This is Skimmia Japonica - Magic Marlot. It's an evergreen shrub and fairly new on the market. This is now in it's second phase. The first phase is white flower buds, in the second phase the flower buds change to a deep pink as you can see, and finally in the third phase the white flowers open and these are apparently scented. I only bought this plant in spring so I'm witnessing these phases for the first time. It hasn't put on alot of new growth this year but I don't know if this is because I have it planted in a container. I'm looking forward to seeing the flowers open and finding out what sort of scent it has.After a bit of a dull start today has turned out rather nice. It poured with rain last night but today has been dry, sunny and really quite warm. I took advantage of this and spent the day doing jobs in the garden.
I've tidied up the flower border again. There were still a few flowers around when I last did this, but everything is now well and truly finished for the winter so I've cut alot of things back. Some foliage has been left behind for insects to take shelter in throughout the winter. I saw two ladybirds today, one native and one which I think may have been a Harlequin. Hopefully I can get the native species to hibernate in my garden so that they are still here when I need help with the nasties in spring. The small pond still needs sorting out but I didn't have any rubber gloves, so that job has been put on hold for another day. The plants in the pond have really thrived this year so they do need a little cutting back and their roots need trimming.
The spring bulbs which I bought for the garden have been planted today. I planted some Fritillaries around the small pond, and also some Narcissus - Minnow which produce up to five flowers on each stem and are a creamy yellow colour.
I am the proud recipient of this Best Blog Award. This was kindly bestowed upon me by Tanya at Allotments4You. Thank you very much, Tanya. I'm pleased that you enjoy my blog. That also goes to everyone else who regularly reads my blog and makes a comment, it's very much appreciated.I now have to pass this award on to other blogs who I think deserves this award, but first of all the rules.
Post the award on your blog along with the name of the person who passed it on to you and link to their blog. Choose 15 blogs which you have recently discovered and you think are great and pass it on to them. Don't forget to leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
The 15 blogs I would like to pass this award on to are:-
I hope you will all accept the award as I think you have great blogs. Other people haven't nominated the full 15 blogs as I have, so I think anything up to 15 would be acceptable.
It's great to be in such wonderful company - thank you so much for the award Jo!
ReplyDeleteYour Magic Marlot is very pretty and will brighten up the dullest winter day. We have a little huddle of native ladybirds hibernating in the window boxes! Hopefully they will be safe there during the winter.
Jeanne x
Skimmia is a great Autumn/Winter shrub!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the award too!
Ryan
Dear Jo, how kind of you to nominate me for this award - thank you! There are so many great gardening blogs, how to choose just 15 - lots of checking and thinking to do before I post...
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your regular visits and comments, and love to read your updates too. It's been a good growing season and I hope we can keep in touch over the winter...
Jo, thank you so much for this award, Im very honored!
ReplyDeleteThis Skimmia looks beautiful! Does it have flowers all winter? It would be great if it does! These buds look more than great, I can imagine the flowers!
ReplyDeleteGlad you accepted your award...look forward to reading more from you soon!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, thanks so much for selecting my mossy blog. What a great way to discover new blogs. Like Scattered I am going to have to do some thinking and selecting. I like the sound of your fritillaries, they're some of my favourite bulbs and the narcissus minnow, looking forward to your spring pics. Yan
ReplyDeleteHi Jo. I'm very flattered by the award - only problem is I'm hopeless about getting round to passing awards on. I'm really short for time just now, and I see so many great blogs and bookmark them and then don't get to revisiting them and aargh! But I will try!
ReplyDeleteAm really enjoying your blog.
Jo, Thank you very much for the award, I will be pleased to accept and participate, just give me a couple of days to get it all done, and then I will post it. I am so glad you got the award from Allotments4you, as you deserve it. x
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your award! Thank you for showing a beautiful skimmia, I love its color very much.
ReplyDeleteAnswering your question about my cabbage - no, I don't protect it from butterflies. I have a lot of slugs, so I use some bait for them and also, I hand pick them at night. Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comment!
Just wanted to say Jo, that like your other nominees above, it may take me a few days yet to pass on your award. It's so difficult to choose from all the great blogs out there - but I will do my best!
ReplyDeleteJeanne x
Jo,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, congratulations on your award! It is well deserved. Second, that japonica is lovely. I wish I had something like that in some of my containers that would look nice through the holiday season. Cheers!
You're welcome, Jeanne, and don't worry about posting straight away, there's plenty of time.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ryan. I need a few more plants which will flower into autumn and winter, there isn't much colour in the garden at the moment.
Glad that you're pleased with the award, Scattered Gardener. Yes, it is very hard to know who to pass the award on to, as you say, there are many great blogs out there.
You've got a great blog, Vrtlarica, you deserve the award. I don't know much about the Skimmia, I only bought it this year so it will be interesting to see how long the flowers last.
Thank you again for the award, Tanya, I really appreciate it.
I really enjoy your blog, Yan, so it is a pleasure passing on the award to you. I also love Fritillaries, I'm looking forward to them blooming in spring.
I know what it's like being short of time, Linda, so don't worry about passing on the award straight away. Remember there's all those winter days ahead and sometimes there isn't much to blog about.
Thank you, Maureen. You deserve the award too, I enjoy visiting your blog. I'm looking forward to seeing who you pass the award on to.
Thank you, Tatyana and thank you also for answering my question. I can't believe you don't net your cabbages, they look so perfect.
Many thanks, Avis. This is one of the few flowers I will have in flower in my garden at this time of year, I'm on the look out for more plants to give some colour in autumn.
Ooooh some scent in winter - now there's something to look forward to. Congratulations on your blog award:) Some new to me names on your list which I will have come back to explore soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much in the garden for autumn or winter interest, Anna, so it will be nice to see at least something in bloom. I also enjoy discovering new blogs.
ReplyDeleteDear Jo, Thank you for nominating me for this award. I am honored. But I can't choose 15 blogs, because I have so many I love. I will publicly post a thank you to you for choosing me. I'm flattered.
ReplyDeleteHello Jo! Nice to meet you and thanks for the award. I've only been writing since the summer so it's heartwarming to think that my words are being read - and appreciated! I'm looking forward to browsing the other blogs which you've awarded. I'm really beginning to feel a part of this larger gardening community - it's great! Carolyn x
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to choose just 15, Mary Delle, there are so many great blogs out there.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way of finding other blogs of like minded people, Carolyn. I'm looking forward to reading your future posts.
Congratulations Jo, the award is very well desearved. I always enjoy reading your blog. You make it feel as if I am sharing the joys of your allotment, without having to do the hard labor.
ReplyDeleteThe magic marlot is lovely, I have never seen one. Please keep us up to date on the scent.
Kat
Thank you, Kat. I'll certainly let you know about the scent once it flowers.
ReplyDelete