Spoke too soon! Spring has disappeared and winter has returned. I have never known a week like this for gale force winds! Not only wind, but one which cuts straight through you. And rain. It has been practically impossible to step outdoors, let alone take a camera out. So this week’s six has come from inside my conservatory/orangery (and yes, before you ask, still getting water inside!)

1. Abutilon milleri variegated.  This was bought for me by my son as a thank you for looking after him when he was seriously ill. He bought me a few other plants too, but this one was looking rather pretty with the sun backlighting the maple-like leaves with striking cream variegation. It should have charming apricot bell-shaped flowers summer to autumn, but no flowers last year. I was told to keep it inside over winter for the first year, but then it should be OK to leave outdoors all year round. Not sure about that, but it is in a pot so easy to bring inside if necessary.
   
   

   
2. The pelargoniums have been flowering pretty much all the time. I only water them when the compost is dry. I bought several new ones at the end of last summer, but seem to have lost one. Lord Bute, which is rather lovely with  purple-black blooms so I shall need to buy a replacement. I do rather like the regal pelargoniums.
   
   

   

   
3. Last week several people mentioned Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum) also known as airplane plant, St. Bernard’s lily, spider ivy, ribbon plant, and hen and chickens. I have three at the moment. All need re-potting and some TLC once the weather improves and I can get to the compost. I have had Spider plants for donkey’s years, even taking them into my office when I worked with computers. They are tough plants and need to be kept cool and dryish.
   
4. This is a Crown imperial fritillary ‘Red’ (Fritillaria imperialis ) and only in the conservatory at the moment because I was concerned the wind would damage it. I bought three bulbs in the autumn of 2016 because I like them, not realising at that time how windy it gets in my garden! The first winter I planted the bulbs in my raised bed. In spring two shoots emerged only to be eaten by S&S.  In 2018 when I saw them shooting again I rashly dug them up and put into a tall pot. They died. I fully expected the bulbs to have rotted away so I was surprised when a couple of weeks ago I saw green shoots emerging. Not one, not two, but five! I would dearly love them to flower this year and then I shall plant the bulbs in my woodland border.
   
5. Sedum ‘Sandra Mottram’  is a really vibrant succulent that offsets readily. It gets a light blush on the leaf tips when in full sun. This was one of my purchases from Surreal Succulents who have a nursery at the Tremenheere Garden. I cannot visit without buying something, though several purchases were killed last year in the snow.
   
6.  Another succulent that spends winter indoors. Echeveria ‘Pink Pearl’ I think. I have had this for a few years now and it usually flowers in the summer, though I am not as impressed by the flowers as I am with other succulents. I almost lost it a couple of winters ago, but managed to find an offset and now have a lovely plant. One offset was left outside through this winter, but I did wrap fleece around the sink when it was very cold.
   

Hoping that next week brings warmer and less windy weather so I can get out into the garden and hopefully visit more Cornish gardens though whether they will have anything left to see is anyone’s guess!

If you have time or the weather has turned nasty then please pop over to our host, the lovely Jon, AKA ‘The Propagator’ where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world

See here for the participant’s guide.

Six on Saturday