Almost Wordless Wednesday ~ Tulip Horror

 

Sticken by virus and very much off-colour - tulip 'Ballerina'! 😱

Five Favourites, April 2026

I'm joining in with Cathy's meme this month featuring five of my favourite April plants. Although May is my favourite month of the year April along with September isn't far behind. I love the greening up that month brings along with all spring bulbs and the blossom on the trees. First of my plants features the blossom and new bronze foliage of amelanchier lamarckii pictured above.

Following closely on it's heels is the blossom on the pear tree which was planted in 2012 :

Most years sees the pear's adjoining neighbour 'Malus Red Sentinel' join in with pink blossom but this year these are sadly noticeable by an almost no show, which means that there will only be a handful of red berries providing autumn colour and tasty morsels for the birds. I'm not sure why this has happened but it has happened on at least one occasion before now. This tree was planted a couple of years after the pear tree.

Now after all that pale a pop of bright colour from tulipa humilis 'Little Beauty' :

Long term readers of my blog may know that I don't go in for tulips in a big way. Although the flowers appeal I just can't bring myself to like their large sometimes floppy foliage. However the smaller species tulips are delightful. Cathy from 'Rambling In The Garden' sent me a few bulbs several years ago and I've enjoyed growing her since. These are in a pot but I must try to plant some in the garden to see how they do.

Next a lunaria also known as honesty. This one is lunaria annua 'Alba Variegata' which has self-seeded for years most considerately.

For my final choice an epimedium sparkling on a rainy day of which we have now had quite a few of this April. I'm afraid the label has disappeared along with my memory of the name: 

A big thank you to Cathy who blogs over at 'Words and Herbs' for her most kind invitation to join in this monthly meme. I've had fun in joining in but before I go must apologise to all those beautiful little daffodils for not including them this month. Maybe next April 🤔 😂

IAVOM ~ 'The Lullaby Of Spring'

 

In this week's Monday vase are some of my this time of year favourites mainly :

• Narcissus 'Thalia' - although I prefer the smaller narcissi the taller 'Thalia' is probably my all time favourite narcissus of all.
• Some yellow from the thug that is lamium galeobdolon 'Variegatum,' also known as the variegated yellow archangel. I have a long-standing love- hate relationship with it.
• A spring of dicentra spectablis alba which I know is known by another name beginning with an L but the spelling of the new name has never stuck with me.
• Some blue from brunnera macrophylla, probably 'Jack Frost'.
• Some much paler blue from a muscari, identity unknown   - in fact it's almost more white to the naked eye suffused with the palest touch of blue.

The title of my post is a nod to one of Donovan's songs which you can listen to here. 

Thanks as always to the lovely Cathy over at 'Rambling In the Garden' for her steadfast year round hosting.

After a very windy and cool couple of days bought about by the latest named storm - Storm Dave, today has been much calmer and warmer. We have done some planting with more lined up for tomorrow. The greenhouse calls with more pricking out on the to do list as well as sowing some half-hardy annuals. Fortunately it looks as if we will have two beautiful days to come and for the first time this year the temperature might hit that magic 20 degrees centigrade! Wishing you all a good week in the garden.

The Under Gardener, Norton Priory Walled Garden.