Six on Saturday 30 March 2024

 Last Saturday I stood in squally showers, strong gusts, at the entrance to Yeo Valley gardens greeting visitors.  Had it not been a purchase in advance timed ticketed event, I doubt many would have come.  However the look on peoples faces as they left carrying their precious finds made it all worth it.  What did I come home with?  Yeo Valley or the previous week at the Bishop's Palace Rare Plant Fare purchases will be revealed over the next few weeks.

Today as I post and linking in with Jim's Garden Ruminations, we have real sunshine, warmer temperatures, and the strong damaging winds from Storm Nelson with heavy hail are all but forgotten. 

1. With its blooms dancing in the wind, Clematis alpina Blue Dancer is growing in an 'outsized' long tom and is taking centre stage on the shed shelf. It was bought only last year as one of those small plants from Morrison's for less than the price of a bar of chocolate.  Better than any Easter Egg that keeps on giving each spring! It got blown off its shelf during the storm, but luckily it did not sustain too much damage.

2.. In amongst a batch of primroses for sale at Yeo Valley, I found a pot of these beauties, which I believe are called 'Jack in the Green', I love the little exaggerated calyx forming a small  ruff behind the petals.  All the segments came off the same root, and not surprisingly I divided and got five plants.  After planting these out for once I was happy that the following few days were wet, giving them the chance the settle in.

3.. It is years since I have grown Sweet Peas, I seem to remember that when I moved to a new garden each time in the first year I grew a few.  I didn't do this here, but at Christmas with my card, my friend Mandy sent me a seed packet of Sweet Pea Mrs Bernard Jones.  They have just germinated.

Sweet Pea seedlings: Mrs Bernard Jones 

4. I bought a number of small plants from one of my favourite Alpine suppliers: Pottertons.  In the last couple of years they had attended both The Bishop's Palace and Yeo Valley but this year they came only to Wells, so it was a good job I turned up there.  This little sub shrub has already been planted into the gravel garden, and I hope that Aethionema 'Warley Rose' settles in over the summer.

5. Of course now the Snowdrops are over, my eye turns to the pretty primulas and I am delighted with this Primula 'Treborth Yellow' which stands out in the gloomy light on account of its striking yellow flowers at the top of the reddish stems. With its pronounced heart shaped petals, it looks as if it has twice the number of petals. I saw it on Potterton's Stall at the Bishop's Palace Rare Plant sale, and it immediately jumped out at me, and since it is not even on their list, I am delighted I picked up Primula vulgaris 'Treborth Yellow'. 

Primula Treborth Yellow

6. Here Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Fantasy' is peeping through Geranium malvifolium, which will be flowering in a few weeks before it disappears for its summer rest.

I'll be making the most of the sunshine today, such a treat but I think it is back to poor light quality etc after that.  At least I will have got umpteen loads of washing dry out in the garden.