We have had hail during the week. Heavy downpours of the small white beads rattle onto the windows and form a shallow white covering over the garden. It feels wintry. I am willing to go out and garden, but the soil feel too wet and claggy. However the neighbouring cats patrol the garden at night leaving their telltale destruction, so I try to protect emerging plants with twiglets.
(1) Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii
The pretty pink flowering low 'alpine' has completely shed its outer leaves leaving small buttons or rosettes looking more akin to sempervivums. It is about at its lowest ebb.
(2) Salix gracilistyla Mount Aso is having its moment, without its bamboo supports and the fuchsia cut down. This year I shall prune it so as to form two or three 'legs' from which next shoots may grow, thereby giving it a little height with the advantage of encouraging more upright growth from a shortish stool.
(3) Crocus are ready to create a show and are just waiting for a little sunshine to encourage them to open.
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| Crocus fuscotinctus |
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| Crocus sieberi Firefly |
(4) Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem' is a couple of weeks ahead of last year at least.
Its pale green leaves with shrimp like uncurling shoots look very handsome against the pale duck egg blue of the shed.
(5) Cyclamen
This morning Mr S asked me if there was something unusual about the cyclamen leaves on the shed shelf. He had yet to appreciate the many ways in which leaves can exhibit variegation.....just one of the subjects we covered during breakfast. He had been looking at Cyclamen hederifolium Silver Shield the second one along.
February is the month for the coums...right out of site below the Acer....
(6) Iris Reticulata: Harmony is doing very nicely. These are in their second year in the garden in this spot. I was surprised by how tall its leaves grow after the flowers are over.
In the Aso bed a deeper Iris Reticulata Blue note is richer, and the first bloom is out, during its first season.
Those cyclamen are wonderful, so dramatic. Love the salix too, I think a prune is a good idea, the more stems the more fabulous catkins!
ReplyDeleteYou are right there Gill. There will be some cut for a vase soon.
DeleteThe salix is beautiful. It looks like it flowers on current seasons growth so you could cut it back and get new growth which would flower next winter?
ReplyDeleteYes it just produces the Catkins on the new growth, so needs cutting back to encourage these new growths each year.
DeleteLots of cheerful colour. For a moment I pictured you plonking marmitey savoury snacks in the garden. The Androsace sarmentosa Watkinsii look just like sempervivums.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got a blog together this week as you've so many interesting plants to share. I'm particularly taken with the pink catkins.
ReplyDeleteDid you have more than one hail storm or was that all from one drop? That lovely cyclamen of yours in the top photo doesn't look too fussed about it, either way. So much wonderful stuff, but the salix & crocus are my favs this week. Glad you decided to share.
ReplyDeleteThat was less than three minutes worth, and what a racket. The cyclamen even evade the chopping slugs, so they are a sure winner here. Many thanks for your feedback Lots.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fabulous shimmering pool of cyclamen in your first photo Noelle. It must be reassuring to get some wintry precipitation. The pink fuzzies on my salix 'Mount Aso' are just beginning to open 😄
ReplyDelete