Tail End of November

Six on Saturday is a weekly garden diary hosted by The Propagator, & contributed to by folk all over the world.  For links to more SoS posts, check Mr P's comment section & the Twitter hashtag #SixOnSaturday.

Sprig.

Thanksgiving's behind us & Advent hasn't yet started, but there's always Six on Saturday to bring joy to the week.

We've got foliage.  We've got late blooms.  We've even got something about being untidy.  And then there's a new arrival!!!!!


So let's do this thang.






1.  Black Swan update.

In last week's post, the Black Swan's leaves were turning yellow/green & outlined with frost.  Quite a change from summer's dark purple foliage which presumably gives it its name.  This week, the leaves're copper with lightly purple veins.  This is one beautiful tree in all seasons.

The tree itself has been confirmed as a weeping copper beech.


2.  Smoke bush.

The smoke bush didn't flower this year.

But it's making up for that now.


3.  Expanding the not-so-shady border.

Last week, a few SoSers discussed making compost, most specifically tidy looking compost.  I figured I can't be the only person who doesn't have the health or <insert resource> to create fastidious gardens, so thought I'd share how  a few months of untidiness helps me get creative in the garden.

I mapped out the area using our ubiquitous wool sheets straight onto the lawn.  The original border ends about 12" in front of the hellebores (top of photo) & in front of them, the wool sheets are still visible.  On top of the sheets, I dumped fresh garden waste (the middle section of the bed), using anything that isn't prone to resurrection, including smashed bits of the white Halloween pumpkins. 

Once the garden waste looked properly dead, I then piled recycled compost on top of it (bottom of the photo).  I planted that section up as I went, but can take my time composting the rest, as it won't be planted until spring.

It actually looks worse in real life than the photo suggests.  Based on experience, though, the expansion'll look like it's always been there by next summer.  Might even be tidy!  😉


4.  Honeysuckle.

This honeysuckle grows up the wall behind the Japanese anemone, & is still small enough to be protected.

On the BigNose Walk, we see mature honeysuckle toppling over walls & unprotected yet still in bloom.  Guess the abundance of brick in this neighbourhood is well suited to giving honeysuckle a long season.


5.  Salvia Amistad.

One of the s. Amistad cuttings, all of maybe 4" tall, has produced buds.

It's doing really well or getting ready to die.  Either way, I thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a bigger pot.

I then put it in the newly bubblewrapped potting shed, hoping to slow down the growth until spring.


6.  Invincible Pear.

The pear tree is here!  According to both dogs, the packaging smells terrific.  The tree's called Invincible because it blooms twice in spring, which gives you insurance against late frost.  I love a pear tree in bloom, so this is double the pear blossom joy.

The nursery is Chris Bowers & Sons.  You can see the good smelling packaging is also mostly environmentally friendly.  The bare root was contained in a heavy plastic bag.

And here it is in its new home, the wisteria's old pot.

I can't wait to see both Invincible & my other pear, Louis Bonne, blooming next year!

Single flower.

That's my Six for the week.

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time!