I began my gardening journey 4 years ago this month and it really pleases me that some of those first shrubs I ever planted in the garden are now making a reasonable size and make the garden feel a bit more mature. I've always been very conscience of showing entire areas of my garden mainly because many of the shrubs were dwarfed by the perennials.
One such area is just to the front of the trellising I added to the garden at the beginning of 2014. Just about to come into it's own Camellia x williamsii Jury's Yellow is full to bursting with buds. There is a tale attached to the shrub. I purchased it back in 2008 as a moving in gift for the garden. I found it a temporary home in the ground until the builders were gone. Sadly, run off from the cement mixer managed to find it's way into the spot where it was planted and the plant really began to suffer. At one point I thought it was dead! I nurtured it for the next 4 year until I was sure it had fully recovered. It's been in this spot now since 2013 and you can see for yourself that it's now none the worse for wear. Hellebores, Narcissus Tete a Tete and a few self seeded Fritillaria meleagris (no pheasants here!) bloom together. The gold leafed Cordyalis (C. Berry Exciting) is also just coming into bloom but they are very sparse at the moment. More of this pretty thing in a later post I suspect. You can also just make out a wee cluster of Leucojum aestivum popping out to the left of the Camellia. I haven't the foggiest what the bulbs are to the rear apart from the fact that they appear to be daffs. Looking back on my records contenders are N. Thalia or N. Tresambles - we shall see.
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| Camellia x williamsii Jury's Yellow |
Nearby, off to the left, this small clump of Narcissus Mount Hood bloom happily in the edge of the border that catches the sun. I was given 6 bulbs by my local nursery owner back in autumn, well who can refuse plants for free? - not me that's for sure! I was rather skeptical about it's ID after seeing them on Chloris's recent post over at The Blooming Garden. A bit more research, it appears that they do in fact open yellow and fade to white. Phew! These are generally much larger that any other daffodil I grow and I am not a fan of those huge in your face yellow blooms. I was actually considering lifting them and giving them away but now that they are fading, they are much more pleasing to me. They were supposed to be paired with some white Muscari but they appear to have come up blind.
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| The varying shades of Narcissus Mount Hood |
Further round the same bed, Hostas are only just poking their noses from beneath the soil - no sign yet of the Kirengeshoma and Polygonatum. Blooms are provided by way of a Bergenia and the purple leafed Corydalis. To the back of the Bergenia, the Heuchera Binoche has been rather late in getting a tidy this year due to the cold weather. They are intended to show each other off but just not this year!
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| Bergenia Overture |
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| Corydalis flexuosa Purple Leaf (aka Blue Dragon) |
Across the way on the sunnier side, both Muscari armeniacum Peppermint and Lady Blue mingle with the ever gorgeous Corydalis solida First Kiss.
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| Muscaria armeniacum Peppermint |
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| Muscari armeniacum Lady Blue |
Before we pop through the arch to the back garden proper, Dicentra cucullaria Pink Punk is just beginning to bloom in a terracotta pot that has been it's home for the past 3 years. I think it's time to find it a home in one of the borders.
Just to the otherside of the trellising, I am pleased with how this corner looks right now, tucked in between the Heptacodium and Cornus: Primula, Fritillaria, Narcissus and Chionodoxa are blooming amongst fresh Aconitum and Aquilegia foliage. A pot of Narcissus Jack Snipe had been looking for a home, I think they have made a lovely addition to this spot.
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| Primula vulgaris, Fritillaria meleagris, Narcissus cyclamineus Jack Sprite and Chionodoxa forbesii |
When I filled this area out last year, I tried to pay particular attention to how and when the plants would bloom and at this point last year, the Dicentra spectabalis and Aquilegia were a mere 6 inches above the ground and had not hindered the view to all these spring pretties but this year, it's quite a different matter and you don't see them unless you get right up close and personal. Zooming out, you can see exactly what I mean. I won't start fidgeting around with the planting this year but will keep a close eye on behaviour next year.
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| Heptacodium corner |
Getting the remainder of the Hellebores down on record this post. They may have been late in getting started but they've more than made up for it now. Checking back on last year confirms that they had all gone over by April.
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| Helleborus x orientalis Hybrids |
April is always drumstick Primula time, they are, it seems unaffected by conditions and flower in April regardless. Flanked by P. dentinculata Cashmeriana and Alba, is a plant that was sent to me last year by a follow blogger. An unnamed purple variety, very nice and a big thank you Annette. I look forward to increasing what I have and spreading it around the garden.
Yet more of the same Primula on the top tier at the very back of the garden, I like these colours together, they need a bit of tweaking to get the grouping just right. The Narcissus are N. Pueblo, scented and another new one to the garden this year. The gargantuan Cardoon on the lower level is going great guns. It will pretty soon do a good job of hiding all the foliage of all the early bloomers up there.
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| Primula denticulata, Narcissus Pueble and Helleborus orientalis hybrid |
There are many more Primula dotted around the garden in bloom right now. The Autumn shades Primula veris was a novely buy last year and I wasn't sure if they'd reappear. The yellow Primula veris doesn't do well here and rarely returns for a second year.
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| Primula: Wanda, veris (autumn shades), Drumcliff, Don Keefe, bracteossa, unnamed single and unnamed double white |
The Erythroniums I planted back in February are now flowering their wee socks of, it makes me wonder why it's taken me so long to grow these beauties. I am still researching what to grow when they grow over and have marked the centre of the planting spot with a cane so I don't disturb the bulbs when I go digging. What do others grow with their Erythronium to bloom later in the year? Right now I am thinking Hosta or another type of Lily. I think I am too late to buy bulbs for planting and will probably need to wait to see what I can buy later in the year.
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| Erythronium Pagoda |
Nearby, a new Epimedium this year is Epimedium Pink Elf, is just settling in and has thrown up it's first blooms. This Epimedium is reported to be a variety that will flower again later in the year - August/September time apparently.
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| Epimedium Pink Elf |
The obligatory shade loving blooms at this time of the year. If you don't already grow Pulmonaria, give it a go, the bees love it at this time of the year. Many gardeners report that Pulmonarias self seed around their garden yet I find them very well behaved and have never found a seedling. Having therefore to rely upon dividing them to spread them around the garden and give them away to friends.
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| Pulmonaria unnamed varieties and Brunnera Jack Frost |
Before we pop back through the arch, Camellia japonica Elegans is acting rather coy but you can get the gist of the colourful blooms. Two clumps of Narcissus Thalia, my favourite are also blooming.
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| Camellia japonica Elegans and Narcissus Thalia |
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| Narcissus Thalia |
Popping down to the side garden things again are very slow. No leaves on the Acers yet. Narcissus Jet Fire and Brunnera Hadspen's Cream are providing floral interest. A self seeded Aquilegia seems to have made itself at home too. If you are looking for a daffodil that does well in a fair amount of shade, then N. Jet Fire is one I can recommend.
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| Narcissus Jet Fire and Brunnera Hadspen Cream |
I'll totter past the Magnolia, it is just about to come into bloom but the sun is glaring and it's difficult to get a good shot right now. The espaliered Camellia has produced the most amount of blooms it ever has in the 4 years it's been in the garden. Proof I think that it now has it's roots firmly down.
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| Camellia japonica Desire |
Rounding up this month's post should be a few images of what's blooming in the front garden but the sun again is hampering getting some decent shots. Not that there is a lot mind you. Narcissus minnow and Fritillaria uva-vulpis are resembling head bangers at a Metallica gig in the wind.
If you don't already do so, I know most of us do, why don't you join me and other garden bloggers who link their Bloom Day Posts on the 15th of each month over at
May Dream Gardens. Everyone's welcome. See you there!
