At first I thought there would be nothing to photograph at all, such has been the slow rate of growth. And early April, we’re told, will see much of the same.
But I did manage to find one or two treats.
Trillium kurabayashii
Especially this one. It cost me an arm and a leg last year and the mice have had half of it. But if it can now grow undisturbed, and naturalise, it will look fabulous on the woodland floor.
I just love the marbling on its leaves. I’m not alone. Even though it has been surrounded by a chicken wire cage, there is evidence that a beak has found its way through.
Fritillaria meleagris
Regular readers will note that the Pheasant Defence System has been temporarily removed from this one too.
But Ptolemy may be otherwise engaged for a while. He has a woman in the woods. When I woke up this morning he was courting her on the path up to the drive. Circling her, all puffed up with ears sticking out. I rushed to get the camera, but by then they’d almost disappeared back into the trees. Wink, wink.
Hellebore (Harvington Reds)
This is one of the hellebores that I bought at Rosemoor at the end of February, still looking good. As yet I haven’t planted it. Nice to have one year to enjoy its perfection before the ravages of nature take their toll.
Erica carnea
Heathers flowering well in our slightly acidic soil, although this one will grow happily in mildly alkaline areas too.
Mangetout Oregon Sugar Pod
Finally, things are beginning to happen in the greenhouse. Everything seems just so much slower than the last couple of years.
Cymbidium
And this was a real surprise. An orchid that I saved when clearing out my mother’s bungalow at the end of last year. I’d shoved it in a corner of the dining room window sill and didn’t notice the spike until it was over a foot long. The flowers have just started to open.
Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Anne Russell’
This month the Viburnums should be in bloom. The scent from this one, I hope, will be absolutely glorious.
I hope you are having a wonderful Easter.
Jessica x
There are bits of colour to be found, but it’s jolly hard work looking for them, isn’t it? Even my lone MMM daffodil is staying resolutely closed. I found my gardening diary from 2009 – and this equivalent weekend we were planting the potatoes that had been chitting happily and were more than ready for lift off AND we had beans up and growing like crazy.
I reckon we are about 2 and a half weeks behind time this year.
Now Jessica…are YOU ready for baby Ptolemys????
More beaks to feed..
Everything is so slow isn’t it? Your hellebores and fritillaria look beautiful. I often think that this time of year sorts the real gardeners from us fine weather gardeners – whereas you have beautiful colours and seedlings, I just have bare earth, twigs and packets of seeds.
I am definitely the fair weather variety.. Did a bit yesterday but today the wind is colder and fiercer than ever. I watered in the greenhouse and that was it.
Lovely photographs, Jessica. Although it’s still bitterly cold, there is a bit more sun around at the moment so that the spring flowers can look their best. Hope Ptolemy is distracted long enough so that the fritillary can carry on blooming.
Thanks Wendy. No sun at all here, but tomorrow is looking better. I hope.
Lovely to see some colour Jessica. As a fellow orchid-abuser I’m glad to see yours has survived not being looked after too- however much I forget to water and generally tend them when people kindly give them as presents they seem to manage to keep going! Beautiful things. Love the idea of Ptolemy “courting”. Have you got a name for Mrs Ptolemy yet? (other than Mrs Ptolemy) CT x
Maybe orchids do better with a bit of neglect.
Not yet, Mrs Ptolemy (or Mrs T) it is!
Viburnums are some of my favourite garden scents. In our old house there was one in the front garden next to the pavement and people would stop on the street to sniff it – I loved to watch that.
One of my favourites too. I’ve planted it next to the 84 steps so we’ll get to see it and smell it every time we go out. It’s got a bit of growing to do yet though!
What wonderful images of Spring emerging in your garden Jessica ………. I love Fritillaria and, because our garden is north facing, our hellebores are only just about to flower.
Happy Easter Monday to you and yours…..may it be filled with love and chocolate !! XXXX
Thanks Jackie and a Happy Easter Monday to you too. Chocolate today, diet tomorrow!
Lovely photos! Although we have lots of mini daffs flowering, the full-sized ones are smoe tiime away from flowering. Hopefully today’s sunshine will encourage them. The collared doves haven’t been back in the garden since Mrs CD gave Mr CD the cold shoulder when he tried to have his wicked way with her!
I didn’t see the outcome of this particular tryst. The females keep well hidden. The males are, well, just typical males – all strutting about.
What superb images, as you say, some real treats there!
Ooooh, maybe there will be lots of baby pheasants soon!xxxxx
There’s been a female duck down on the river the last couple of days.. maybe hope there too.
Well done on finding so many pretty treats in the garden. My Easter has been hectic!
Hectic but enjoyable, I hope.
Beautiful pictures of gorgeous flowers Jessica. Thank you for showing. We are still waiting for the daffodils, here in Bedfordshire!
Thanks Oma. There is still a lot of bare earth here.. instead of things I would have expected to have shown up by now. So is it the climate or is it the mice?!
Love that Trillium Jess – gorgeous colour. I noticed when we were away that there was a lot of courtship behaviour going on with the pheasants – it seems not even the cold weather can put them off.
I’m delighted with the Trillium, because as soon as I planted it last year there were mouse burrows all around it. I thought it was a goner.
The pheasants just seem to fluff themselves up and get on with it!
I can’t tell if things are really a bit pokier this year, or if I’m over anxious—with Easter so early, I just expect things should be further along. You have some real treasures there…..really love the trillium; mine haven’t made an appearance and I’m just a tad worried that my ‘aggressive weeder’ (my better half) may have mistaken it for a weed. (sigh) Ptolemy—you old devil, you!!!! And just what you need…..baby Ptolemys running rampant!
I think the trillium is an American native? My aggressive weeder is banned from the flowerbeds.
Perhaps if I catch baby Ptolemys young I can teach them which flowers to avoid? I know.. faint hope.
I have acute trillium envy. That is a lovely plant to follow on from the hellebores. Not much gardening here-snow until middle of last week and now that biting wind. There are shoots but few flowers, although I saw the first cherry bloom today. I hope you had a good Easter.
It is the only trillium shoot Judith!
I’ve a mind to try them from seed, but apparently they are extremely difficult. Which is why they are so expensive I suppose.
A relaxing Easter thank you, you too I hope.
Beautiful photos! It’s quite bright here today – though still cold! – soI’m hoping to do some gardening. We downsized a few years ago from a huge garden and only have a small one now, but I try to pack lots in, and we have an allotment. Saw large Trilliums in the wild in Greece years ago – they’re very striking. Orchids – in spite of seeming so exotic and special – seem to thrive on neglect! X
I shall be outside later too, I hope. You are right about the orchids. They shouldn’t be overwatered, little chance of that here!
How lovely to see some colour. You’ve improved my day already. It’s sunny here today! Yesterday I noticed the Alder in my stripy hedge is starting to com into leaf….shame the purple beech won’t be coming out for another couple of months….
Sunny today here too! Good grief.
Your hedge sounds lovely.
Very dull here so these photos cheered up the morning. Must replace the windows in our greenhouse……and sort out the bottom area of the paddock……and the flower bed at the front….yes Spring is here.
So much to do all of a sudden! It creeps up on you doesn’t it..
Wonderful photos! Isn’t it great to see spring arriving at last, it feels like we’ve had to wait forever!
Hi Paula and welcome to rusty duck!
It certainly does.. if you can escape this bitter wind it feels positively Spring like. Now all of a sudden there is so much to do!
Wonderful images. Alas my fritilliry are gone & Helebores a sad show this year. I shall enjoy yours.
I have an orchid from last year with one lonely bloom and another with only leaves left.
Thanks Penny. I have trouble getting orchids back into flower too. I’m beginning to wonder if they need a ‘rest period’, as some other species do.
Lovely and uplifting images. I wonder what I might get up here. There are some things going on but nothing like as much as you have in Devon. I am a bit worried about my trillium too. I have it in a pot and I thought it had survived but it isn’t looking much like that!
I had a white trillium that I bought at the same time as the purple one. It has shown no sign of growth either. Perhaps some varieties are later? I hope so, otherwise I think I bought expensive mouse food.
You have some lovely spring blooms in your garden! The only colour in our garden , apart from green of course, is from the heathers. We have sun today and the only snow lingering is under the trees where the sun doesn’t reach . Dare we hope for warmer weather soon?:)
I read today that a long range weather forecast is predicting Spring at the end of next week, and maybe even a heatwave in May!
I’ve been outside the last couple of days, but only for a few hours at a time – the ageing muscles are feeling the effects of being inactive for so long.
So many beautiful flowers!! I love those checkered lilies. The trillium is magnificent. The white trillium is Ontario’s provincial flower, and you see them carpeting hardwood forests in spring, but right now we still have snow on the ground. THanks for the glimpse of spring.
I’d love to see them en masse.. might take a while!