Farewell Tulips – you’ve been amazing.

Published on by Catherine

I couldn’t let the tulips leave without posting at least one final shot of my absolute favourite of the year, Tulip ‘Ballerina’. She looks as though she will last for another few days, after which she’s being planted into the ground. I’ve been really pleased with all the tulips this year, but I should have bought some more late flowerers to keep the show going a little longer. Lesson learned.

We’ve had some great weather this week, with only one day of wall-to-wall rain. There’s been an isolated shower or two, but otherwise, it’s been warm enough to discard jackets and change out of my gardening sweatshirt into a lightweight shirt. That’s great for mid-May in our area.

I only noticed yesterday that Geum ‘Scarlet Tempest’ was starting to bloom, and just happened to creep into this photo, and the one above – with a little bit of gentle manipulation. They’re a pretty good colour match. The Choisya in the background bloomed this week too.

Tulip ‘Ballerina’ with Geum and Choisya just visible in the background

Elsewhere in the garden, the Lilacs are about to put in an appearance. They’ll probably open in a few days’ time, given the sunshine we’re having. I’ve included them because I like their tight, richly coloured buds. The first two shots were taken during a short lull in Monday’s heavy rain. Plant colours are always so rich after rainfall and I couldn’t resist heading out with the camera, though I did return with rather wet feet. It was worth it.

This is the third spring in my garden for Syringa ‘Belle de Nancy’. She’s planted outside my greenhouse where I can catch the perfume when the wind is blowing in the right direction. When the wind isn’t cooperating, I’m inclined to stop whatever I’m doing (at fairly regular intervals) just to go and breathe in that lovely perfume. These blooms are so fleeting in spring, it seems a waste not to use their relaxing powers to the maximum.

Dripping wet buds of Syringa ‘Belle de Nancy’

Next, we have Syringa Louis Spaeth, a birthday gift last year from one of my sisters. This is the one that caught my eye from the study window and sent me out to investigate those buds. It was worth getting my feet wet in the longish grass. This is the first I’ve seen it bloom. It’s gorgeous as it is, I wonder what it will be like next week.

Syringa ‘Louis Spaeth’ in bud

The final lilac is Syringa is ‘Red Pixie’, one that is always being overlooked. It was planted many years ago, in full sun, but over the years other shrubs and trees have made its little area more shady than is ideal for the plant. However, it continues to flower, but not as prolifically as it should. I’ve been trying to feed it up as I think it’s too old to be successfully moved.

I expect these three lilacs might make a second appearance next week when they’re in full bloom.

Syringa ‘Red Pixie’

I’ve always loved hostas but gave up on them several years ago when I lost the battle against the huge army of snails that seem to love living here. I’ve found though, that I need them in the garden. I love their large, bold leaves (not so much the flowers) but without them, I felt that the borders always appeared to be lacking something. They’re finally back and so far looking good. Next week I might be telling a different story!

Hosta, variety unknown.
Hosta, variety unknown

Finally, for today, I’ve been replanting our large patio planter (nicknamed ‘The Coffin’) and I’ve added these little Geum ‘Petticoats Peach’ along with a Heuchera that is very similar to the colours of the geum’s stem and back. In this shot, the backlighting has bleached out the colour at the edge of the petals, but as the season progresses and the other plants grow, I’ll hope to get some better images.

Geum ‘Petticoats Peach’ & Heuchera

Jim at Garden Ruminations is currently hosting Six on Saturday, and if you pop over to his blog you can enjoy what others have been sharing – beautiful plants and flowers from all over the world. You’ll also find many more on Twitter using the hashtag SixOnSaturday. Perhaps you would like to join in. 

Have a lovely weekend, whatever you’re doing and wherever you are. 😊

17 thoughts on “Farewell Tulips – you’ve been amazing.”

    1. Thanks, Rosie. I think when the tulips die off they leave our garden looking a bit empty. But hopefully our gardens will soon fill up with summer colours.

      Like

  2. My tulips came to a sad and sudden end this year, the constant recent foggy weather resulted in soggy balls so I have dead-headed them all and put the pots outside the back for the foliage to die down. Your garden must smell delightful with all those lilacs. I used to have one in my Doncaster garden which would flower beautifully one year and not so much the next. Mindst you I wasn’t very clued up then about when to prune shrubs. Love your raindrop photos 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s such a pity about your tulips, Jude. We put so much effort into ordering, preparing and growing them – it’s disheartening when the weather destroys them. There’s not much perfume from the lilacs yet. It will take a bit of warmth to release the perfume, but I think that might happen this coming week.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Graeme. I only have two tulips left – Ballerina and the white & green that definitely isn’t ‘Green Star’. I think they’ll be gone in a few days.
      Good memory! It’s still standing – but after planting it up I found vine weevil grubs in the soil that came out! Grrr. I’ve had to hastily order chemical that will be used tomorrow.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. The tulips have been long lasting this year due to the cooler weather, and you are ending on a high note with the lovely Ballerina. The Lilacs look great. Is is supposed to be unlucky to cut them for the house?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, I haven’t heard that about lilacs. Your remark made me rush to google and here’s what it says.

      “Old English tradition holds that lilac trees were favoured by faeries. In the olden days, faeries were highly feared; wild and unpredictable, they were thought to kidnap people. By displaying lilac, you were running the risk of luring them into your home.”

      So there you are. If you’re superstitious then you might be happier not cutting them for the house. 😁

      Like

    1. No holes at the time of the photo. What’s the situation now I wonder?
      Hosta Empress Wu – isn’t that one of the largest hostas in the world? But then, you have plenty of space in your garden for it. I’ll bet it makes a statement when it reaches full growth.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I know what you mean about missing the foliage impact of Hostas, there isn’t much to rival them. Begonia pedatifida ‘Apalala’ is currently impressing me with the size of its leaves, its hardiness and its apparent lack of appeal to slugs. It doesn’t have the sleek elegance of a hosta but it still occupies a similar niche.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The leaves on that begonia are rather nice, Jim. I think you featured that on your blog last year – and anything that slugs n snails don’t like has to be good!

      Like

  7. Your first photo of your tulips is really stunning, the contrast of the orange and blue is amazing! The sun this weekend will have brought out the perfume of your lilacs, your garden must be a lovely place to be.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Pauline. Apologies for the late reply – I got caught up in a number of other things this week and missed this until now. The perfume of the lilac hasn’t been very strong this year and the weekend got off to a good start, but then a heavy mist arrived on Saturday afternoon and it turned rather cold. Nothing we can do about the weather!

      Like

  8. ‘Ballerina’ is indeed a most lovely tulip Catherine – one or two are still hanging on here along with the double white flowered ‘Mount Tacoma’ but my other few tulips are done and dusted. Your lilac flowers look most eye-catching and the scent must be rather special.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ballerina is still holding on, Anna, and still throwing out that lovely perfume. It’s the last of my tulips. I haven’t tried ‘Mount Tacoma’ yet, perhaps that’ll be one of next year’s stars.
      The scent from the lilacs hasn’t been very strong this year, I think it’s just a bit too cold, but the wisteria tree is just starting to flower and I’m definitely getting the strong perfume from that. 😊

      Like

Comments are closed.