All of a sudden, lots of plants are opening their flowers, I actually saw a bee yesterday when the sun was shining. Lots more flowers are opening up, making it well worth going for a wander in the sunshine with the birds singing. Temperatures have been higher this week and everything has responded, I think I should be able to show you some flowers that haven’t been seen this year so far.
The hellebore in the woodland that I moved here a couple of years ago, seems very happy in its new home. This is an anemone centred variety.
One of the camellias in the woodland, a rather small semi double flower, but pretty all the same, with lots of other buds to follow.
Another camellia, this time at the back of the bog garden, with larger , very full ruffled petals. Old faithful in the back corner of the garden is still opening lots of buds, but you have seen that one quite a few times.
At last, Rijnfeld’s Early Sensation is flowering, only a whole month late, it should have been open for Christmas! Better late than never.
With all the lovely sunshine we had yesterday, Crocus tommasinianus has started flowering. This one is in the back lawn, I’ll just have to see how many the squirrels have left for me out of the original ones that I planted!
The summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, is thoroughly confused, I still can’t see any evidence of the spring snowflake, Leucojum vernum, no doubt it will appear soon.
I have done a lot of raking up of leaves in the woodland where my special snowdrops are, the rest will have to stay to rot down in situ, but I’ve still more to do. Hopefully by next weekend I’ll be able to tell you that I have finished that job and have mulched the specials with my own leaf mould from last year. With the warmer weather lots are now popping up, the gardening year has certainly started! Do pop over to Jim at Garden Ruminations to see gardens from around the world.
These are wonderful to see, it brings a Spring smile to my face.
Mine too Rosie, they would lift anyone’s spirits!
A lovely six this week, Pauline, especially that very pretty hellebore.
Thanks Helen, that hellebore is a favourite of mine.
Plants are truly nature’s masterpieces, enchanting us with their diversity, beauty, and life-giving properties.
Absolutely Dan, I agree totally!
Lovely to see so many early flowers. The birds have definitely been more chirpy of late.
More flowers opening all the time Graeme, I enjoy my morning wanders just to see what has opened overnight. Birds are pairing up, 2 robins look very happy together and the squirrels are chasing each other through the tree tops in the woodland, so nature thinks that spring is on its way!
So beautiful Crocus tommasinianus ! Lucky you…. I also do like this weekend the parade of white bells of that Leucojum.
I planted loads of Crocus tommasinianus a few years ago but I think I lost half to the squirrel who found them when he/she was burying acorns! The leucojums are looking lovely, but they are flowering far too soon.
Beautiful! I really must get some leucojum, they are such an elegant flower.
Glad you like the leucojum Arwen, they are certainly flowering very early this year, hope you can find some for your garden.
I thought I had got all our leaves from the paths, Pauline, but the recent winds have found some more. I have begun trying to tidy our borders and have a little hand rake with sprung tines that will help remove some of the leaves. In the woodland I just clear the leaves from the two paths. I am pleased you are seeing more and more things in bloom and that your garden is noticeably taking up – as you suggest, the birds are noticing it too. Good luck with the leaf raking!
It doesn’t help Cathy when the gardener doesn’t come in January, I’m doing what I can but it isn’t easy, a little each day is all I can manage at the moment.
I can see your garden is really getting underway already Pauline though it’s strange that some plants seem to have their timing so wrong! Hellebores really are one of my favourites and here they, together with snowdrops, will be starting to flower under the snow!
Yes, lots of flowers for me to admire Denise, do yours really flower underneath the snow, I thought they would just be late when the snow melts?
They do indeed Pauline. The first time I saw them I was so surprised. They were very flat of course, but do recover quite quickly.
That is amazing!
Goodness, it looks like spring in your garden, fancy having a daffodil already! Lovely blooms.xxx
Spring isn’t far away Dina, the daffodil is an early variety and usually it flowers at Christmas, or it is supposed to!x