Wordless Wednesday: white

Tags

camellia, February, white, Winslow, wordless wednesday

In a vase on Monday: minature

Tags

crocus, February, in a vase on Monday, Japanese pot, Primula silver Lace

Good morning. What a beautiful morning it is again. The weather here is breaking records and filling us with a joie de vie. Gardeners are filling their boots and quite literally filling their boots with garden jobs and its debris at a time when, last year, we had not even begun the Winter clear up. So far, so good.

I am enjoying seeing bumblebees on the Viburnum bodnantense and hearing skylarks in the fields. Daffodils, snowdrops, primroses, crocus and hellebores are flowering, injecting pings or dots of colour around and about. It is Monday which means I need to bring something in from the garden to enjoy at close quarters and share with you and Cathy

Tiny black petals edged in gold are I believe Primula Silver Lace. These are an eye catching favourite of mine as I adore the tiny black petals so smart, so chic.

The crocus may be white but the purple markings on the outer petals are divine.

The pot is Japanese, purchased at Darsham Nurseries.

Have a great week and thanks for reading. D.

Silent Sunday: smokey

Tags

bonfire, February, Silent Sunday, smokey, the Chilterns

Six on Saturday: 23/2/19

Tags

crocus, Euphorbia, Euphorbia amygdaloides pupurea, Euphorbia amygdaloides var.robbiae, euphorbia rigida, February, Primula silver Lace, Rosemary, six on saturday

February, the new May? Possibly.

Today has reached a yummy 17 degrees, a truly beautiful day.  I think that it is fair to say that most of us feel that Spring is on its way, certainly the garden and the birds think so.   Hold up, not so fast, last year we had snowfall on 1 March.  Hopefully there will not be a repeat this year but you never know, Winter is not over yet.

Looking around I have these six to share with you and Six on Saturday

1. Crocus growing in the lawn are beginning to increase in number.  My favourites are probably the white ones for the purple markings on the petals.  Sweet.
2. RosemaryI love Rosemary for its evergreen form, evocative aroma and pale blue flowers, early in Spring.  Very early this year.
3. Primrose

Primula silver lace is eye-catching and although I prefer the common primrose for its gentle shade of yellow there is something about the black petals that appeal to me.

4. Euphorbia

This is Euphorbia rigida which I love for its blue toned foliage, pointy shaped with yellow flowers in Spring. It is more upright growing than E. Myrsinties.

5. Euphorbia (this is not a repeat)

This is the purple woodland spurge with the not catchy name of Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’ I like this plant for its dark foliage and red tones.

6. Euphorbia, I repeat, this is not a repeat.

 

Finally another woodland spurge this is Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae

This is as tough as old boots and will tolerate most soil and positions. Loving all the Euphorbias today it seems.

Take a look at the Propagator blog for a super selection of sixes.  Have a good weekend out there. D.

Wordless Wednesday: night sky

Tags

February, night sky, when clouds look like a duvet, wordless wednesday

In a basket

Tags

February, floating flowers, Hellebores, in a vase on Monday

Yesterday I failed to find the time to join Cathy’s Monday blog post so I am doing it today instead.

Hellebores picked ready to float on water in a large shallow bowl. Not mine, my boss, from her garden.

Grown by me and picked by me. Hope that counts Cathy.

Have a great week. D.

Wordless Wednesday: carpet

Tags

aconites, carpet, Eranthis hyemalis, February, winter aconite, wordless wednesday, yellow

In a vase on Monday: mega tassels

Tags

February, Garrya elliptica, in a vase on Monday, mega tassels, the silk tassel bush

This afternoon, once the rain had eased off, I was working with my friend in her walled garden in Winslow. Tasks included shaping a cotoneaster, a light prune of the pear to remove the odd wayward branch, onto a brutally hard prune of Fatsia japonica to allow light into the centre and then Gary. Gary: Garrya elliptica. Well over 9ft tall this monster was gobbling up all the light. The cuttings filled the car but I ‘helped’ by bringing home a few branches for my vase.

Common name (not Gary) is the Silk tassel bush. Grown primarily for the silvery tassels, some of these are nearly 20cm in length. Suited to a north facing wall in shelter it has almost perfect conditions in this walled garden.

Anyway this is my Monday vase to share with you and Cathy’s readers. Perks of the job? Perhaps.

Have a great week. D.

In a Vase on Monday: floating

Tags

February, gardens open for charity, Hellebores, helleborus niger, Helleborus orientalis 'Harvington Hybrids', Helleborus viridis, in a vase on Monday, NGS

This morning is of course Monday, that much you know and it is bitterly cold again which you may not know if you are elsewhere in the world ( hello Brother Dorris) but it is thankfully bright. As it is Monday I am going to join Cathy with a bowl rather than a vase full of hellebores.

Hellebores never last very long if cut and brought into the house, yet floating the heads on shallow water seems to suit them better. Certainly we can observe the beauty of each flower much more easily like this rather than having to tip their shy heads towards us.

I should love to be able to tell you which varieties are here but they are not mine. Hold up, not mine ? You see I visited a delightful garden on Saturday, open for the National Garden Scheme. NGS.

Old Church Cottage is in a very pretty and historic spot, brimming with snowdrops and crocus, cyclamen and hellebores. More about that another time. On the table, welcoming visitors, was this bowl of blooms. Can I pinch that? Well I just did.

Have a great day and stay warm. D.

Tuesday view: dog eye view

Tags

February, parson russell terrier, springs in her legs, Tuesday View, what Katie did next

Hold up, what’s the dog doing?

After a morning of dandruff like snow, the sun came out.

Ever in search of high ground and a better view.

This dog, who is old enough to know better, never ceases to do the unexpected.

Enjoy your day. D.