Wordless Wednesday

My Crocus's from last week - when the sun was out and it was spring. *sigh*

Garden envy!

On Saturday it was Hellebore Day at Bosvigo Gardens in Truro.

At this time of year the Woodland Garden is opened to raise money for Shelterbox. It's always an inspiration, but also always different depending on the progress of the seasons. I felt things were a little late this year, there seemed slightly fewer Hellebores than usual but the overall effect was, as ever, stunning!

This year we went in the mid afternoon which meant that the Hellebores for sale had largely gone - probably a good thing given my inability to leave without bags full in the past!

The low afternoon sun slanted across the tumbling drifts of spring flowers.

Snowdrops, Hellebores, Crocus, Daffodils and Puschkinia jostling together down a sunlit bank.

Vibrant Crocus underplanting dark Hellebores.

Puschkinia and Daffodils.

And here it comes... it was inevitable - the Hellebore rave! 

There was a gorgeous selection of pale yellows, delicate greens and whites...

and lovely rich pinks and metallic purples...

and I have two new favourites. First is this fantastic speckled, green double. It had slimmer and more delicate petals than many Hellebores and the speckles are on every petal and spread almost to the tips. It was tall and the flowers faced outwards rather than dropping down as some do.

I haven't seen a Hellebore like this before, but sadly there wasn't one in the sale so it remains a dream, at least until next year.

Then there was this gorgeous yellow single, with an orangey central blotch.

It was tall and branching and all over fabulous!

Tearing myself away from the Hellebores, because there was so much more - there were gorgeous Hamamelis...

and wonderful Snowdrops...

with beautiful markings...

and great drifts of Crocus...

almost glowing in the sunlight.

Elsewhere in the garden there were pinky Catkins and a lawn speckled with the little arrows of Narcissus Cyclamineus

There were also refreshments in the house and some lovely serene places to sit!

It was, as always a lovely visit, but now I feel I really need more spring bulbs in my garden - I shall make a plan now for September and then quite possibly mislay it until it's too late. 

However as long as there's a plan there's always a chance it might happen!

Proof of Action!

After my last post I thought I should prove that I had been out in the garden and done some stuff. Specifically I cut back my old Hellebore foliage and tried to prevent my Clematis armandii from wiggling it's way up under the utility room roof tiles.

The Clematis wrangling led to some casualties, and the snails had been at a couple of my Hellebores (grrrrr - swines!) so some dinky flower arrangements occurred which I was rather pleased with!

I also thought I'd post a reminder that it is Bosvigo Gardens Hellebore Day in Truro this coming Saturday. 

It's a chance to revel in a garden that is very much not ignored and neglected like mine and has an amazing early show of spring loveliness every year. I'll be there (with my garden envy), probably raving about Hellebores again!

Right - time to get sorted!

So, this weekend one thing has been proved - I have officially been rubbish so far this year! Before the chorus of polite 'no, no, you're too hard on yourself, the weather's been dreadful etc' starts there is material evidence of my rubbishness.

These are my spring pots, planted months ago with Angelique and purple Parrot Tulips and Anemone Blanda, and Tete a Tete Daffodils and tended out of sight round the side of the house ready to be displayed when they started to shoot. 

Now you don't have to have a trained eye to notice that these pots are doing rather more than shooting - they are almost in flower. Another week or two and I would have missed them altogether! This situation is due in part to my shocking memory and to the fact that I haven't really stuck my nose out into the garden at all this year.

That needs to change! Things are happening in the garden in spite of me rather than because of me and I can take no credit whatsoever. I'd like to blame the weather - snow, ice, hard frosts etc, but living in Cornwall we can't really claim that. We've had cold, wet and miserable but we have also had bright, crisp and sunny. I just haven't wanted to garden.

But now I'm behind (AGAIN!). Our growing season in mild Cornwall is well and truly underway and I haven't started clearing and planning - let alone sowing and planting! Broad beans could be sown inside around now - if I'd only got round to buying some!

So, change is afoot! First a survey of what needs doing - on second thoughts, let's gloss over that - let's look at what's looking lovely instead.

Firstly there's my Clematis Armandii...

covered in buds and gorgeous in the sun, the fragrance isn't powerful yet but when those buds open and the sun shines...

Then there are my favourite Hellebores...

dark and single, tall and veined, perfectly formed dark doubles and singles.

Then pale, graceful and speckly, although I didn't plant the one on the left - it just appeared! Pale pink on the outside and creamy yellow on the inside I think this is one that has hybridised itself - which is a lovely surprise.

The yellow Hellebore that I bought 2 years ago from Bosvigo Gardens, and which I haven't seen since, has revived and is flowering happily. 

Hopefully I will manage to keep it from being buried without trace by over enthusiastic undergrowth again. The tall white that I bought at the same time has been less lucky - I think it's rescue came too late, there is no sign of flowers or leaves there.

The Crocus's are coming...

and the Iris Reticulata are doing well...

 although you may notice from the above photograph, they are flowering gorgeously in the middle of a large Osteospermum!

If you stick your head into the middle of the bush you can see them beautifully...

although it plays havoc with your hair!

There is only one solitary Iris that is easily appreciated!

Why on earth would I plant them there? My glorious memory strikes again!

Then there are the old stalwarts that carry on every year...

cheery Primroses, new shoots of Euphorbia, winter flowering Jasmin and Arum italicum

(clockwise from top left)

All in all not a bad showing for a garden ignored and neglected.

I'd like to think that when I start to intervene the results will be startlingly improved, but actually all I want to achieve is to frame the loveliness that is already there. Plants and flowers are amazing, stunning and individual, merely requiring a little space and a modicum of care (yes I know, not so much in my case) and they will thrive and repay us in full.

So, onward and upwards, list making time I think - what do you mean a diversionary tactic to avoid doing any real work - I'm sure I don't know what you mean!