While we are all staying at home, the seasons are changing before our very eyes. When this lockdown started it was a time for all the spring bulbs to flower and we seemed to go from snowdrops to tulips in the blink of an eye, now it is the turn of iris, rhododendrons and loads of blossom, but it is still only April. I wonder which season we will be in when the lockdown is lifted.
Rhododendron time seems to be early this year, once they all get going the garden is very colourful.
You can’t miss this member of the rhodo family, a Japanese Azalea which was here before we were.
Did you know I had Princess Anne living on my rockery, she is very well behaved and doesn’t cause any problems! Tiny japanese Azalea in a lovely pale lemon colour.
Narcissus Pipit has a delightful perfume and for a long time was my last narcissus to flower.
But almost 20 yrs ago, after a visit to Llanhydrock Garden in Cornwall where we found a sunny bank covered is Pheasant’s Eye Narcissus, I bought a few bulbs and tried to create the same effect here. Unfortunately shrubs grew around them and they do like to bake in the sunshine, so for years now they haven’t flowered for me. …..
…untl now that is. I was delighted to find that a lot of my clumps have flowered this year, they must be enjoying the sunshine since I removed the shrubs. I feel that the clumps will need splitting once flowering is over, but that is not for a while yet.
Climbers are starting to make their presence felt with first of all the Wisteria that is on the garage wall. I thought this one had died a few years ago but suddenly it has clothed the end of the wall and is looking very pretty.
Clematis montana up the oak tree has recovered from when a gale blew most of it down a couple of winters ago. Last year I could only see one flower on it, but this year it is so much better thank goodness, still not back to what it was, but a great improvement.
I love to see the flowers tumbling down from near the top of the oak tree, they look like a pale pink waterfall.
Clematis Guernsey Cream is flowering on the archway into the woodland.
It looks lovely when it catches the early morning sunlight.
It might only be tiny, it might have a blue beard, but this dwarf iris on the alpine scree makes me smile each morning when I see it.
Viburnum plicatum Maresii is now covered with her horizontal lace cap doilies.
The flowers are very like the flowers of the lacecap hydrangeas.
Whereas the flowers of Viburnum opulus will look like masses of snowballs when they open fully.
The apple trees are covered with blossom, if the number of flowers is anything to go by, then this year should see a bumper crop!
I will just finish with a view of some wild flowers in the bed where I intend to have my late summer border. The cowslips, forget me nots and red campion have all put themselves there, so I will enjoy them for now, but I’m afraid their days are numbered! Once I have finished the rockery, this is the next border to be revamped, this lockdown has a lot to answer for!
What I love about the garden is that it is changing all the time, new plants start flowering and it is like seeing old friends again after being away for a year, I can’t see any of my friends or family at the moment, so this is the next best thing, thank goodness we have had wonderful weather to enjoy it all.
Thanks go to Chloris at The Blooming Garden for hosting this each month, it really is a wonderful time of year in our gardens.
I do love Viburnum plicatum Maresii and must see if I can get one for the garden here. In Sweden V. opulus is called the ‘Snowball’ bush. One of my favourites. I’m glad you have so many friends in the garden to keep you company throughout these difficult times.
The Viburnum is also called the Snowball bush here Denise, very apt considering the shape of the flowers. As well as the flowers, I have my robin and blackbird hopping round me as I’m weeding, pouncing on anything that wriggles, they have me well trained! The blackbirds are feeding their young at the moment, they are making so much noise from the bushes while Dad collects their food for them.
How exciting for your wisteria to gave come back from the dead – I think I overpruned mine this year in an effort to tidy up parts of it, so it will only be flowering on the upper sections 😑 Those wild flowers make a lovely display, but needs must and I am sure your new border will be equally pretty in time. It is so exciting to have all your shrubs coming into flower and your garden will be a rollercoaster of colour for months now. So pleased to hear that it is a solace in your isolation
I’m really enjoying the Wisteria this year Cathy, I’ll now have to find out if my gardener is willing to go up a ladder or not to prune it. It depends on his answer whether it will stay small or if I will allow it to grow up the wall. Don’t worry about the wild flowers, the cowslips will be moved when they have finished flowering, the forget me not seed will get sprinkled and I have so much red campion elsewhere, I can do without these clumps.I’m just so thankful that we have had lovely weather to enjoy our gardens, rain is on its way for this coming week, but we really need it!
Yes,not seeing friends and family sucks, but old friends emerging in he garden certainly helps. You have so many beauties here, and I do love them all, they have me smiling too. I especially enjoyed Princess Anne,Pheasant’s eye, and just loved the wisteria and the montana waterfall. Those wildflowers are just beautiful.xxx
So glad that you like them too Dina, they are making the garden nice and colourful at the moment. I think we will be getting our much needed rain this week, that will save me the job of watering and maybe I can catch up with the housework!
I always loved the poets eye and Pheasant’s eye. They did so well in my gardens in the North. Daffodils struggle a bit in the heat of Zone 9, and sadly I dont try that variety any longer. Love seeing yours!
It’s a shame that now you are too hot for daffodils Jayne, but we all have to grow what suits our gardens and climate. I love the perfume of the Pheasant’s Eye, it is what made me buy the bulbs in the first place.