Sunday 17 April 2011

Sunday Safari – the shots you didn’t see


There’s just so much going on at the moment, some areas are doing very well, others still need a lot of work on them but I just don’t have the time to spare right now. I’m trying to tell myself to do a little at a time, rather than trying to spend hours on a blitz of jobs.

This post will have to also include some photos I didn’t put into the Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post on Friday, some because I forgot, others because they weren’t blooms as such.

Astrantia leaves are nice and lush; I just love how vibrant everything is

Clover is growing in the grass, I look forward to the flowers and Bees it will attract

Muscari is almost finished now, those planted in the border have lasted much longer than those in pots

The ‘new’ border after I sowed some seeds, then added some top soil and a new layer of mulch.

Tomato seedlings are doing well, I have potted them on since this photo

As are the Cosmos… Will they actually bloom for me at a reasonable time this year?! I don’t want to wait until September/October again!

A Dogwood cutting off Cheryl survived the winter

Hosta leaves will likely be eaten by the slugs/snails. This plant was left by the previous owners only as some roots on top of the soil. Over the years it’s certainly getting larger… Maybe I ought to actually plant it at some point?? Call it an experiment if you will, the conditions plants will survive through are amazing. Now it’s proved itself I think I should probably plant it.

Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’


Goat’s beard planted in the Cherry border has the most gorgeous foliage, I think I love it purely for its leaves never mind its blooms.

Foxgloves are all over the slopes on the tier, I hope they are the white type as I didn’t sow any last year – a mistake I will not forget!

There are so many new shoots for the flat-topped Aster that I’m worried the border is going to be well over crowded, last year we had three plants with around 4/5 shoots each. This time I’ve counted 35 and expect more to emerge... I didn’t anticipate them to be quite so invasive. I’ll have a go at slitting some off and planting them elsewhere.

A cute little sedum clump, even if it is only small.

A cheeky little snail is enjoying the Asters, at least.

Nettles popped up in the new border last year… I’ve no idea where they came from, but I’m thinking I’ll have to get rid of them because they’re not the stinging nettles as favoured by a number of British Butterflies… These are common nettles, and I don’t think any flutters lay on them??
For now they will at least fix nitrate back into the soil.

This cheeky little fly was found on a pot sunbathing.

The Rhubarb is happy, I need to harvest it for people… Think I’ll take it to my parents when I go steal some forget-me-nots off them.

I was thrilled recently when viewing some photos I’d taken of the back border I spotted these babies! Naturally, I had to run out to catch some shots of them; just as I’d been getting a little upset that both my ferns were looking rather sad after the winter and thought they weren’t going to pull through.



This perennial Foxglove sure has kept me waiting, it was planted last year in the new border… It became swamped by the Asters and grasses, but is making the most of the sunlight before everything takes over. I’m just so pleased it survived the snow!

White Dicentra has begun to flower in the Cherry border, I do love the blooms… Hard to believe anything would evolve to be such a perfect heart shape.

Herb Robert is looking gorgeous by the side of the house, he sure has grown large this year! He’s right next to the compost bin and no doubt loving all the nutrients…

Primroses are flowering in the front garden, each year their clumps are growing larger and larger, I will split some for my parents. The photos never come out right, ever. They’re actually a much deeper reddish purple.

Astilbe has survived the snow, and should brighten the front garden in a few months.

Siberian Bugloss is having an excellent year, I really do think the garden has hit the stage where most of the plants have now been in for a number of years and so we’re seeing a number of nice, mature borders now…





Phew, that’s me caught up with the old photos now. However we’re not finished there… These are the most recent lot!
Seriously, get yourself a cup of tea/coffee, you’re going to need it.

The Fern fronds have been unfurling nicely, I just love how prehistoric they are!



These ones were spotted today just breaking the soil, I planted something not 5cm from them, hopefully I didn’t damage any others!

The Ajuga are doing well, the blooms are just beginning to finally open now.

There are three different types…


This tulip ‘little beauty’ has appeared from somewhere, I know I haven’t bought any new ones recently and I’m pretty certain I didn’t get any in a spring bulb mix… But I must’ve without realising it! They’re popping up in too many places for it to be a coincidence.



The new Aquilegia last year is growing well, this is one that had self-seeded in a pot from our previous house and finally flowered last year after making me wait three years. It’s growing very large this year – obviously very happy that I planted it at last. I just hope it looks the same, as so far the flowers aren’t dark enough.

Sweetrocket it enormous now, are they meant to be this large I have to wonder?!

And last but not least, my chives are beginning to flower… I should probably also mention the large number of Alliums I have… They’ve definitely multiplied since last year. I’m looking forward to the purple pom poms… Maybe the ‘right’ border ought to be called the pom pom border? Haha.


Copyright 2011 Liz.
All rights reserved. Content created by Liz for Gwirrel’s Garden.

18 comments:

ShySongbird said...

Whatta lot you got!! ;) So much going on there Liz as I could see on the last post too which I wasn't quick enough to comment on.

You really have put in a tremendous amount of work and it has clearly paid off, well done you deserve it!

The White Dicentra is beautiful, I have grown to like white flowers more and more.

How nice to be surprised by an unexpected tulip!

Beautiful photos of the Siberian Bugloss too.

Su said...

Lovely pictures of your garden emerging from winter. I love ferns too - aren't they amazing hoe they burst forth from nothing and uncurl so tenderly.

Helen/patientgardener said...

Lovely photos. I tend to do a bit at a time so I keep on top of things rather than it feeling like chore

Kyna said...

I love rhubarb. Can't get rid of the stuff if you want to, but why would one want to? It's delicious! We used to have a bunch of patches of it growing in my backyard in Edmonton. I wonder if I can grow it here...

Liz said...

Hi Jan,

Thanks :) There's still a lot of work to do, as there are areas which just look terrible, although I hope this will be sorted out in the coming weeks/months. I attempted to deal with the Buddleja border to the left today but the ground was so solid that I couldn't dig deeper than 5cm, so I've had to water the garden and hope it's softer tomorrow - will aim to get out nice and early before any sun bakes it all again.
I'm going to put down compost/top soil, sow some seeds and then add bark mulch to help retain the water and also to improve the condition of the soil in the border as it's very clay.

The Bugloss is an old friend that's been carted around various houses and finally has found its feet so it's having a bumper year at the moment, although it would be nice if it self seeded everywhere.

Liz said...

Hi Su,

This is the first year I've had Ferns as I planted them quite late on in the season, it is lovely to see them unfurling, I love how hairy they are initially as they first emerge :)

Liz said...

Hi Helen,

I try to do a little at a time, but it always turns into a few hours... So instead I've put jobs off, but we're now at the point where I really can't continue putting things off.
I have 7 essays due in the first two weeks in May - ridiculous, I honestly cannot believe they're doing this, so right now my efforts have to be towards my work instead. Thankfully some of the essays I can kill two birds with one stone as such by doing the same topic but different aspects so I don't have as much reading to do - as it's the reading that takes up the most time and effort!

Liz said...

Hi Kyna,

I don't actually like Rhubarb, but previously have always given it away to work colleagues and friends... But now I've finished work and Uni is wrapping up for the year I gave them to my parents instead, the next batch will go nextdoor I think, as I've previously given my elderly neighbour tomatoes, beans etc.

I'm unsure how well it will do in your heat of South Carolina... A couple of years ago mine bolted and produced the most enormous flower, ever, it must've been taller than me! But it did still produce some leaves- just not as large or lush as normal.

Esther Montgomery said...

I began to write 'What a lot' and found that's exactly how Shy Songbird had begun . . . but . . . what a lot!

Aren't the cosmos seedlings pretty?

Esther

Donna said...

my goodness your garden is busy...beautiful foliage and gorgeous blooms. I have that lovely dark pin tulip and can't wait until it blooms...a lovely drift of pink right outside my window...

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with all, you do have a lot happening. Pretty images of the inhabitants too, even the cute little snail.

VW said...

Look at all those wonderful spring green leaves! Love the sweet fiddleheads and blue bugloss. 'Mature borders' sound like heaven!

Nell Jean said...

We need a second meme to follow Bloom Day so we could all show the blossoms that did make the first cut.

Loved that pink tulip.

On My Soapbox said...

Wow, your yard is really coming alive! Your yard is a great example of what Spring looks like. :-)

Nutty Gnome said...

Great stuff there Liz! Don't worry about the ferns - they're always amongst the last to pop up ...usually just as you're about to give them up as dead! :P

That blue bugloss is gorgeous - I love it :)

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

What a fabulous celebration of Spring Liz! Glad I found this post, I missed it earlier. I love fresh astrantia leaves too, and that acer is stunning. I had the same fears for my ferns, and was so delighted to see the fronds starting to do their prehistoric uncurling. You've left me with happy sighs. I'm a big fan of little and often, so that nothing ever feels totally overwhelming, but all too often find myself turning around wondering why I feel totally knackered and realising that I have kept going for hours because I got engrossed in "I'll just finish this bit" type reasoning...

Shirley said...

I am smiling broadly, Liz... I love your plant choices. we have similar tastes. Fantastic photos as always... enjoy your garden and all the insects your plants will be attracting :-D

scottweberpdx said...

Everything is so lush and lovely...that Bugloss is especially nice!