Well who expected that bit of snow, just when we thought the beast from the east had finished with us, he came back and hit us again with more snow, can’t remember the last time we had two good snow falls in one winter but there’s also a rumour that 2 maybe come 3 over Easter with another blast from the eastern freezer coming in and coating us in more snow. This cold spell is definitely slowing down things in the garden as well as nature overall, normally I would be mowing once a fortnight at least by now, down the lawn at one site once over a month ago and it’s not even close to needing another cut. The weeds are also growing away very slowly, the early season species like goose grass and speedwell are just sat there and not romping away as they should be. It all may be temporary, nature has a great way of catching up with things.
This weeks super 6 comes from a mix of my garden and my clients garden, I have some lovey plants that have slowed down and sadly not flowering or doing something interesting. I also haven’t had a chance to start destroying anything to make space for the new plants I have over ordered maybe!
Chionodoxa luciliae, or as it is now Scilla luciliae!
The glory of the snow and it certainly has lived up to its name this year, starting to flower just after the snow has disappeared for a week at least, these are one of my favourite bulbs, I love the blue carpet they give us and that blue is just stunning!
Violia riviniana
Violets to many are the sign of spring, seeing these lovely little violets opening up in the spring always takes me back to a colleague, Eddie, who sadly pasted away 15 months ago now, he used to look forward to seeing these tiny flowers opening up in the spring and I still can remember him getting off the tractor to look at the first ones. They are food to many of the fritillary butterflies.
Ribes sanguineum
Yes yes I know it can be found anywhere but I so love Ribes sanguineum, always on the first spring shrubs to flower and it was a delight seeing these appearing, great for the early bees that are flying around. The scent from the foliage is lovely as well
Just loved this combination of narcissus jetfire, nestled amongst carex evergold and Heuchera at on-site I planted up, it gives 12 months of interest and the bulbs give an extra lift in the spring and a different colour as well. Bulbs are so useful in the garden.
New plants! Not just for me but for my clients as well, there’s a lot of fruit trees there, including some bred in Hampshire for one project. Just need to unpack them this weekend and get them ready for planting next week!
Muscari ‘Pink Surprise’ is a new one for me. I love muscari in all it forms, this pink grape hyacinth looks a delight and I can’t wait to see it bulk up over the next few years
I hope you enjoyed my 6 on Saturday from Mine and my clients gardens If you did please checkout other people’s 6 on the memes founder website https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/ I love seeing other people’s plants and what’s happening in their gardens. Why not give it ago yourself next week and give me a shout so I can take a look
Until next week, have fun in the garden
Looks like busy week or so of planting coming up. Mind your back!
Haha it will be Tim, that’s not the half of it either, got some raised beds to make and fill and a few bags of top soil and mulch to move and us,
I find this time of year manic, do you as well?
I enjoyed seeing other Chionodoxa (mine are C forbesii) and these with deep blue are really beautiful! Lovely light pink Muscari too.
They are such beautiful and underrated plants aren’t they fred, wish more were planted off to see a big display this morning, well I am hoping they are open, need sun but never mind
Not sure I agree about Ribes foliage smell but I certainly agree about Muscari. Now, do I have the pink one? Can’t remember.
Have spoken to others who aren’t keen as well Jim, I suppose it makes me think of summer delights 👍
Lots of colour and lovely plants in your post. The violets are especially beautiful.
Thank you 😊
That carex/heuchera border is really something. I’m also w/you on the ribes sanguineum. The combo of that particular green w/that particular pink really fills my eyes. Lovely. Such lovely spring photos. Roll on, warm weather! (What trees are in those boxes & straw bales?)
Thank you, it was my own plan 😀 it’s just a little more refined than the normal one isn’t. I have a few fruit trees in the box’s mainly apples some old Hampshire forms and some great forms for a couple of clients gardens
Wow that heuchera, carex and narcissi is a great combination! Love your little pink Muscari too – I always think of blue grape hyacinths but this is a sweet colour.
Thank you, it was a Ateam moment when Hannibal lights a cigar, doesn’t happen too often 😀
I just featured Ribes sanguineum. It is common at work because it is native. (It was planted in the landscaped area, but grows wild too.)
‘Pink Surprise’? hmmmm. I will stick with blue. Did you post a picture of a white one earlier? I like the blue because it is most familiar. (That is really what I like about grape hyacinth.) I might eventually like to get one of the whites that looks similar to the blue. I mean it would be nice if the foliage and floral structure matched, but only the color were different.