More Spring flowers at the end of March

March came in like a lion and seems to be going out like a lion!  While we have enjoyed some sunny Spring-like days, it has also been blustery and cold, some places have had rain, snow and hail to contend with.  Despite the vagaries of our weather, tulips are in flower in the borders. I think these are all Brown Sugar from previous years and they do seem to be doing the best out of all the ones I have planted in the borders.   

They have a very strong stem which helps.

They are also flowering in the north facing border too.  As I mentioned previously, I think my tulips in pots will be disappointing this year, but at least I still have these to enjoy!

The Erythronium (Dog's Tooth Violet) Pagoda grows every year and the flowers will soon be open.  This is a lovely, undemanding plant. 

I also noticed the Epimedium Sulphureum flowering too with its delicate stems of yellow flowers.

Finally for now, at the front of the house is this lone narcissus in a pot. I am not sure of the variety but it could be a triandrus. I love the delicate pale cream/lemon colour.  

Lots to bring me joy as we move into April.

Enjoying flowers both inside and outside

Last month, I was given these cream roses by a friend and they lasted really well.  I trimmed the stems and changed the water and they lasted for two weeks.

Outside, the run of a few days of sunny and warm weather have brought plants on really well. It's nearly the vernal equinox too, so the lengthening daylight is also a signal to grow.  Primroses are out, both the native ones and...

others which have self seeded under the patio table, but as they are so pretty, I haven't had the heart to dig them up and move them.

Muscari (grape hyacinth) flowering in a bowl on the patio.

Some different varieties of grape hyacinth in a pot.

Scilla going over a bit, but still a lovely sky blue.

Camellia St Ewe with its bright pink flowers and egg yolk yellow centres.

Tulips are also in bud in the border.  I did plant some in pots too, but they are not looking too good.  I think they have got too wet over the winter, so may have rotted. We'll see whether I get anything at all.  However, there will be lots of other plants to enjoy, so I shall focus on them instead.

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.

Jobs in the garden

 I have been busy doing some gardening tasks as and when I can.  I have finally got my tulips planted, delayed by hurting my back a few weeks ago (the spinal facet joint).  After a couple of visits to an osteopath and being very careful, making sure I bend my knees, it is better, so I have been able to do a few jobs. However, they have taken me longer than usual, as I have just done a little at a time. I have planted my tulips for next year - just three pots.

At the front of the house is Orange Emperor (picture above from Avon Bulbs).  In the two pots in the back garden are: 

Brown Sugar... (my photo from the garden in Spring 2023)

...and Ronaldo (also my photo from the garden in Spring 2023).  Ronaldo seems to last particularly well.

I have also insulated the pots which really needed it - again this took a while.  There may be others to do as the weather gets colder but I can do those as and when.  

I may have ordered a new grass, Calamagrostis acutiflora Karl Foerster, so I am looking forward to receiving that - probably not until the beginning of December. I have a Calamagrostis Overdam which is a lovely plant, so am hoping Karl Foerster will be too.  He will go into the sunny border.

In Spring, I need to do a lot of re-potting. All my roses, my ornamental standard cherry and patio apple need to go into larger tubs.

There are always plans to make and autumn/winter is a good time to make them!

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 flowers

Spring is one of my favourite times of year. To be more precise, the time between April and the end of May is one of my favourite times of year.  Everything looks new and fresh.  Primroses are in flower.

I bought mixed grape hyacinths last autumn and planted them in various pots in both the front and back gardens.  I do like this lighter blue one.

The shape of this one is rather fabulous too.

The scillas are flowering away now.

Another 'mixed blue' grape hyacinth.  I like the different shades of blue in this one.

My little standard cherry is in full flower now and I am really enjoying the flowers. They don't last that long, but are a beautiful sight.

Finally, these tulips are the earliest into flower in the border.  I think they must be Brown Sugar (although they may be Cairo).  There are lots of others on the way, so they will probably get a blog post to themselves.

Here's a close up of one of the flowers.  I hope we don't get a prolonged cold snap this month, like there was last year.  There is a lot more to enjoy in the next few weeks.