LOVELY TULIPS - BUT THE WEATHER!

We've had a horribly wet and windy week.  I hardly seem to have been able to do a thing outdoors. The forecast for next week looks more promising thankfully, as there is plenty that needs doing (I mean weeding).

The garden has made a big leap forward and the tulips have come into flower.  I love choosing tulips from the bulb catalogues.  There are so many stunning shapes and colours to be combined that I end up with a list far bigger than my budget will stretch to.  Thankfully many of them do return year after year, which keeps the cost down a bit.

These white and purple ones were a bargain large mixed net from Wilkos about four years ago.  I have to remember to be restrained in this bed (and not buy pink ones) as their flowering overlaps with the daffodils, and some nasty colour clashes could result.  The Amelanchier blossom behind Mercury shines out across the garden, although it's scarcely noticeable in this photo.

The whole feel of the Rose Garden has changed in the last week as the rose foliage emerges with its reddish tones.

The Magnolia is looking quite good as well.  I know I was all doom and gloom about this last week when it had been 'got' by the frost.  Fortunately there were enough flowers still in bud which seem to have survived relatively unscathed.  From this distance (I was inside keeping dry) it looks fine.

Lets walk over to the Knot Garden next.

There are three patches of tulips here, which I planted five or six years ago and haven't been topped up at all.  The border is West facing and and slopes down to the South so gets a good amount of sunshine and is reasonably well drained for clay soil.

 

In the foreground is lily flowered Tulipa Burgundy.

This one is Apricot Pride.  I can't believe how well these have done.

Finally we have Tulip Recreado, which is close in colour to Tulip Burgundy above and not as 'blue' as in this photograph.

I have a couple of things in the Greenhouse that I wanted to show you. My Dahlia tubers are starting to sprout - hurrah.   They  are keeping warm on a heated mat.

I also have a Wilkos bargain to share with you.  I found a pack of 10 Liatris spicata for £2.50.  It would be rude not to, wouldn't it?  They were starting to sprout in the bag, and soon pushed themselves through the compost.  I think I'm going to have to go back for another pack .

To finish with I have pear blossom, lined up against a brick wall for its mug shot so I gets all that lovely radiant heat.  This one was planted last May so it's the first time I've seen it in flower.  The variety is Concorde.  I wonder if we will get any fruit?  

 

At last there has been plenty to choose from so it's been fun to put together this weeks post, but I have now run out of room.  Thank you for reading and I hope to see you next week.

Don't forget all the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations where Jim collates all our garden ramblings.