Mid April in the garden

Spring is certainly here and the garden has shifted up a gear.  Above is Erythronium Pagoda with a beautiful open flower.

The clematis plants on the arch are looking lovely too - alpina 'Frankie' and and alpina 'Blue Dancer'.

Tulips in the border...

...my favourite, Ballerina, with a fresh lemony scent.

Muscari or Grape Hyacinths always bring me a lot of joy.

These are the best tulips I bought last year, a variety called Finola. They have opened up more since I took this photo and there is one yellow one amongst the pink, but that makes me smile.

They are at the front of the house, so greet us as we come in - a very cheering sight!   The Choisya 'White Dazzler' is indeed dazzling - lots of flowers with a honey scent.

So pretty!
 

Easter in the garden - part two - tulips

I don't seem to have quite so many tulips as in other years in the borders, but this could be due to the very dry Spring we have had.  However, I do still have some to celebrate.  Above are Ballerina and Negrita in the border.

Here is Brown Sugar which I planted in a pot last autumn.

Here is Brown Sugar in the north facing border.

Ballerina again - this is a scented flower and such an elegant one.

Negrita in a pot plated last autumn.  

Finally, this is a double from a mixed selection and the pot greets me at the front door.  I think there are some other colours in the mix, so shall wait to see what they are.

  I think I need to have more tulips in pots next year!

Plants in mid April

While it is tulip time, there are other plants flowering now and bringing colour to the garden.  Above is Clematis Blue Dancer, which has long elegant flowers.

This clematis is Frankie, which looks a deep purple here but is lighter in real life.

Of course there have been tulips and on sunny days, they have opened up fully. Above is Ballerina.

Here are Brown Sugar (and Ballerina in the bottom left.)

Ballerina has such an elegant shape and a fresh lemony scent.

Brown Sugar in a pot, giving a lovely splash of orange.

Apple blossom from my little patio James Grieve.  I am not sure how well this will do this year (or at all) because when we repotted it earlier in the year, it was infested with vine weevil grubs and had lost a lot of its roots.  We shall see.

Erythronium Pagoda which has grown into a good clump now.  

Tulip Ronaldo in a pot, just starting to flower.

Here it is in full flower and looking lovely.

Self sown primulas under the patio table.  There is also a self sown hardy geranium leaf too.

Finally, Magnolia Susan and the lilac tree have been flowering too and I always enjoy seeing them together. The scent on a sunny day is lovely.

Tulips

The tulips have been lovely.  Above are Brown Sugar (new bulbs planted last Autumn).

Ballerina with the sun shining through the petals. These are a few years old and are in the border.

Ronaldo - new bulbs last Autumn and a lovely contrast with the oranges.

Brown Sugar in the sunshine.

Danceline which is either two or three years old. They were caught by the late frost last year but have now been planted in the border.

Here's Danceline again, but a little more open now.

Ballerina looking so colourful...

At the front door, I usually have a pot of tulips - different ones each year.  This year it is Finola, which is a double late tulip.  It is quite incredible!

They have grown in quite interesting angles, but the flowers are very blowsy and do remind me of the old Dutch Masters paintings of tulips.

Here they are in from of the Choisya White Dazzler, which after being repotted last year has sprung into life and has been flowering beautifully.

Finally, these beautiful white tulips were a belated birthday gift from a friend and I really enjoyed having tulips inside the house as well as outside!

Spring in the Garden with lots of tulips

Spring has arrived now, although it has been a bit colder again this week.  However, the plants don't seem to have minded.  This is quite a photo heavy post, but I just couldn't help it - I love this time of year! Above is Clematis Frankie...

and here is elegant 'Blue Dancer', both growing up the arch.

Tulips in the border have done well - Brown Sugar or Cairo - not sure which.

Brown Sugar/Cairo with a little Ronaldo.

Narcissus Triandrus which came back this year.

Clematis 'Rosy Pagoda' looking pretty.

Lathyrus vernus with pink and purple pea-like flowers.

Clematis 'Rosy Pagoda' again.

Tulip Ballerina...

...more Clematis Frankie...

...and again with tulip 'Danceline'.

New Ronaldo tulips, planted in a pot.

Brown Sugar/Cairo, Ballerina and apple blossom.

Ballerina, Brown Sugar/Cairo and Danceline.

Ballerina,  Ronaldo and a little Red Shine - I love this colour combination.

Erythronium Pagoda with its delicate swept back petals...

...near to an Epimedium x versicolor sulphureum, I think.

These tulips are out at the front, in a pot.  They started off yellow but have turned a lovely orange. They are 'Sunlover'.

Lovely flowers.

The fringed tulip which seems to come back each year now.  

More Ronaldo.

More fringed tulip.

Magnolia Susan and Lilac flowers...

...and again.

Ballerina in a pot, really glowing.

Finally (well done if you made it this far), a rest for the eyes in the form of Ginkgo Biloba Mariken.  It will be the turn of alliums, aquilegia and astrantias next and then roses!