Another crisp week with frost each night and mainly sunshine most days. It has been very pleasant working in the woodland raking yet more leaves up so that I can see my snowdrops, some days even without my gardening coat. My robin is back again, swooping on anything that wriggles when I cart the leaves away, so once again I’m having to be careful where I put my feet. The other night was our coldest yet at -5C and it didn’t really warm up during the day, so I stayed inside and kept warm, thank goodness I took my photos the previous day for SOS! Here are my six for this week……..
No 1 Narcissus Rijnveld’s Early Sensation.
At last, only a month late!Narcissus Rijnveld’s Early Sensation is usually out for Christmas, but this year was still in tight bud until last Sunday, when I went into the woodland to look at it, there it was, it had opened overnight! I’m still not sure why it is so late with having had such mild weather in November and December, maybe it needed our first frost to remind it that winter had arrived and it had better start flowering.. Better late than never!
No 2 Primula sibthorpii
Primula sibthorpii is now flowering merrily on the rockery, but in the shade of taller plants, it seems to like its new home as it is spreading nicely. Always early to flower, this is usually my first primrose to flower, but at the same time I noticed……..
No 3 Primrose
……. My first wild primrose of the year. No doubt soon it will be joined by the hundreds of others that I have spreading round the garden.!
No 4 Iris reticulata Edward.
Also growing on the alpine scree along with Iris reticulata Pauline, is Edward, but he isn’t increasing the same unfortunately, still a very small clump and not spreading at all, nice colour though.
No 5 Hellebore
More Hellebores are opening all the time, soon there will be so many they will have to have a post all to themselves. I had to be very careful when raking the leaves in the woodland as a few hellebore flowers got raked off unfortunately, must remember to do the leaves earlier in future.
No 6 Galanthus Lapwing.
Galanthus Lapwing is shining away at the end of the woodland, making quite a nice splash of white which draws the eye. It has very nice inner markings, pity the sun wasn’t on it when I took the photograph otherwise it would have opened to let us appreciate it fully.
Those are my six for this week, the woodland is definitely coming to life with everything growing and starting to flower, my favourite part of the garden and the next few months are my favourite time of year in the woodland.
Thanks once more to Jon The Propagator for hosting, please join him to see what is going on in the gardening world wherever you are.
I also love the early start in the woodland garden Pauline. I can hardly remember the days when I thought flowers only grew in the sun lol. Perhaps with the exception of the hellebores, which do tend to start flowering under the snow, my garden will take another couple of months to get underway. Your primulas are beautiful too Pauline.
Yes, Denise, I remember before we moved here that gardens were “put to bed” in October and didn’t start again until March, mind you, we were living in the north of England then, where it was quite a bit colder! Your garden will be beautiful when all my early flowers have finished, hopefully yours will be nice and cosy under their duvet of snow!
Is this typical timing for the iris, Pauline? When it’s not too cold you must really enjoy discovering what’s coming into flower – I know I do!
Yes Cathy, the Iris is usually out now, it is in full sun where it is planted. Nearly every day brings something new, it is well worth a wander!
Enjoyed seeing your primroses, Pauline–well, and all of your floral winter surprises. Interesting that the narcissus held off until it was good and ready. Lovely. We had ice last weekend and snow this weekend. December was very warm for us but it’s 14 F this morning, so the bulbs that have been emerging are caught in-between. They usually manage to adjust.
It’s amazing what plants can cope with Susie, they have to be very adaptable don’t they. Stay safe and warm in your ice and snow!
Love all these winter blooms, just delightful.xxx
Thanks Dina, they certainly encourage me to get out into the garden!