My Little Garden 13th Feb 2021
It’s been a week of bright sunny days and freezing temperatures. No gardening has been done, but I have been catching with some clients about their plans for spring planting and it’s really good to have some outdoor work in prospect. It was also dry enough to take the youngest granddaughter to the park on Tuesday and to look for signs of spring in the nearby ‘secret garden’. As with the other three girls, I’m trying to teach her the names of plants, but at 21 months her pronunciation can be a little suspect (‘nodrops’ being an example!)
In my frozen garden, which has been looking a little sorry for itself at times this week, more bulbs are popping up, but not to the extent that they make many interesting photos. The hellebores, crocus and snowdrops are providing the colour but other than that it’s still a waiting game. I tried to move a pot containing iris further into the sun at one point, but it was frozen to the paving and I had to leave it where it was.
Anyway, after my excuses for the poor show of photos that follow, here are my six choices for this week.
- Hellebores
After visiting John Bent’s garden last week, I have decided that I need at least one more hellebore. I was almost tempted to take a trip to the garden centre yesterday, but looking at how my garden is struggling with the ‘big freeze’, I decided to postpone for a few days.
And on the subject of John’s garden, Weeping Ash is available to book for a visit tomorrow or next Sunday via the NGS website. If you are lucky enough to be local to Glazebury in Cheshire of course.
Back to hellebores, and this is my best example at the moment.
2. Primula auricula of some sort
I got very annoyed with this plant last autumn. After a couple of years of abundant flowers, (despite the relative neglect of growing in my front garden), it was just a clump of green leaves. So at the start of November, which is probably a little late, I divided it up quite ruthlessly and just hoped for the best. At the moment it looks a little tatty but has been flowering since the start of the year. Clearly tough love works!
3. Bulbs in pots update
This is Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ and the flower has been ‘almost’ open for days.
4. Bulbs in the ground update
Still no sign of any purple crocus, but there are plenty of yellow ones. And the iris haven’t flowered yet either, which makes them two weeks later than last year already.
5. Signs of Life
This is Aquilegia ‘Black Barlow’ for whom I have high hopes this year. It was the only one that I didn’t buy from Bluebell Cottage Gardens and the only one that didn’t flower…….
6. Snowdrops in inkpots
I don’t normally pick snowdrops but I had to rescue these and they look very pretty on the kitchen windowsill in my inkpots from Sarah Raven.
And that’s my choices for another week. Happy Valentines weekend to all you six on Saturday bloggers and photographers. I’m off to buy a Valentines Meal Deal from that well known supermarket that sells indoor bulbs in pretty cardboard pots, and I may treat myself to some daffs too. Living the dream …..
For more ‘sixes’ take a look at the blog of The Propagator who is the creator of this weekly collection. There are also many more excellent photos and blogs on twitter under the hashtag #SixonSaturday
