Wordless Wednesday ~ Snowdrop Days

 

IAVOM ~ 'This Will Be The Last Time'

 
Well the last time until next year - that's a promise - no more snowdrops in my Monday vases! I wanted a chance to though to share my new snowdrop vase before the season ends. It only arrived in the last week. I'm not sure about the butterfly decoration - perhaps a bee might have been more seasonal. Today's gathering is a bit of a rushed smash and grab job which features :

• Galanthus - a trio consisting of galanthus nivalis, galanthus 'Trym' and one which I think could be 'Melanie Broughton' but in the absence of a label I can't be sure.
• The two twiggy bits are a winter flowering honeysuckle, which for the purposes of this photo is proving rather shy and a snippet of Abeliophyllum distichum or white forsythia. The latter is actually tinged with pink. Both are scented. The honeysuckle came to me via a plant stall at one of Cathy's open days so is particularly precious.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' as always for hosting. 

There are definite signs that spring is almost in the air and there is the promise of warmer temperatures both by day and night in the week to come. Time soon to swap my fleece for a T-shirt. Now that's living dangerously!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Pixie Hats

IAVOM ~ Just A Few More 'Drops

 

It's a few of my special snowdrops in today's vase - some have lost their labels but they include 'Fieldgate Superb', the largest flower you can see in the above photo, 'Trumps', Wendy's Gold (yellow ovary and slow to increase for me) 'Green of Hearts', 'Aunt Agnes', 'Philippe Andre Meyer' and 'Lapwing' showing it's lovely markings and almost brushing the vase. The vase is a small stoneware pot purchased for a couple of pounds or so at The Malvern Spring Show a few years ago.

Thanks to our lovely hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting 💐 Do pay her a visit to share her offering today as well as contributions from fellow garden bloggers.

Well after a couple of seemingly never ending grey days with below average temperatures, the pendulum is set to swing towards a warmer, windier and generally wetter spell but with sunny spells too! All in all a most satisfactory state of affairs. I wheeled the green bin up the lane earlier this afternoon ready for the first collection of the year tomorrow. 'Charlotte' potatoes were chitted in egg boxes yesterday and are now occupying window space in the hall which is the coolest spot I can find in the house. Not a pretty sight but needs must. An exciting discovery yesterday afternoon when I spotted the first slightest purple whisps of crocus tommasinianus peeping out from the lawn. I had checked the day before and nothing was visible so it was magical to see evidence of their return yesterday. The days are now visibly lengthening and things are definitely on the move.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Bird On The Wing

IAVOM ~ "Just Another Manic Monday"

 

Well it certainly another Monday but no longer as in working years could it be described as manic. The song lyrics no longer ring true :

" It's just another manic Monday

I wish it was Sunday

'Cause that's my fun day

My "I don't have to run day"

It's just another manic Monday"

- sung by 'The Bangles'.

Now Monday is very much a fun day as we're invited to share our floral and foliage gatherings with fellow flower lovers. The year is still very much in it's infancy but there are definite signs of the lengthening days and of growth in the garden. In my vase this week are :

• Sarcoccoca - I like the delicate white flowers of this shrub as well as its scent. Here I grow a couple of varieties but neither live up to its common name of Christmas box, as they don't do much in the way of flower until the end of January. The flowers on this unknown variety seem to be sparser than usual this year and some of the foliage is yellowing. It lives in a big pot by the front door with a hardy cyclamen and a fern that has probably got too big over the years. Time I think for feeding and perhaps drastic action as far as the fern is concerned.
• A couple of fronds from a hardy fern, not the one already mentioned but another pot grown one. It's an evergreen fern by the name of polystichum polyblepharum or perhaps more easily remembered by it's common name of Japanese lace fern.
• Finally a few flowers from 'Trumps' one of my favourite special snowdrops. This one is easily recognisable and bulks up at an incredible speed. If only it could be remamed! Here is it in the garden just a few days ago :

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting. Do pay her a visit or even better join in with a vase of your own! 

It looks as if it's going to be a relatively warm and sunny day here, with the temperature nudging into double figures. I hope to have a potter about in the garden later on and see what's happening out there. 

A Week Of Flowers : Day 6

 

For the sixth day of 'A Week Of Flowers' I just had to include one of my favourite flowers and most anticipated flowers of the year which are galanthus, more commonly known as snowdrops. I grow a good number both named varieties in pots and in the ground as well as the more common galanthus nivalis. Above is the named variety 'Trumps' with beautiful distinctive flowers but a most unfortunate name.

Thanks to the lovely Cathy over at 'Words and Herbs' for hosting such a fun floral gala. Do pay her a visit if you haven't done so already.

IAVOM - A Gathering Of Snowdrops

 

It has been dry but quite windy today so I bought my vase inside so that the galanthus or snowdrop skirts would stop swirling around. Sadly though the light wasn't that brilliant indoors so back out again it has hurtled now the wind has died down and before the light disappears. Finally a not too grainy photo even though I chopped the end of the vase off and some of the varieties are not distinct. I will not write the full name of each variety down but if you would like any more details please just let me know in the comments and I will reply. 

Front row from left to right is 'Lapwing', ' Fieldgate Prelude' unknown specimen and 'Trumps'.

Back row from left to right is 'Wendy's Gold', 'Sprite' 'Rosemary Burnham' and 'Sutton Courteney'.

I will try to take a better photo tomorrow morning and post it as soon as possible. I had hoped that some somebody might have an inkling of as to what the unamed variety might be but this photo doesn't do it or its companions justice. My fingers were too frozen to try again today.

The ceramic vase or perhaps I should say vases is a new one having arrived only last week as a birthday gift from my sister. What an inspired choice on her behalf as I will have great fun playing with it. I've been wondering today what collective noun you might use for your vases. I keep mine in a cupboard but there is now overspill on to a shelf and I imagine them chattering together at night -  a company of vases maybe or a convention of vases. I'm sure other ideas will follow. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks as always to the lovely Cathy whose baby 'In A Vase On Monday' is. You can see what she and others have created to celebrate this Monday with over at 'Rambling In The Garden'.

A Week Of Flowers, 2022 ~ Day 1

I think that this is the third consecutive year that Cathy who blogs at 'Words and Herbs' has so kindly invited us to participate celebrating 'A Week Of Flowers'. It hits just the right note as we enter the darkest of nights in the northern hemisphere and flowers are thin on the ground. My flowers today are one of my favourites in the shape of galanthus, more commonly known as snowdrops. Some people think that they all look the same but this is definitely not the case. They vary tremendously in height, breadth and colour of foliage and also in the shape and colour of the markings on the flowers. These exquisite little flowers belie their delicate appearance and flower in the coldest months from autumn onwards well into spring. Those in my photo were taken in my garden at the start off the second week in February this year. They are galanthus 'Lapwing' - a variety which is easy to identify because of the distinctive markings and clumps up well.  

A big thanks to Cathy for the invitation! 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Galanthus 'South Hayes'

Slightly Wordy Wednesday ~ 'Imbolc'

Today not only marks Candlemas Day, the Christian festival of light but also concludes the pagan festival of Imbolc. Imbolc marks the half way point between the winter and spring equinoxes which is indeed good news for people in the northern hemisphere. Both of these festivals have connections with purity, cleansing and hope and snowdrops are often associated with these festivals. Snowdrops were once known as 'Candlemas Bells', usually being in flower at this time of year. The above photo is of galanthus 'Imbolc'. Despite the fact that is has been the sunniest January on record in England as well as being warmer than average  the flowers on my clump of 'Imbolc' in the garden are still shut tight. The flower is from a bulb that is growing in a pot in a sheltered spot near the house. This is one of my favourite snowdrops and one of the last to open for me.

Diary Update - Late January 2021

January is all but over so a diary update is called for. I can't say that I've done that much in the way of actual gardening. A combination of days of grey grim weather and other matters have been responsible but there has been some behind the scenes activity. A January birthday called for a garden centre visit. Here unlike most of the other customers I resisted the compulsion to make a beeline for the bargain price festive paraphernalia. We headed straight for the outside and plants and it was so sad to see that just after 11.00am we were the only people out there for a while. Still it was pleasant to be able to browse comfortably. I came home with the above helleborus 'Lily' which in fact was not the one I intended to purchase. I was guilty of not checking the label as it was a flowering helleborus 'Tutu' which had grabbed my attention. I was guilty of just seeing colour and not looking carefully enough. Still it's a pleasant enough plant. A couple of witch hazels also landed in my trolley - 'Ruby Glow' and 'Jelena' thanks to a garden gift voucher from my dear sister. I also bought a modest amount of half price seeds. In the last couple of weeks or so more packets of seeds have arrived in the post mainly of sweet peas. I think that I'm more or less done now on the seed purchasing front but I've said that before. Shallots 'Red Sun' and seed potatoes in the shape of the salad potato 'Charlotte' have also arrived. 

The greatest source of pleasure this month for me this month has been my collection of special snowdrops both those grown in pots under cover as well as in the garden. Below are a couple of newcomers. The first is 'Hans Guck' In die luft (which translates as 'Johnny-Head-In -The-Air') - new arrival this year whilst the second' Green Of Hearts' is a 2021 arrival.

During the  past week we had a couple of blissful hours when it almost seemed like spring and the greenhouse temperature warmed up encourage a couple of pots of iris reticulata 'Pauline' and a 

pot of crocus 'Firefly' to show colour. Magical! 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Coming Up 'Trumps'

In A Vase On Monday ~ Just Dropping In

Picked on a bright, blowy and cold Sunday afternoon, these few stems of galanthus elwesii 'Fieldgate Prelude' only fully opened to reveal their markings when I bought the vase into a cosy warm kitchen. It rained overnight but it is now possible to see their full colours. 

 What you are not able to see though in this photo though is just how small this vase is - about the same height as my middle finger. The few stems dropped in most snuggly indeed.

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for the encouragement to pick a few stems of flowers or foliage to share each Monday, whatever the weather whatever the season.

Garden Diary ~ New Year's Day 2021

Illustration by Lena Anderson.

What a pleasure it has been to spend time in New Year's Day in the garden. The temperature was warm enough to venture out without a coat! Yesterday was perhaps slightly warmer and sunnier but both days provided unexpected bonuses. The first gardening task of 2022 was to snip off the old hellebore foliage and bin it. It was interesting to see that there was evidence of aphids on the back of a few leaves. I than disposed of some soggy tat. Tomorrow the weather is predicted to be cooler but still warm enough I think to get out again and mulch the hellebore plants with some well rotted leaf mould. In the garden there are signs of activity with bulbs beginning to emerge. The first snowdrops are opening which is such a heartwarming event. Some clumps are now quite sizeable but others are taking time to establish. 

Time soon to plan next year's vegetable garden. There are seed potatoes to order. I think that I will stick with my favourite 'Charlotte' which is a great salad potato. Without the allotment I grew potatoes in bags last year for the very first time. It proved successful and I think that a further bag might be purchased. This year's sowing definites include the usual suspects of salad leaves, shallots, French beans, beetroot, courgettes and chard but I will have to consider carefully whether to add on top of this list. It was good to notice yesterday that the garlic cloves of 'Purple Early Wight' planted on the 17th November have started to come through.

After my outside pottering an inspection of the greenhouse and my potted special snowdrops followed. One big change since last year is that I've bought a smaller number of pots in to overwinter. A good number will take their chance in pots outside. A lot of them are now planted in the garden so a few casualties in event of a tough winter will not be the end of the world. In the greenhouse are my favourites and newest additions will I can gaze at a close quarters during the winter months. If necessary I can put a heater on overnight to fend off the worst of any bitterly cold snaps. There are three trays which each hold two dozen bulbs and some dozen or so loose pots too.Some bulbs are duplicates. My two newest purchases are showing mixed promise - galanthus nivalis 'Prague Spring' which was a small bulb on planting will not flower this year whereas galanthus plicatus 'Sophie North' is thriving. Both were bought as dormant bulbs in the summer.

In flower today are the following galanthus elwesii ' Fenstead End', galanthus plicatus 'The Pearl', galanthus plicatus 'Trimmer', 'galanthus Sutton Courtney' and galanthus 'Betty Hansell' and galanthus 'Ding Dong'. Sadly the also early flowering 'Three Ships' has decided not to flower this year. Other 'drops are nearly there but not quite so I shall check again next weekend. 

Also in the greenhouse I was pleased to spot that the first anemone 'Mr Fokker' is sprouting. I planted six in November in dry compost which has been watered yet.

My gardening day is not yet complete as tonight I plan to order some dahlia tubers. some difficult decisions ensue! On this and my new seed packet storage container more to come hopefully next weekend. Happy New Year and happy gardening to all my blogging friends - I hope that 2022 treats you, your loved ones and your gardens most kindly. Thank you for all your kind comments and encouragement last year.

IAVOM ~ Good Companions

 

Just a couple of flowers in today's 'In A Vase On Monday', quickly gathered on a most cold day when a bitter wind is plummeting the temperature in a downward spiral. It looks as if this cold spell is here for the week and I'm hoping that it might be the last really cold snap of winter. No doubt like most of you spring can't come soon enough for me this year. I much prefer to take all my vase photos out in the elements where not only the light levels are stronger but I'm also not bought to an abrupt full stop when I notice every single speck of dust. However it was much too nippy out there to take my time so I came inside to take my photo. The fairy lights on the mantlepiece remain all year for an instant touch of a button sparkle.

I'm sure you will all recognise the two occupants in the vase - snowdrops and hellebores - both stalwarts and comfortable companions. The varieties of both in this case are both unknown. The snowdrops live in a big container outside and have multiplied over the years. The marking on the petals vary.  I did consider snipping a witch hazel but perhaps my shrubs are still too small so I came down on the side of caution. On the subject of  companions for snowdrops Plant Heritage is running a Zoom lecture this coming Saturday. The event is open to non-members for the most reasonable price of £4.00. Details are here. I listened to another talk on snowdrops via Plant Heritage on Saturday night and was most taken with the speaker's idea of planting her snowdrops without labels in the lawn. Something I've never considered before now.

The vase is one of a set of four, a present from my sister. Each is a different colour. I don't think this one has made a public appearance before. The other three are in need of some intensive care - each having developed a misty bloom on the inside. Any tried and trusted cleaning tips would be more than welcome. 

Thanks as always to our hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' who came up with the idea of sharing vases each week to mark the start of a new week which makes Monday a special day in the diary.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Galanthus plicatus 'Amy Doncaster'

 

Wheelbarrows & Wellies

It seems to have been a long time since I've been here. I would like to say that I have been wearing wellies and wheeling a wheelbarrow but truth be told I've been relishing a deep longer winter hibernation than usual. I'm not sure sure what I've actually achieved but the seasonal jigsaw has been completed,  plenty of books have been enjoyed and much amusing entertainment has been had watching the birds feed. They for one as one of my nieces put it "are blissfully unaware of the turmoil going on around them". On the gardening front little has been done but the flower seed box is immaculate and sorted out in alphabetical order and the seed order will be going in later today. My dahlias were ordered on New Year's Day so I feel that I'm making some inroads, Now I need to get cracking on some indoor jobs before outdoor jobs and the seed sowing season take priority.

Our seasonal jigsaw this year was 'Wheelbarrows and Wellies', the first jigsaw from the Gibson's stable that we have tackled. It was made up of a set of garden related cameos and was most pleasurable to do. You can see some close ups here. The artist Val Goldfinch is behind other jigsaws so we shall look out for her in the future.

My main pleasure in the garden at this time of year is of course snowdrops both in the garden and also my collection of named snowdrops in the greenhouse. Outside up to Christmas everything seemed to be well ahead of schedule but is now back in kilter after the much cooler weather of the last month. However the joy that I get from the indoor residents has been diminished as so many of them have decided not to flower this year. I'm not sure why this has happened but think that water - either too much or too little is a factor. I have to confess that the pots may have baked too dry in the hot spring that we had - they were back outside by then and I took my eyes off inspecting the pots regularly.  I also divided a good number of them in the spring as the pots were crowded and then all the pots almost drowned before I took them in under cover earlier than I usually do because they were just so wet. I think that it has been too stressful for them especially the more immature bulbs and that with some tender loving care they will flower in profusion next year. I do have some showing their colours though and have welcomed some newcomers in the fold namely 'Aunt Agnes', 'Lucy', and 'Green Of Hearts'. Hopefully I will post photos soon.

In the meantime I've gained some snowdrop pleasure elsewhere via Zoom lectures, a virtual snowdrop festival on Instagram from The Garden House in Devon  and from a most enjoyable programme 'Snowdrop Country' here on BBC radio 4 focusing on Alan Street, the nurseryman from  from Avon Bulbs who has been responsible for most of their star snowdrops. Well now having found my way back here I hope to return sooner than later.

IAVOM - Winter Solstice Offering

"So the shortest day came, and the year died,

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - Listen!!"

- an extract from the poem 'The Shortest Day' - by Susan Cooper. You can read the full poem here.

 In what may be my last 'In A Vase On Monday' this year (blooms are few, decidedly soggy and far between at the moment) are :

• The first snowdrops of the season to open in the garden. These are the early flowering 'Fieldgate Prelude' and 'Faringdon Double'. They seem a little ahead of schedule although accurate record keeping is not my most strong point but they are still most welcome. 
• Stems of cornus or dogwood' Anny's Winter Orange' - these with the exception of one snip appeared in November vases.
• Some bleached and well blown about ready peeled seedcases of lunaria annua alba variegata, also known as variegated white honesty from the garden. I have a big pile of this in the greenhouse crying out in the greenhouse for me to to do much in the way of peeling and bring inside the house for Christmas. If anybody should want spare seed there will be no doubt be plenty to spare so please request in comments.

With a special shout out to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for continuing to host us so steadfastly and with such good cheer every Monday, whatever the weather is sending our way and through good times and bad. Looking forward to settling down this evening when surely there can't be any urgent household tasks to deal with, so that I can peruse vases from near and far.

A Week Of Flowers ~ Day 6

Today I've either gone back a good few months or gone forward a month or so with some snowdrops from my garden. Although I make some fuss of my special named snowdrops I love the snowdrops in my garden just as much. This year there are already signs that they may be in flower earlier than usual. I'm hoping that the weather turns colder and holds them back a while longer. Although the frost and fog predicted for this morning didn't materialise (it was slightly misty in the early hours) there seems to be a cooling down in the long term forecast. This will suit the snowdrops and other early flowers in the garden. I'm joining in this week with Cathy's 'A Flower A Day' over at Words and Herbs. Do visit her blog and enjoy the flowers both she and other garden bloggers have been sharing today.