I feel a rockery should be a riot of colour in the spring, meteorologically it is now spring, it started yesterday, but our rockery behind the alpine scree is quite frankly….boring! One clump of narcissus is certainly not a riot of colour, so something needed to be done.
Instant colour.
Drumstick Primroses, Primula and Cyclamen coum.
A quick visit to the local garden centre means that I have some instant colour to add, nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary, just some good tried and tested plants that should improve the look of the rockery at this time of year.
Also some white and lilac Aubretia were bought.
The primula was reduced to 50p – bargain!
There were lots of new buds waiting to open, so after removing the spent flowers, it looked as good as new. This afternoon I managed to plant all the plants that need leaf mould added to the soil.
This means the white candelabra primulas……
…….and the purple ones.
I have some lilac ones that I can move from somewhere else in the garden.
The Cyclamen coum were planted in the shade of Prunus Kojo no mai.
I found this poor little clump of small yellow hemerocallis sitting by one of my paths, I feel so sorry for it as it was dug up 2 winters ago and then forgotten about! I hope it soon puts down new roots.
I soon realised that I need quite a few more plants, even allowing space for what will follow on later in the year.
As well as buying a few more plants, I need to buy some grit to add for the plants that like the sun and need good drainage, like the aubretia. I could also add some dwarf Iris and Lavender for later.
When the snowdrop flowers have gone over, I can split one of my large clumps of wildings and plant them among the cyclamen and I must also remember to plant more narcissus and crocus in the autumn.
Rain is forecast for tomorrow but it should be dry on Saturday so I can see that I’m going to be busy!
I don’t actually believe that there is even one small area of your garden that is boring Pauline – but a gardener needs to be able to buy one or two or a dozen new plants don’t they! It is gong to look great.
Believe you me Christina, it was boring! We all need an excuse to buy more plants and as this is what we look at from one of the dining room windows, I decided it definitely needed improving. It will be next spring before I know if I’ve succeeded, but I’m enjoying working on it.
What a lovely alpine scree you have. I love Denticulata primroses, and that dark pink one is gorgeous. Maybe add some autumn flowering crocuses too, to lengthen the season?
Autumn crocus would be a good idea Julieanne, but I think in the scree itself, in front of the rockery, as larger plants might grow over them. The Denticulata Primroses will enjoy the damper areas where the water doesn’t drain away as quickly.
Your new plants look so colourful and tempting Pauline. They add a real boost to your rockery. What better way to celebrate a new gardening year!
I agree, nothing makes a gardener happier than a bit of retail therapy and the rockery looks better already.
Hi Pauline,
Lovely blooms you have there! So colourful and so very much welcome at this time of year.
It’s been a lovely day here and I’ve spotted my first bumble bee and ladybird today. Must get some more drumstick primulas as mine disappeared last year sadly.
Thanks Liz, they certainly make the rockery look more colourful.
Lots of showers today and more to come through the week, we have had lots of various bees but I haven’t seen any ladybirds yet.
I love your choices, they certainly will add colour. It’s amazing how quickly plants are swallowed up and disappear once planted out. I always have that problem.xxx
I’ve already planted a few more Dina, and it looks better already. New planting always seems to need more plants than I anticipate, but I should get there next year with snowdrops and narcissus added too.
I love the woodsy, natural, mossy atmosphere you created here. The colorful plants you added have given this area even more character and charm.
The moss has grown all by itself Debs, but when someone wanted to remove it all, I was horrified as I like it so much! It started out as a very sunny rockery made by the previous people here, but over the years some of the plants have grown rather large and are now creating shade where the moss now grows.
I love moss on my rocks as well! Your instant colour looks great – shame it makes you realise you now need more! I was interested to read about Liz losing her drumstick primulas as mine have gone too and yet other primula are fine. Do you think they may need better drainage?
I think the opposite of better drainage is required Cathy! You had me wondering for a moment if I had planted my new ones in the wrong areas, so I got my book “The Plant Lover’s Guide to Primulas” out to check. They say that they can take a lot of sun in wet and boggy places. My lilac ones which I will be moving to the rockery, are growing in the bog garden and are very happy indeed, multiplying nicely.