In a vase on Monday: dainty

Tags

amelanchier, daffodils, in a vase on Monday, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Spring, Spring flowers, yellow

Good morning. Spring is absolutely happening. Whilst we have to lockdown, stay indoors and isolate it is all happening outside. Hedges are beginning to open to reveal a type of fresh green that is almost impossible to visualise in the depths of a dark grey, wet winter.

The snowdrops have been and gone but if you are quick there is time to divide clumps. Hellebores are pushing out their new foliage as their flowers have peaked. Crocus in my lawn are still flowering but are beginning to get leggy so are past their best already.

This is time for the daffodils to shine. Along roadsides and verges, in window boxes and containers, vast swathes of all shades of yellow and gold are brightening the scene. I love to see daffodils en-masse, they really do herald spring like no other. The ones I love most are the more delicate ones. Give me Tête-à-tête that pack a punchy yellow but do not blow over. Show me clumps of Thalia, not yellow at all but white, small flowers, long slim stems and leaves. Later in the daffodil season is the oldest known variety, Pheasants eye, Narcissus poeticus which has a refined scent and small polite look. No brash trumpets here.

Anyway they are still to come through. Right now in my garden the tête-à-tête are beginning to go over, slightly browning at the petal edge. Could be down to the change in temperature. Instead the highly scented multi flowered stems of narcissus from the Isles of Scilly are shining.

Just two stems provides me with a vase full to share with you and our host, Cathy. Each flower is only 2cm across but together each stem provides multiple flowers (5 and 11 to be precise).

Tiny fruit beetles are emerging, I think that is what they are?

Those of you who are kind enough to follow this blog may have seen this next vase.

A tiny Japanese pot, a piece of Amelanchier and a single bloom.

Daffodil season is officially here. I hope that you are able to enjoy them from wherever you may be holed up. Challenging times.

Have a good day wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: 9/3/20

Tags

blossom, daffodils, in a vase on Monday, Iris reticulata, March, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Viburnum bodnantense dawn

My garden has been swamp like for what seems like months and months. So horrid. I have hardly been able to get out there. Today I squelched across grass that needs cutting to look for some flowers to join Cathy and her regular followers.

There are hellebores and daffodils, iris reticulata and viburnum. There is blossom on the plum tree and fresh growth showing on the Hemerocallis and those plants formerly known as sedums. Leaves are budding on the Sambucus and the Hydrangeas. Roses are budding their purple leaves. There is much happening out there.

I have chosen a small selection to put in my vases

Small scale vases.

This pot has Narcissus tête-à-tête and Rip van winkle. You can see they are mud spattered. The one with the orange centre came as a birthday gift box of bulbs from the Isles of Scilly. Highly scented these are always delightful, thanks Kay.

Iris reticulata are exquisite and I shall try adding some named varieties for next year now that I know they are happy under the chestnut trees. Behind is a twig of the delicate pale blossom of the plum tree.

A sprig of candy floss pink viburnum blossom and that’s my lot for today. Please take a look at other participants picked flowers, it is incredible how different they all are each week. Thanks to our host Cathy who always, without exception responds to our posts.

Have a good week, wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

Silent Sunday : March 1

Tags

Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Silent Sunday, spring bulbs, theres a hole in my wheelbarrow

Six on Saturday: Spring is out there

Tags

Anthriscus sylvestris, Barn Owl, cow parsley, February2020, Hedges, Iris reticulata, mixed variety hellebores, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Primula vulgaris, six on saturday, storm Dennis, Winter weather

Dorris has had to take a back seat as my free time has been given elsewhere. I began a Six for last Saturday, without finishing, some of which are here now plus one or two others which have appeared despite the incessant winds, rain and snow.

Smattering of snow Thursday

At work I and my colleagues have undertaken the task of removing a dying and in places dead, hedge of Leylandii.

Planted as a wind break the hedges were kept tightly cut. Now removed they have been replaced with Taxus baccata, Yew.

Thankfully the hedge was not wholly all Leylandii. Inter planted between Buxus, here are the Yews in their new places.   Dennis has thrown his best and worse and I am pleased to confirm that they are still standing.

Other sightings to share are the signs of Spring

Tête-à-tête with cow parsley foliage

Iris reticulata

Primroses

Hellebores

It has been disgustingly wet weather, for what now seems like forever.  Despite this I did manage a walk this week across saturated ground where I caught sight of a white bird in flight. Its flight pattern caught my eye and to my surprise I realised that it was a Barn Owl.  For several minutes my friend and I watched in awe as the owl flew, seemingly effortlessly, across the field, hunting. I have only ever seen an owl fleetingly picked out by my car headlights.  Never have I had the privilege of watching an owl in broad daylight.  Alas my phone camera could not capture the sight well.

 

These are my Six on Saturday  

Wishing you all a good weekend wherever you are.  Thanks for reading.  D.

Please now wash your hands. 

Six on Saturday: galloping

Tags

Anthriscus sylvestris, cow parsley, dwarf Narcissus, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Grape hyacinth, March, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Prunus Nipponica Ruby, Sambucus Nigra, six on saturday, spurge

Hello. I am joining The Propagator with a Six on Saturday. Galloping? As the days lengthen and the sun warms a little, growth in the garden is changing almost as we look and the time to get all the jobs done is well , galloping by.

1.

Prunus Nipponica Ruby. On Monday only one or two of the flower blossoms were open and I included a piece of it in my vase IAVOM. Now just five days later the blossoms are nearly all open.

2.

Cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris. Last week there was only a peek of it on the ground now it is ankle deep at the bottom of my garden under the big three Horse chestnut trees.

3.

Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. I love the lime colour against the willow fencing. This is a must have plant for rough ground under trees.

4.

Narcissus Tête-à-tête. Still flowering these are quite early to show their faces. Tiny but bright and a sign of spring if ever there was one.

5.

Sambucus niger from darkest black buds to delicious rich leaves, these are opening out now and I shall look forward to the lace effect of those leaves soon.

6.

Finally muscari, Grape Hyacinth. These are a great shot of blue growing happily under the Hormbeam hedge.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

In a Vase on Monday: hello sunshine

Tags

Grape hyacinth, in a vase on Monday, kind gift from Kay, March, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Narcissus Grand Soleil d’Or, Narcissus Isles of Scilly, Viburnum bodnantense dawn, violas

Despite the high winds over the last few days and a flurry of sleet last night, the daffodils are still standing. Such hardy things, daffodils generate blots of yellow about the gardens and verges and nearly everyone comments on them. I cannot imagine that there is a single person who does not like seeing daffodils each spring.

I am not keen on the colour yellow but I make an exception with daffodils. I prefer Tête-à-tête as the short stems tend not to collapse in windy weather, important for this garden which is rather exposed.

Rip van winkle is another favourite thanks to his shredded punky appearance.

This year van winkle and Tête-à-tête are joined by a mixed selection of scented daffodils from the Scilly isles. My friend Kay kindly carried a small box of bulbs home to give me an early birthday present. Even more generous considering the hand luggage only rules from the orange aircraft carrier. This is the first one showing, it has six tiny yellow flowers with orange centres on one stem and is highly scented with that heavenly sweet daffodil perfume. I believe it to be Grand Soleil d’Or.

Viburnum bodnantense Dawn is still flowering its highly scented pale pink Pom poms and now is joined by the first of the Grape Hyacinths.

They are in a 500ml flask which holds their tiny beauty carefully.

By contrast I have pinched three tiny violas from my bath tub container. Tiny violas too have a sweet perfume detectable at close quarters.

Their papal purple colours and velvet texture have been damaged by the weather even so I think their beauty is exquisite.

What do you have to share with us and Cathy this Monday. I’ll bet there is something.

Wishing you all a good week ,wherever you are. D.

Silent Sunday: from this, to this

Tags

April, from this to this, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Silent Sunday, what to do with s broken barrow, wheelbarrow planter

In a Vase on Monday: cock-a-doodle-do

Tags

April, daffodils, Easter Monday, frog, in a vase on Monday, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Narcissus Lemon sailboat, pulmonaria, Spring flowers

It is Easter, it is Monday and therefore I was on the look out for flowers and eggs to share with you and readers of Cathy’s blog.

No eggs, this cockerel has sat looking out of the window for about twenty years.

Now he is on my desk with these tiny flowers from the garden. Muscari, pulmonaria and various daffodils.

The two small daffodils are Tête-à-tête on the left and lemon sailboat on the right. Rip van Winkle is the scruff at the back and the large Daffodil is just a regular garden daff.

Held in place on a florists frog, no amphibians were hurt in the process.

I hope you have had an enjoyable long weekend and I am sure you will join me in chanting “rain, rain, go away” D.

In a Vase on Monday: 3 little daffodils

Tags

in a vase on Monday, March, medicine bottle, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’

Three little daffodils, not in a row, all that I could spare.

There are two of the charming Tête-à-tête daffodils. I love their robust nature, hidden under snow yesterday they have already bounced back with that eminent cheerful colour that daffodils supply. They are joined with this punk version.

This is from a batch I planted the year before last and I thought I could not remember what it was called.

Less Rip-van-winkle, more Rip-vonshredded. Anyway I shall refer to him as Sid.

Please pop over to Cathyand take a look at what else has been rescued from the weather for today’s vases.

A brown little medical bottle serves as the vase. Think Sid would approve. D.

In a Vase on Monday: all buds, no duds

Tags

all buds no duds, camellia, daffodils, grown by me, in a vase on Monday, March, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Surbiton, yellow

Many more years than I care to calculate, I lived in Surbiton. There was a chap outside the station with a flower stall catching those commuters who needed to buy a bunch of flowers on their way home. There are many reasons why people buy flowers, good and bad, and with my companion we used to like to speculate who was buying and why. My abiding memory of the stall was less about the flowers, more about the banter. His catch phrase was bellowed in unsuspecting commuters ears “all buds, no duds.” This amused me but then perhaps I am easily amused.

So sharing my vase with you today as part of Cathy and her meme, the Surbiton florist came to mind.

Lots of buds yet to open on this Tête-à-tête arrangement of bulbs. I love the simplicity of the container, these tiny little flowers need no adornment. Thanks daughter Dorris. 💛

On my desk, another bud, this time a fattening camellia bud, cut from the garden.

This was tightly shut last week when I cut it. Slowly the warmth of the house has encouraged the bud to swell. I hope that it will eventually open to reveal its surprise: this pink bud will be a predominately white double flower.

Hopefully this won’t be a dud rather a fully functioning bud.

Have a good week. Thank you for reading. D.