spring – We are out in the garden …

Time to just sit …

At this time of year there is so much to do all around the garden. There are seeds to sow, seedlings to prick out, small plants to harden off ready for planting out and lots of growing weeds to keep on top of.

BUT, it is equally important to just take a breath, grab a cup of tea and a piece of cake and just soak up the beauty all around us at this time of year.

There have been times this week with the sun out when I have felt I should reach for the camera and just capture the moment. Spring in all its glory.

Blossom Watch 2022 – Plum ‘ Warwickshire Drooper’ (26 March 2022)

We have an old plum tree in the orchard with the charming name of ‘Warwickshire Drooper’. Being Warwickshire residents ourselves it is great to have a locally named variety.

The tree is certainly showing its age but this year seems to be flowering profusely and evenly across all branches. We have been thinking that it’s days are numbered but perhaps it is trying to prove us wrong. It has a lovely flavour and with a touch of cinnamon makes a scrumptious jam.

Slightly later into flower this year is a small Victoria plum (29 March 2022). We have planted this now so it has time to establish in the orchard before the Warwickshire Drooper finally has to be removed.

When I posted about the Apricot I thought we may have been about a week later than my previous records made in 2019. My 2019 record for Warwickshire Drooper was 27 March so we may well have caught up due to a spell of warm weather.

Driving through the Vale of Evesham last weekend the plum orchards were in full bloom and looking a picture. The blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is also looking particulary good in the hedgerows this year. We have had a few weeks of fine weather without rain which has kept the blackthorn white and undamaged.

Blossom Watch 2022 Summary (First Blossom)

8 March – Apricot ‘Flavorcot’

26 March – Plum ‘Warwickshire Drooper’

29 March – Plum ‘Victoria’

End of month review – February 2022

For much of February this year we have not been able to get out in the garden but when the sun shines and the wind drops it is a lovely surprise to just wander around the garden and see what is emerging. There is a surprising amount in flower when you look closely.

The snowdrop walk in the top copse has been established by relocating snowdrops over the last few years.

This time of year is of course snowdrop time and once again they have given a spectacular show all around the garden. The different species flower at different times and provide a long season of interest in the cold winter months. Each year we split some clumps and move them ‘in the green’ to establish new areas for future years. This year we have recreated a bed near the orchard which had to be cleared last summer to make space for my daughter’s wedding marquee. Although I had to swallow hard at the time it has given me a chance to start something new. We have created a mass of snowdrops under the trees and placed two new specimen shrubs, an Elaeagnus x ebbingei MARYLAND ‘Abrela’ and a Nandina domestica which look great together even though the plants are still relatively small.

Many of the February plants emerge in the woodland areas taking advantage of the daylight that exists before the trees come into leaf. The Cyclamen coum and the earliest crocus, narcissi and primulas all complement the snowdrops beautifully. The dark, almost black, leaves of Ophiopogon planiscapus also look great with the snowdrops and I might try and develop this combination more in future years.

One of my favourites are the exquisite Iris reticulata which we grow in small bulb bowls outside over winter. We find that growing in terracotta bowls is more successful as they don’t seem to do well in our cold damp winter soil. This mid-blue variety is ‘Alida’. Looking at the catalogue it says it is fragrant but I haven’t been down on my hands and knees to sniff yet. They really are a harbinger of spring and warmer days to come.

Another hardy plant that comes back without fail each year are the Hellebores. Although we have quite a few (!) we are always in the market for a few more when we take a trip out the the garden centre. Below is one of the latest, Helleborus orientalis ‘Hello White’. Unlike many of the others which have large blousy flowers this one is quite petite but with beautiful markings on the inner petals.

It is not all about bulbs and corms however. Our winter flowering cherry is still in bloom and the two Prunus incisa ‘Paean’ by the patio steps shine out on even the darkest day. Most importantly they can be enjoyed from the warmth of the lounge. Although these can grow quite vigorously during the summer we prune them back hard each year to maintain the neat shape either side of the steps.

Winter flowering cherry against a clear blue winter sky

I started by indicating we had not got out in the garden much over February but looking back we have completed two major winter projects ready for the new year. The first of these is a long flower bed that runs through a small copse/shrubbery up towards the fruit cage and orchard. The new bed stretches from deep shade, through partial shade and into full sun at the orchard end. It will give us the chance to divide, move and repot much of the Hosta and fern collection and also introduce a wide range of large architectural plants at the sunny end. A really exciting project. Although we have plenty of garden to look after we just can’t resist a new opportunity to plant more plants!

A whole new flower bed dug over the winter providing woodland, part shade and full sun planting opportunities

The other winter project has been the dismantling and reconstruction of a second-hand glasshouse kindly offered to us by our neighbours. This took a couple of months to move, clean and repair but it has been sited in the vegetable patch and gives us plenty of space for bringing on new plants. The existing glasshouse, although in the sun 25 years ago when we put it up, is somewhat shaded now by neighbouring trees. This is in fact quite helpful in the hot summer months as it keeps the temperatures down but it is also helpful to now have a second glasshouse in full light.

This February review would not be complete without a mention of the wonderful Daphne odora . This slow growing shrub is close to the back door of the house and its scent is just wonderful. A deep breadth in each time we go out into the garden really lifts the spirits..

*Daphne odora* in full bloom giving off a heavenly scent in late winter.

Six on Saturday – April shrubs and small trees

The dry days and sunshine over the last couple of weeks has transformed the garden. The soil is now workable and everything is coming to life.

Although many of the spring bulbs are still flowering it is the shrubs and small trees that are now coming into their own. This is my selection from the garden for this week’s Six on Saturday.

Skimmia japonica

This evergreen shrub is in full bloom at the moment and looks very lush and healthy. The honey bees just love it and it is great to see so many on the plant this year. A number of people in the hamlet have hives and this bodes well for an excellent crop of fruit later in the year (and a bumper cider harvest!)

Spirea japonica ‘Gold Flame’ (syn. Spirea brumalda)

This is a stunning shrub and its golden orange foliage simply glows in the spring sunshine. It is something that I would like to have more of around the garden and hopefully we should be able to propogate it from cuttings later in the year.

The new foliage of many shrubs is not suitable for cutting for flower arrangements as the fresh emerging leaves wilt quickly. Spirea japonica ‘Gold Flame’ is an exception to this rule as the leaves emerge from old wood and can be successfully cut and conditioned.

This has the added advantage of pruning the shrub into shape and reducing the pink flowers that are produced from the old wood. It is really the glorious foliage that you are trying to encourage with this variety.

Viburnum tinus

This year our large Viburnum tinus in the shrubbery seems to be flowering extremely well. It does seem to vary from year to year but it has clearly liked the wet, warmer winter conditions this year. It has large hand-sized clusters of blooms which are a mix of pink and white.

Amelanchier lamarckii

I just love this small tree when it it comes into flower. The mass of delicate white flowers contrast beautifully with the bronze foliage. A must for any garden I think.

Berberis darwinii

Berberis darwinii (Darwin’s Barbary) is native to southern Chile and Argentina. There is no doubt it is a very prickly beast. At this time of year however it is in its prime with this stunning show of ‘in-your-face’ yellow blooms. I can imagine it is not to everyone taste but I think it sits well with the Amelanchier and Viburnum tinus which all flower together in the shrubbery under the silver birch trees. Both the Berberis and Viburnum are evergreen and provide structure in this part of the garden throughout the winter months.

‘Victoria’ Plum

My final choice for this week is a new Victoria Plum tree that was given to me by my daughter for my birthday last year. It is only a small tree but it is flowering profusely and the bumble bees are regular visitors.

I am trying to do a little succession planning in the orchard as my lovely old ‘Warwickshire Drooper’ plum that I planted over 25 years ago is beginning to show its age. Limbs are beginning to die and drop off! Hopefully this old tree has a few years left in it yet but I wanted to get a new tree established to take over in the coming years. Victoria is common for a reason – it is such a great plum variety and I hope that it will establish quickly.

The Six on Saturday meme is hosted by The Propagator. Click on the link to be inspired by what other plant lovers are enjoying this weekend.

Six blue flowers for March

Many months of the year seem to have an associated colour. For me March is definately a yellow month full of bright daffodils and pale primroses in the hedgerows. However whilst wandering around the garden this week it struck me that there are also many blue flowers in the beds and containers. In many ways it is this colour contrast that brings the garden to life.

My Six-on-Saturday for this week highlights a number of purple-blue and pure blue flowers which I’ve spotted around the garden. They range in size enormously from the relatively small to larger in-your-face blooms but all have their place with many surviving the long winter and returning fresh in spring each year.

1. Viola

Planted in the autumn, these violas have been quietly flowering for most of the winter. As the days grow warmer the plants are now developing further and beginning to develop their spring show.

2. Chionodoxa

These tiny blue flowered bulbs seem to be settling into specific parts the garden. They seem to like what I would term ‘the woodland edge’ at the base of our deciduous hedges and at the edges of the woodland copse. Much like the primroses, which like the same conditions, they die back in the summer when they would have to compete with other more luxuriant vegetation and quietly and reliably emerge again in early March.

These blue chionodoxa sit very beautifully with the pale yellow of the primroses.

3. Hyacinth

Now for something completely different. Planted in colourful pots of compost last autumn, these hyacinths were overwintered in a cool greenhouse to give them that little bit of extra protection. They are now coming into their own and provide a lovely scent as you walk across the patio.

4. Pulmonaria (variety long forgotten!)

This blue variety was probably planted by us over 20 years ago and it returns reliably every year. It is not a large, spectacular or showy plant but I always notice it in the flower bed at this time of year. It is charming how the blue and pink flowers exist together on the same plant. The flowers open pink and then soon change to blue. The foliage which is covered in small white dots is also an interesting characteristic of this genus.

5. Periwinkle (Vinca major)

Some might call this a weed but it does make wonderful ground cover in some quite challenging parts of the garden. For me the good looking pure blue flowers are well worth their place.

6. Crocus ‘Victor Hugo’

Crocus naturalise very freely in the grass here and can provide a surprisingly long period of interest if you plant a range of colours. For us the yellow crocus seem to appear first followd by the purples and whites. We seem to have much more success by planting them in the grass at the base of trees where they can remain undisurbed. In the flower beds I find I am always digging them up as I clear and weed throughout the year.

We also enjoy them in small patio containers close to the house to provide early spring colour. This variety, Victor Hugo, has been particualrly successful this year.

The Six on Saturday meme is hosted by The Propagator. Click on the link to be inspired by what other plant lovers are enjoying this weekend.

Six on Saturday – New additions

Like many of you we have been tempted by new plants over the winter months. To be truthful there are many more than just six but these are the new additions to the garden that I have recently been getting into the ground. As the plants are all very small or under the soil at the moment I have taken the liberty of linking to a few pictures of more mature plants (a taster of what is to come I hope!).

One: Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’

From time to time we take a break from working in the garden to enjoy one of the excellent weekly lectures at Pershore College. Many of the speakers bring along live plants to illustrate their talks and of course we cannot resist buying something.

This delightful new Mahonia is a compact evergreen shrub that has spineless leaves and grows eventually to about 1 metre by 1 metre. We originally thought that we would grow this in a pot but to be honest we are very poor at looking after things in pots and it was beginning to look a little sickly. It has now been planted out into the garden where I am sure it will fair much better

Photo credit: Real time link to http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk

Two: Aster ericoides ‘Vimmers Delight’

Another Pershore purchase after listening to a wonderful talk on autumn flowering Asters. We do have one or two (or more) of these already but now is a great time for lifting and dividing existing plants and planting out new ones.

We have planted this in the new flower garden alongside a number of purple varieties that we have lifted and divided from elsewhere in the garden. It grows to around 75cm so should become a real statement in the new garden with small white flowers backed by grey foliage. If all goes to plan, in the autumn we will have a wonderful combination of late flowering Asters to keep the new garden going long into September.

Photo credit: Real-time link to website at Farmyard Nurseries, Dol Llan Road, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, Wales SA44 4RL

Three: Martagon lillies

One of the themes for this year has been to develop the small woodland area at the north end of the garden. Carol has done a lot of clearing over the winter months and it is now time to get down to some planting. There is already a colourful spring display of snowdrops followed by primroses, cyclamen and more recently planted Chionodoxa.

In developing this area further we have decided to introduce a large number of Martagon lillies to grow and hopefully naturalise under the trees in a sunny area on the edge of the copse. These were certainly not cheap bulbs to buy but if it works they should create a wonderful show for many years to come

Photo credit: Real time link to http://www.dutchbulbs.co.uk

Four: Winter colour – Dogwood Red-stemmed (Cornus alba Sibirica) and Dogwood ‘Midwinter fire’ (Cornus sanguinea)

On the edge of the copse is a slope down to the new flower garden. The new flower garden was originally an old grass tennis court that has been dug out to make it level. As a result the water table reaches the surface at this point and this area is very wet indeed over the winter. We already have some successful yellow stemmed willow in this area and to add contrast we have added a stand of two different Dogwoods to develop the area still further.

This area catches the winter sun and we hope will add colour to a part of the garden that has very little winter interest at present.

Dogwood Red-stemmed (Cornus alba Sibirica)

Photo credit: Real-time link to Buckingham Nurseries website (www.hedging.co.uk)

Dogwood ‘Midwinter fire’ (Cornus sanguinea)

Photo credit: Real time link to rhsplants.co.uk

Five: Heuchera ‘Electra’ and Heuchera ‘Peach Flambe’

In the depths of last winter we visited friends in the Shropshire countryside and I was very taken by their tubs of Heuchera which were looking wonderful outside in the weak winter sun.

As a result I decided to start developing our own small collection (always one for pinching good ideas from others). These are the first two varieties that we are bringing on from a number of 9cm pot plants with the aim of developing some good winter colour on our patio for next year.

Heuchera ‘Electra’ Photo credit: Real time link to http://www.dutchbulbs.co.uk

Heuchera ‘Peach Flambe’ Photo credit: Real time link to http://www.dutchbulbs.co.uk

Six: Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)

In addition to the planting of the dogwoods and the martagon lillies in the top copse we are also just about to add a stand of Solomon’s seal. Rather than planting these out directly into the woodland we decided to start these plants off in pots. This has worked well and we now have a large number of strong plants that we can plant out as soon as the ground is dug over and cleaned of perennial weeds and brambles.

Photo credit: Real time link to http://www.dutchbulbs.co.uk

All of the above are about planning for the longer term. We are unlikely to see many results this year but hopefully over the coming years we should see more colour and interest in the autumn, winter and springtime.

The Six on Saturday meme is hosted by The Propagator. Click on the link to see what other plant lovers are chatting about.

Sunday Garden Birdwatch – 7 April 2019

The garden is full of bird life at the moment from dawn to dusk. A particular highlight today has been our ‘crazy’ male chaffinch who has spent the day fighting his own reflection in the kitchen window – exhausting for him and us! A Chaffinch is usually quite a rare sighting in our garden and this spring we seem to have a pair that are present most of the time.

This post is intended to be a simple record of the birds we have spotted in the garden today (7 April 2019). The garden is about 1 acre and located in the countryside just outside Warwick (UK). It has a substantial number of mature trees and shrubs and is surrounded by countryside on all sides. This is mainly grazed pasture but there are also arable fields close by (this year mainly growing oil-seed rape which is just starting to come into flower).

We have a number of bird feeders in the garden which contain peanuts or a bird seed mix. Here are today’s sightings. The photographs are all taken in the garden but not necessarily today.

Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Great Tit (Parus major)

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

There are of course other birds that visit from time to time but they have not appeared today. Next week perhaps!

Robin Red Breast singing in the March sunshine (video)

The garden is full of bird song at the moment and it is a pleasure to simply stop and listen and watch. I never quite seem to have the camera with me at the right time but this little robin was kind enough to sit still long enough whilst I zoomed in and caught its song on video. The robin’s red breast and plumage is certainly at its best at this time of year as they prepare for the new breeding season. The red in particular looks great here against the glossy dark green leaves of the holly (Ilex aquifolium)

The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is resident in the garden throughout the year feeding on insects, invertebrates, worms, seeds and fruit. Although very territorial, during the winter we do see a number in the bushes waiting their turn under the bird table or to visit the seed feeder.

They may be very common throughout the whole of the UK but our garden would not be the same without them.

Six on Saturday – At this time of year it is the little things that matter ..

These early months of the year are not about the loud flamboyant flowers of summer but the small jewels that survive the tough winter weather and lift your spirit when you come across them in the garden.

Along side the snowdrops there are a number of other tiny bulbs, corms and rhyzomes that quietly survive much of the year underground but come into their own in the early spring. Here are six that have graced the garden in February and March.

One: Iris reticulata

Flowering in early February this is one of the earliest spring flowers to come into bloom in our garden. It looks so delicate but is survives the harshest conditions being native to Russia, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. We do tend to loose them in the garden so we tend to grow them in pots of well drained soil containing plenty of grit. The markings and colour are just stunning.

Two: Cyclamen coum

These are tough little plants which are slowly spreading themselves around the garden. They have been flowering since at least late January and are still flowering now. They seem to be particularly successful growing in dry areas under deciduous shrubs and trees in what appear to be quite inhospitable conditions. Cyclamen hederifolium also grows successfully in the garden producing flowers in the autumn.

Their natural range is around the Black Sea from Bulgaria through northern Turkey to the Caucasus and Crimea, but there is also a second population near the Mediterranean from the Hatay Province in Turkey through Lebanon to northern Israel ¹ .

Three: Crocus

The spring crocus certainly deserve a place in this six. This year they have been spectacular, really enjoying the warm February sunshine along with the bees. This photograph was taken on 25th February 2019. Typically for us the yellow crocus come first followed by the whites and purples. We tend to grow them through the meadow grass where they can be left undisturbed.

Four: Chionodoxa

We are along way from having an extensive carpet of Chionodoxa yet but they do appear to be establishing well. Last autumn we planted a large number of new bulbs to try and speed the process along and they have emerged and flowered in their first year.

Similar to Scilla, but in fact a different genus, they are natives of the eastern Mediterranean specifically Crete, Cyprus and Turkey² . Their common name, ‘Glory-of-the-Snow’, suits them perfectly.

Five: Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Ice Stick’

One of the first tulips to come into flower each year, the Kaufmanniana tulips have now come into bloom (11 March 2019). This variety is Ice Stick. In general many of the tulips we plant only flower for one year and then have to be replaced. The Kaufmanniana tulips however seem to be repeating well and returning each year.

Six: Anemone blanda

Last, but certainly not least are the windflowers, Anemone blanda, which come in whites and blues. They are charming, reliable little plants that grow in our deciduous woodland areas.

They are native to southeastern Europe, Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria³ and prefer well drained soils that dry out in summer. Our soil does tend to get waterlogged in the winter months but the native trees they are planted beneath does seem to keep the soil a little drier.

That is my six for for this week but there are certainly many more special spring blooms just around the corner. Exciting times.

The Six on Saturday meme is hosted by The Propagator. Click on the link to see what other plant lovers are chatting about.

Early March – a quiet wander around the garden in early spring

After an unseasonably warm February we are now back to a more traditional March menu of sunshine and showers and windy days. In between showers it is nice to just wander and browse. Every day now there is something different emerging. Green shoots are visible on many perennials and the peonies that we moved in the autumn to a new home in more sunshine are all looking very promising.

At this time of year it is the little things that matter. There is no full-on show of summer flowers but the small clumps of bulbs and other spring flowers that come back year after year are always very special.

It will be interesting to see whether the warm February will bring on the spring flowers earlier this year. These photographs were all taken on 11th March 2019.

Whilst sitting enjoying a well earned cuppa, it struck me how wonderful the two flowering cherries (Prunus incisa ‘Paean’) that flank the patio steps were looking. They are in full flower and certainly the significant pruning that we gave them last year after flowering to get them back into shape has done them no harm at all.

Even when not in leaf or flower the old twisted wisteria stems add real character to this patio area.

In the more shaded areas and in the top copse the primroses are now beginning to emerge taking over from the snowdrops that seemed to go over quickly this year in the warm weather. One of the jobs for the next week or so will be to lift and divide some of the snowdrop clumps whilst they are in the green. The snowdrop walk in the top copse has developed well but the individual clumps look ready to be divided and spread around to develop the walk even further.

Also in the woodland walk the first of the Anemone blanda are starting to emerge. We planted these some years ago now but although they seem to come back year after year they do not seem to have multiplied up to any great extent. They appear to be very delicate but seem to withstand the wind, rain and cold.

Somewhat unexpectedly we have found that some of the Anemone coronaria corms that we grew when we were growing commercially for Honey Pot Flowers have survived well over the winter and are flowering again. When growing for sale we tended to replant each year to ensure that we had good quality long stemmed flowers. This is less important in a private garden and if they continue to survive and establish more naturally they will be a great addition to the new flowering garden.

Regular readers will know that we are transforming what used to be our flower farm into a more aesthetically pleasing flower garden where we can just enjoy growing flowers for ourselves rather than for sale. The structural work is now all complete and the formal hedge is beginning to establish. We think it has all survived the hot dry summer last year but only time will tell. There is plenty more scope for plants that will give more winter interest in this part of the garden and we are currently planting a new area of colourful Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ and the red stemmed Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ on the moist bank at the north end.

One of our favourite spring flowers that seem to thrive here in Warwickshire are the Hellebores. They seed themselves freely around the garden and are pretty trouble free. It is such a pleasure to bend down and lift their heads to see the beautiful markings on the inside of the flowers.

Another plant that is flowering its socks off is the perennial wallflower (Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’). Although we always admire this plant in other people’s gardens, especially when combined with striking orange colours later in the year, it has been some years since we have had one in our garden. It was planted last year in an open position in full sun and has established very well, remaining evergreen with some flower throughout most of the winter. It is now getting into its stride as the weather warms up. Luckily it is very easy to propagate from cuttings and we have a good number of young plants growing well in the greenhouse that will allow us to create an excellent show across the flower garden and create some continuity in different beds.

Not much is happening in the orchard yet although the young apricot is beginning to flower. The buds of the pear blossom are beginning to swell and new green leaves are just emerging on the quince. Whether it is just too early for the apricot fruit to set remains to be seen but we were very successful last year despite the bitterly cold weather. Thankfully all the orchard pruning is now complete and the new tripod ladder that I wrote about in an earlier article has helped enormously (both with pruning the orchard and bringing down an enormous Pyracantha to a manageable height).

Many of the evergreen foliage plants are certainly earning their place in the garden at this time of year. The neatly clipped Lonicera nitada hedges, the evergreen Hebe, Skimmia, Pittisporum and trailing ivy all create structure throughout the garden and have done all winter. Alongside these green shades new leaves are emerging. Very striking is the rich golden foliage of Spirea japonica ‘Goldflame’ which shines out in the spring sunshine.

The stars of the show at this time though are the bulbs. Small clumps of the miniature narcissus are returning like old friends in flower beds throughout the garden.

Hyacinths that we grew in pots in previous years and could not bear to simply throw away are now establishing themselves and creating a lovely spring show amongst the evergreen shrubs.

Even more exciting are the delicate flowers of the Chinodoxa that we are slowly building up around the garden. Their delicate pink and blue flowers seem to be establishing well at the base of the long hawthorn hedgerow and amongst the primroses on a sunny bank in the top copse.

I could go on! This is always an exciting time of year and there will be plenty to talk about over the coming weeks.