Some things blooming in the garden now... everywhere I look there are pinks and purples!!

An Aquilegia vulgaris self-seeded seedling.

There are literally hundreds of different self seeded Aquilegia that pop up in nearly every bed and border around the garden. I leave the ones that I like and cut off the flowers of the ones I don't so that they don't get a chance to pollinate or set seed. In this way, each year I get a slightly different, and slightly 'better' set of flowers.

I especially like the double flowered ones like this one, and the 'clematis-flowered' ones. I have been selecting those and now have quite a lot of them in different colours.


Clematis montana

I think the cultivar name for this one is 'Maureen' - however, it was an existing plant in the garden when we moved in, so I don't have a definite record of the variety.

This plant twines over a pergola with honeysuckle on one side, Clematis cirrhosa on another side, and one side left open. They are all equally vigorous, so that none overpowers the other, and the resulting tangle of blooms (the honeysuckle is in flower now too...) is very pleasing.

The advantage of climbers, and the splashes of colour that they bring above head height, is not to be underestimated!


Papaver oriental

This poppy is one of my favourites! I look forward to it every year. The flowers are huge - if opened out flat, they would be about 8 inches in diameter. This pink one is much earlier in flowering than the other red and orange ones in the garden.

Loads of flowers on the little azalea this year!

The colour is a very 'in your face' light red. It definitely acts as a focal point at the bottom of the path where it is planted.

Some years are better than others for this one. It seems to be flowering its head off this year!

With its nice thick trunk and good form, I am temped to dig this one up and train it as a bonsai. I have a nice dark Phormium which could replace it as focal point ... something to think about this autumn. The colour of the phormium would probably work better for that area. However, because there are lots of daylilies in this area as well, I don't want to overdose on the spiky, upright, fan of foliage.

So much to do, so many decisions to make... isn't gardening wonderful!!

Spring brings some wonderful colour combinations. The garden is looking very cheerful, and the warm, sunny weather we've had the last few days has brought out lots of blooms!

A striped tulip in front of Epimedium.






And a beautiful Euphorbia 'Dixter' growing amongst native bluebells.

Well, if I thought things were early last year - I'm even more suprised with this year. Mid-January saw snowdrops and crocus in flower, and now, Hellebores are in full swing and Camellias are also starting to open!!

Unbelievably, crocus and snowdrops are in flower in the garden already. (I've also seen daffodils elsewhere starting to open!!)

December was a mixed bag of wintry weather, with frost - no snow as yet:






Along with some fine days - great for walks along the river!

By mid-April everything was bursting! All the trees were covered in blossom like frosting on cake!














My favourite woodland plants were making a nice show: Epimedium and Bluebells.















And even late tulips were opening their beautiful flowers to the warm sun!