Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – January 2018

Not surprisingly there aren’t many blooms in January, but I’ve had a poke about and come up with the Erysimum ‘Red Jep’ above, E. ‘Bowles Mauve’

and E. ‘Ivory Giant’ (neither ivory nor giant!).

There are still a handful of roses braving it out – this one, ‘Freeman 1987’ was named by our children for our silver wedding anniversary,

this one, inherited, in the Lavender Bed

and this, good old ‘Flower Carpet Pink’.

A few hellebores are already in bloom – Helleborus argutifolius and  H. ‘Anya Oudolf’

as well as various H. orientalis on their way.

Similarly seasonal are two Hamamelis – ‘Arnold’s Promise’ in full bloom 

and the first tangerine curls of ‘Aphrodite‘

Rather more unexpected, still blooming outside are Aeonium

Leptospermum

and Gazanias.

And in the greenhouse, not a great deal to see other than a lot of rather tatty Pelargoniums, and these – tiny little buds on the lemon tree.

With thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts everyone’s GBBD.

 

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – February 2016

Looking back at last year’s GBBD post there certainly weren’t any daffodils, and, whilst I still haven’t got many, there are a few.  The one above, Narcissus ‘Cragford,’ is the first of the new bulbs purchased for the new beds.  This one, with its orangey trumpet, is in the Bronze Bed.

In addition there’s a multi headed one that grows in the drive bed and always flops as it is too top heavy, but it’s looking pretty and fresh in today’s sunshine (at last!)

and a few cheery Tete a tete in a pot by the front door.

Plenty of hellebores still

including a new one,  Helleborus ‘Anja Oudolf’, that I treated myself to this weekend.  I was looking for speckles,  but settled for stripes!

Some of you many know that Anja is the wife of New Perennial garden designer Piet Oudolf, and, on a Valentine’s theme, I have to say I don’t think there are many things as romantic as having a flower (particularly such a beauty) named after you.

As well as my Cornus mas, flowering since December by the front steps,

my two Hamamelis are also flowering now, H. ‘Arnold’s Promise’

and H. ‘Aphrodite’.  Aphrodite was in full flower this time last year when I bought her, but currently only has a couple of blooms.  Hopefully there are plenty more to come – she’s certainly in a much better spot than Arnold, but he’s not complaining.

My little self seeded primula is also flowering again.   I do love this colour and tried to grow more from collected seed, but they didn’t germinate.  Any tips?  I suppose they may well not have come true anyway.

I nearly finished with yet another photo of my Leptospermum, still going strong, but instead have plumped for the Rosa Flower Carpet Pink in front of the fresh limey heads of Euphorbia characias ‘Wulfenii’.  Roll on spring!

With thanks as ever to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts the GBBD.