Six on Saturday – 21/08/2021 – side garden, foggy morning

It’s been lovely and hot and humid the past while, with no change in these conditions expected until September; in other words, it’s still summer! I was out on my early morning rounds the other day, coffee and camera in hand, while the fog was still laying low. I spotted a few early rising bumble bees, some robins catching their worms, a tomato horned worm in the tomato patch (it was relocated to a more appropriate place…) and I thought I’d share a look at the side garden. It has a small patio I laid using flat limestone slabs found on the property; it’s just large enough for a bench and a chair. Around it I’ve crammed a huge assortment of bulbs, perennials and shrubs. (You’ve likely seem individual plants from this garden in previous Sixes over the years.) The Propagator hosts this weekly garden blog theme – six things in your garden – and you can see gardens from around the world if you visit his site.

First up – the patio entrance, on the south side.

I scatter garlic chive seeds (Allium tuberosum) so that clumps form in strategic places, covering bare spots where daffodils bloom in the spring, for instance.

I also plant a few annual seeds to cover bare spots. I’ve actually had to cut back some of these Nasturtiums; unbeknownst to me (such a lovely word – unbeknownst!) they were a vining variety and were starting to overwhelm everything in their path, including the Echeveria there. I’m quite happy with it this succulent; purchased last year, it overwintered in the dining room window, producing a half dozen babies, and as you can see, in the photo featured at the top, it’s sending out four more now.

There’s something about bright red geraniums (in this case, Pelagorium caliente ‘Deep Red’) in a white urn…Earlier in the summer it’s much more visible, near the entrance to the patio.

One of my favourite colour combos this year – Diascia Darla ‘Deep Salmon’ in a turquoise glazed pot, with the Popcorn Cassia coming up, beside bright yellow Rudbeckia. This patch of Black Eyed Susans self seeded from another part of the garden; the Diascia is new to me and I love it – it’s bloomed non-stop since May, as has the Cassia.

And finally, below, the view from the north end of the patio looking south. It’s quite a peaceful place to sit with a cup of coffee in the morning. Until the mosquitos find you, anyway! Have a great weekend everyone!