I don’t think it is any secret that the woodland is my favourite part of this garden, at least for the first half of the year. When we moved here it was just the huge ancient trees with lots of brambles and nettles beneath! Slowly, after we had cleared the weeds away, we began adding bulbs and woodland plants. I was inspired originally by Beth Chatto’s book on Woodland Gardening, what a help all her books have been as I’ve been making the garden here.
Having shown you the snowdrops in recent posts, I thought I would show you what else is flowering during the winter months..
Leucojum vernum, the spring snowflake.
Leucojum aestivum, the much taller summer snowflake, which always flowers before its smaller relative.
Narcissus start with Tete a Tete
Corydalis tuberosa seedling.
This one seeds around so must be happy where it is.
Corydalis Beth Evans.
I haven’t noticed any seedlings from Beth, maybe she is sterile.
Cyclamen repandum, flowering much earlier than usual.
Cyclamen coum, spreading happily where it is on the north facing bank of the ditch.
Anemone blanda on the south facing bank of the ditch, I must plant more.
Euphorbia robbiae on the south facing bank of the ditch.
Lots of the ordinary pulmonaria.
Pulmonaria with almost all silver leaves.
In a few areas, the wild primrose carpets the woodland floor.
There are lots of hellebores, this one is Neon Star.
Scilla siberica, these in the woodland are ahead of the ones on the alpine scree. Soon, I hope to have a little river of blue running through the bed.
First flower on Cardamine pratensis.
Iris reticulata on snowdrop hill. They add a nice bit of colour amongst all the white.
Soon all the white of the snowdrops will change to the yellow of all the narcissus in the woodland. It will be as though someone has run through with a yellow wash on a paintbrush!
Snakeshead fritillaries poised, waiting to flower, pheasant permitting! I’m seeing him every day in the garden now.
1st fritillary flower bud.
Crocus tommasinianus Whitewell Purple.
New woodland plants.
New plants have been bought which will soon be added. Hostas, ferns, corydalis, epimediums and heucheras, will be planted to take over where the snowdrops have been. I can move my erythroniums into the woodland, rather than have them dotted round the garden and loads of white foxgloves have come up in the soil of the vegetable garden, where I have added compost, some of them can be moved here too. When all the leaves come onto the huge trees it gets quite dark in the woodland, so I think a few quiet months with contrasting foliage could well be the answer for the summer months.
Long view with pulmonaria and hellebores.
Long view with Crocus tommasinianus.
As you can see, there is a lot more going on in the woodland than just snowdrops. There are areas which need more bulbs adding, the south facing slope to the ditch for example. I think more crocus and more Anemone blanda would be happy there, the drainage is good and they would have sunshine until the leaves come on to the oaks, ash and chestnuts. I could split some of my wild snowdrops and add those, I won’t add “specials” otherwise I would have to walk along the ditch every time to admire their different markings!
– I must now make some notes to remind me what to plant where, do you have to write notes to yourself or are you blessed with a wonderful memory?
It’s looking a picture Pauline.
Thank you Jessica, although this morning I’ve been out picking up all the twigs and branches brought down in yesterday’s gales. The flowers seem to have come through ok, nothing squashed or battered!
I love your woodland too Pauline, and always look forward to your posts at this time of year, but somehow my email subscription got terminated so I haven’t been getting your posts! Glad I popped over here after you commented…
The foliage contrasts should be lovely, and the epimediums are an excellent addition.
I’m so sorry that gremlins seem to have got into the works Janet, it’s happening too often! I have checked my list of subscribers and can’t see your name there, so can I ask you to subscribe again please?
I think foliage is the answer to the summer months when it is too dark for plants to flower, there will still be interest but it will be quieter than when all the bulbs are flowering, autumn takes care of itself when the Acers get their autumn tints.
I’m nearly as excited to see your fritillaries again as you must be.
I noticed a couple of flowers open today Susie, I’m sure there will be more each day from now on.
The Long View is really imressive Pauline, you have a lovely range of woodland plants. I love the colours of the hellebore Neon Star. Well, looking forward to seeing your fritillaries, so I do hope Mr Pheasant behaves himself! I keep a garden notebook where I record everything including future jobs, design ideas, plant suggestions and wishlist etc. plus I make a daily list for todays jobs!
Thanks Denise, there are so many more woodland plants that I would like to include, maybe one day I will track them all down.
You sound like me, making notes and lists, what would I do without my lists and I always have a notebook on the go , otherwise I wouldn’t remember anything! It is so satisfying crossing jobs off a list, I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
I also find nothing is more satisfying than taking a break with a cup of coffee and crossing things off the to-do list!
🙂 !
The long view is so lovely Pauline. You must be so pleased with it now it is really getting established!
I have to admit that I am pleased with it in spring Cathy, I just have summer to sort out now!
I think we all love your woodland Pauline. You have worked hard over the years and it really shows. There never is a dull day in Pauline’s Woodland!
I have had no luck growing Cyclamen coum in my garden – I have yet to discover a good spot for them. I am trying again this year with three wee pots I bought last weekend.
Thanks Angie, that’s a lovely thing to say!
I think Cyclamen coum can take it drier than C. hederifolium, but they don’t seem to spread the same. Maybe the ants aren’t around this time of year to spread the seed, I’ll have to look for some seedheads!
Hi Pauline, I must admit that your woodland is also my favourite spot in your garden and so it’s always a pleasure to visit it at this time of year (my second season with you actually 🙂 ). I don’t have a woodland garden like that but in spite of the horrendous wet weather we went for a walk with friends and the dogs through the local woods which are filled with wild daffodils, primulas and -gosh, I was so excited!- Erythronium dens-canis. Have to go back there again with my camera when it’s drier. Thanks for sharing your views regarding garden trends, it’s much appreciated and I really enjoyed the comments. Have a lovely weekend!
I’m so pleased you like the woodland Annette, it is the only place that gets me out into the garden on a cold winter’s day! Your local woodland sounds a wonderful place to be with all it’s beautiful flowers, but Erythronium already, mine don’t usually appear until April/May! Yes, please photograph them and show them to us please, that must be wonderful to see them in the wild!
That long view of the Snowdrops and Hellebores makes for a lovely vignette. I love the Wild Primrose, the flowers so soft and delicate and the foliage bold.
Thanks Jason, I think drifts look so much better than the odd clump here and there, I must split more to spread them around. The wild primrose are one of my favourites, so much nicer than the ones with bright colours.
Hi Pauline,
You have a wonderful woodland! I love the Cordyalis and you’re the only other person I know who is growing Euphorbia. Most people I know hate it. And beautiful Irises…..I could go on and on! My woodland garden is coming into it’s 3rd year. I’m having fun with it. Honestly, I have no memory! I have to write notes for everything or set the alarm on my phone…..then,I need to remember why it’s going off!
Glad you like the woodland Sally, it really is a special place for me. Woodland gardening is so rewarding I’m finding, without any effort, everything just keeps on getting better and better, I’m so pleased you’re having fun with yours!
I’m with you in writing notes to myself, I wouldn’t survive without them!
I enjoy views of your woodland garden so much! I planted euphorbia last year and am eager to see if it blooms this year. I can’t remember what happened to my wonderful memory; all I know is that it is getting harder to remember things and I had better start making notes!
I couldn’t exist without my notes, diary and calendar Deb, even just the act of writing things down seems to imprint things on my memory more.
The euphorbia really shouldn’t like our garden, it is too wet, but it is surviving and seeding about so it must be happy!
It is lovely already, and you will make it all the more lovelier by adding to it 🙂
Thanks Cathy, I have to admit, it does get better each year, but that is without any effort from me really. Plants are seeding about and increasing all on their own, my job is just to do a bit of editing if anything gets too vigorous.