Monday 15 February 2010

GBBD February 2010

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Weekend!

Time for another Garden Blogger's Bloom Day...

It seems over the past week the bulbs have grown significantly, the tulips especially seem to have shot up and many of the Crocus now have a large bulge where the flowers must be developing.
I’ve also discovered many new bulbs coming up around the garden… exciting, exciting, exciting!

Seedlings sent by Cheryl – haven’t yet killed them!!


The Honesty doesn’t seem to have changed much


Perennial Foxgloves have more sets of leaves now


Aquilegia seedlings also have new leaves


More of the Tulipa ‘Pink Impression’ are coming up.


Sweet Box ‘purple Stem’ flowers are out, this will be planted in the front garden for a lovely scent we arrive home during Winter.



New Asters have buds


Pheasant’s Tail Grass


Skimma with Carex Buchananii wrapped around it.




Blackcurrant buds are plumping.


New Crocus growth, these are in one of the main borders so will be seen from the kitchen.


More growth on the Aquilegia


Hellebore yet again, this has been in flower a long time – December!


This pot will look lovely in a couple of months, I hope the Cyclamen produce more flowers. Just a shame the rest of the year it is very boring… Spy the Bluebell coming up!


Tulips are much larger…


Second Aquilegia has produced more leaves… Things are really moving now!


Veronica has new growth too, I will cut the old growth back in a few weeks, but I will leave it there to help protect the fresh growth from any more snow or frost.


The first Anenome growth has suddenly appeared.


Sea Holly, this year I’ll plant it in the ground… This pot was ‘temporary’… Only I never quite got it planted!


Crocus


Iris, there is a distinct lack of them this year… Yes this pot has also been ripped apart by Fox.



Bluebells survived the Fox digging up part of the pot.


Another group of Snowdrops


Now the Lichen is a very nice surprise… Ok, so it’s no surprise to most but I would never have expected to see any here. I live but 2 miles from one of the largest UK cities… We have Lichen!!! A lovely indication of good quality air. (This Magnolia has been in that spot less than a year)


And a small bouquet of Tulips Pete bought me – he also got me some bulbs. I just wanted something to cheer the house up a little and these Tulips will do just fine…


15 comments:

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz.....any blooms are welcome at this time of year....tulips are lovely...

You have so much new growth.....I am disappointed at the lack of new growth here. I wish it would just get a tad warmer.

The perfume of sweet box is always a delight......I have several of them and they are always welcome in the cold days of winter. We need plants with a lovely fragrance during our darkest months.

The grass curling around the skimmia is a wonderful photograph........

Have a good week.......

Kathleen Scott said...

There's so much promise in this post, made me feel good to read it.

We garden for wildlife too but our arid Texas Hill Country has a different range of plants. Nice to see something from another clime.

Jean Campbell said...

It is on the blogs of others that I learn what next year will be like. This time last year, I had tulips about the size of your sprouts when the new puppy ate them. I found an old pic of anemones, and your sprout clinches it. Plans are what take us though February. I'll buy tulip bulbs and anemones in the fall and start again.

Happy Bloom Day

Caroline said...

Pretty, pretty, pretty -- love all the foliage and textures and buds! And what a sweet little lichen. Happy GBBD!

Nutty Gnome said...

Hi Liz. I never used to be that fond of tulips but your photo could persuade me otherwise!

Some great photos - I love the skimmia and carex photo..... but then, I love skimmia and carex!

I survived the week (just! Fell asleep at 8pm on Thursday!)and managed a bit of gentle pottering on Sunday - got the yard area cleared of its winter debris, Himself chopped all the wood for next winter and we tidied the stones ready to use in the bottom pond ...we'll come to some agreement over what's left when I've done! ;)

Shirley said...

Wow Liz, a very comprehensive list of February growth in your garden. Fantastic close-ups once more… love the grass and Skimmia shots :-D

So much promise as others said. Now, there’s a thing… I’d have taken a guess that your garden would have been way further on than mine. Clearly your cold temps this year have almost equalled our plant growth for the moment :-O

BTW love the lichen too… what a bonus there! The tulips were a wonderful colour too :-D

Liz said...

Hi Cheryl,

Yep I have to agree… Any blooms are wonderful… Pete came home with a single rose for me last night…

How romantic.

Until you realise he got it reduced off waste (works in M&S)

Lol, it’s the thought that counts, no?

I am surprised you don’t have much growth yet… I am sure it will come soon, once all your snow/ice has gone!

The sweetbox isn’t as strong as I had anticipated, however it is still a young shrub, perhaps next year I will get a winter honeysuckle :)

I hope you have a good week and manage to get out into your garden too!

Liz said...

Hi Kathleen,

Thanks for visiting my blog :)

I imagine things in Texas are looking for more green at this time of year?

Liz said...

Hi Nell,

Thanks for visiting, it’s much appreciated!

Snowdrops and Crocus are also good bulbs to have for this time of year, as they ought to be out… As should Cyclamen if they’re in a sheltered site. Our Cyclamen lost all their flowers thanks to snow/ice staying for a week or so. This time last year the Cyclamen were still in flower in pots close to the house.

I’d also get primula/primrose if you want early colour, we have some purple ones in flower in the front garden… I forgot to take photos of them!

Liz said...

Hi Caroline,

Thanks, I do love the lichen, it’s so pretty when you get close!

Liz said...

Hi Liz,

Lol, I’m similar with tulips… No great fan, normally never bother with them (the ones I planted this autumn were from cheap packs, which my mum didn’t want!)
But I needed something to cheer the house up, and not being a fan of yellow nor daffodils I went for the tulips! They’ve now developed a lovely orangey burnt tip to the petals, very interesting!

Glad to hear your week wasn’t too bad, I assume you’re now enjoying half term!! Alright for some, isn’t it??!!!
Why-oh-why can’t I have the week off when Uni has reading weeks/holidays????

It must’ve felt good to get out into the garden, Saturday was relatively nice and I imagine if I were home now I’d be out enjoying the sunshine (even if it is chilly!)

Liz said...

Hi Shirl,

Yes, perhaps a few too many photos… Just think, I actually left some out which were far too boring to show! Lol

I imagine the snow/ice didn’t help the growth of the plants, but also I think I struggle in the Spring here because the sun never hits the garden thanks to the hill… So the garden and ground floor of the house is pretty much in permanent shade, but the upper floors get the lovely sun and it feels far brighter upstairs.

The biggest surprise is Cheryl’s garden down in Kent struggling… Hers I definitely would have expected to be much further than mine, but the recent snow down there seems to have slowed them.

VW said...

The skimmia and carex photos are my favorite, along with the lichen. I'm so hungry for moss and lichens and other touches that will make my garden look established.

ShySongbird said...

Isn't it amazing how much growing was going on under all that snow? You really have lots to look forward to there. I love the Hellebores.

By the way the Snowdrops I thought had expired have suddenly popped up from underneath a patch of dead fallen leaves, little things like that can really cheer us up at this time of year I think.

Layanee said...

It is encouraging to see those signs of spring. Send them over the pond please.