In looking back over the month of March, we have a saying that it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, in other words the weather at the beginning of the month is much worse than that at the end. This time though we had wonderfully warm sunny days at the beginning and lately the gales have been coming from the north and east, howling through the trees and bringing freezing temperatures with them. At last though my lawn is drying out and I can now do my self isolating exercise by walking round it 10 times! Thank goodness I have a garden though, I would hate to be someone without somewhere to get my fresh air.
Come for a wander with me, starting in the front by the drive. Bergenia Beethoven is flowering away and spreading a bit too far. Some parts can be moved into the woodland as soon as flowering is over.
I thought I had planted this camellia in a sheltered spot, but wasn’t expecting an east wind, most of the flowers are all a bit burned.
The cherry by the front gate is covered in blossom now. I hope the strong winds have stopped, otherwise all the petals will end up on the gravel.
The primroses in the front border are absolutely amazing, they have really enjoyed all our rain, I have never known them this good.
A prunus by the front gate is full of blossom, this tree was already here when we ariived many years ago.
Growing against the garage wall and making a nice splash of welcome colour is a Berberis.
Old faithful chaenomeles is still flowering by the back door, there are still lots of buds, but surely it must stop soon.
The rockery by the dining room and kitchen is being redone at the moment. Some plants were getting far too tall, so had to go, this has left room for lots of new plants – I feel a new post coming on! At the moment primulas are making nice splashes of colour, here and there.
Such a lovely deep blue primula, must divide it after flowering to make a larger patch.
In a couple of places , lovely little veronica is spilling over the edge of the wall. I keep telling myself to take cuttings, must do it this time.
Narcissus canaliculatus has such dainty little flowers, they are so pretty en masse.
A double Hose in hose Primula Jack in the Green given to me a few years ago by a lovely friend, another to be split when it has finished flowering.
My other old faithful which has been flowering for months, I enjoy seeing this every time I look out of the dining room window, it is so big now, you can’t miss it.
Narcissus Jetfire are almost over but N. Sailboat are still going strong. I like Sailboat and will try to get more for next spring.
Narcissus Geranium are still looking good, all the narcissus have stood up well to the freezing easterly gales.
Into the woodland and my Camellia Jury’s Yellow is flowering at last. My friend has one and hers was flowering at the end of February! There are lots of buds still to come so I will be able to enjoy it for a while yet.
Narcissus St. Patricks day have been flowering since the beginning of March, here they are with one of my clumps of Leucojum aestivum which really like the damp end of the woodland, growing to 4 ft tall.
So many people recently have admired this clump of Leucojum, before the “lockdown” I hasten to add, I have promised them a bit each, so must pot them up once flowering is over.
Can you have too much rain? Obviously yes, we have had too much even for my lovely snakeshead fritillaries, who were under water for weeks on end in February. They are only half the size except where they are growing in drier soil.
My usual lovely display of fritillaries are nowhere near as good this year, in fact I can almost say that they are disapointing, compared to other years.
In fact, most of them haven’t even flowered, they are just showing lots of grassy leaves. Let’s hope next year is better, but obviously they won’t be having a special post to themselves this time.
Brunnera Alexanders Great, not great yet though as it is still a young plant, only one year old. Lovely blue flowers though.
Wood anemones, Anemone sylvestris, are looking a bit battered by the freezing gales, but still showing up through the few fritillaries.
Now in the gravel area at the back, with Euphorbia melliferra flowering away. Usually it has the most divine honey perfume, but I think it has to be warmer for it to release it as I can’t smell anything at the moment. This area usually has lots of summer bedding in pots, but now garden centres are closed, I’m not sure what I will be planting in my pots to provide colour over the summer months.
Our wander has now come to an end, I hope you enjoyed it. All these plants are in just half the garden where I can see most of them from the house. As the weather warms up, hopefully, other borders come into their own. The next to flower is usually the bog garden, but that has been so wet (in fact flooded!) it will probably need quite a bit of work doing to it.
I have been working hard on the rockery lately, so will show that for my next post I think. Plants were ordered on line so are now waiting to be planted but I will have to improve the soil with my own compost first. Thank goodness the weather has been dry so that I have been able to get out into the garden to do bits of work while self isolating. I have to admit that I am finding it hard with no one to talk to, I’m having to make lots of phone calls to family and friends instead!
I hope you are all keeping safe and well, I look forward to hearing about what you are doing in your gardens.
LOvely spring blooms, Pauline, and I see what you mean about your primulas! Narcissus Sailboat is a pretty one, not seen that before. Isn’t it lovely to have old faithfuls?! Glad to hear your garden is drying out and I look forward to seeing your rockerty soon
The garden is very colourful at the moment Cathy, with all the spring bulbs and blossom. Primulas really love my soil, there are so many different varieties for sun, shade, wet or dry, they are a super family.
rockery even!
I feel rather Rickerty rockerty as I’m trying to balance on the stones!
The primulas are just beautiful Pauline. Sorry that there will be no Fritillary post this year. It is interesting though to hear which plants like all the rain and which don’t. We have had our first few warmish days here and that’s given me a chance to start clearing up. Glad to hear you are coping with the self isolation. Lots of plants for company!
So glad you like the primulas Denise, they certainly cheer me up. Fritillaries are supposed to like damp soil, but obviously mine was just too damp for them! Warmer weather is on the way for us this weekend, that will make gardening easier than the last few days have been, when it has been so cold. More plants are on their way, one of my usual suppliers are having a sale of all the bulbs in pots that would have been used at Chelsea, which of course is now cancelled, it would have been a shame not to have helped them wouldn’t it?!
I did enjoy this walk with you Pauline. What a shame about your fritillaries, still you have some of the little beauties to enjoy.xxx
It was good to have your company Dina, virtually of course! Hopefully the fritillaries will be back to normal next year, in the meantime there are plenty of other flowers to keep me happy, different ones popping up every day. x
What fabulous clumps of primroses Pauline. I’m glad that you have got a garden too. Mine is definitely helping to keep me calmer at the moment. After a wet February we have had a very dry March and the garden could now really benefit from a wet day!
I do love the primrose family Anna, they love my heavy clay, glad something does! I don’t know where I’d be without my garden at the moment, it is certainly keeping me sane and exercised in all the lovely weather we’ve been having, but yes, we could do with some rain for all my new plantings!