The unexpected noise of what turned out to be a butterfly's wings opening and closing was a welcome reminder that warmer days are on the horizon. The said butterfly - a peacock was perched high up in the garage roof this morning. I'm not sure whether this was just part of an early morning T'ai- chi routine but do I hope that the creature was not lured outside by the winter sunshine. It looks inviting out there but it's cold and will be for a few more days according to the forecast.
Unlike the butterfly my few January blooms are refusing to oblige to open up today. I was surprised that the snowdrops that you can see above taken for GBBD in January 2012 look like this today :
We have had what was a very mild start to the year so I thought that they would be as far on if not further than last year. I can't be sure that this is the exact same clump but if not it is in very close proximity. As you can see just a hint of of white here and there. I wonder if this is a legacy of the extreme wet conditions of last year. I also think that I must nip in there and do some leaf removal as a matter of some urgency.
Likewise my special snowdrops in pots are not playing either despite having taken up temporary residence in the greenhouse. The early flowering 'Faringdon's Double' has now gone over, whilst 'Mrs Macnamara' and 'John Gray' are teasingly close to opening.
Back in the garden the same with my hellebores including this old favourite :
apart from helleborus 'Angel Glow' ~
However in the warmth of the house this African violet is still showing some flowers and has done so now for the best part of six months or so ~
As always thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting GBBD. I know that I will be sitting down later with a cup of coffee garden visiting, poised with pen and paper ready to add to my wish list.
My snowdrops seem to be nonexistent this year, though I do have primroses in bloom, and signs of daffodils pushing up, funny old year for plants.
ReplyDeleteMy snowdrops are probably at the same stage as yours Anna and the same with the hellebore. We're under snow just now and expecting very low temperatures over the next few days.
ReplyDeleteMine's here as you'll be taken to G+ if you click on the link to my name! http://www.leavesnbloom.com/2013/01/whats-in-bloom-in-january-garden.html
I love your hellebores! None of my snowdrops are anywhere near flowering yet, but I do have primroses in bloom!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd keep my buds tightly shut it I were a flower, it's far too cold out at the moment to open up. Surprising that you've already seen a butterfly this year, they were in short supply around here all through the summer last year.
ReplyDeleteI can't see my helebores as I have forgotten to cut the foliage back. Sad that I am not on top of things even in January. Does not bode well for the rest of the year!
ReplyDeleteJust leaves on our snowdrops at the moment but we're so looking forward to seeing those little blooms. And the hellebores! Nice blooms Anna!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful hellebores! My snowdrops are about as high as yours - under the snow! :D
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteThere's quite a marked difference between the years in your garden, although here there's minimal difference between this and last year although I do think this winter has so far been colder so it was a surprise to look back and discover that actually the blooming plants are almost the same!
Hope your Snowdrops bloom soon, and it's very nice to see the Hellebores! :) Hoping mine aren't damaged too much by the snow we're about to have!
Beautiful blooms!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen so many buds on hellebores before! Fanatastic!
Have a great day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
I think the snowdrops need some cold to trigger them into flower, so mild can mean later; I have that problem with many of my bulbs here in Italy. Christina
ReplyDeleteMy snowdrops aren't any further on than last year. It's strange how some plants seem much more sensitive to temperature than others . There were some plants racing away with themselves thinking it was spring already. I'm guessing they are regretting that now they are covered in snow. I really must get some more hellebores. Mine in my front garden appears to have died. :(
ReplyDeleteYOu had me fooled, I thought that first photo was of what was happening now! I am guessing that the current cold snap might encourage them into full bloom. I am envious of your hellebores, that purple one is beautiful. I need to establish a new collection.
ReplyDelete