Well, we’ve had a few dribs and drabs of rain recently and it seems to be cheering the plants up no end. The beans are romping up their canes (and not just the runners!), courgettes are swelling in nice quantities and the sunflowers are shooting for the skies. So there are plenty of things to choose between for joining with The Propagator for Six on Saturday and to see even more selections just click through to his post and comments.
First up and going for world domination at the moment in our vegetable plot are the achochas …
1) Achochas
We’ve got Giant Bolivian Achochas busting out all over. I’ve had to take the shears to them a couple of times already to keep them in bounds. They are flowering madly, but not setting fruit yet. Last year we had a very poor showing with few stuffable examples, so I started them a little earlier this year. The vines are certainly more vigorous, but whether that is due to the bed used, the weather or the sowing date, I’m not sure. On a different wigwam the ‘Fat Baby’ achochas are growing more modestly. Time will tell …
Giant Bolivian Achocha has world domination tendencies
2) Luminescent Red Daylilies
These have been bulking up for a couple of years and they are putting on a stunning show now. Those flowers really glow in the sunshine. The original clump was passed to me with no name unfortunately, but if I had to guess I would say these were Stafford Red.
A beautiful red daylily, possibly Hemerocallis ‘Stafford Red’
3) African Daisies
Osteospermum ‘Purple Sun’ was an impulse buy. You know how it is. I am enjoying that purple ring in the centre so much. It makes all the difference.
Osteospermum ‘Purple Sun’
4) More sunshine with Golden Marguerites
This is Anthemis ‘E.C. Buxton’ and I must admit that they’ve got a bit of a habit of flopping, but they make such a cheerful, if brief, show. I also grow Anthemis tinctoria ‘Kelway Gold’, which has smaller flowers and is a great, long season performer, but I would probably never bother taking a photo of them on their own!
Golden Marguerite, Anthemis tinctoria ‘E.C. Buxton’
5) Rose ‘Helen Robinson’
This was one of the roses that we planted a couple of months ago in the new rose bed . It is beyond doubt a pretty colour and shape, but the bush is already suffering from mildew. So I am reserving judgement on the plant for the time being.
Rosa ‘Helen Robinson’
6) Agastache ‘Kudos Gold’
I’ve been planting salvias and hyssops alongside the new roses. Agastache ‘Kudos Gold’ has to be my favourite so far and it is usually covered in hoverflies whose flight patterns seems to make to whole thing sparkle.
Giant Hyssop, Agastache ‘Kudos Gold’
That’s my Six, now back to some pruning!
I especially like the purple and orange combination in those African daisies. I’d love to have a dress that used those colors — so lovely.
I have a bright boho hoody in similar shades, but a dress would be stunning.
What a cheerful selection this week. I really like the Kudos series. Have you had it for any length of time? I have been wondering how hardy it is.
Yes, I like the look of the whole series, but the plant is new to me this year. The claim is that they (Kudos) are very hardy.
Your daylilies are also gorgeous !…
Impressed by the achochas: looking forward to seeing the ripe fruits; are they tasty?
Yes definitely, fried or stuffed. They are like sweet green peppers. I saw them at RHS Hyde Hall in their wonderful global vegetable garden and happily a friend gave me seeds to try last year.
Like Fred I’m intrigued by the achochas – they’re new to me. The osteospernum is a fantastic colour combination. This year I bought some plugs of a similarly coloured echinacea. Yet to flower, but soon I hope.
Oh, the sunset series? I love those too. Achochas are a bit like capsicums … but easier and quicker to grow. I’ll post on progress.
Beautiful flowers. I lost my osteospermum plants a few years ago but not sure what got them. Looking at yours I will need to get some more. Hope the pruning went well.
Ongoing … always ongoing. Wisteria wisps today!
That osteo is lush! Must look out for that.