Six on Saturday. Surprises.

/ karen

Plants often spring surprises. This is supposed to be Hippeastrum Apple blossom. It’s not. It was planted in October – to flower at Christmas. It didn’t. I’m not complaining, it’s given me a lovely surprise today.

I’ve given it pride of place on the the greenhouse coffee table. As you can see, there’s lots of potting on to do in there. I’m half way through my scented pelargoniums. I’m potting them into large terracotta pots to stand out on the terrace.

Speaking of surprises, my garden is full of ladybirds. They are everywhere. Look into the centre of any plant and you’ll find a cluster of them. Here they are nestled in the folds of a grey-leaved phlomis. Looking in my dictionary, I’ve discovered the group noun for ladybirds is a “loveliness.” What else could it be! Luckily I’ve left all my dead stems in the garden, giving ladybirds and other insects somewhere to hibernate.

And my final surprise is the pond. Not only is it holding water after springing a leak and causing us all kinds of trouble, but we now have tadpoles – week’s later than friends a few miles away. And joy! Today I spotted newts. I rather like surprises such as these!

Thank you to the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday. https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/six-on-saturday-06-04-2019/#comments

Links :

Hippeastrum : https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=118

Alton Cedar greenhouses. Mine was second-hand and we’ve painted it black. https://www.altongreenhouses.co.uk/

Ladybirds:

https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/b/notesonnature/posts/a-loveliness-of-ladybirds

36 thoughts on “Six on Saturday. Surprises.”

  1. I have late flowering hippeastrum too, I agree it’s a blessing to have this extended season. Your greenhouse must be an absolute joy to be in, whether you are working in it or just admiring!

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  3. Newts are good?! That’s a surprise.
    Those primrose are RAD! Several of us are sharing pictures of them as if they are something common. Mine never look so rad. They are grown as cool season annuals, so will be getting discarded soon. Someday, I might take some down to plant along a stream to see if they want to grow as perennial. It is cooler down there through summer.

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  4. You’ll need that loveliness of ladybirds when the awfulness* of aphids is about. Look after them! Your greenhouse is looking well stuffed. There are few flat surfaces left in mine, all occupied by seedlings or cuttings or seed trays. Yours looks prettier…

    *not the official term (unless it is and I’ve randomly guessed it)

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  7. Is your Hippeastrum in pot or in the ground ? A Twitter friend told me that they are hardy in our zone (8) and I was surprised because I always planted mine in pot … I should try and maybe take the risk .. .
    I smiled when I saw your greenhouse so filled and thinking about where you can lay your feet without making anything fall … not easy.

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    • Thank you Christina. Mum came yesterday and we potted on all the pelargoniums. Nearly all of the cuttings have taken. Such a financial saving not to have to buy any new ones this summer. I ran out of plant pots.

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  10. Am jealous of your greenhouse and that you can get into it. Mine is tiny and packed and doesn’t really benefit the plants as I can’t get to them. I keep thinking if getting a larger one but never get round to it.
    A loveliness of ladybirds is great

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    • Thank you Helen. I must admit, my greenhouse was a terrible mess until a few years ago when Mum and I spent a couple of days clearing it out, cleaning and painting all the staging black to match the greenhouse. We both said we couldn’t face doing that again, so I try to keep it tidy now. I put a chair in the corner, and added a radio and kettle, so it’s more like a spare room now. Somewhere to sit and contemplate. I was very lucky to buy the g house second hand for £260.

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  15. Now that’s what a greenhouse should look like; exuberantly stuffed with flowers. We emptied ours last weekend, fixed the floor and put less than everything back in. It’s clean and tidy and depressing and I hate it.

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    • Thank you Jim. Mum helped me tidy it out last autumn and I’ve desperately tried to keep it looking nice all winter. Must admit, I was standing half way down when I took the photo. You can’t see what’s behind me! Good luck with your greenhouse. It will soon fill up again.

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  17. What a lovely, crammed full of flowers, greenhouse! And so many ladybirds! Love the loveliness. I have seen some in my garden though not anywhere as many as you have, but exciting because I didn’t see one last year.

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    • Thank you. Mum’s coming tomorrow and we are going to pull the bourgainvillas out and trim them. Then they will burst into flower at the far end of the greenhouse. There’s even ladybirds in the greenhouse. Didn’t see many last year. All the best. Karen

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  18. Karen the Hippeastrum is divine and I am glad that it has blossomed now: it is a luxury. I love your greenhouse full of wonderful flowers of all colors. Sitting there must be a very special sensation for sight and smell: a treasure. The perfumed pelargoniums will be lovely in terracotta pots. “Beauty” that another name could be given to a group of ladybugs! That is a sign that your garden is ecological. I love your pond full of tadpoles and newts. A jewel for amphibians, insects and birds, without forgetting mammals. Karen I really like your garden, she is as friendly with the animals as with the divine flowers that you have: you make everything possible at once. Thanks for the links, they are very good. Karen give your family my memories, love and health. The same for you, my friend. Take care and rest. Loving greetings from Margarita.

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