Blooming January
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Robert’
I did wonder how easy it was going to be this month. This time last year things seemed more advanced.
In 2013, my most established clump of Hellebore was fully out in bloom:
This week the same clump had only buds on show:
So why is this I wonder?
Maybe the seasons are still lagging behind after last year’s cold Spring. Or does Mother Nature know that winter has yet more up her sleeve and blooms are lying low? Perhaps it’s just that last year was exceptionally mild.
Primula vulgaris. Wild primroses.
Little bits of colour are starting to appear.
The very first of the Pulmonaria blooms
Galanthus nivalis
And deep within the woodland the wonderful sight of snowdrops. I had snowdrops in the garden borders too but Ptolemy (bless him) ate all the flowers. I’ve seen him on the prowl. Checking each clump for optimum maturity with little nudges of his beak. Then, as soon as the blooms begin to open.. one swift peck and they are gone.
Erica (inherited, variety unknown)
Cyclamen coum
The Cyclamen are an addition to the garden this month. I want to start a small drift of them alongside the steps leading down to the house.
And then, while were out buying bird food, my bargain hunting antennae started to twitch.
It’s small.. it has definitely taken some knocks.. but..
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’
A witch hazel at about a third of the usual price?
Give it a couple of years TLC and it’ll be as right as rain.
Linking to Carol and Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens, where you will find other January bloomers from around the world.
What a bargain you got in H. Diane, I’m sure it will love growing in your garden. Our pheasant is making his presence known, he’d better not try attacking my snowdrops or there will be all out war!
It’s barmy, he’ll leave the snowdrops alone in the woodland but attacks them in the borders. It’s because the bird table is there I expect. He needs something to keep him occupied while he waits for bits of nut to drop from on high.
I hadn’t thought our snowdrops were out yet, but reading your post I went and had another look – one out! Hurrah! Love snowdrops. I’ve one purple and one cream hellebore out too. Mr VTT bought me a Viburnum bodnantense (Charles Lamont) for Christmas – only a few flowers, but lovely.
Your Viburnum does sound lovely, I do need more fragrant winter shrubs here. I love it when the days start to get longer and flowers reappear.
I need to look out for Snowdrops here, we’ve been told there is a wonderful mass of them just where we are proposing to widen our driveway, once they are past their best I want to re-locate them to somewhere that they can be happy (and make us happy) in future.
They are wonderful little flowers they fill me full of hope for Spring and warmer weather.
They have the same effect on me. It’ll be fascinating to see what else comes up in your new garden as we get into Spring.
I haven’t come across Hamamelis ‘Robert’ before. It’s lovely. Well done for finding a cut price ‘Diane’. You just can’t have too many witch hazels. I’m surprised to see Galanthus nivalis coming out. I have quite a few snowdrops out but they are all Elwesii hybrids. How lovely to see Primroses and Pulmonaria out. It’s nearly spring. Yippee!
It does feel quite Spring like on sunny days now, or perhaps that’s just our wishful thinking!
Oh what a lovely post, it almost feels like Spring is on it’s way … sigh xx
I know, but a bit more winter before we get there I fear.
Mother Nature does keep us all on our toes, doesn’t she? We never quite know what to expect. That of course makes gardening such an interesting passion. I loved all your little bits of colour. I particularly loved the colour of that Witch Hazel ‘Robert’, and those lovely white Heather flowers.
Hi Bernie and welcome to rusty duck.
She certainly does. The weather the world over is becoming a lot less predictable. I love witch hazels, they look too exotic to be flowering in England in January! The orangey/red ones are my favourite.
Very uplifting seeing your lovely blooms. I thought it had been mild here but your snowdrops are definitely ahead of ours. Definitely time to get ordering seeds and dreaming of summer colour!
Seed ordering is always next on my list, it really is time I got down to it! The snowdrops are patchy as yet, I found this little clump in the sunniest part of the woodland. When they all come out it will be a picture.
Beautiful!
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
Lea
Thank you Lea and welcome to rusty duck!
‘Diane’ looks very fine and if it was a bargain – even better! You have a nice show of winter bloomers, lovely.
I love witch hazels but they are pricey. If I can get this one to establish I’ll be dead chuffed.
Maybe this will be the year I start Cyclamen. Happy Bloom Day.
Hi Jean and welcome to rusty duck!
Cyclamen look great in drifts under trees. I hope that my three little pots will spread and seed themselves to form good strong clumps.
The witch hazel (cheating, can’t spell hmmldmaskdjf!!!) is glorious and will be a lovely addition to your garden. Can’t believe that your pulmonaria is out already, lovely to see it blooming. Ptolemy is going to find himself in big trouble if he keeps on like that!! xx
It’s difficult to know what to do about the pheasants, two of them at the moment. It’s so nice to have them around but they are destructive. They are attracted by the droppings from the bird table but I don’t want to lose that either! This year will be an experiment in trying to find flowers that Ptolemy doesn’t like to eat!
I still think you need to threaten Ptolemy with the pie dish!! Lovely to see your snowdrops – for some reason they won’t grow in our garden – so it’s time to head to the garden centre for some in a pot. There was a slight interruption to typing this, as some longtailed tits swooped in to the peanut feeder – only the second time that I have seen them in the garden! The laptop was promptly abandoned for the camera!
Look forward to seeing your LTT pics, I haven’t seen them here yet this winter. They only seem to appear when it is very cold.
Oooh – I have not come across Robert before either. He seems to have an almost coral tint to him. I moved my small Diane from the woodland last year where she had been on the point of death and she has recovered but is slow to flower, so she wasn’t included in my GBBD. Other than H niger none of my hellebores are out yet although some are in bud – lovely to see yours though, and that pulmonaria too (the speck of white on my P Sissinghurst White’ was a pleasant surprise for me today). Snowdrops under attack?! Grrrr 🙁
I got Robert last year at RHS Rosemoor, where I saw him planted in the garden and fell in love. There is a definite coral tinge.
The witch hazel was a good spot. I like the pale flowered cyclamen coum – mine are all the pink on. They were grown from seed – were yours?
These three pots were purchased to start me off, I’m hoping they will seed themselves from now on. But it would be tempting to try and collect seed so that I can colonise other parts of the garden too.
Oooooh….Witch Hazel…a magnificent addition. You have all sorts growing, I’m a trifle gree eyed! What a naught pheasant….I love snowdrops and would be sobbing to see them eated….still a boy has to live eh….lovely post.xxx
Naughty is one word for it. Mike has had the recipe book out for less…
You look to be slightly more advanced than here in Dorset. Your witch hazel is so lovely.
Sarah x
Thanks Sarah. It feels like there is less in bloom here than this time last year, but there are plenty of buds so hopefully it won’t be long before the garden starts to look more cheerful. I love witch hazel, just wish they grew a bit quicker!
Loving the pulmonaria – happy memories of my Gran’s cottage garden. Ptolemy is a VERY bad bird!
You tell him Denise… he doesn’t listen to me. Or at least, he puts his head up for a second (flower in beak) and then carries on chomping.
I’d forgotten about this time last year in the garden, all I remember is that long, cold spring. And I didn’t realise Pheasants had a taste for snowdrops; fortunately I still suspect that the geese are keeping any here at bay (although I don’t completely trust them, either!) The fiery witch hazel is beautiful.
Pheasants have a taste for hellebores as well, unfortunately. Although I think if (when) I have geese they will get away with anything!
Beautiful Blooms. I think the winter is yet to arrive. Last year it snowed on my birthday as late as 24th March. Let’s hope it arrives and exits much quicker this year!
I think you’re right. We’ve had it too easy so far.
Oh lucky you to be in such a climate! Blooms in winter!
Lovely witch hazels ! Any fragrance? Our native has a slight fragrance when close up. I look forward to those bright early blooms. Has the weather there dried up some?
I would describe these as exactly the same. You have to get really close to pick up any scent. But then, my sense of smell is not brilliant. The weather has dried up a bit. We are still getting rain most days, but it’s not the torrential sort of recent weeks. I hope you guys are getting warmer!
Stunning photos, as always Jessica. The witch hazel is a great find, lucky you. And how lovely to see a snowdrop. There’s always lots of beauty to see in your garden.
Thanks CJ. I had to dig around a bit to find bloomers this month.
There is a garden somewhere in Shropshire that opens in January where they have a fabulous collection of Witch Hazels. Your pictures capture them perfectly.
Thanks Viv. RHS Rosemoor down here has some lovely ones too.. due a visit I think!
Beautiful photos! Every year at this time I see photos of witch hazel and I so want one, then I remember why I haven’t bought one already: Mature size height 3m, width 3m! I really haven’t got room for such a monster in my garden, even though they are really beautiful at this time of year.
I have also noticed different plants starting to flower at different times every year, despite have similar conditions. Hope you have a great week, happy GBBD!
They do grow large, but quite slowly. At least that is what I am hoping! Thanks Helene.
We still have a lot of winter waiting for us here on the east coast of the US. 99% of my garden is a dormant brown blob of blah frosted with a scoop of ick. But I would have wanted the sale rack witch hazel, too. Rumor has it she’s quite the good witch. 🙂
Hi Tammy and welcome to rusty duck.
I fear my garden is very much the same. At this time of year close up photography is the only way to go!
I really like the Witch Hazels. Such unusual looking plants. I don’t think they grow in my climate but I enjoy seeing the photos in other gardens. I’m glad to see that your Snowdrops are up. I know spring is on the way when the Snowflakes are up in my garden. Happy Bloom Day!
Well now that I have two witch hazels we’ll see how they do. I hope they can cope with our wet. The snowdrops are starting to flower and at times it does feel very springlike, winter can still go either way though. I think I’m kidding myself really!
I do love Cyclamen and it MIGHT grow here I suppose. I’m loath to spend the money and have them fail like everything else! My Hellebores haven’t even started poking their heads up yet. have I already commented on this post? I’m getting so confused as I actually read it when you posted. Sigh. x
They do best in part shade, so you could be OK. If you can find somewhere that doesn’t get too wet. I checked on the RHS website, after I bought them, and discovered that squirrels and mice can be a problem. Doh.
No duplicate comment 🙂
Love the comparison shot- how interesting. Time will tell on the weather score but I wonder if the storms had anything to do with it?
You could be right. It’s been so very grey and miserable, with very little sun.
At the opposite end of the country from bag End, it is interesting to see how advanced your plants are compared to ours. Excellent photos and a lovely glimpse of the season to come :}
The sight of flowers is so very cheering, easy to forget there are still at least six weeks of winter left.
‘Robert’ looks most attractive Jessica. Is he highly scented? Despite the mild winter things here in the north west seem much on a par with last winter but definitely behind 2012. This is where GBBD is a most useful memory keeper 🙂
He is very attractive, but you have to get close to him to pick up any scent. It always disappoints me that witch hazels do not send wafts of fragrance everywhere as often billed… perhaps it’s just that mine are still very small.
How similar our tastes are. I have all of these and much experience of trying to establish cyclamen. After three years suddenly one clump is away. Many have turned up their toes. I really hope this one will do it. And love, love your new witch hazel. What a wonderful colour.
Hi Elizabeth. I dug up a clump of cyclamen and brought them with me to here, but they’ve never done well. This lot is therefore my second attempt. I’m going to try them in dry shade this time, but it sounds like a bit of perseverance is going to be required!
Well…….what I say is……Blooming Beautiful!
I will not see any Primula or Pulmonaria for at LEAST 4 months!
Do you feel sorry for me?
This winter has been brutal so far….thoroughly enjoying your spring sprouts!
Enjoy the rest of your week….
Cheers!
Linda :o)
We may not be out of the snowy woods yet. But for you… maybe in Florida? 🙂
It’s lovely to see signs of winter flowers and have a pretty primula just come into flower. Thanks for the plant tour.
They are a cheerful sight aren’t they. Signs of things sprouting in the greenhouse now too. Won’t be long..
I’m surprised that any plant wants to peep its head out in this awful weather but my tete a tete’s are peeking out !
It’s dreadful here too today… no sign of mine!
Another damp and dreary day today up here in S. Yorkshire and nothing new happening in our garden except for a few flowering snowdrops and polyanthus in the borders. I do like to see plants in their woodland setting so I can just imagine yours. It will be lovely for you to have swathes of cyclamen around the house, too, and your witch hazel is a beauty – a gorgeous colour.
Thanks Linda. As yet the woodland is very undeveloped, but I am working towards a thriving woodland garden. It’s good to see snowdrops coming up in areas that I cleared last year, it must have looked wonderful before it all became overgrown!
Pulmonaria in January and cyclamen grown outside?!? Well…I’ve got something in my garden that you don’t…snowdrifts over a metre high!
Well at least you can’t see the weeds…? 😉