The Perils and Pleasures of March

March was such a rainy month. I stood at the window, watching the rain pummel my struggling young flowers, when I would much rather have been out in the garden enjoying their blooms and their fragrance. I suppose the consolation - if you can call it that - is finding out the down side of some new purchases. Narcissus 'Rip Van Winkle' is a case in point. What a neat little double daffodil, I thought.

But add some raindrops to those small yellow sunbursts and they become too heavy for their slender stems. Mine spent most of their time like this.

 I'll transfer them to a pot that I can keep under cover next year, but I won't buy more.

I will, however, probably invest in another batch of a small early tulip called 'Peppermint Stick'. It stood up bravely to the rain, although I had to rinse off splashes of dirt to take this pristine picture.

So many of Spring's little treasures reward a close inspection, revealing infinitesimal detail and elusive fragrance only when you get down on their level.

 Double primula 'Sue Jervis' is one of these, just starting to bloom in front of blue Anemone nemorosa 'Allenii'. Its flowers are a strange rosy pink, and if you can bend all the way down to sniff, they have a suitably spring-like scent.

All of the little wood anemones, like 'Allenii' are welcome in my garden. Another now blooming is Anemone bracteata. Its white daisy flowers are only part of its attraction; the bracts with their cobalt-blue bases are hardly visible unless you inspect them from a worm's eye level.

I also have Anemone vindobonensis, which is a yellow form, rather like a buttercup but much more refined.

All these little gems arrive early and disappear by the end of spring, which makes them ideal for planting under perennials or shrubs that don't leaf out until late in April. Hostas make great companions for them, as they like the same dappled shade and break ground just as the anemones are done. My all-time favourite hosta, 'Krossa Regal', is one that starts late but soon takes over with dramatic new shoots that rapidly engulf everything around its feet.

The Perils and Pleasures of March

March was such a rainy month. I stood at the window, watching the rain pummel my struggling young flowers, when I would much rather have been out in the garden enjoying their blooms and their fragrance. I suppose the consolation - if you can call it that - is finding out the down side of some new purchases. Narcissus 'Rip Van Winkle' is a case in point. What a neat little double daffodil, I thought.
But add some raindrops to those small yellow sunbursts and they become too heavy for their slender stems. Mine spent most of their time like this.

 I'll transfer them to a pot that I can keep under cover next year, but I won't buy more.
I will, however, probably invest in another batch of a small early tulip called 'Peppermint Stick'. It stood up bravely to the rain, although I had to rinse off splashes of dirt to take this pristine picture.

So many of Spring's little treasures reward a close inspection, revealing infinitesimal detail and elusive fragrance only when you get down on their level.
 Double primula 'Sue Jervis' is one of these, just starting to bloom in front of blue Anemone nemorosa 'Allenii'. Its flowers are a strange rosy pink, and if you can bend all the way down to sniff, they have a suitably spring-like scent.

All of the little wood anemones, like 'Allenii' are welcome in my garden. Another now blooming is Anemone bracteata. Its white daisy flowers are only part of its attraction; the bracts with their cobalt-blue bases are hardly visible unless you inspect them from a worm's eye level.

I also have Anemone vindobonensis, which is a yellow form, rather like a buttercup but much more refined.

All these little gems arrive early and disappear by the end of spring, which makes them ideal for planting under perennials or shrubs that don't leaf out until late in April. Hostas make great companions for them, as they like the same dappled shade and break ground just as the anemones are done. My all-time favourite hosta, 'Krossa Regal', is one that starts late but soon takes over with dramatic new shoots that rapidly engulf everything around its feet.

Heralds of Spring 2016

We were away in January and came back to a February that has so far been mild but relentlessly rainy. The slugs are loving it and the early flowers are suffering. Still, my always reliable early bulbs are soldiering on, and if you don't look too closely at the damage, there are bright splashes of colour to be seen against the dark, sodden earth. Some of the first hellebores are lovely as ever. These include the very vigorous 'Rachel',

... pale double 'Frilly Kitty',

... deep purple Helleborus atropurpureus, with its coppery young leaves

... and upward-facing 'Pink Frost, the first of its clan to bloom and one of the last to

quit.

 Narcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' always brightens the back garden, especially in the rare moments of sunshine,

... and I'm pleased this year with the combination of snowdrops and black mondo grass. Both are good at spreading and I'm hoping for an increasingly broader carpet of the pair in future years.

Slugs and/or heavy raindrops have collapsed the stems of many of the snow crocus, and they've rarely had a chance to open up under the gloomy skies.  Once again 'Gipsy Girl' demonstrates why it remains my favourite with its deep brown tiger stripes that are only visible when the petals are shut tight.

Heralds of Spring 2016

We were away in January and came back to a February that has so far been mild but relentlessly rainy. The slugs are loving it and the early flowers are suffering. Still, my always reliable early bulbs are soldiering on, and if you don't look too closely at the damage, there are bright splashes of colour to be seen against the dark, sodden earth. Some of the first hellebores are lovely as ever. These include the very vigorous 'Rachel',

... pale double 'Frilly Kitty',

... deep purple Helleborus atropurpureus, with its coppery young leaves

... and upward-facing 'Pink Frost, the first of its clan to bloom and one of the last to
quit.

 Narcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' always brightens the back garden, especially in the rare moments of sunshine,

... and I'm pleased this year with the combination of snowdrops and black mondo grass. Both are good at spreading and I'm hoping for an increasingly broader carpet of the pair in future years.

Slugs and/or heavy raindrops have collapsed the stems of many of the snow crocus, and they've rarely had a chance to open up under the gloomy skies.  Once again 'Gipsy Girl' demonstrates why it remains my favourite with its deep brown tiger stripes that are only visible when the petals are shut tight.

The End of 2015

On December 31st we woke to a hard frost that added some sparkle to the few remaining plants. Brightest of them all were the Skimmia japonica. These are not real showstopper plants but in the darkest days of winter, when they have virtually no competition, they come into their own.



Frosty highlights on the leaves made the Christmas-coloured berries on the female plants look even cheerier than usual.

The males surprise us with winter flowers; on Skimmia 'Rubella' they are a soft rose, which looked lovely with a coating of white sifted across them.

Few other green leaves are braving the cold, but Heuchera 'Pear Crisp', new to me this year, is proving surprisingly hardy even though it has fallen open into a coronet of lime-green. Dead leaves underneath provide a warm contrasting colour.

My lanky rosemary bush is even trying to bloom.

And even though it's now lost its vivid autumn hues and quite a few leaves as well, Hydrangea quercifolia 'Sikes Dwarf' just refuses to quit.

I've left more herbaceous perennials standing this year to keep a bit more structure in the garden for a bit longer. The frost has given these, too, a silvery presence more dramatic than they manage otherwise. I didn't expect calico aster (Symphyotrichum 'Lady in Black') to look so good and tone so well with the urn behind it, not to mention how well it complements the black mondo grass and sage in the background.

The End of 2015

On December 31st we woke to a hard frost that added some sparkle to the few remaining plants. Brightest of them all were the Skimmia japonica. These are not real showstopper plants but in the darkest days of winter, when they have virtually no competition, they come into their own.

Frosty highlights on the leaves made the Christmas-coloured berries on the female plants look even cheerier than usual.

The males surprise us with winter flowers; on Skimmia 'Rubella' they are a soft rose, which looked lovely with a coating of white sifted across them.

Few other green leaves are braving the cold, but Heuchera 'Pear Crisp', new to me this year, is proving surprisingly hardy even though it has fallen open into a coronet of lime-green. Dead leaves underneath provide a warm contrasting colour.

My lanky rosemary bush is even trying to bloom.

And even though it's now lost its vivid autumn hues and quite a few leaves as well, Hydrangea quercifolia 'Sikes Dwarf' just refuses to quit.

I've left more herbaceous perennials standing this year to keep a bit more structure in the garden for a bit longer. The frost has given these, too, a silvery presence more dramatic than they manage otherwise. I didn't expect calico aster (Symphyotrichum 'Lady in Black') to look so good and tone so well with the urn behind it, not to mention how well it complements the black mondo grass and sage in the background.

Frost and Fog

At the beginning of December a few dry but chilly days gave a mysterious air to the garden, and softened the colours on the few remaining leaves and shrivelling flower heads. Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Sarabande') has turned pale gold and contrasts well with the frosty blue leaves of my lavender hedge.







Across the front path, stems of Sedum "Autumn Joy' are a similar colour ...







... and its once-vibrant flowers look all the better for a dusting of frost.

 

Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance', which has hardly been without flowers all year long, is now taking a short break, but its tiny pink buds are still visible. An outline of frost on each leaf makes it look like a variegated variety.

Behind the house most of the perennials have retreated underground, but there are still a few green, red and gold highlights, ...



 

including the last few leaves of smoke bush (Cotinus 'Grace') still hanging on in the shelter of our pergola wall.