Regular readers may recall that I love a bargain, and I’m delighted to report that the half price chilli plants are doing well.

We’ve got scotch bonnets, cayenne pepper and (pictured above) a red hot chilli called ‘Apache.’ They add a spritely dash to many meals, and we find that a little goes a long way.

Watering the Apache chilli inevitably leads my mental jukebox to the  Incredible Bongo Band, and I strongly recommend you listen to their classic track, Apache, because life is better with a bit of bongo.

Another pleasing plant that caught my eye this saturday are these cyclamen, planted in this little wooden barrel that I’ve had for donkey’s years, which lost its bottom long ago, but still works as decorative piece.

Cyclamen are a hardy and sweet little trooper, that should bloom throughout the winter, and this little planter by the front window gives me a smile whenever I spot it.

My third garden highlight this morning is the two ragged leaves left on this little oak sapling.  In October last year, I planted a handful of acorns, and this is the sole survivor. It’s a future giant, perhaps, and I’m pleased that it’s made it so far.

The fourth of my ‘Six on Sunday’ to share is this single olive, growing on our olive tree.

Isn’t it the best olive you ever saw? Perhaps not, but it’s the first I’ve ever grown, and  I can’t wait to share it with my husband. I will look up the perfect recipe to brine and prepare it for the table.  As you can see, our dreams of self sufficiency are coming to fruition  😉

Fifth on my list, is our marvellously messy ‘Weeping Silver Pear’ tree, which the birds love and the cats find frustratingly impenetrable. The huge clematis montana is growing through and past the pear tree, and the tree itself is in a ‘relaxed’ shape, as we are yet to reach a consensus on pruning strategy for this monster.

I have visited many lovely gardens this year, eliciting mixed feelings of utter delight and sheer hopelessness at the state of our plants by comparison. But we’re not professional gardeners, and anyway, I think the birds prefer a scrappy silhouette with more places to hide.

My sixth garden highlight is this blackbird, who followed me round this morning as I snapped a few shots…

So, that’s my ‘Six on Saturday’ and I’ll share these garden highlights with the lovely gang of garden bloggers at the Propagator’s gaff. Join the thread to see what six highlights gardeners have shared this Saturday.

As always, I hope that your plants and plans are doing well.

Jen x