The Shady Bed is looking good despite the gloom. Here is probably the largest clump of Hellebores and they’re joined by the sweetly scented Sarcococca and the constant Fatsia japonica.
Elsewhere, the main view is very gloomy (not helped by timing my photos an hour before some watery sunshine emerged).
In the troughs there are plenty of shoots, but as yet no colour. Did I mention that I’d replaced the old Stocks at the back with new cuttings? And whilst they don’t seem to be making much progress, the self seeded Cerinthe in the path in front is romping away…
The Swing Beds are still looking quite full but hardly flowery. Many herbaceous plants still need a cut back, as do the roses, which are looking extremely wild and woolly.
The two Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’ are still blooming well on the pergola, but definitely rather tatty on close inspection. And I fear pruning the Rosa St Swithun growing amongst them is going to be a little challenging!
More bulbous shoots in the Grass Bed, but as yet no blooms here either.
I’ve pruned all the roses in the Mid Century bed, but still haven’t attacked the Salvias. In the foreground you can see some overwintered Antirrhinum which look closer to flowering than some of the bulbs!
The soil level has fallen in this bed again this year
so lucky I’m prepared!
On the other side of the garden in the Oak Bed the Hamamelis (H. Arnold’s Promise) is glowing against the wall. It probably deserves rescuing from all that dead foliage!
In the Bronze Bed the Narcissi ‘Cragford’ are the furthest advanced of all my daffodils and will soon be ready to ‘pop’.
Also ready to pop any minute, my other Hamamelis, H. Aphrobite. Just a couple of blooms so far, but much promise and such a lovely colour.
In the greenhouse, the Winter Sunshine Sweet Peas have now been planted out,
there are seeds stirring in the damp darkness (I hope)
and on the windowsill a few perky Muscari latifolium, returned again from the Wedding Flowers of two years ago. Step niece Hannah (whose wedding it was) is now proud mum to Hamish so, looking at the colour, I should probably have sent them over!)
And to finish, you can’t beat a jolly pot of ‘Tete a Tete’.
With thanks to Helen at the Patient Gardener for hosting everyone’s EoMV.