The forecast for yesterday was good, sunny but cold with the wind coming straight from the Arctic! I made some biscuits, baked a cake, bought some chocolate biscuits, hoovered, dusted and cleaned the loo, then sat back and waited for the ladies from the village to come for coffee/tea and snowdrops. Just in case it was so cold that the snowdrops decided not to open, I nipped into the garden first thing and picked a little bunch so that we could all see the differences between them all, and prove that they are not all the same!
They soon opened up in the warmth of the kitchen and the perfume was lovely.
I think they appreciated seeing them close up, and sniffing them, as the phones came out and photos were taken.
But very soon they wanted to be outside looking at them in the garden, so it was on with the winter coats and boots, then suitably clad, we ventured forth into the icy wind.
And this is what I was able to show them:-
Standing tall and proud, Trumps!
Midwinter
Sentinel.
Jonathan.
Woronowii seeding gently down a slight slope. This would be a good one to plant on the bank down to the ditch, it would then be able to seed wherever it wanted.
Merlin, my first “Special” from many years ago!
Hobson’s Choice with its heart shaped marking.
All white Anglesey Abbey.
Wasp with long thin petals which look just like wings.
Diggory has now assumed its familiar shape.
Deer slot. When we have snow we sometimes have hoof prints like this on the drive.
St. Pancras which is a double.
I think the snowdrops were a hit, lots of photos were taken, but there were a few other plants for them to enjoy before their visit was over.
The Chaenomeles by the back door was a big hit.
Great hilarity when I told them the story about my baby bath from war time!
They were surprised to see the camellia flowering and even more surprised when told that it had started flowering in November.
A few hellebores have started flowering, lots more to come.
These had their photographs taken quite a few times.
This is my personal favourite, a very thin naroon line round the edge of the petals, a maroon centre, what is not to love?!
We were a select little gathering, due to flu, virus, other commitments and one stranded on Madeira due to storms, hopefully she will get home soon!
The sun shone on us and the snowdrops.
We all had a lovely time, hopefully I will have a few converts, they all agree that not all snowdrops are the same! I still have all the wild single ones to come, they are sticking to their normal flowering time of mid Feb, so we will have a long, extended snowdrop season this year, which will be wonderful.
While the undergardener was so ill, I lost interest in the garden, but having invited the ladies, it gave me the spur that I needed to connect with the garden once more, get loads of work done and make half of it presentable for them. I now just have the other half to do, along with Neil’s help of course, he worked so hard to help get ready for the visit, I couldn’t have done it without him.
I’m so glad you’ve got your enthusiasm back, although I can quite understand why it dulled for a while. That quince is such a gorgeous colour. Do you know which variety it is?
I’m glad too Jessica, Ray and I had put so much into making the garden, I couldn’t let it all go to waste, thank goodness I had a wake up call! The Quince is beautiful, but I’m afraid it is one of the few plants that was here before us, I can’t take any credit for it, so no, sorry , I don’t know which one it is.
Whatever the weather it is the snowdrops that bring us into the garden. I don’t know how gardeners who are not galanthophiles get through the winter. You have a lovely collection. I wish I could see it in person but you are so far away.
Lovely hellebores too.
You are so right Chloris, the snowdrops make a daily walk essential! I wish you were nearer too, we could talk snowdrops!
Thank you so much for your beautiful pictures from your snowdrops! Each year I love your Photographs. Nice to see you and your gardengroup.
Sigrun
Thank you for your lovely comments Sigrun, I do appreciate them. Snowdrops can get me out into the garden, no matter what the weather is doing, it is always going for a walk to see what is happening in the woodland.
Hi Pauline,
So many kinds of Snowdrops! I think I need some 🙂
They really are so sweet to look at and you mentioned a scent.
!t must be so much fun to get together with others who love flowerbeds. Do you take turns having tea and garden time at each one’s home?
I agree Sally, everyone needs to grow snowdrops! The perfume is a faint perfume of honey, I can never smell them outdoors but if you pick a few and take them indoors, the warmth releases the perfume.
Yes, the ladies take it in turn to have the others round for coffee and a chat, quite often their garden is included too which is nice.
I’m glad that you’ve once again felt the tug the garden. The variety of snowdrops in your garden is impressive and I’m sure the ladies enjoyed seeing both them and you.
I really needed to take an interest in the garden again Peter, I had lost interest in most things last year, but now I am enthused again and determined to get everything sorted. I enjoyed seeing the ladies and sharing the snowdrops with them.
So glad your visit with the ladies went well and that you’re taking an interest in the garden again. I loved seeing your Hellebores, you have some very pretty and unusual ones.
The ladies all seemed to enjoy themselves Alison, I certainly did and hope I’ve passed on my love of snowdrops to them. The hellebores that I showed are ones that I bought about 3 yrs ago from a special hellebore nursery which has the National Collection of Hellebores, he had some real beauties!
Your snowdrops really did you proud Pauline, not to mention those beautiful hellebores. It sounds like a good time was had by all! Best of all though was surely hearing that your gardening passion has returned….. long may it remain so!
The snowdrops opened on cue Denise, thank goodness for the sunshine! I too am so glad that my gardening passion has returned, this morning I took myself off to our local garden centre for a bit of retail therapy! One beautiful camellia, 2 more lovely hellebores and 3 very pretty primrose hybrids, I will show them in my next post. I’m going to be busy!
I’m so glad the garden has tempted you back. I fully understand how you felt last year but the garden is such a healing place to be. I’m sure your garden visitors had a lovely time with you. I still hope that one day I might be able to visit your beautiful garden and finally get to meet you.
Thank you for your kind thoughts Christina,I really appreciate them. I’m so glad that I have got my gardening mojo back, it has been wonderful working in the garden once more, no matter what the weather was like, with my robin to keep me company.I would love to meet up with you some time, it would have to be February if you want to see the snowdrops!
I am so pleased you got sunshine for the visit Pauline, and happy to hear that you are reconnecting with your garden now. Such beautiful snowdrops, and love those hellebores too! Enjoy the rest of the snowdrop season, and happy gardening!
The sunshine made such a difference Cathy, it also made a nice change from all the rain we had in January. The wild snowdrops are almost out now, I must be sure to photograph them as they have multiplied over the years and there are now so many!
Beautiful to see them all open like that and together to compare, but even nicer that the weather helped out a little with the outdoor visit. At least it’s not snow and ice!
Someday I hope to have a camellia. It’s not an easy prospect though since their breeding for hardiness has yet to catch up to my cold winters!
No snow and ice so far for us Frank, the rest of the country has had plenty. We have been told that we could have some on Tuesday, next week is going to be rather cold.
I hope you manage to find a camellia soon that can cope with your cold temperatures as there are so many beautiful ones on the market these days.
Looks like a very fun gathering. Picking a day for a garden visit is always a gamble, glad that yours paid off. Looks like your Snowdrops were shining in the winter sun.
It was a fun morning Jason with lots of laughter, which was good. As you say, it is always a gamble with the weather, but they brought their boots and unbrellas, just in case. In this country we are always prepared for rain!
Oh it’s good to read that you are enjoying your garden again Pauline. Your visitors look most happy and hopefully the winter sunshine encouraged your snowdrops to open. Has ‘Trumps’ multiplied quickly with you?
Yes, anna, I’m enjoying being in amongst the plants and flowers once more, thank goodness! Yes, Trumps has increased from just one bulb, in about 4 years it now has a dozen flowers or more, I’ll go and count them in the morning!
How I wish I was one of the ladies from the village! I would have enjoyed your kitchen, the garden and the outdoor snowdrops! I tip my cap for the Undergardener, he would be proud of you, as am I. You go girl!!! I salute you!xxx
It would have been lovely to have you here Dina, the sun behaved and the snowdrops showed themselves off beautifully. Thanks for your encouraging comments, I loved them!