Having had a wander or a squelch around the garden yesterday, I thought I would have another one today and photograph all the flowers that are brave enough to flower at this time of year. In a couple of places I wish I had taken my photos yesterday, you will see why when we come to them! I was pleasantly surprised at the number of flowers that I found, but considering how mild it has been, I shouldn’t have been though. This might be a long post, maybe a cup of coffee would help!
Starting at the back door with my old favourite, Chaenomeles, before continuing round to the front drive.
Mrs MacNamara which you saw on Saturday, but now more buds have opened.
The winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, has just started opening its buds, lots more to come.
This Camellia appeared on Saturday, but more buds have opened, at least this flower doesn’t look as though it is about to fly away.
Mahonia Charity still flowering away.
Oh dear, something has been having a good meal of Iris unguicularis Walter Butt, pity there was’t another flower to photograph!
Moving round to the border by the field, I found Viburnum bodnantense Dawn in full flower.
Further up, under the pergola I found that Primula sibthorpii had started flowering, but also being nibbled. This is always my first primula to flower.
Moving now round to the back garden, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this flower, usually it is one of my last Narcissus to flower, a jonquil I think, what has made it so early?
Most of my roses have been cut back by half, this one, Golden Wedding, escaped. This was given to us to mark our golden wedding in 2016.
The Camellia in the back corner which you have seen a few times now, still flowering away and looking gorgeous!
Galanthus Midwinter living up to its name and looking very pretty in the back corner of the garden.
Rhododendron in the back border leading to the woodland, has now opened a few buds, very early I think, it might regret it later!
Just a couple of flowers have opened on the rhodo next to the previous one.
Galanthus elwesii opening up by the archway into the woodland.
Into the woodland now and G. Little John is still looking rather chewed!
G. St. Annes looking nicely pristine compared to some.
This is one that I should definitely have photographed yesterday, it looked so lovely. It ia a tall snowdrop with large pale grey leaves. The inner petals were marked with a perfect heart shape, but I have no recollection of buying it and wouldn’t have planted it where it is, right in the middle of the bark chipping path! Goodness knows what has been going on in my woodland!
Galanthus Lapwing opening up nicely, this has increased well.
Galanthus Godfrey Owen has started flowering but will have to open a bit more before we can see that all the petals are white and from above looks like a star.
Hamamellis pallida has decided to open its first flower, hopefully more will follow.
Another snowdrop flowering earlier than usual, this is G. woronowii, eventually there will be a drift of these.
Daphne bholua has started flowering but I couldn’t smell any perfume, only one or two flowers were fully open as yet.
Tiny flowers packing a big punch with their perfume, Sarcococca or Christmas Box makes sure I notice it when wandering in the woodland.
Not flowers, I know, but this little shrub, Butchers Broom, Ruscus acouliatus, shouts for attention at this time of year!
Back in the other corner of the back garden is the shrub Garrya elliptica and this is its moment of glory, the tassels will elongate until they hide most of the foliage.
Back to the alpine scree by the house where Iris reticulata Pauline is getting into flowering mode.
And last of the snowdrops at the moment is Galanthus Angelique, almost all white with just 2 tiny dots on the inner petals.
The first of my cyclamen coum flowers are now showing on the rockery, I think some are hiding under the small shrubs, maybe I’ll have to move them.
That’s it for today, as I said, there were more than I expected. I think maybe a lot of them might regret opening their flowers so soon as our weather is about to change at the end of this week, back to frost and winds straight from the Arctic! I’ll have to see what has survived for next Saturday’s SOS!
Happy New Year to you all and I hope it will be a good gardening one for us all.
What a lovely surprise! A tour of your garden to start the New Year. It looks wonderful. Our garden is a funny mixture of plants flowering unseasonably early , and areas of sodden windblown damage after the recent storms. More rain today ,so not much gardening activity but at least the lengthening days are noticeable now , bringing the promise of Spring.
Wishing you a happy , healthy , gardening 2024.
Lovely to hear from you Mary, I don’t think some of the plants know quite what to do with the weather, they are in for a shock next weekend! Hopefully the garden will dry out and I’ll be able to get some gardening done.
Lucky you having soooo many delights to enjoy, I enjoyed them too. All the very best to you and yours.xxx
The post was quite a bit longer than I had anticipated Dina, so many plants confused with the weather! Best wishes to you and your lovely family for a healthy and peaceful New Year.x
So enjoyed your post with my first cup of coffee this morning Pauline. What an amazing selection of flowers for the start of the New Year. The little Ruscus acouliatus is lovely. Happy New Year Pauline!
Glad you were able to enjoy your coffee while reading the post Denise! The mild weather has brought some plants on early, they might regret it when it turns frosty at the weekend! Hope you have a wonderful 2024 Denise!
Happy New Year Pauline, I’ve really enjoyed reading about all the different plants vying for attention in your garden at the moment.
The mild weather has a lot to answer for Helen, there are quite a few plants flowering when they shouldn’t, we’ll have to see how much frost we get at the weekend, hopefully they will survive!
Thank you for the early blooming gardening tour. The Galanthus is lovely. The witch hazel caught my eye. I think that I have just the spot for one.
A pleasure, I enjoyed looking round to find them. I think my witch hazel could do with a bit more sun, maybe it needs moving.
I was really intrigued to see what was flowering in your garden at the start of the year – your snowdrops are definitely ahead of mine. Are the flowers on your Godfrey Own quite compact? I have a mislabeled snowdrop that I think might be GO, but my book doesn’t mention the size of the bloom.
Godfrey Owen is quite different from all the others Cathy, 6 white petals that from above look like a starfish when fully open, no green on the flowers, but I wouldn’t say it was a compact flower, rather on the large size.