Following on from the enjoyment of compiling my first Six on Saturday post from last week, I wanted to keep on going with this new tradition. So here are six pictures to showcase my last week in horticulture.

Weeding paths

Weeding paths is becoming an almost daily occurrence as I attempt to help keep the garden looking neat and tidy. If I don’t get on top of this job now then it will get out of control. So I try to spend a bit of time every day precisely picking weeds out. Here you can see I am battling a carpet of claytonia which is spreading. Claytonia (also known as winter purslane) is a winter salad crop that had been planted in nearby beds, but it spreads so wide and so thick that it is a fight to keep it under control.

Dahlia seedlings

I have quite a few seedlings popping their heads out into the light at the moment at home. But none of them give me the delight as seeing these dahlias I sowed only seven days ago. I thought it was a bit of a gamble to try to grow dahlias from seed and didn’t really know what to expect. However, these ‘Bishop’s Children’ have germinated really well and it looks promising.

Pineapple guava

This is the flower of the Acca sellowiana (pineapple guava) that grows in the greenhouse I look after at work. It originates from South America and its unusual and distinctive flowers, which are crimson and white with crimson stamens, are edible and have a really aromatic flavour. I am hopeful it might even fruit this year for the first time.

My mulching saga

I said in last week’s six that I went through a trailer-full of mulch in the herb garden. Well this week it was another trailer-load to finish the job and the beds are now looking fantastic. It is a shame that the irrigation hoses are a bit unsightly, but these raised beds are smart and in great shape ready for the coming season.

Trip to Kew Gardens

I went on a day trip to Kew this week and got excited about the reopening of its Temperate House in May. It is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world and will house some really exotic, rare and threatened plants. The glasshouse itself is really imposing and I think it will be inspiring when it reopens to the public after a restoration that has taken around five years. I definitely intend to go back when it is open.

Kew Orchid Festival

It was also the Orchid Festival at Kew during my trip. There was thousands of orchids (and felt like thousands of people – but that’s another story) in such a range of colours, from the dark crimsons to flashy pinks, and it really was a hit to the senses. You cannot fail to be impressed by the stunning displays the team at Kew put together to showcase their display of Thailand orchid species.