Garden Blogger's Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at: May Dreams Gardens
Compared to last month we now have far more flowers gracing the garden and fresh growth appearing every time I venture out. It is now time that I remove the plants from along the fence before they begin growing; buds are forming and close to bursting in preparation for the new fence posts hopefully next week. Rain is forecast all day today, but I may attempt it if it should stop for any period of time.
I warn you now, there are quite a few images…
Shy Crocus peeps over the flower pot edge
Tiny leaves on two Clematises – need potting up this year!
I forget what this is now.. Aruncus??
Iris Reticulata – Pauline joins Harmony
Crocus Tommasinianus has such tiny blooms, that they seem somewhat wasted… I didn’t plant any more this year.
And Miss Vain looks wonderful clumped together.
I just wish the Snowdrops would clump a little more… Planting in groups of 10 or so just doesn’t seem to be working. Perhaps I need to try adding more to them? I’ve only been planting their bulbs for the past 2 years and should have 300… So I guess patience is the key!
Skimma flowers aren’t quite open yet… I have it by our front door which faces North-East, so it will be a little behind those with better light levels (although they only thrive in shady conditions, I wonder whether this is a little too shady!)
White Forsythia buds have now begun to open………. Such a beautiful pink tinge to their petals!
The previous owners planted a couple of Heathers… Behind large shrubs for some reason… I’ve lost a pink one but this white is soldiering on. Quite why they decided to plant them in this way, I’ve no idea. I hadn’t even realised it was in flower because our huge, 'hairy' Cotoneaster which looks like ‘cousin it’ is completely hiding the Heather.
‘Cousin It’ was bent over double by the snow… I thought it wouldn’t bounce back and I’d have good reason to get rid of it… However it has, only now it’s at an angle and either needs chopping back or needs removing. As it’s now leaning over, it’s also hiding my lovely Fuji Cherry…
I’m a bit concerned, these buds look like leaves rather than blossoms??
The same is happening with the Dwarf Russian Almond… They look to be leaves :(
The same is happening with the Dwarf Russian Almond… They look to be leaves :(
And I think I’ll finish with Hellebore ‘Nigra’, because she’s still flowering and providing much needed colour and interest.
Some growth I haven't posted photos of: blossoms opening on the Autumn flowering Cherry (bit late!) and I've just now noticed leaves on the Hydrangea - didn't notice them yesterday!! I can also see some Daffodil flower buds coming up, normally I don't see Daffodils until March or April... It's a very strange season this year!
30 comments:
Very interesting, well-organized blog to which I want to return.
Best wishes
Jonas
I enjoyed your blooms today. Happy GBBD. Your Cousin It heather is cute. Snow here, so not blooms outdoors and it is so nice the see color on GBBD all over.
So lovely to see these sweet beginnings of spring. Beautiful photos Liz.
Hi Liz, shy crocus is so sweet....I think that is how I would be if I was a crocus!! Ha!
I plant snowdrops in ones. Mine have increased. When I have a group of eight, I split them while they are in the green.
Using this method has increased my stock....
Only a suggestion......
White forsythia is so beautiful.
Mine is in bloom and smells divine. I could not be without it.
Your garden must be looking very pretty.......
I really must try Iris reticulata again. I haven't had much luck with it in the past. I have my skimmia planted in deep shade/dappled light and it does very well. You have a lot more going on but I managed to find some flowers in snowy Pennsylvania. Happy GBBD, Carolyn
So many signs of spring here, Liz. I love the irises; I really should consider planting some of these this year. I'm glad, too, you showed us the white heather--it's so pretty, it deserves to be seen and admired!
i love the shy crocus the best! lovely photos...
Things are definitely stirring in your garden! Our irises are still sleeping, but your iris reticulata is lovely.
I loved your irises so much on your last post that I had to buy a pot from the garden centre - and it was a HAD to! I'm also glad other people can't remember what some of their plants are now, makes it more excitiing somehow doesn't it!
Hi Liz, just popped back to say how beautiful that white heather is.
I forgot to mention it. I think I might just get some for the garden......
Lovely photos.
So good to see your garden emerging from Winter Liz. Lovely photos too. I have never seen White Forsythia and never heard of it until you mentioned it on one of your other posts, it looks beautiful! I only have its good old golden relative.
Thanks for the nod to 'Homage to Iris Reticulata', I missed that somehow :( the photos are lovely, such pretty flowers, I really think I must get some in the Autumn.
I too have trouble with Snowdrops, I used to have a small clump in the front garden which eventually disappeared and in the back I have the grand total of...three blooms!! They have been there for four or five years so I would have thought they would have multiplied a bit by now!
I can't grow Skimmias as our soil is not acidic and the same goes for Heathers so it is nice to see yours. As your soil must be acidic does that mean you have blue Hydrangeas rather than pink as mine are?
Hi Jonas,
Thank you very much for visiting, I'm glad you enjoyed your visit :)
Hi GWGT,
Sorry to hear you have no blooms and only snow at the moment, I'm sure you'll have Spring in your garden soon enough!
Hi Carol,
I'm loving watching all the new growth, looming at the back of my mind is all the work I need to get on with... Argghhhhh. No time to do it!
Hi Cheryl,
Ha, glad you like shy Crocus, I could just imagine it playing peek-a-boo!
Thanks for the Snowdrop suggestion, I saw Carol Kleine do a similar thing. I just hope mine begin to increase in number soon so I can start dividing them.
I suspect my white Forsythia is probably in bloom now too, I haven't seen it for the past two days though but do look forward to the next couple of years when I'm able to bring some branches inside and appreciate its scent indoors.
The garden is looking far from pretty right now! I am yet to remove all the dead growth, just waiting for the risk of frost to pass before I do.
Hi Carolyn,
My Irises are all planted in pots, mainly because otherwise the slugs demolish them, it also means I get to see them up close as I look out the windows and I don't have to get on my hands and knees to see them!
I'm glad you managed to find some flowers in your own garden!
Hi Rose,
I usually kill Heather only be looking at it, so I haven't moved it yet. But I am tempted to get some more to replace the pink one we lost a couple of years ago. I'd love to have a nice big swath of it in the area, but I'll probably just kill them.
I'm surprised they're surviving to be honest, we have heavy clay soil here!
Hi Mike,
Thanks, that Crocus sure is shy! :) Wonderful colour though, I think it's the only one left which is that amazing deep purple shade!
Hi CV,
I'm shocked that you don't have Irises yet! Something is seriously wrong with the weather at the moment if England is ahead of California...
Hi Su,
I'm thrilled I inspired you to get some Irises! :D I don't think I'll ever be without them, they're just so pretty and have such vibrant colours.
Some plants just don't stick in my mind... This is the first time I've ever had Aruncus, so I think I'm allowed... Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it! heehee.
Hi again Cheryl,
Oh no, I do hope I haven't made you get more plants!
How are the Clematis doing btw? My Hellebore collection isn't going too well, they just don't seem to like me :(
Hi Mac,
Thank you very much :)
Hi Jan,
Cheryl introduced me to the White Forsythia last year as I too had never realised you could get white forms! I'm no fan of yellow as I am sure you know by now, and jumped at the chance to have a white one instead! We inherited a yellow one with the house, which had been left to overgrow into a tree, I chopped it right down a couple of years ago and it is been recovering quite well but still isn't large enough to bring any branches in to force.
Mmmm, you are having bad luck with the Snowdrops... I think I'll take quite good record shots of the clumps here so I will know next year whether any have multiplied. I've only had some in 2 seasons now and others in 1 season, with a total of 300, so I should have far more but realise they are not always the most reliable to plant as bulbs and far better to plant in the green.
Perhaps try that instead, see if you then get more coming back year after year.
B&Q have 5 pots for £5, which is excellent imo at the moment, each pot has a good few bulbs in it, so you don't have masses of them but certainly a fair enough price to help boost the colour in your garden.
I've no idea the ph of my garden... It's heavy clay so I wouldn't imagine it's acidic - more likely to be alkaline... The Skimmia is in a pot at the moment so I can have it next to the front door. But saying that, yes the Hydrangeas are blue... Well they change, purpley but my neighbour has bright blue Hydrangeas.
It's a very exiting time of year in the gardens to watch new growth! Oh the anticipation!
Very nice photos and so far ahead of what I have, which is no blooms. LOL
Cher
Goldenray Yorkies
Hi Liz, give your hellebores another year and I think you will see a change. After flowering give them a good mulch (leaf mould if you have any), if not garden compost.
My clematis are amazing. I planted several cheap plants along the railway fencing at the back of the garden last year. I thought they died, because last year I just had a brown stalk and nothing else. Low and behold they are all romping away this year....I am just so excited because I cannot remember what I planted.....
I did give that area a good mulch in the autumn (leaf mould)......I think it has done them the world of good......
Have a good weekend.
love the Iris
hope your Snowdrops turn into a blizzard of blooms in the future.
still snow on the ground here but I did find something 'blooming' today. middle of winter and I took photos of mushroom :)
Very beautiful blooms! that little shy crocus looks so nice
I'm longing to get out there, but inbetween soring out the decorators and the almost constant rain, I'm not left with much time ....and it's SO cold here today! I'm such a wuss!
Glad you're tougher than me and got out to take such gorgeous photos! :)
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