I missed doing a Six last Saturday because I was at my Granny’s in Surrey for my annual Christmas catch up and present swap with her and my Mum. It’s a couple of hours drive from home to Granny (without traffic) which means I don’t get to see her, and my Mum, who’s an even longer drive away, very often. My Grandad was a gardener and since he passed away Granny has taken up the task of keeping his garden looking good. Back in Birmingham, there’s not a lot going on in our garden that I haven’t already shown you, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to show you six from Granny’s garden this week.
1. Clematis Montana
Ok, so admittedly it doesn’t look like much at the moment, but when we visited in April this narled swirl of wood was covered in beautiful big pink flowers. I have a Montana but it’s never had a single flower so I’m very envious of this one. I may move mine this year and see if it does any better somewhere else. In fact, the perfect place has just occurred to me.
2. Hebe
If you’re a regular reader you’ll know I’m partial to a Hebe, or ten! None of my Hebes are as impressive as this one though (yet! Let’s remain optimistic).
This one is even still clinging onto Summer with a single, solitary remaining flower. Granny did have two Hebes in her front border, both this big, but someone in an entirely unnecessary 4×4 reversed into her garden and knocked the other down.
3. Wild Pansies
Granny has several pots of Winter Pansies which are flowering nicely and brightening up her little garden. Here they are from the front door.
Quite a small garden, as you can see, but I’m impressed that, at eighty eight, Granny is still able to maintain this on her own
4. Hypericum
Lovely black berries. They look like blackcurrants, don’t they? Probably not a good idea to eat them though.
This is the same family as St. John’s Wort but looks completely different to my St. John’s Wort. I should’ve asked Granny what colour flowers this has (assuming it has flowers!)
5. Cordyline
I was reliably informed that is a Cordyline. I wasn’t sure because the two Cordylines that I have in my garden don’t have trunks like this one. This looks like some kind of Cordyline/palm tree cross! It’s nice. It stands quite regally, casting its shadow over the little plot. Nice two tone fronds to add some interest.
6. Nerine
I have to admit that I’ve never heard of a Nerine before. This caught my attention because of the pretty pink against the pebbledash behind.
Obviously it’s past its best but I bet it looks beautiful when it’s in full bloom.
There we are. Granny’s six. I’m off to the Propagator’s blog now to check out other Sixes which have been published.
Green Girl Gardener 
Wow, that clematis could use a hard prune! . . . Unless of course the gnarled canes are part of the appeal. I dislike when they get overgrown unnecessarily. They commonly do because no one prunes them enough.
Hebe should be more popular here because it does so well. The problem is that they so often get shorn and deprived of their bloom, sort of like bottlebrush and even (sometimes) oleander.
The hypericum berries look really unfamiliar. The only two (common) species here make odd yellowish green rather conical berries. They can be added to tea, although I would not try a hypericum that I know nothing about. It has potential to be toxic.
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Yes the Clematis is somewhat wild! I’m not sure if Granny manages to prune it. My Grandad was the gardener really but she keeps the garden as well as she’s able to – she’s 88. It was covered in flowers in the spring 🌸.
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It looks like it was pruned like that intentionally, as if someone pruned it as much as necessary, but not too much to eliminate the gnarly cane. People often to that with wisteria, just because the gnarly trunks are so picturesque. The clematis vines might be more appealing than what they are climbing on.
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