The rockery has had flowers blooming since January when some snowdrops started flowering alongside Rhododendron praecox. They were joined by quite a few hellebores in February and March now has the start of the daffodils alongside the hellebores. When planting I was very concious of not wanting there to be colour in this area just at springtime, so have tried to find plants that will perform in waves through the year.
Looking across the rockery to the back corner of the garden , through to the boundary formed by a Devon bank.
Looking the other way towards the woodland.
There are lots of different primulas flowering at the moment and some still to come. Also at the front is a solitary hyacinth, there were three planted here after they had flowered in pots in the house, I wonder how long this one will last!
Nice colour though, must get some more, it picks up the blue of the tiny veronica in front.
I think the wild primrose has been misbehaving with my dark primula. Its nearly forget me not time!
I think this is the dark primula that the bee visited before going to the wild primrose.
Primula sibthorpii has increased nicely since moving it here, I must move some to the other side of the rockery that is still not showing much colour.
Quite a number of shrubs are showing signs of flowering soon. This is Prunus Kojo no mai, a lovely little shrub that does grow quite big if you don’t prune it after flowering, this is a sucker of the original which grew too big.
Can you see 2 more suckers, one behind the drumstick primula and the other to its left. I think the one behind the primula can stay but the other one must be moved to the other side of the rockery if possible.
This side is lacking in colour at the moment and also in the number of shrubs that I have planted here. I think 3 or 4 small shrubs will make all the difference and when other plants have been split and more bulbs added in the autumn, by next year it should look a lot better.
I am still picking bits of roof tiles up from the rockery, even from the far side. I heard from my insurance company yesterday that they are paying my claim in full so that is a load off my mind, I can just concentrate on gardening from now on!
Glad you can focus on gardening now Pauline. I imagine its rarely far from your thoughts. The rockery is a delight.
You’re so right Susie, the garden comes first almost all the time!
Oh, glad the insurance is covering everything. Your rockery certainly is waking up, it’s just lovely.xxx
With the late undergardener born and bred in Liverpool Dina, naturally he chose LV Insurance and they have been wonderful, even paying for the loose ridge tiles to be reset so they wouldn’t come down in the next storm and mean another claim. Glad you like the rockery!
I really enjoyed the rockery tour Pauline. I am sure you will be successful with the successional flowering. It really is one of the great garden skills and I find a particular challenge in the rockery. I am very glad to hear the insurance company has been so accommodating. My gran always used LV!
Thanks Denise, more little shrubs are on the way, some will flower in the spring but have lovely coloured foliage which will be with me for most of the year, the others will flower all through the summer. I will also order some dwarf michaelmas daisies and some dwarf dahlias for late summer. LV must be good if your gran always used them, I’ve obviously got the best firm, their cheque arrived today -fantastic!
How about some of the dwarf early flowering rhododendrons for the rockery, Pauline? So pleased to hear LV didn’t quibble at all about your claim
I already have 2 dwarf early rhododendrons for January Cathy along with snowdrops and hellebores, I think that is enough, it was more the other end of the year that I was thinking of. An order has gone off for little shrubs with coloured foliage as well as shrubs that flower later in the year, they should hopefully be arriving next week.
PS, I’ll amend that, I’ve just found 2 big boxes in my porch, they have arrived!