Although the last vestiges of snow have melted most flowers still look rather bedraggled and squashed. I was going to include some hellebores in my vase this week but they are definitely not at their best. Instead it's the teeny blooms that have recovered more quickly so in my vase this week are :
- Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'. Although most of the narcissus I grow are either cream or white I am completely unable to resist these cheerful little bright yellow characters.
- A pulmonaria that has taken me by surprise. It's in danger of becoming smothered by ivy so that's another job for the list. I'm not sure which variety it is its origins being long lost in the mists of time. It has most plain foliage so could possibly be angustifolia.
- The snowdrop is 'Blonde Inge', which usually flowers in February here and has multiplied well.
With vases to come in mind, I've sown the first lot of seeds today including limonium suworowii , which seems to have acquired the unfortunate alternative name of rat tail statice. Having seen this plant in flower I couldn't imagine anything that looks less like a rat's tail! I stumbled across it on the last day of our holiday in 2014, took photos and eventually discovered its identity in a gardening magazine that autumn. My attempt to grow them the following year met in abject failure when the seedlings were fatally frazzled so I'm having another try. I've noticed that a few other bloggers have mentioned that they are growing these seeds this year, so below is a photo of the treat that we should be in store for if all goes well and we get some warmth and sun to spur them on their way :
In the meantime today I feel that we are definitely now a step nearer to spring. Thanks to our excellent hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden', who encouraged me to wrap up well and step out both yesterday in the extreme cold and again this afternoon to see what there might be to pick for a vase.
I've never seen anything like your limonium suworowii - what a fun plant to have in the garden and possibly a future vase! The bright buttery yellow narcissus, though, just demands spring. Love it in the deep blue vase to set it off even more!
ReplyDeleteI love that vase and the perfect spring flowers to dress it up. My spring blooms are still buried and not putting on much growth but that will change in a few weeks. I am also starting seeds for flowers to put in vases but mine are starting indoors right now. Can't wait to get my hands in the outside soil!
ReplyDeleteOh we were definitely on the same wavelength today, Anna. Blonde Inge is perfect to link with the yellow of the narcissi, and how lovely to have some pulmonaria blooms. My pulmonaria have been far from stunning in recent years, with neither foliage nor flowers doing a lot - something I need to look into. I always like seeing his pot - it reminds me of some beautiful handmade paper I have that was bought for a project and then never used. I too am growing these rat tails which were sown in February - they were a little slower to germinate than the other statice and the seedlings are tiny. None of my Feb sowings are ready to be pricked out yet
ReplyDeleteStunning display. The use of 'Blonde Inge' gives a sense of size and a truly unusual look. Great work, Anna.
ReplyDeleteSo pretty Anna, your Blonde Inge picks out the yellow of your little daffs perfectly. Snap, I sowed some today too, along with other things. I sow 5 packets of seeds a day and that makes my seed sowing manageable.
ReplyDeleteLimonium Suworowii, looks so pretty, a lovely reminder that summer will happen. Apparently it has a third name, pink pokers, that one sounds much better than rats tails :)
ReplyDeleteNow, even I, with no experience whatsoever with snowdrops, can distinguish that 'Blonde Inge' snowdrop from the others I've seen in on-line posts. It looks great with the Narcissus too. I also love that Limonium and must look to see if I can find it here in either seed or plant form.
ReplyDeleteYour vase is a real treat given the conditions. Blonde Inge is lovely with the narcissus. My hellebores looked very sad as the snow started to melt but today they are much more perky so I hope our gardens will recover from the shock. I have tiny seedlings of this limonium which I think is the hardest stage. It's so easy to drown or fry them. Fingers crossed we all do well with them.
ReplyDeleteI love your little vase Anna! Pulmonaria are one of my favourites, but I will have to wait a bit for mine! :)
ReplyDeleteOur hellebores are perking up. It seems like the snowdrops have been the most badly flattened.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those growing limonium suworowii again this year. I was very pleased with how they looked dried. Mine germinated very quickly indeed, 2 days!
ReplyDeleteLove the little vase, and the blue makes the yellow in the daffodils and snowdrops sing. The Pulmonaria then echoes the blue of the vase. Altogether delightful.
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