January is not a month noted for its flowers, but there are quite a few out in the garden here so it is worth going for a wander each day. Lots of bulbs are pushing up, the snowdrops are flowering and so are some iris and narcissus, as well as a couple of shrubs.
Iris reticulata Pauline
I seem to have planted rather a lot of Iris reticulata, there are clumps of them coming up everywhere!
Chaenomeles by the back door with more buds opening each day.
The blossom looks so spring like, just a few more weeks!
Winter flowering heather growing near the dead oak in the centre of the garden.
Still going strong, N. Rijnveld’s Early Sensation
More primroses are opening all the time.
Iris unguicularis.
There are so many more flowers on Iris unguicularis this year, suddenly it is doing so much better. I just wish the leaves weren’t so messy.
Snowdrops are now well into their stride, but I will do a separate post about them. This one is Lapwing looking a bit wet after all the rain.
At last, the Camellia is flowering, sometimes it starts in November…….
……..but this year, the cold spell in January must have made it wait.
Purple Cyclamen coum.
Pale Cyclamen coum.
Hellebores are starting to open their flowers, they will have a post all to themselves in a couple of weeks.
Witch Hazel Arnold Promise is still reluctant to open his petals. I must move him into a spot with more sun as I don’t think he likes it where I’ve put him.
Daphne boluha has started to fill the woodland with its beautiful perfume.
I’ve been trying to dodge the raindrops while wandering round the garden. Everywhere is very wet at the moment and I think we will have more rain as the week goes on, but the garden did need it, we have had so many weeks without any at all, which was unusual for this time of year. I feel that spring isn’t far away, we just have to get through February, which I always think is our worst month for weather!
Are there signs of spring in your garden yet or are your plants staying nice and warm under a duvet of snow?
You are doing well with your Iris reticulata. I never get mine back for a second year. What’s your secret?
The Iris reticulata Jessica, are mainly planted on the alpine scree, which is very well drained soil put there by us, not the usual Devon clay found in the rest of the garden! I planted some last year on a slope in the woodland, they have come up, but aren’t flowering yet, so I will have to see if they appear in a years time. Drainage is the answer though, either a slope or a raised bed.
Your woodland blooms are as eye catching as ever, Pauline. The strong purple of your iris reticulata is beautiful and quite arresting for the time of year. Do they thrive in nooks sheltered by either rocks or taller/bushier plants or out in the open?
Mine are all out in the open Kate, apart from the latest which are in the woodland. I’m trying them there to see if they get enough sunshine to enable them to flower the following year. They like a well drained sunny position, amongst rocks would seem to be fine.
Beautiful photos today. I wish mine were half as sharp and well put together!
How wonderful to have so many things blooming, and fragrance to boot 🙂 I’m looking forward to seeing how the snowdrops are doing this year, ours are again under snow.
You’re very kind Frank, thank you! Your snowdrops are keeping nice and safe under your snow and you’ll be able to enjoy them while mine will just be a distant memory!
Your namesake is most beautiful Pauline. I’m looking forward to your snowdrops post 🙂
Thank you Anna, I think she is rather stunning, such a beautiful colour.
My Arnolds promise hasn’t even begun to open it’s flowers yet. Your iris are wonderful and I just love your Chaenomeles. My hellebores are out really early this year.xxx
I’m glad it isn’t just my Arnold Promise that is being lazy Dina! The Chaenomeles brightens up my day each time I go out the back door, such a pretty flower all through the winter, looking so springlike.
How lovely to have so much colour in your garden at the end of January. Cheering – even in this wet and grey weather – with more to come this week. Makes going out there all worthwhile.
A lot of the flowers can be seen from the house Sue, but waterproofs and wellies have been needed for the others this week, it’s worth it though!
Hello Pauline:
My farm is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. I believe we share the same type of climate-wet springs, wet falls and little winter snow. My H. Arnold’s Promise is at the same stage as yours but my H. Diane (red) is in full bloom. Too bad there is no way to add photos of our plants to the comment section.Thanks for all you do as it makes my day a little bit brighter!
Hello Mark, thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. Yes, I believe Vancouver weather is very similar to ours, warm and wet! In fact lots of our woodland plants originated over there with you, if I see a plant comes from Vancouver, then I know it will be happy in my woodland. I really think Arnold Promise needs more sunshine, the spot where I put it is in dark shade through the summer when the leaves come on all the large trees. I feel it needs the sun to ripen the wood to form flowers next year so I’ll just have to bite the bullet and move it, thank goodness it is still small!
You have far more flowers than I do in my garden Pauline, lots of treasures. I love Iris reticulata, but don’t see any signs of mine yet. We’ve had a very cold January here too, although like you, this week is warmer with rain. It must be a real pleasure walking around and finding all these lovely splashes of colour.
I have to admit Christina, that I am enjoying wandering round the garden at the moment, in spite of the rain! The flowers make it worth while putting on the waterproofs and wellies!
The Iris reticulata ‘Pauline’ is such a beautiful colour and it looks like ther are bees nestling betwen the petals. What a lovely delicate colour on your chaenomeles, do you know which variety it is? I look forward to the hellebore post. It was your hellebore post last year that inspired me to increase my own range and I am so looking forward to seeing them flower this year. Not much happening here in the garden yet (no snow, but frozen ground) but I did notice the first snowdrops that grow by the house wall are now a few inches high!
I have some striking blue Iris reticulata Denise, but they aren’t showing their buds yet, I will have to be patient! The Chaenomeles was already here when we came to Devon, I’m not sure what variety it is, sorry, but I’m so glad it is there to brighten up the winter months. You will soon have your snowdrops, then slowly all the bulbs will join in, a wonderful time of year!
Your chaenomeles is open and what a shame you don’t know the variety as it seems to go on flowering for ages despite starting before Christmas – mine are only just forming buds, apart from the pruned stem which has been in my vase this week. It is certainly useful to know that they will open when cut, despite their tinyness. What a lovely clump of Lapwing you have – and of course the colour of your irises are a real treat at this time of year
There is another Chaenomeles by the garage Cathy, which looks exactly the same as the one by the back door, but never flowers before April, they have the same beautiful salmon colour. Lapwing has proved to be a really good snowdrop, multiplying quickly with lovely markings, definitely one of my favourites!
We have a few of the same plants flowering–Iris unguicularis, witch hazel, snowdrops, hellebores, and camellias (which are just starting). I never have more than one or two irises at a time, though. I was told they like lean soil, but I’m beginning to wonder. Do you have a special secret?
This is the first year Marian, that the Iris unguicularis has opened more than one or two blooms at the same time. As well as poor soil they like lots of sunshine, other than that I’m afraid they are neglected!
I can quite understand why you’d want to be out in waterproofs and wellies to make the most of the colour in your garden at the moment, Pauline! I can only match your primrose and snowdrops at the moment – there are chaenomeles (‘red and gold’), camellia, hellebores and daffodils getting ready to bloom in a few weeks and I recently bought a little pot of Iris reticulata to plant in the garden. Is it usual for your garden to be in bloom in January? Despite frosts, I think January has been quite mild here in London but my garden nowhere near matches yours!
January was quite icy here Caro, as well as frosts at night, everywhere stayed white during the day if the sun didn’t reach it. December was very mild however which I think gave everything an early start. We usually have all these flowers out in January, it means that gardening never stops here in the south West!