End of Month Review - March 2015

March has not been that warm this year, it has had quite a few frosts and at times has been down right chilly.  The upshot of this is that I think the season is a week or so behind where it was this time last year.  The Magnolia is still tightly in bud and the acers are just thinking about unfurling some leaves.  This does not trouble me as last year they got hit by late frost, I am hoping that they might escape such a frost this year.

I start in the driveway, which is now making me smile.
The lump of tree is to stop people accidentally parking on my planting.  The strip of narcissus is making me very happy.  There have been some crocii and snowdrops previously but they did not make the impact that the daffodils have.
The cedar, which is not much more than a twig at the moment, is getting knobbly, this also makes me very happy.  I have been hankering after a space to put a cedar for quite a while and the driveway has given me this opportunity, it will be a much-loved tree.
and the Aconite Lawn has suddenly given a flush of aconites - how exciting is that?  True, none of them have flowered (ignore that speck of yellow, that is celandine), but now at least I have hope that maybe next year I will get some flowers.
The Knot Garden is looking patient, like it is waiting.  It is.
As I walk through to the back garden I pass this Clematis chirrhosa 'Freckles' which has been flowering since last December.  Such a wonderful plant.
The back garden looks cold and rainy, that is because it is raining whilst I am taking these photographs.
These dwarf narcissus are one of my favourite things at the moment.  I do not remember planting so many but they have come up well this year and are a real joy.
The Rheum is on its way up, I love how bright red it is at the moment.
The Courtyard is also waiting, the rhododendron luteum is heavy in the buy as is the camellia.
There are two new residents in the garden, waiting to be placed, please meet Alice and Richard.
The Prairie Borders are now in their worst moment of the year.  They have just been cut back and they are waiting for the new growth to get going.
Whereas the Spring Border is coming on really well.  The Camellia Jupiter is showing a flash of red flower and the hellebores are all flowering really well.  The rest of the border still looks a little sparse as I am still planting it up.  I have been taking my time doing this.
The Grassy Knoll now has some daffodils planted in it.  I am rather pleased at their specks of colour.
and the Tree Lupin Border is also making me happy.  The contorted willow by the pond is showing good spring colour.  The other willow is covered in its furry pussy-willow flowers and at the far corner the Prunus Ben-Chidori is flowering well.  There are quite a few tulips in this border and they are now on the way up.
The Dancing Lawn has finished its crocus moment and now has a few daffodils dotted around in it.
In the Wild Garden itself there are daffodils and now colour from the hyacinths planted last year.
If it was not such a cold and rainy day then these anemone blanda would be open too.
The violets are flowering well,
and there are quite a few chinodoxia dotted around in the grass and they are doing very well this year.
The Tulip Tree is showing new growth,
as is the Katsura Tree.  I do love the promises that Spring makes,
which includes the promise of colchicum in the Autumn.
The Four Sisters are just waiting a little longer before launching into Spring
and Bruce poses under the gorse as he thinks the colour complements his fur.
In the Long Shoot there are many daisies in the formal lawn.  This is a very good thing, from one small patch I have encouraged them to spread and they are responding.  All that mowing around them has paid off.
The Rosa Hyde Hall hedge is greening up.  The veg beds are a disaster zone, they need weeding and manuring, they will look better in April - promise.
The greenhouse is quite full of cuttings and overwinterings and the first tentative seeds have been sown.  It really needs to warm up a bit further before I get into full swing with sowing.
The pond is quite full, of water, parrot weed and frogspawn.  I am hoping for a good tadpole year this year.

Thanks as ever to Helen for hosting this meme.

Comments

  1. Hoorah glad the eranthis have put in an appearance, hopefully there will be flowers next year.
    Thanks for joining in

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    1. I have my fingers crossed they will flower next year :)

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  2. Ah that's better - it is so great to see your garden maturing - I like the prairie even in its cut back state.

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    1. Thanks :) the cats like hiding in the Prairie Borders - cut down or not, there's something about grasses they love.

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  3. How wonderful to have found a home for a cedar, and so many lovely sprinklings of spring bulbs. Do you prune your contorted willow to maintain good colour?

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    1. Thanks :) I've not pruned the willow yet but it might need cutting back soon. It seems to put on good colour without pruning so far.

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    2. Ah, rats, I was hoping you were an expert! I inherited mine, and I have certainly noticed a dropping off in the intensity of colour since we moved here three winters ago. I want the height but I think I may need to cut back one in three or something similar to keep the lovely bright colour.

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    3. Try giving it a light prune, see if it makes any difference, it won't do it any harm :)

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  4. Thanks for the walk around your garden. Your new Cedar will grow, like all the other fine trees you planted last year. I see the Tulip tree unfolding beautiful leaves, I know it's a fast growing tree, but show their flowers only after about 20 years. Your garden will grow.....
    Wish you happy gardening!

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  5. I like your subtle tree lump to get cars off the plants. It looks quite fetching and is practical. I like the new growth of the Tulip & Katsura tree. It's all good, even the Prairie Borders that you say are at it's worst. Yay for Spring really kicking in now.

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  6. Spring is really showing her colors in your garden!
    Happy Gardening!
    Lea

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  7. I can see why you are happy with your garden - it's all coming together right now.
    You have some lovely specimens which I couldn't dare grow up here. I love the red shoots of the Rheum, it's quite something isn't it.

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