Spring Flowers

15 Mar '07 3:57 am

I'm a little tardy posting these photos as I took them a couple of weeks ago, but I thought they were still worth sharing, particularly the daffs, as they're still going strong in the garden - in fact, I'm picking them every two or three days to go indoors which is lovely and I don't seem to be making a dent in the garden display!

Unfortunately the crocuses have been a bit of a disappointment this year (unless there's more to come) - there are still loads of leaf spikes all over the place, but I only saw a few flowers and none of them opened up like Liza's; then the rain and wind came along and the few that did have buds were flattened to the ground Sad

Maybe they got upset with me when I moved them back in January.

Anyway, I'll take some photos of the hyacinths as they're doing really well - so well, in fact, that I already have plans to buy lots more in the Autumn and increase their patch!

15 Mar '07 7:20 am

Such beautiful harbingers of spring.

15 Mar '07 7:25 am

Sweet Bambi, I am full of admiration for your artistic beautiful Daffodils' portraits! Concerning your Crocuses, do not forget , that they NEVER open at shadowy spots, even if 10cm away there is bright sunshine; they need to be showered by sun! And then , they present all their glorious, hidden colourful details..

21 Mar '07 11:40 am

They're lovely! Smile

Of course for us it's putting in bulbs time. I haven't found much that I fancy yet. I may just resort to buying more of what I've got as I can't see me doing the scaling and scooping out thingies that people do to increase their stock.

So on my list will be more tritileas (sp??? I'm sure that's wrong, but they're also called Ipheon). And more grape hyacinth and some earlicheer. And ooh!... Just realised I don't have any bluebells here. Had them at the old place, must get more!

23 Mar '07 3:53 am

Finally I’m able to post some pictures of my hyacinths. For some reason our camera won’t switch on – I’ve tried all sorts of combinations of batteries (rechargeable, used, brand new, etc) but it’s just not playing ball Wink

. So, the photos below were taken with the camera on my mobile phone which is ok but nothing like as good as the proper one! Plus, I’ve zoomed in on a few of the subjects which has made them really small – I didn’t know it would do that! Also, they were taken on a really grey, dull morning a couple of days ago so please excuse the lack of brightness!

Anyway, here are my lovely hyacinths. I love them so much, I always have to hunker down to have a sniff when I go anywhere near them, which in my garden means pretty much all the time! Hee hee. Laughing

Also, this is the start of my new alpine garden which I’m creating within the little wall that encircles (or should I say en-squares?) the bird bath. Unfortunately I can’t just fill it with soil and plant things in it because there’s a drain underneath which might need to be accessed one day, so I’ve decided that I’m going to put pots of plants inside the wall and fill the gaps with the existing stones. I’m seeing my parents this weekend (we’re meeting at my sister’s new house which is in Middlesex – about 2 hours from us and 4 from them) and I’ve asked them to bring along some sempervivums which they have thriving on their pathways in Devon and which I’d like to add to this little area.

23 Mar '07 4:53 am

Wow, Bambi! I'm very impressed with your fabulous results! The purple of your crocus looks vibrant even though they're still budding and I love it! Daffs are lovely and your hyacinths are truly gorgeous! Love especially the deep blue variety as this colour is missing in my garden! Wink

I can just picture the beauty in your spring garden now with all the fabulous colours! Must be awesome, yes!! Thanks for sharing! Very Happy

23 Mar '07 6:23 pm

Great pictures, Bambi! I'm so very jealous when I see your hyacinths! Mine are barely through the ground, even though the early irises are over and the daffs have just begun blooming here. It's really interesting seeing on this website how things come up differently in different places; not just because of differences in climate but just how bloom together in one place do quite differently in another place.

It drives me crazy when I read those English garden magazines that show different varieties blooming together when here, they bloom at very different times! Plays hob with garden planning when you're trying to copy an effect!

I remember the first time I visited California (at Christmas) and found flowers that here in BC spread their blooms from spring to fall blooming there all at the same time!!

Well, keep up the good work in the garden!

Cheers,

gordonf

24 Mar '07 7:12 am

lol gordonf, I know what you mean about the blooming out of line. I have tried planting things together which the labels say bloom at the same time only to have one a droopy brown mess while the other is bursting forth!
I think secretly these pix of perfect planning are in reality potted greenhouse specimens sneakily popped in place before the camera clicks Shhh

hehe

I have seen mooseys new garden mentor do this once or twice in her program on telly. Very Happy

and if she (Rosemary Verey, the most influential of my gardening hero's ) can do it then it must be perfectly acceptable Wink

Bambi ~ I love to see your crocus blooming! They are so cute! I must whistle out and get some to plant this season and hope Pray

that this time they don't get lost in the undergrowth of weeds Eh?

24 Mar '07 7:35 am

Hi Pumpkin -Is there a new gardening programme on NZ Telly ???? It has been like a desert without one .When is it on ?
Dixie

24 Mar '07 12:03 pm

Hi, everyone!

Here is the picture of my new garden bed taken today between the rain and severe wind! As you can see, it still looks pretty bleak, but it is now all dug up and the soil has been loosened. Peat moss has been added, as most of the area had compacted gravel for soil, and the white stuff you can see is bone meal, which I use as a slow-release fertilizer. Now I have to empty my compost bin onto this area to raise the soil level (it slopes down from the road) and I'll be ready to begin planting; probably by late next week!

The other pictures are of some of my spring flowers. I hope you enjoy them.

Cheers!

gordonf

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

Brava to both Liza and Bambi

Such lovely Spring portraits!

Lovely Spring Flowers!

I'm so Jealous!!

Telly gardening

My New Garden