The weather still doesn’t know what it should be doing so we are being treated to a bit of everything, at least it is getting warmer, except when there is a cold east wind. The flowers keep coming, lovely to see wave after wave of different ones making changes from one week to the next. My six for this week are as follows………..
No 1
Paeonia mlokosewitschii is having its moment of glory in the driveway border. Buds have been promising for weeks and now at last they are starting to open.
I’m pleased to see though that when it is raining, the petals close to keep the pollen dry for any passing bee. As soon as the sun comes out, they open again.
No 2
The first of my candelabra primulas to open is Primula japonica Millers Crimson. With all the flooding it seems as though I have lost quite a few of my bog plants, they like wet soil, but obviously there is a limit! I’ll give them a bit longer before I think of replacements.
No 3
Camassias are now flowering under the Amelanchier tree at the side of the garden. This variety are too tall for where I planted them so I’ll move them when they finish flowering.
They are another plant that likes damp soil but I won’t be putting them anywhere that gets flooded!
No 4
Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus is my last narcissus to flower, but well worth the wait as it has such a beautiful perfume.
My bulbs seem to be increasing well and some of my clumps need splitting again, I have plans for them under the pergola at the top of the garden.
No 5
The first dwarf rhododendron to flower on the rockery is R. Princess Ann with very pale lemon coloured flowers, she will soon be joined by the others.
No 6
It’s bluebell time! They are popping up in lots of the borders and I think they look best where have the company of yellow flowers, like here, with cowslips in the background. These were planted by me so are English bluebells, unlike the ones in the woodland which are Spanish planted by the previous people and I try to dig them out each year, without much success!
Those are my six for this week, just a quick thank you to Jim for hosting at Garden Ruminations.
I was 10 yrs old for the last Coronation and remember it well on a tiny screen in black and white bought by our neighbours for the occasion. Must dash, I have another Coronation to watch, in colour this time!
Oh you are lucky to have a Peony out already, mine are still tight buds.
P.Mlokosewitschii is always my first to flower Rosie, lots of buds on the others, but it will be a couple of weeks before they join in.
The peony mlokosewitschii is superb with this light! It’s ahead of my peonies (I think) while it’s the opposite for the Camassias. Otherwise, another great choice this week with your plants.
This peony is always earlier than my other peonies Fred, the flowers are so fleeting, but still gorgeous!
We were expecting thunderstorms today, but it passed us by just a few miles. Like yours, the weather here is all over the place. I love the soft, gentle colours of your peony mlokosewitschii, it’s one I’ve looked at often but never bought – I’m sure one day I will. The pale lemon dwarf rhododendron looks gorgeous.
The peony and rhododendron are the same lovely pale primrose colour Catherine, nice at this time of year among lots of bright colours.
That Paeonia mlokosewitschii is lovely and the bluebells and cowslips look great together. A great Six.
Thanks Graeme, its all change in the garden at the moment with lots more waiting in the wings.
Very pretty bulb delights. <3
Thank you Sarah, the bulbs certainly give lots of interest at the moment.
The Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus is lovely even without the perfume Pauline. It really is quite a balancing act with plants that like damp but are not keen on flooding, especially when you can’t be sure what the weather will bring!
I’m really enjoying my late narcissus Denise, there seems to be so much of it this year, it has spread a lot!
Lovely spring blooms, Pauline – it’s interesting to read that not all bog plants can cope with flooding. Camassias are strange things, as mine didn’t show at all for several years but are now coming up regularly, in my not-at-all-damp blue & white borders – the white ones are certainly rather on the tall side, but I try not to complain 😉
I’m not quite sure how I’m going to cope with the problem of flooding Cathy, obviously the plants don’t like to sit in water all winter, or at least most of them don’t! I have some tall white camassias, they do get rather big don’t they?
I hope you enjoyed watching the Coronation. I’ve certainly enjoyed reading your six this week. I think Molly the Witch is a wonderful Peony.
I did enjoy it Catharine, very different from last time from what I remember, I hope you enjoyed it too. Molly is a gorgeous flower, the downpour of rain on saturday put paid to some of the flowers though, unfortunately.
I’ve had a plant of that Peony for so many years and it has never flowered. It was overrun by bamboo but survived until the bamboo had moved on. I moved it but it’s still not happy.
I think peonies can be a bit fussy Jim, I have some that have never flowered and now I’m wondering if I’ve planted them too deep. Also they like a lot of feeding which I have neglected!