Six on Saturday 11.09.21

Thistles and Kiwis,

Today in Wellington it is a glorious, sunny and warm day, in total contrast to yesterday’s gales, rain and chills. A few of the daffodils took a bit of a battering, but there was only the odd fern leaf and several twigs lying on the decking so no major disasters. It is definitely spring here, and so with that in mind, let’s see what is happening in my neck of the woods. Thanks to The Propagator who encourages us to share what is going on in our gardens in all parts of the world. Check out the participant guide if you want to join in. Photos taken on Wednesday and today.

To start with, my first tulips in a pot. These beauties are Double Price, and while not quite the colour I was expecting, have made a gorgeous addition to the pots on our decking. Without a doubt, I’ll be doing more tulips next year. A gorgeous addition, and so much more successful than some other things I have tried (anemones – I’m looking at you).

At number two, mahonia berries, almost looking like bunches of strange shaped grapes. They are loved by the birds, and in fact Charlie, our cat, and I watched from the window as a blackbird came and had a feast on them.

At this time of year, I can’t resist putting up more pictures of the hellebores, even though you must be all tired of seeing them week in, week out. They just keep coming and I think this year has been an even better display than last year.

At number five herb corner, it is great to see the tarragon bounce back to life, and I have been enjoying lemon balm in my glasses of water while still working at home this week. Both lavenders are looking so pretty still, and the raggedy chive plant, bought in the supermarket and still going strong, has a couple of flowers on it.

In penultimate place, but still making a huge impact outside, we have the magnolia/camellia combo at the back of the house. Almost identical pictures to last week, but until I upgrade from an iPhone, this is the best I can do!

To end, as I began with the featured image at the top of the post, daffodils. The pale yellow ones are new this year, Pipet. The ones with the gorgeous pale peach centre I’ve had for maybe three years now, and I can’t remember what they are. When the next spring bulb catalogue comes out I will have to have a look and make a note. In the meantime, if anyone knows, pop a note in the comments.

As usual, I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful gardens in other parts of the world. Hope you are all well and enjoying your gardens in whatever the season is with you. 

And a big thank you to Jim of Garden Ruminatons for the article about the Kate Sheppard camellia!

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis.  As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days.  If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com

Published by Thistles and Kiwis

51 Comments

  4. You can carry on posting the hellebores as long as they are there. Looking lovely. Do many birds come for the mahonias? I think of them as a good plant for late pollen but not really thought of them for birds.

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  5. So lovely to see daffs in the spring sunshine again, they look so fresh! The Mahonia has great berries, a nice treat for your blackbirds (but hopefully not an indirect treat for the cat!).

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  8. I have a daffodil like your peach one and it’s called Peach Cup! Not very original…perhaps it’s the same one.

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  11. Pingback: Six on Saturday 11.09.21 — Thistles and Kiwis – ° BLOG ° Gabriele Romano

  12. It’s very nice to have pictures of daffodils in September; as we slide into autumn it’s a reminder that spring flowers aren’t so far away and Camellia season even nearer. I thought that was a really nice story about Kate Sheppard. I’ve been doing the records for one of our National Collections of Camellias and I always include that sort of background stuff. There’s no telling when it may be of interest or even use to someone in the future.

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    1. I think the ‘background stuff’ is interesting – a little bit of a story behind the plants. I am enjoying spring this year even more as we were in lockdown until Wednesday.

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  14. Just stunning your photo’s are beautiful, I so want to reach for those magnolias. I stop often in our garden to enjoy the flowers but I always forget to take a photo. lol. I’m so glad you take them. ( ;

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  15. I’m not so keen on the peach coloured Daffodils, they just seem false somehow. Daffs should be yellow or /and white! But the tulip is gorgeous. I rarely buy pink and I neve buy doubles, not because I don’t like them because I do, but I think the heads would be too heavy for my climate. You can never have too many spring bulbs I think. And I should start planting mine this week!

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    1. I was a bit surprised by the colour of the tulip, but love them now they are fully open. I kind of know what you mean about the peach daffodils, but these ones are quite pretty. This year I feel I have come to terms with what works and what doesn’t work where we are.

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      1. It can take a while. How long have you lived there? I have come to terms with the fact that I can’t grow what I intended to as we live high up and in an exposed position with the full force of the south-westerlies (we are only 10 miles from Land’s End). But we gardeners learn to adapt even if this has involved making some mistakes!

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  20. Pingback: This week’s small pleasures #250 – Thistles and Kiwis

  21. I really like the colour of the tulip. I discovered that there are some varieties that are more tolerant of heat which I might trial next year. I’ve grown tulips before in temperate climates and found them to be really rewarding. I’m very envious of your hellebores, as mine still has not flowered and is down to only one leaf now. The daffy you have are beautiful.

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  22. Another beautiful feature photo! Thanks for calling readers’ attention to it (although I’m in on the secret…). You are inspiring me to rethink my fall planting for Spring 2022 here in Virginia.

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  24. We’re in autumn here. Our leaves are turning beautiful fall colors, some even dropping to the ground. Birds are fattening up for their migration to warmer places. I do love autumn, but would be so pleased if I could bottle up a month or two of it to uncork in January or February’s dreary winter months. I’m loving seeing your splendid spring flowers. So very pretty. Enjoy! I look forward to more beautiful posts.

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    1. Thank you! Everything is looking bright, hopeful and positive in the gardens right now in this season. Yes – wouldn’t it be nice to keep a week or two of our favourite seasons for the cooler months of the year?

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