Six on Saturday - 22 February 2020

The Prop will be keeping warm this weekend as he has loads of stuff to move round to his back garden, he is also eager for spring...aren't we all, any those of us in the northern hemisphere.  Hope like me you will enjoy the collections of SOS.

Yes we have had rain, lots of it.  February fill dyke is living up to its name.  However on Friday in the dry a couple of very large bumble bees were out foraging. The birds are starting to sing at around 6:30 am and one can see the rising of sap in shrubs, spring flowers are having their moment.  Of course on our sloping ground we haven't had the horrible views of water logging or flooding.  From the paths, I've been able to saunter round the garden.  This weekend, after visiting the Bishop's Palace Garden last weekend of the snowdrop festival, it will be mainly a little seed sowing.

(1) Breaking bud
Since last week the Amelanchier Trees have moved to and are now showing that they have bidden their time and are waiting no more...

(2) Blue Green leaves followed by - A host of Golden Daffodils

Narcissus Rip-van Winkle

 First acquired in 2018, about five bulbs growing in a pot, they had their first season coming up in this spot last year.  These are small daffodils growing  a little short of 20cm.  Once they have finished flowering, I ought to remember to give them a good feed.  After  the leaves have died down it will be time to lift, separate and replant the bulbs.

(3) Crocus

Large flowering Crocus vernus Pickwick is a perfect example of a crocus you would want to draw.  Its large heavily striped pale and dark purple petals form large cups which open up in the sun.  A few came over to the new garden around another plant and from maybe five bulbs there are now three nice clumps.

Crocus vernus Pickwick

In the conservatory bed are the smaller Crocus minimus 'Spring Beauty'

I acquired a small pot of these in 2018, and for Spring 2019 they were placed in three clumps close by a new planted prostrate rosemary by the sitting circle.  This year, I hunted for the emerging shoots early January and realised that the Rosemary was completely covering them.  Since I could locate them by their little tips piercing the soil, I opted to move them. For a few weeks, I have been on tenter hooks, but I am starting to breathe a little easier now.  Planted close to the path, I can pop out and have a close look at their loveliness.

This is an example of the type little pots of plants I am tempted by when I visit the stalls of small nurseries, and I doubt that I shall return empty handed today.


(4) Patience required

In a new garden, or for newly planted areas, there is an anxious period when one wonders if plants are going to re-emerge.  Patience is required as well as hope. In the meantime thoughts and questions:  Did I plant  too deep?  Was it too hot and dry last year?  Has it been too wet during the winter?  Has something eaten them? Then there is a little sigh of relief and I am full of wonder  as from the tiniest emerging piece of greenery a bright green leaf unfurls and then a little flowering stem develops in just a few days.

Corydalis Malkensis

These and another corydalis had been growing in a pot below the Viburnum, but were moved in dormant corm stage in the Autumn when the Viburnum was moved into the ground in the front garden.

Viburnum last May under which the Corydalis were growing

(5) Primula Lilac Lace 

Primula Lilac Lace

Primula Wanda ex Pluse

I have a newly acquired primula from Alison in another part of garden planted last autumn, simply described as a dark one.  It is yet to flower unlike this one. In a week or two I shall be able to compare them properly.

(6) Still in a pot 

Euphorbia Myrsinites

It works being in a pot...the stems tumble over the edge with their  waxed blue leaves, and soon these buds will open into lime-green flowers. It gest hot and it gets baked but it seems to suit it.

6(b) Books...sharing, well sort of:

At our gardening club last week I acquired these two books.  We had set up a bring and share and give a donation table for books and magazines.  Although the GP&D is an old 1999 edition, which makes it twenty years old, the line drawings are clear and the descriptions are easy to understand. I also now realise that there is another more up to date DK version.  I wonder how it would compare.  In twenty years we have seen new pests and diseases and a different attitude to insects and and the use of insecticides in the garden.