Six on Saturday - 19 Aug

Posted Sat 19 August 2017 in garden

Today was a bit breezy. In a blow-the-containers-over, move the bins, make it difficult to walk kind of way. And yet there was a fair amount of sun and it would have been a perfectly pleasant day otherwise.

Did this used to happen in previous decades? Perhaps it is my memory, but it seems to me that in the last five years or so it has become a lot more common for sunny days to also be rather windy and for calm sunny days to become increasingly rare.

Anyway it is Saturday, and so it is time for six things.

1. Himalayan Honeysuckle

I rather like these shrubs for their unusual flowers. The flowers were quite popular with the bees when they were out. Now the berries are forming, they start out red, then turn black, both can be seen in this picture. It seems that the berries are quite popular with the birds, although I've only once seen a blackbird eating them.

2. Gazania

I believe it is now possible to get Gazanias that flower when the sun is not shining brightly. This is not such a variety so it is a rare joy to see this one open.

3. Lobelia 'Starship scarlet'

The last time I featured this plant, the flowers were just beginning to open. Now it is probably at its best. This is winning the best purchase of the year award for me at the moment.

4. Lobelia 'Fan salmon'

This Lobelia has suffered terribly from slugs and/or snails, so it is great to finally see some flowers. Admittedly not many, but hey.

5. Lavender

I only bought this lavender last year and it has surprised me by how many flowers it has this year. It almost always has a bee or three on it, although I can't spot any in this photo, but then the heavy wind maybe kept them away.

6. Potentilla

This was a pre-existing plant so I don't know the variety. I've only featured it once before in the July round up, and it is still flowering, although there are not many flowers out at a time and they are all on long trailing stalks so the flowers are all mixed in with other things. This one happens to be over the lawn.

Posted by Steve