#SixonSaturday My Gardening Week – 29th October

Garden AllotmentSix on Saturday is a weekly meme orignally hosted by The Propagator but now in the tender care of Jim at Garden Ruminations. If you can find the time, do check out the posts by other participants or share your own six.

As we approach November and the clocks going back, it seems like a good time to highlight some of the plants that are still flowering their hearts out. In fact, some of them are flowering for the second time this year.

Six on Saturday 291022One – The rosemary bushes (right) have started flowering again, much to the delight of the bees. I spent a lovely few days in Falmouth recently and spotted a rosemary with a much darker blue flower in the garden of the hotel where we were staying so of course I nicked a cutting.

Six on Saturday 2 291022Two – The choiysa (left) also has a second flush of flowers. It has pretty much taken over one corner of the garden between the hawthorn hedge and a crab apple tree so it is overdue for some taming.

Six on Saturday 3 291022Three – Despite giving it a drastic chop back a month or so ago in an attempt to give it a better shape (or perhaps because of) this bay laurel (right) is covered with beautifully scented flowers.

Six on Saturday 4 291022Four – The Japanese anemones (left) can be relied upon to deliver some late colour to the garden. They spread everywhere but I tend to leave them, especially as they are a pain to dig out.

Six on Saturday 5 291022Five – I have no idea how this cyclamen (right) found its way into the garden and managed to make itself at home at the edge of a gravel path but I’m glad it did. And yes, I should have cleared away the leaves from the hazel before taking the picture.

Six – Finally, back to Cornwall and some pampas grass growing beside the path overlooking Gyllyngvase beach. Enjoy your garden or outside space this week.

Six on Saturday 6 291022

The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2023: Some Longlist Contenders?

WalterScottPrizeThe deadline for publishers to submit books published in 2022 for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022 has now passed. The prize is open to novels written in English and first published in 2022 in the UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth. The majority of the storyline, i.e. over 50%, must take place at least 60 years ago.

Like other historical fiction fans, I shall be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the longlist in February 2023 and the shortlist a month or two after that. As in previous years, I’ll try (but probably fail) to read all the longlisted novels I haven’t already read.

It seems to me 2022 has been a spectacular year for historical fiction. Below are some I’ve read that I think might make the longlist, some books in my TBR pile which judging from reviews deserve a place, and a few others which look like possible contenders (subject in each case to them meeting all the eligibility criteria). Links from the titles will take you to my review or the book description on Goodreads.

Check back when the longlist is announced to see if any of my picks match the judges’ choices.


Books I’ve read

Books in my TBR pile

Books on my RADAR

Are any of your favourites on my list?  What other historical fiction novels published in 2022 do you think deserve to be on the longlist?