eye out for Indian Summer.

  9. Cathy says:

    If your blue-tongued lizard comes back, make sure to include a picture of his/her tongue. Oh, how I would love to keep penstemons from year to year. Your garden is looking deliciously free-flowing – and very lovely.

    1. Jane says:

      I’ll do my best, Cathy. I took loads of photos and didn’t catch the tongue in any of them! Free flowing is what I’m aiming for in my garden…nothing formal here. Thank you.

  10. Katharine says:

    We can only dream of heat and languor here in the UK but at least we did have some good weather this year. I’m loving your lobelia quartet – that is full on colour.

    1. Jane says:

      We have plenty of heat ahead of us, with Summer temps sure to be high. In fact 38° is forecast next week! The lobelias are especially good this year, probably helped by some early spring rain.

  11. Lisa says:

    Lizards always startle (momentarily frighten out of my wits) me too! I LOVE the allium close-up!

    1. Jane says:

      My first reaction to a lizard is always ‘snake’, hence the monetary fright. I love the alliums too, especially when they have their little caps on.

  12. Kris P says:

    The Alliums are wonderful. I love Heuchera and, although I haven’t had a lot of luck with them in my current garden, I invested in a several ‘Marmalade’ specimens this year based solely on the fact that one I planted last year survived our summer. I hope your plants live up to your expectations. I’m used to lizards here but I think a stretch-limo version like your blue tongued visitor would have startled me as well.

    1. Jane says:

      Stretch limo made me laugh, Kris. The lizard is quite large, but nothing compared to the goanna we had in our last garden. They can grow to about 2m long! I might be getting a bit carried away with these Heucheras but I do love the colour combinations. I have four different ones now, three of them purchased since last summer, so time will tell.

  13. Love your photos – and the lizard must have startled you!

    1. Jane says:

      It certainly did at first but I was really delighted to see it.

  14. March Picker says:

    I imagine I would’ve jumped sky high when the lizard appeared. Simple garter snakes here surprise me to no end. I think it’s their entrance speed. Hahaha. Love the penstemons’ vibrant colors combined — really wakes one up in our slumbering season… take care of yourself, Jane.

    1. Jane says:

      It was a momentary surprise of seeing the lizard there, March. I’m happy that he/she is here as it means I have a welcoming environment in the garden. I love the reds and purples together…such a bright display.

  15. paolsoren says:

    You have encouraged me to post some photos of my garden. I moved from ten acres to a concreted unit in town. But there’s still a bit of colour to celebrate. I’ll just wait for a bit of sunshine and get out.

    1. Jane says:

      Yes, do post some photos. You could even join the SoS crowd: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

  16. Catherine says:

    Your Heucheras ‘Plum Pudding’ and ‘Caramel’ will make a great combination, Jane. The lobelias and penstemons are so vivid – beautiful. You must enjoy looking at them – I certainly do – and even more so during this relentlessly wet and gloomy spell of weather that we’re have here in Scotland. Much the same as Paddy is having in Ireland.

    I’m glad you sneaked in an extra – the alliums featuring one with the cap still on, is a great addition to your ‘six’ 😁

    1. Jane says:

      Ooh, relentless wet and gloom sounds unpleasant, I hope you get some sunshine soon.
      The alliums are great, I’m astonished at how they’re multiplying!

  17. I love Huecheras, too and have an assortment of weird lizards in my garden..the eight foot snake it what startled me.

    1. Jane says:

      An eight foot snake would be very worrying indeed! I think I saw it on your post. Are they poisonous?

      1. The big snake is a Coachwhip, they are not poisonous and a good snake – they can be 12 feet long! I think my eyes bugged out when I saw it and of course, no camera .

  18. That heuchera combo sounds lovely. I hope that they do take your heat. Also hope that the recovery work on your irises is a success, as they were glorious in their prime. Looked up blue-tongued lizards and was shocked by just how bright blue they are. Hope you get a shot of one in the future!

    1. Jane says:

      Last summer the outer leaves of my heuchera fried, but the inner sheltered leaves were fine, so I’m hoping it will be the same this year. This Sunday’s forecast temp of 40 (horrible and very early in the season) will be a test. Thanks for your interest in the lizard. I haven’t laid eyes on it since: it must be sheltering from the weather.

  19. Beautiful as always! The penstemons look great. I must plant some next year. My roses are just about to start blooming again, with their second round of flowers.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you. Enjoy your roses!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Summer seems so far away already. So lovely to see the bright colours in your garden

    1. Jane says:

      They’re very cheerful, aren’t they.

  21. Lyn Hodgson says:

    Beautiful garden Jane. You’re obviously very “GREEN FINGERED” – as I said yesterday. Good blog too and love your writing. Will keep an eye on this in the future. My friend has an app which helps you distinguish which plants you have in the garden – very handy for the likes of me.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you for the comment, Lyn. I think one of those apps would be very useful for me too!

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