Six on Saturday - 14 January 2023

 Yesterday a friend posted 'the lake' that appeared to surround her property, but luckily the old houses on the levels were built on higher mounds, here we are at the top of a hill, with good drainage, and have I been glad of that.  Friday was sunny thankfully, but as we went out gallivanting, I only had time for a few quick pictures.  I am joining in with Jim for this Six on Saturday.  

It is so easy to tuck in spring flowering plants that come up do their thing whilst the herbaceous and shrubs are quietly waiting for the real spring to start, and my small garden does not quite yet have a surfeit of early spring beauties!

1. The second snowdrop to come into flower in the garden is Galanthus Godfrey Owen. The flowers were opening with only a shortened leaf, and look fuller on account of the six outer petals, and are low growing.  Last year I was also given a bulb of this by my friend Brenda and planted in a shadier part, but that one is not up yet.

2.  The third snowdrop is taller, but came into flower a few days after Godfrey Owen, grows on the other side of the seating circle close to Pear Beth.  It is Fieldgate Prelude.

With the special snowdrops which were established more recently, it is particularly interesting to see what order they are flowering in.  We have had such a peculiar year weather wise since they were planted and for the last few quickly planted, I failed to write them down on my plan for the garden, and am determined to get a better plan of the garden drawn up, and may call on Mr S's skills for that.  

3. Another exciting event was finding that the colour is starting to show in the yellow hellebore.

4. Just along from the hellebore is a fern that stays green all year round, its name is lost, but not so its ability to charm me particularly during the winter. As a result of a comment below I found the original entry on my notebook from when I bought it in 2014,  The label read Fern Polystichum setiferum multidivisilobum.  However looking up on the internet the name 'Plumosomultilobum group' or Plumosum Densum seems to be applied.

5. The first crocus to show colour, starting over a week ago, is Crocus sieberi Firefly. It is a little gem and undaunted by the all the rain. They are two weeks earlier than the earliest they have been in previous years.

6. I like to chart the progress of the Pittosporum Tom Thumb, particularly since I brought it as a cutting rooted from the one growing in my previous garden. It is now nearly as high as the bird bath.  It may get a gentle trimming to maintain its small size. 

Just how many soggy reports from around the country remain to be seen, but thankfully we have contributors from the southern hemisphere.