A WEEK IN MY GARDEN 18 APRIL - A MISCELLANEY OF BULBS

Spring bulbs are the theme for this weeks post.  Cheap to buy and usually good at coming back year after year, they form the main seasonal interest at the moment.

In the Gothic Vases in the Rose Garden there are primulas in soft shades with tulips Merlot and Black Parrot (though just one of the later so far).  I plant these in a plastic pot so they can be easily lifted out and replaced with some Summer planting.  I'm very pleased with this combination of blackcurrant and apricot.  I could refer to them as 'Jam Tart' colours, but then I'd sound like a Sarah Raven catalogue.

That wonderful Spring weather has changed a little as you can see from the rather dramatic clouds in this picture of the Rose Garden.  

Among the white and purple tulips in the central bed is this beauty.  It's a 'broken' tulip, where a naturally occurring virus has caused the pigments in the petals to streak into feathered patterns.

Another shot of the Rose Garden showing the daffodils.  Some earlier varieties have finished but there are others still at their best.

The 'Thalia' daffodils are still looking good in the Woodland Garden and now the first of the bluebells are joining them.

The Erythronium 'Pagoda' are looking lovely, like little lilies.  These have been established here for a good few years, but my attempts to add more of a different variety sadly came to nothing.

There are many bluebells throughout the garden, some more welcome than others, but as you've also found no doubt, removing them from a flower border isn't easy (or even possible?)  Anyway, down here in the woods I'm happy for them to do their thing.  There are some that are, no doubt, the dreaded Spanish variety which we are all supposed to abhor as a usurper, but since eliminating them is not really possible, and they look quite pretty, they will have to stay.

Our garden tour ends, this week in the Knot Garden.  There are tulips in the central beds are Cairo and Burgundy and were chosen to highlight the colours of the Photinia foliage.

Elsewhere in the Knot Garden, this Geranium Phaeum is happy to seed itself around.  I like the foliage too with it's dark markings.  

 

Those are the highlights for this week.   With this warm Spring, the plants are developing fast.  There are buds opening on the Rhododendrons and at this rate, it won't be long before the roses flower.  

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you next week.  Until then, enjoy your garden.