From T shirts back to winter jumpers and a gardening coat and I’m still cold when I go outside! I managed a bit of gardening yesterday, cutting back and weeding in the back gravel area so that I was sheltered by the house from the freezing cold north wind but even so had to give up when my fingers were numb, in spite of gardening gloves! I also managed to take a few photos which are as follows for my six……
No 1 Berberis
In the front by the garage is quite a large Berberis bush which is keeping all the bees happy, if they venture out in the cold wind.
No 2 Primula Guinivere
Looking lovely at the moment on the rockery and in the bog garden is Primula Guinivere, just love the colour of the flowers and the contrast with the purple leaves.
No 3 Epimedium
Just starting to flower is Epimedium Amber Queen by the archway into the woodland. The one in the woodland isn’t any where near flowering yet, in fact I think it got caught by frost a while back. Amber Queen is such a superb plant, it flowers for ages and ages, doesn’t seem to want to stop once it gets going.
In the woodland is Epimedium x warlayense, always the first to flower for me.
No 4 Cyclamen repandum
Cyclamen repandum has done better this year than last, but still not spreading like C. hederifolium unfortunately. Maybe I need to clear more space around it and give it a nice mulch for the seeds to fall into.
No 5 Fritillaria meleagris.
Couldn’t do a post and not include the snakeshead fritillaries could I ! I think they are at their best at the moment, but I don’t have as many white ones as usual this year.
No 6 Anemone blanda.
In a sunny spot in the woodland are a few Anemone blanda, nestled between the huge roots of one of my chestnut trees. They are increasing year on year, so if I’m patient, I might have a drift in a few years!
Those are my 6 for this week, a week when we have really gone back to winter. The other day we had horizontal snow whizzing past the window, it didn’t come to anything thank goodness, the sun then came out and melted anything that had dared to stick, but even so it must have been a shock for all the flowers that had been tempted to open.
Many thanks go to our host Jon The Propagator, do pop over to see what else is going on in the gardening world, you might be surprised!
I think C. repandum have made something of a leap forward for me this year, the fourth or fifth year I’ve had them. They really seem to take time to get going but are well worth the wait. Guinevere is lovely too, I shall look out for that.
I will just have to be patient then Jim! Guinivere is a lovely colour combination, she seems to be very happy in damp soil.
Your Fritillaria stole the show, they are a favourite of mine.
Oh good, they are my favourites too Rosie!
The return of cold weather has certainly been a shock to the system Pauline and as you say the wind had a cruel biting edge to it yesterday. I like that beautiful primrose ‘Guinevere’. Does it self seed about and if so the offspring have the same attractive leaf colour?
Another hard frost overnight Anna but a clear sky says we will have another lovely day. Guinivere is a beautiful primrose but I haven’t ever seen any seedlings, I have to split it when I want to make more.
Epimedium Amber Queen is so pretty I love the colours. I have not heard of Epimedium x warlayense before, also very pretty. I hope the Spring weather returns soon Pauline!
The weather during the day is beautiful at the moment Denise, the freezing wind has dropped thank goodness, we just have a hard frost at night time at the moment. Epimedium amber Queen is an amazing plant, so many flower stalks and so many flower buds on each stalk, it seems to go on forever. E.x warlayense is more of a species than a hybrid, so a much simpler flower.
The fritillaries look even better en masse!
They do don’t they Cathy! I wouldn’t dare put my special snowdrops in this area as it is always under water during the winter, but the fritillaries seem to love it, thank goodness!
Wow, those fritillaries look fantastic! Love that Primula Guinivere with its delicious purple leaves. A nice six! Sorry about your frozen fingers. I had them on Thursday, which seemed to be the worst day for a strong bitter wind around here.
Thanks Allison, the fritillaries certainly like the wet area in the woodland, they get plenty of sun at this time od year and don’t seem to mind the shade later on. Temperatures have improved a bit , quite pleasant weeding today as long as I could get out of the wind.
I also wouldn’t mind a nice warm day, although for us April is still just barely the start of spring. Things look promising! The fritillaria are also a favorite of mine, they’re just starting to sprout and will still be a while.
Warm days are still in short supply Frank, we are definitely back to winter for now. The plants still think that spring is here though and everywhere is beginning to look very green. I’m sure your plants will soon catch up as soon as your warmer weather arrives.
Oh, that cold north wind is horrendous! And gales and worse are now on the way. Lovely blooms, especially the delightful primula. Goodness, what a great carpet of fritillaries.xxx
Primula Guinivere is beautiful Dina, the leaves as well as the flowers. The fritillaries have done well this year, I think they have had plenty of moisture throughout the winter to keep them happy. Warmer weather is on the way!x