Six on Saturday 09.01.20

You know what it is like when you go on holiday, you either come back to a garden decimated by slugs, snails and sleet or one bursting with life, colour and flowers. We got back from a short trip to Dunedin, and in those few days a lot seems to have gone on while we have had our backs turned. Anyway, thanks once again to The Propagator for allowing us to share what is going on in our gardens. Check out the participant guide if you want to join in. 

I’ll start with what I finished with last week, and that is the Peruvian Lilies or alstroemerias, which were the first thing we saw when we got home. The bright spots of colour were a lovely welcome home. There are still lots of them too.

At number two, we came home to a flowering salvia blue black. I bought this plant in December 2019 at the Thorndon Fair and it did well last year and seems to be doing so again. It is such a pretty colour and gorgeous shape.

Now for some things that are not looking so good…first up, working from the top left below, this should be a dahlia. The other dahlia is looking healthy enough, if showing no signs of flowers. Quite frankly, it looks as if something has had a feast on it. Neither begonia is looking good either. I don’t know what I have done wrong here, whether the weather was wrong when they were first planted or what I am not sure. My mother always grew begonias indoors – I don’t seem to have the same way with these plants. At the bottom left, this thyme plant, is now just twigs. It was repotted recently as it was looking sad but now it is looking even sadder. I have cut it right back and will see if there is any new life in a few weeks. Of course, the dill has bolted, as I expected.

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However at number four, doing well are the variegated sage, the mint, the chocolate mint (which I keep featuring I know), the supermarket basil which is doing well since I put it outside and there are flowers on the lemon balm.

At number five, the hostas are still flowering and looking such a strong colourful contrast against the alstroemerias. They are slightly dominated by those yellow blooms beside them, but still look quite stunning.

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Finally, the echinacea, which you can also see in the featured image at the top of the post. It is absolutely stunning in real life, and there are more flowers to come. My current obsession in the garden!

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So that is me for now from Wellington. 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. 

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