A Tantalising Glimpse of Spring

Published on by Catherine

In common with many folk up and down the UK, my wee corner of the woods has been drenched with constant rainfall. On Monday there was a welcome change to the weather. It was cold, breezy – but dry! Gardening jobs were tackled and every so often the sun appeared just to say ‘hello’. Tuesday was similar and on Wednesday, the wind dropped, the sun flitted out and in, and by afternoon it was warm enough to toss aside winter hats & scarves. Three days that provided a welcome glimpse of spring! And just like that it was all over.

It’s been a week of plant and bulb deliveries and I’m sure that many of you will have had a delivery man ringing your doorbells with boxes of garden goodies. I’ve started potting up some of mine into temporary pots. How about you?

Six on Saturday

My white Camellia has flowered. I wasn’t too happy with this photo and went back the following day to try to get a shot in better light, but the flowers had gone. The overnight wind and rain had taken them. There are buds and I’ll check again because I do like those semi-transparent petals.

Camellia, Variety unknown.

Chinodoxas are popping up here and there in the borders – including in my strawberry beds. I had no idea that they were self-seeders. I’m perfectly happy to have them self-seed wherever they want – except perhaps, among my strawberries.

Chionodoxa
Hugs. I thought this was cute. 😀

The Muscari are shooting up in the borders. I can now see that they’re beginning to look congested; they’ll have to be lifted and divided once flowering is over.

Last week there was but one. They’re now taking over too many areas and will have to be divided after flowering.

Continuing on a blue theme, this is Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’. The leaves are still tiny, but they’ll grow very large. In fact, they’ll grow enormous. I love them. The little flowers are very similar to Forget-me-nots and so pretty standing upright on their long, dark stems.

Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’
Close up of flowers on Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’

On the other hand, something’s been making a meal of Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’. It was only planted last autumn so I’m none too pleased. I searched but couldn’t find the culprit, so I dug it up and put it in a pot. Alexander’s Great is in a pot and I suspect that Jack Frost is going to stay in one too. I think I might have too many plants in pots this year…

Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’

These lavender cuttings were taken last August and haven’t grown very much since then, but they have roots and I’ve potted them on and will hope for the best.

Lavender ‘Phenomenal’

And here we are, back at the beginning. I’ve been waiting for Tulip ‘Humilis’ to open in the sunshine, but there has been little sunshine to speak of. I wondered if they would simply die off without ever showing what they looked like inside those pretty petals. The sun made a brief appearance on Wednesday, and the wind dropped. I took the opportunity of taking a few shots…just in case. The forecast ahead isn’t great so they might not open much further than they are right now.

Tulip ‘Humilis’ with a little bit of backlighting.
Close-up of Tulip ‘Humilis’

I’ll be back in a few days with the next photography topic, “Light” but meantime, if you pop over to our host’s site at Garden Ruminations you can meet up with other gardeners from across the world and appreciate their garden stories and lovely photos.

Catherine 😊

23 thoughts on “A Tantalising Glimpse of Spring”

  1. A lovely selection. I hope you get to take some more photos of Tulip ‘Humilis’ – it’s a beauty (and is going on the list!”) It has been tricky getting photos this spring. I see a flower on the cusp of opening and think – I’ll take a photo of it tomorrow when it’s fully opened, only to find it’s raining, windy or the snails have eaten it! I’m a bit envious of your Chinodoxas – mine just get polished off before they can set seed.

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    1. I know how you feel about getting photos – the weather has been against us all this year. Go for your standby today and hope for the better one to come along tomorrow. Then you’ll have a before & after to show!

      Spring bulbs don’t seem to suffer from slugs & snails here, though it’s mostly snails we have in the garden. I wonder if they just wake up earlier in your more southern area and don’t so much like the cold here! 🤔 But they do make up for it later!

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  2. Brunnera is in the spotlight in our Six this week ( and you also showed Alexander’s Great).
    I have a desire of chionodoxas now : I had some, the bulbs must have been nibbled and I have none left. To be added again but in a pot this time.

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    1. The little flowers are lovely on the Brunneras, but I do love their enormous (and beautiful) leaves!

      A pot is definitely the answer to the slug n snail problem with bulbs, but I’m now starting to collect too many of them!

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    1. The camellia has more buds that I hope will open this week. I need a vast umbrella over the garden – we have sunshine and heavy hail showers today, Helen. I’m tempted to stay indoors, but I also want to sow some seeds and pot on a few seedlings. I don’t think you would regret having a brunnera in your garden. 😊

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    1. The flowers on the white camellia tend to be fleeting, but the pink camellia ‘Daintiness’ flowers for a good number of weeks – and that one’s worth the wait. 😊

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    1. The little species tulips bloom early, Rosie, usually (here) in March – April and there are several varieties of Tulip humillis. I have my eye on a few more including Tulipa tarda ‘Interaction’ that is a white with lemon-yellow variegated foliage – and it’s already on the list!

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  8. Your species tulips are gorgeous. I have several, but apart from Tulipa sylvestris (which has been flat on its back and now given up altogether) none have yet appeared! As for my brunnera which has survived several years virtually untouched it has been completely decimated. Bravely it keeps sending up shoots only to be chomped to the ground.

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    1. It can get disheartening at times. Like you I’m waiting for a couple of pots of Tulip ‘Shogun’ to flower and there should be some species tulips in the front garden. Maybe you could lift your brunnera and pot it up?

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  10. I think that photo of the Camellia is luscious and magical…I wish I could grow them here, but our winters are just a bit too cold. ‘Humilis’–wow, what can I say? It’s a stunner, whether fully open or just about. We are coming out of a late snowfall…so many things are blooming…fortunately it’s melting fast, and I hope that’s the last of the cold. On to “real” spring!

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    1. Thanks, Beth – there are also plants I’d love to grow too, but like you, conditions just aren’t suitable. I hope that’s the ‘real’ spring arriving for you now, it feels as though it’s been such a long winter. 

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  11. Love the close ups of your tulips and Brunnera Catherine! We had a few sunny days here too, but the hat and gloves came out again yesterday! LOL! Wishing you (and your tulips) some spring sunshine. 🌷☀️

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