The Spring Garden - tulip time (part one)

 The promised hot weather did appear for a few days and brought the garden on very quickly.  My tulips, which had been shivering and tightly in bud, suddenly grew and flowered.  Above is the ever faithful Ballerina with the citrus scent.  (However, the new Ballerina bulbs I planted last autumn have been thrown by the cold and are just leaves, with no sign of flowers at all.  Some of the other tulips are a bit stunted too, but I hope that if I plant them in the border this autumn, they might be better next year).

 My erythronium Pagoda has gradually grown and spread and is looking wonderful this year.

 This is tulip Brown Sugar, which also has a scent and is rapidly becoming my second favourite tulip...

here it is in flower...

...and a close up of the inside of the flower...

 ...and fully open - really beautiful.  I need more of these.

 This self sown primrose is keeping a rose in a pot company although I think I will have to remove and divide it soon.

I couldn't resist capturing these jewel like raindrops one morning.  Here they are on the winter flowering honeysuckle.

 While one single droplet stayed in the centre of this aquilegia leaf.

My camassias have enjoyed the recent wet weather.

 There are flower buds (even though the leaves look a bit battered).

The lathyrus vernus plants have put on a lovely show this Spring, despite the unpredictable weather.