#SixonSaturday My Gardening Week – 10th June 2023

Six on Saturday is a weekly meme originally hosted by The Propagator but now in the tender care of Jim at Garden Ruminations. I haven’t done one of these in a while but what else is there to do when it’s too hot to garden, your water butts are empty and you’re fed up with lugging watering cans up and down the garden? If you can find the time, check out the posts of other participants by following the links in the comments section of Jim’s post – or share your own six.

One – (Left) Erysimum ‘Walberton’s Fragrant Star’ bought at RHS Wisley a few months ago that seems to be thriving despite being in direct sunlight – and not being watered.

Two – (Right) Similarly, the herb garden is soaking up the heat and attracting loads of bees and other pollinators. They’re especially keen on the thymes.

Three & Four – (Below) A couple of lovely foxgloves growing in the shade of one of our apple trees and a rather rampant rose of unknown variety. Foxgloves are one of my favourite flowers… until the hollyhocks come along that is.

Five – (Left) I don’t know if it’s just me but this year seems to be terrible for blackfly – or wonderful, I suppose, if you are a blackfly. Our broad beans are absolutely covered in them, including some of the pods. Despite that, the plants themselves are still doing well and starting to develop decent sized pods. I harvested some last week although my husband said it was too early and they’d only be the size of peas when the pods were opened – and he was right. Patience, Cathy…

Six – (Below) Our stone frog – in the absence of a real one – standing guard over Alchemilla mollis near our small pond. Enjoy your garden, and pray for rain.