We are having some very welcome rain today after another dry spell, the plants and I are very grateful, I won’t have to get the watering can out for a couple of days , thank goodness, my back will appreciate it! Looking through photos I took the other day, I thought I could do a post about them now and just hope that another 6 jump out at me for my Six on Saturday.
When walking round the lawn, I found that the Mahonia Charity was dropping all its lovely seedpods, nothing seems to be eating them which is a shame. The two colours, jade and blue go so well together, I’m sure they would make a lovely meal for someone or something!
My first rose in the rose garden, Rosa Heritage, a David Austin rose, this is one the roe deer didn’t spot in the border! the others buds aren’t far behind, he didn’t find them all!
I think I photographed the wisteria too soon last weekend, the flowers have now opened fully and are a beautiful sight climbing up the side of the garage and the perfume is just amazing!
The bees are making the most of what is on offer and I always have a quick sniff when I open and close the garage door.
This fern, Polystichum setiferum plumosodivisilobum reminds me of an octopus when its fronds unfurl.
Each frond makes me think of its tentacles with suction pads on the underside.
Chives are flowering away on the patio, or I should say “in” the patio as they are all coming up between the paving slabs. I’ve tried pulling them out but no joy so far. I think I might have to start afresh with some of my own seed in a pot!
Primula japonica, a candelabra primula, are starting to flower now, they are the first to come into flower in the bog garden, soon lots more will join them.
This is actually 3 flower heads that have got themselves tangled together, they have sat in water all winter so they obviously like it very wet at the roots.
This is the plant I come to see every day at the moment in the bog garden, my Rodgersia. The leaves start out this wonderful bronze colour, which eventually turn green and the flower spike is pink. At the moment there is just this one stalk stretching up, but I have counted 14 little noses peeping out of the soil, so hopefully, they will all sprout into wonderful stalks.
Rhododendrons are starting to flower, soon there will be a blaze of colour from them all. This is a very large flower on one that was living here before I was.
A smaller flowered one in the back garden, again, here before I was, seems to enjoy snuggling up to the golden philadelphus next to it.
I wasn’t the only one enjoying the flower, a white tailed bumble bee was very busy working all over the flower head.
The pulsatillas on the scree have now finished flowering. I have just left one stem to go to seed and thought it looked so pretty in the sunshine yesterday.
I think that is enough for my mixed bag, I must leave some for Saturday.
I have been digging out leaf mould to add to the bog garden where the acorus has been removed, another barrow load needed though, then I can move lots of candelabra seedlings which have sprouted where there was standing water all winter, they obviously like sitting in cold wet water all winter, not my idea of fun, but everyone to their own!
That wisteria is just beautiful Pauline though not for Sweden unfortunately. I also have Rodgersia (which manages even though my garden is not particularly wet) and I can only agree, those leaves first opening are magnificent and well worth a daily visit.
The Rodgersia is putting up more snouts each day Denise, its going to be its best year yet. The bog garden takes its time waking up, but in a few weeks it will be flowering on all cylinders!
Peanut, the peahen always devoured the mahonia pods. That rose and wisteria are just gorgeous. I have chives popping up in the cracks too, I leave it as I love the flowers and eat the chives.xxx
I could do with Peanut here Dina, such a shame that all the seedpods are going to waste! I do use the chives in cooking but they are spreading so much between the paving that something will have to be done or I will be tripping over!x
That’s a great analogy, comparing the fern to an octopus – I can definitely see that!
That’s what it reminded me of at the time Cathy, but not so much now that it has completely unfurled.