NEW YEAR, NEW SHOOTS

I thought it would be a good plan to use my first post of the year to look back on 2022 and pick a few of my favourite photos to share again.  However, there are a few things looking good in the garden already, so I'm afraid it is straight back to the regular weekly round up.

(I'll keep the review of 2022 up my sleeve in case things slow down again out there)

My first offering is this Harvington Double White Hellebore, of which I am very proud.  It stands only a few inches off the ground so it required some low level photography.  As with so many Hellebores, the view from a standing position is of the back of its head, so to speak.

Do you find Hellebores tend to sulk around at a juvenile age?  They seem to take a few years before they agree to do anything much in the way of flowering.  Of the four Harvington hybrids I brought a few years ago this is the only one to flower so far (and one definitely curled up and died).  

Here is a more common or garden Hellebore.  I love the purple freckles though.

Making a welcome reappearance is the Winter flowering cherry.  I am thankful to whoever planted this in our garden but I do wonder why any tree would want to flower at this time of year. What pollinators do they attract? Have they been uprooted from their natural habitat on the other side of the world where it would be Summer now?

The delicate pale pink of the blossom would be shown off better by some stunning blue sky behind it, but the weather gods let me down this morning.

This sort of blue would do.  Some forced hyacinths I was given by my sister-in-law, which are scenting the hall with their perfume.

Hyacinth Delft Blue

The primula have been flowering on and off since the Autumn, and seem less affected by a cold snap than the violas.  It might be a good idea to buy a few more and extend my colour pallet beyond white.

As for what I have been up to gardening wise, it's time to prune the roses of course, and clear up all the fallen leaves, which probably takes just as long.  I think if I aim to do 4 or 5 each day, and making allowances for inclement weather, I should be finished by the end of February at the latest.

The Yew hedge behind is still a work in progress

Rosa Reine des Violettes trained over an Agriframes support

Finally, it has become obvious, that despite thinking I had plenty to make up a Six on Saturday, I was in fact one item short.  It's a plant that would never normally reach the giddy heights of its own post when there is more exciting fare to be had.  I would tell you it's name if I could, but I can't.  It's an evergreen fern.  It's survived the dry shade under a yew tree and mixes with the hellebores and variegated ivy.  

So there you have it.  Happy New Year.  Here's to many gardening triumphs to come.

All the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations our new home from home thanks to Jim who is caretaking while the Propagator takes a break.