We had a blast of winter again yesterday, we had been warned that we were going to have a lot of rain, but we had large hailstones which lasted for quite some time. Quite a few sunny spells meant that I managed to get quite a bit of gardening done, but still lots more needed. So now, six things that have caught my eye this week ………….
No 1
A dwarf prunus on the rockery is starting to flower, Prunus glandulosa Rosea plena, to be precise, a big name for a little shrub. The flowers are like little pom poms, very dainty and pretty.
A nice shape and size at the moment, a couple of stems will be pruned after flowering to keep it in shape.
No 2
My first Welsh Poppy of the year, Meconopsis cambrica. These pop up in various places in the gardenm some years there are more than others.
No 3
Another plant that pops up where it is happy is our native cowslip, Primula veris. I will be saving seed this year to make more drifts in some new places., watch this space!
No 4
Lovely blue Veronica which is spilling over the wall of the rockery, a tiny little flower but the blue packs a punch!
No 5
Drastic action needed here with this climber that has covered my greenhouse roof, is up to the top of my twisted willow and has plans for world domination! Obviously it should have been pruned each year but someone forgot! I couldn’t remember its name, but it has been identified by Fred, thank you Fred, it is Akebia I knew someone would be able to tell me!
No 6
I put some of my salvias in the conservatory this winter, this is Salvia Amistad which has grown nearly as tall as me. I know, I should have cut it down, but I can do that now and get about half a dozen cuttings without having to nurse them all winter!
There we have my six for this week. Thanks to Jim who hosts this from Garden Ruminations, do pay him a visit to see what is happening in gardens around the world. I have visitors at the moment so may be a little late getting to you with my comments.
The blossom on the dwarf prunus is very pretty indeed. I hope you get your cowslips to spread as they have such an evocative county air (I imagine a Thomas Hardy heroine walking through a field studded with them)
I like the picture you have created Catharine with your Thomas Hardy heroine, I will try and create a worthy setting for her!
N°5 looks like an akebia. Nice photos , especially the prunus
Thanks for your help Fred, I’ve looked it up and yes, you are correct. It is so rampant and gets flooded every winter, so I’m not sure how it is surviving so well, it will certainly get the chop this summer!
The prunus is a delightful shrub and very nicely placed with a see through effect this time of the year.
The little prunus is so dainty and delightful Noelle, I have another which is white but that isn’t quite in flower yet, maybe next week!
The dwarf Prunus is lovely. I’m a big fan of Welsh Poppies – it’s taken me years to get them to establish in my garden but I think I’ve finally managed it.
I love Welsh poppies too Graeme, I spread the seed far and wide, but I would like more each year, I keep hoping it will improve!
Lovely pictures! Love the delicate pink dwarf prunus. We had wanted out dwarf weeping cherry to have pink blossoms, but when I needed to buy it, all the pinks were double and I had my heart set on single blooms – which are also lovely. So mine are single white. How is teh fall color? Mine, now that it is maturing a little and I am better about japanese beetle management, has a nice yellow-orange fall color.
Lovely to hear from you in Wisconsin! The leaf colour of my prunus in the autumn is orange/yellow. As it is only a small shrub it doesn’t stand out very much as there is so much else with lovely autumn tints around it.
I just love that dwarf prunus and salvia, goodness that is tall!xxx
I thought the salvia was never going to stop growing Dina, I should have remembered how tall it is when it is growing in the garden! Must get my cuttings done as soon as my visitors leave!x
I do find the Welsh poppy a welcome addition in the spring garden. Salvia Amistad is such a lovely colour Pauline. Do cuttings take easily? If so I may give it a go!
Salvia cuttings take very easily Denise, give it a go! I have the welsh poppies in my shady borders, but I think they like better drained soil than mine, I wish I had more from my seed sprinkling.
Lovely picture, wow a poppy already.
Thanks Rosie, I sprinkle lots of poppy seed each year, but only a few turn up each time, wish I had more.
Beautiful! I saw Akebia on another blog today and was admiring it. He didn’t say anything about it being rampant. Would you recommend it?
Maybe the owner of the Akebia was more sensible than me Susie, maybe he was cutting it back each year as I should have done. I’ve looked it up and it grows to 30 ft, which mine has certainly done!
Wow, your Salvia is blooming so prolifically already. Good idea to overwinter it; I’ll have to consider that for the future. The dwarf Prunus is really special, but all the blooms are beautiful!
Salvias wouldn’t like the wet winters we have here Beth so I take cuttings usually as well as bring the parents under cover. I should have taken more cuttings of Amistad and will do so as soon as possible.
That’s a pretty dwarf prunus, especially grown as a see-through shrub, as Noelle says. Isn’t it great to know that when there is a plant we are unsure of the name of we will invariably find another blogger is able to tell us what it is?
I like my little prunus, so dainty at the back of the rockery. Other bloggers are so helpful, I know someone out there will have an answer to any question.