Sunday 6 February 2011

Sunday Safari


The wind has picked up again, the fence remains broken. There’s little point in attempting to fix it when the wind will just blow them out again.

I’m going to visit Hodsock Priory at Blythe, nr Worksop (North Notts) in a few weeks to see the Snowdrops, we have a fair few out here now, so I assume they will also be out at the priory as it’s around 15/20 miles south… For the first time I find myself wishing someone had a twitter account so I could get updates… ha ha. Usually facebook, twitter et al is evil, but in this situation come in so very handy!

*shhhh, don’t mention that I have accounts for both!*

Viola has bounced back from the snow and joins the white Croci



The race to flower is now well under way, lots of bulbs coming up in the borders, even in the shady areas in the front and back gardens. Perennials are beginning to awake, Bleeding heart, Pulmonaria and Sedum are beginning to grow.


I believe this is some Forget-me-not

Sweet rocket

Osmanthus will provide interest with its strong perfume in a few weeks

Jacobs ladder has self-sown around a couple of borders

Dwarf Russian Almond provides some interest with its strangely shaped branches

A few more white Crocuses have opened in various pots

And these are beginning push their flowers through


On hearing Cheryl has Iris opening in her garden, these Iris became insanely jealous and wanted to show off their beauty too!

Hellebore now has quite a few buds opening

Muscari are now coming up in the borders too


And the snowdrops are being ragged around by the wind – making photographs difficult to catch!




18 comments:

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....there is something about those blue shoots that is just so exciting. With the constant grey skies I will take blue in any way shape, or form.
I like yours growing through the ivy BTW.

I love muscari but sadly so do the rabbits, they do not last for very long in my garden.

My crocus are just about ready to bloom and the daffs and tulips are through........what is the betting the weather will change and sharp frosts will be back.

Su said...

Isn't it lovely when signs of spring are there - I don't think my iris are appearing yet, have to go and check now!

Liz said...

Hi Cheryl,

The past few days have been quite grim, today we had a little sun break through the clouds but we're now back to grey. I'm still in shock jut how early things are blooming, especially in contrast to last year!

Sorry to hear the rabbits love the muscari too, most of mine are in pots but some are around the Borders too.

I think it's about time to tidy the borders of the dead twigs and such soon, ATM they're there because they help protect against frosts, but also are an eyesore!

No daffs here yet that I've noticed, although there are some mystery bulbs under the cherry that I cannot remember what they're going to be... Lol.

Liz said...

Hi su,

I'm amazed that we have so much growth already to be honest, I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be out this early! Although it is very exciting seeing new things appearing day after day.

Carol said...

What an exciting time in your garden Liz! It is so great to see new life pushing up from the thawing earth. Lovely!

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz, I have lots of twigs and branches around. The wind has taken a lot of the dead wood in the oaks and they seem to have all landed in my garden. I lost one of my back door mats.......found it eventually, amazed how far it had actually travelled.....crazy weather.
I agree, I am a little shocked just how quickly things are progressing. Have you an explanation?
I have to say it does not make a lot of sense to me.......unless the plants know there is more snow coming, so they are blooming their little hearts out while they can.....ha!

Helen/patientgardener said...

lots appearing in my garden as well. I have some irises out but they are proving difficult to photograph!!

Pam's English Garden said...

Dear Liz, Oh, to be in England when the snowdrops bloom! As always you make me homesick. Your early spring garden looks wonderful. P x

Liz said...

Hi Carol,

It's so interesting watching everything change by the day. Just today I've noticed numerous iris and croci pushing their flowers up, all this change just in a few hours as they weren't at that stage yesterday when I took photos.

Liz said...

Hi Cheryl,

Maybe it's a case of this hard winter replicating more precisely the natural habitat of the spring bulbs - mountains for example?
For me at least I think the clear, sunny but very cold weeks following the snow provided lots of light and might have added to them thinking it was closer to spring, when normally we'd also have a good few dull days. For around 2/3 weeks after the snow had melted in mid December all we had was clear days but with really low temps of around -10+.
Otherwise I guess it comes down to the age-old stories of plants having a 'year off' when you get alternate fantastic blooms then almost nothing.

Which reminds me,my autumn cherry hasn't flowered in autumn for the past 2 years now... Wonder what's wrong with it.

Liz said...

Hi Helen,

More Iris have popped up today and those in the photos are now flowering, I just hope I don't have a massive, gaping lull in blooms in March/April because the bulbs have come out so early!

Spotted my first singing of Daffodils today, I don't have many though, and this is the only spot where I know they definitely come up.

Liz said...

Hi Pam,

My favourite have to be Bluebells, very fond memories as a child of going on Holiday to Scotland and seeing woodlands covered in Bluebells. Given me a long-lasting impression and I aim to see more this year - the Bluebells in my garden are not yet mature enough to form any sort of cover.
Although I did plant 200 Anemone under the cherry tree this Autumn, so hope to have a nice carpet soon.

Layanee said...

Is there anything more beautiful to a gardener than emerging green? Spring is a way off here but it is good to know that it is on its way.

ShySongbird said...

It's all starting to happen LIz! I have Crocuses that suddenly appeared from nowhere, my (very few) Snowdrops are out at last and Daffodils are well up in the warmer part of the garden :)

Lovely to see all the new growth in your garden, maybe, just maybe Winter is on its way out :)

I really must get some of those dwarf Irises, I was very taken with the ones on Cheryl's blog.

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

What a perfect phrase, "the race to flower". Such a wonderful time of year. Could just do with a little more sunshine.

scottweberpdx said...

Woohoo for emerging plants! I love this time of year, where each trip around the garden reveals something new popping up!

Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens said...

You really have a lot going on in your garden--so far ahead of us with our ice hardened snow. A few giant snowdrops are trying bravely to bloom, but it was 10 degrees F this morning.

easygardener said...

It is amazing how quickly plants have started to appear above ground now the snow has disappeared and it has got warmer. A few days of settled weather would be so useful so that I can do my Spring clean up - if only to see which plants have not survived the winter.