Snowdrops

I've let this blog slide for a long while - years, in fact - but what better time to revive it than when snowdrops are flowering and Spring seems round the corner.

I've been out and about - to Kedleston and Hopton Hall  - to see snowdrop displays, but the photos here were taken in my garden.

Starting many years ago from a small clump they've spread, by seed, by me dividing and re-planting just after flowering, by birds lifting the shoots in early spring, till they almost circle the back lawn (and a couple of escapees have rooted among the rhubarb).

As the first real sign of Spring (or at least the end of winter) snowdrops are always a welcome sight, and this year they seem to have done exceptionally well. The weather has been kind. They don't mind cold nights, and so far February has been free of snow or heavy rain which can flatten them.

Blossom time

One wonderful thing about spring is blossom bursting out all around (even though I occasionally suffer with hay fever from it)

Easter weekend brought the first apple tree into full blossom, and three more are racing to catch up.

Two are 'proper' purchased trees, though I've forgotten what sort (!), the other two grew from pips, so their fruit is, at first, a surprise.

And to turn the garden completely pink, the ornamental cherry has flowered.

New beginnings

I've sadly neglected this blog over the last year, but if there's a time to pick it up again it's now when the garden is coming back to life after the winter. Yes, I'm too late for snowdrops, the first sign of spring; the year has moved on too quickly, and this year hasn't brought the late snow of 2018.

Here's a pictorial round up of what's in flower at the moment



weird and wonderful snake's head fritillaries












early blossom - forsythia, flowering currants, the dwarf peach tree (which rather oddly has flowers in two shades of pink this year), and the over-the-fence bird cherry

and polyanthus in various colours from purple and deep red to these pale pinks

Snow and after

Like most of the country, last week we had snow. Lots of it, piling up on the windows, and blurring the lawn, flower beds and paths.











It was a bit unexpected as I thought we'd seen the end of winter and were moving into Spring, but it's not unknown at this time of year.

What worried me most was the state of the flowers hidden beneath the snow - while irises held their own against the weather, snowdrops and daffodils 'flopped' over with the cold (minus 6 for a couple of nights), and were then covered by a snow blanket which crushed them to the ground.

At weekend the snow started to melt - and these daffodils weren't looking well. I didn't think there was much hope of them reviving so I pulled a few for vases in the house, and they seemed  to pick up.

 And as the snow retreated, so did most of those outside. Their buds even seem to be opening, so in a few days there should be a 'normal' display of daffodils.

The snowdrops too bounced back, and, strangest of all, crocuses had been growing under the snow, and as it melted they emerged in flower!








I hope we're now finished with dramatic weather and can move gently into spring!

Almost like Spring ... Saturday in the garden

Today has been a glorious day, with the sun almost high enough to shine over the neighbours' leylandii and let a little more light into the garden, so, in keeping with my attempt to spend an hour outside each day of February, I've been out weeding and clearing, and generally pottering in the garden.

I'd expected to just spend a few minutes at things then head back inside so I didn't bother changing to 'gardening clothes' - which is how I ended up with my rather impractical shoes caked in mud!

The snowdrops are nearly in flower but many of them are throttled by 'weeds' - though when I say 'weeds' I actually mean this creeping invasive campanula. I planted it long ago for its pretty blue flowers but I've since got tired of its spreading habit and can't seem to get rid of it.

As its entwined itself round snowdrops and daffodils, each tiny plant has to be pulled out individually, which isn't fun when the soil is cold and damp. Still, I got quite a bit out today and got a shock at the same time. I thought at first that I'd disturbed a mouse, but no, it was a frog! It's probably come from next door's pond but I'm very surprised to see one hopping round the garden this early in the year.

When I'd had enough of the 'close work' of pulling out campanula, I got a spade and turned over a small area of veg patch to plant out some lanky red cabbage seedlings. I should have done this before winter rather than after, and they may just bolt without hearting up, but I'll see. I've had to protect them with chicken wire as birds are proving very troublesome this year, pecking at the larger cabbages. 

With the sudden lettuce shortage this week I was delighted to find spinach growing well and some small self-set lamb's lettuce, though not enough of either to keep me in salad. It's early to set lettuce but it was very warm in the greenhouse today so after the next few cold nights have passed I might set some rocket in trays in there.

First Day of Spring

 I'm a bit late with this post as the first day of Spring was last weekend. The weather forecast had been for dull and cloudy but it was wrong (surprise!) and we had a day of proper Spring sunshine to show off the flowers.

Crocuses are opening wide with the recent sun.














Later flowering daffodils brightening up the garden.

 A garden centre trip this week resulted in the purchase of some 'to clear' polyanthus which seem to have settled nicely - although the white flowers in the wall basket have had me fooled  several times into thinking there's snow there!
















The flowering currants are on the verge of breaking into flower - and then the fence with be hidden.











A couple of plants aren't looking so good though - both the outdoor fuchsias and the montbretia continued to grow all winter, and then the frosts of the last few weeks have zapped the green shoots. They're looking pretty miserable for now but I'm hoping that they'll soon be growing again.

Pottering in the sun

 The sunshine drew me outside today but proved deceptive and after half an hour or so I was getting cold!

 Spring seems to have really arrived with snowdrops, primroses and daffodils.

 I'm taking advantage of the good weather and starting some lettuce in the greenhouse

and today I got the first of the small vegetable beds turned over.
Mud on my boots and dirt under my fingernails makes it feel really like Spring!

Groundhog Day - again

kitchen window daffs

February has started with washing-flapping, door-banging, rubbish-flying wind - and sunshine for the morning of Candlemas/Groundhog Day. Supposedly this is a bad sign for weather watchers, meaning there's six weeks of cold wintriness before Spring really appears.

early daffs battered by wind

good to have more to follow

It doesn't seem believable today though as Spring seems well advanced already -   snowdrops starting to take over the rockery, daffodils in flower (I'm sure this is the earliest I've seen that!), crocuses, polyanthus, even a single grape hyacinth encouraged by the oddly mild winter...

and sheltering in the greenhouse I found a really early anemone in flower. This normally stays in a pot outside but as it was already in bud I moved it inside a couple of weeks ago when we had a short spell of snow and frosts.