Warm Spring Days

Published on by Catherine

Our temperatures reached 19C (66F) one day this week, and three other days were a pleasant 18C (64.4F). Some may find it amusing that here, on the west coast of Scotland, we consider 19C warm, but we’re used to cooler temperatures and like to make the most of warm, sunny Spring days when they finally arrive! Working and relaxing in the garden this week has been enjoyable. We’ve also had some much-needed rain to loosen up my clay soil. If I had any minor complaint it would be that the mix of sun and strong winds made it challenging to take photographs. In most cases, I waited for some light cloud cover – and here are my six choices for the first ‘Six on Saturday‘ of May.

Prunus ‘Kanzan’ is the perfect example of a wrongly placed tree. It’s at the back of the garden, surrounded by shrubs and other trees which means that I can’t get into its area to get photos when the blossom arrives. The main culprits are an old Syringa ‘Red Pixie’ that I’m planning to cut back, along with a very old and weak azalea that seldom flowers. The area needs breathing space – both shrubs might even be better removed and replaced with something else.

Prunus ‘Kanzan’

Tulip ‘Golden Apeldoorn’. Known to be a good perennial in the borders, Golden Apeldoorn is a strong upright tulip and one I’ll be happy to see each year, providing it can cope with the clay soil.

Tulip Golden ‘Apeldoorn’ in the foreground, right.

Berberis has been in the garden for many years, but I’ve never paid much attention to the flowers. Once you notice them, you realise how pretty they are. I have finally, truly noticed them.

  • Berberis flowers
  • Berberis buds

Tulip ‘Ballerina’. I mentioned a few weeks back that Tulip ‘Ballerina’ looked more red than it should be. I’ve watched it carefully since then and it hasn’t taken a lot of brain power to reach the conclusion that these bulbs are vastly different from those I grew last year. Last year, Ballerina was an outstanding tulip, and I loved it. They’re a massive disappointment this year.

Take a look at the two images below. On the left is this year’s ‘Ballerina’ and on the right is last year’s. No prizes for spotting the differences in colour and shape, but does anyone have a theory? Has something gone wrong with the bulbs? I’m pretty sure that it is Ballerina, it still has that lovely perfume, but the flowers are so different.

Tulip ‘Ballerina’ 2024
Tulip ‘Ballerina’ 2023

Tulip ‘Taco’ is a small species tulip that should return each year. It’s more suitable for my front garden which is where it will be replanted during autumn. Tulip ‘Uncle Tom’ in the background is one of those richly coloured must-have double tulips. I’ve grown it several times and love it more with each year. Here, it’s only providing background interest for T. Taco, but it will appear again in next week’s Six.

Bold colours of Tulip ‘Taco’ in the foreground, ‘Uncle Tom behind’

Tulip ‘Orange Angelique’. This is the tulip featured at the top of the post. The variegated leaves of the tulip are beautiful. It’s one of those plants you look at and think the leaves are enough on their own, does it need flowers too? I can’t find anywhere that mentions that ‘Orange Angelique’ has variegated leaves but assuming it really is ‘Orange Angelique, it does have variegated leaves. The tulip apparently changes colour, darkening to warm sunset shades, as it matures – I expect that’s where the orange comes in. The closeup on the second image shows the fine detail in the colours of the tulip.

  • T. ‘Orange Angelique’ bud
  • Soft colours
  • Soft apricot inside
  • No orange yet…but pretty

Our host for the Six on Saturday meme is the very knowledgeable Jim of Garden Ruminations. If you want to join in and share your garden photos, Jim’s website is ready and waiting for you. You’ll find details there on how to join in.

It’s a holiday weekend for most and if you’ve planned a trip away, I hope you’re enjoying it. If you’re relaxing or working in your garden I hope the weather will be good to you, but whatever you’re doing, have a great weekend!

Catherine 😊

31 thoughts on “Warm Spring Days”

  1. Morning Catherine, you still have very pretty tulips, here it’s soon over… The rain and hail we had knocked them to the ground. ‘Taco’ tulips are my favourite this weekend and the Ballerina 2024 are just as beautiful as the 2023 ones …

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    1. Morning, Fred. Sorry to hear that your weather’s put an end to your tulips. I still have a couple left to bloom and that will be the end of the tulip season!

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  2. Gosh – Tulip ‘Orange Angelique’ is like a couple of tulips thrown into one, the way it changes colour colour. That’s very odd regarding ‘Ballerina.’ I’ve just looked back at old SoSs of mine – they didn’t do as well here this year but were the same colour – softer shades of orange and almost yellow rather than a solid red-orange. Smashing photos and I too now have a greater appreciation of Berberis flowers after seeing yours. What variety is that one?

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    1. Most of the ballerina tulips are going into the compost heap, possibly this afternoon. I’ll try again next year, but it’s very odd, I wonder if it’s some sort of virus in the bulbs? Sorry, I have no idea what variety the Berberis is, probably just a common one. It was bought to stop little people climbing the fence in that area. 😂

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  3. I can’t help with the tulip conundrum, sorry, but it’s very odd. The tulips are all beautiful though and make me ask myself why I don’t have any!
    And I agree, the berberis flowers are very pretty.

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    1. Oh, you should make a note to get some tulip bulbs this coming autumn, Helen. They’re so cheerful in the garden at this time of the year and easy to grow (when they don’t throw up problems over colour and so forth!) 😂

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    1. Thanks Rosie, I have my favourites, but next year I think I’ll go for a softer gentler colour scheme – with maybe one of two bold colours thrown in to liven it up! 😁

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  7. What a wonderful display of tulips, lovely colours too! Also like the berberis flowers, I have noticed them on my plants but have never photographed them.

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  9. Beautiful tulips Catherine. My Ballerina definitely look like the 2023 version, but then mine are from previous years. A good reliable tulip and I will buy more this year.

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    1. Thank you Sarah, I remain confused about the colour of the Ballerina tulips this year. My sister has just sent me photos from her garden – in one area they are bright red, and in another area they are exactly as they should be, orange with flushes of red on the outer petals. A mystery! 🤔

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  11. Our tulips are finished now. What a big difference it makes being in Scotland from being on the south coast of England. We’re now well onto bluebell season. Lovely carpets of blue in the woodlands.

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    1. Your Bluebell Woods must be wonderful to visit. Most of the best bluebell woods in Scotland are further north than where we are – every year I think I’d love to go and walk in one – maybe one day I will do it!

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  12. Your tulips are amazing, Catherine, and wonderful photography – they’re all so beautiful, even the one that’s changing its colour. Do you have squirrels or chipmunks where you are? They’d make a feast of the bulbs here, especially that tasty looking Taco!

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    1. Thanks, Chris. I’ve spotted a couple of squirrels in the garden, and a couple of foxes, but they’re not regular visitors. As far as I know, Chipmunks aren’t native to the UK, though I’ve read that there are Siberian chipmunks now in parts of the UK. I haven’t heard of any being as far north as Scotland though.

      One of my daughters lives in DC and can’t grow tulips because, as you say, the squirrels (and more) make a feast of the bulbs! 🐿️

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  13. Your tulips are lovely Catherine. I do like the Angelique one. I grew ‘Charming Lady’ this year which also changes from a pale yellow to lovely peachy tones. I love the variegated ones though. I have come to suspect that the bulb suppliers sometimes mix up bulbs! 😉 Ballerina is hard to beat, and although it may not look quite as expected it is still a stunner. Hope your warm spell continues. 😃

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    1. When T. ‘Angelique’ started to bloom I thought it could have been ‘Charming Lady’. I grew that one a few years ago, and it is a beautiful tulip. Happy to report that our weather is still good – hoping yours is too! 😎

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  14. My ‘Ballerina’ – both recently purchased and older bulbs look like your September 2023 photo Catherine. Perhaps you have been supplied with the wrong bulb 🤔 Have you contacted the bulb merchant?

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    1. I think there’s more than one set of bulbs that were mislabelled. I haven’t contacted the supplier, though I know I should. I’m just irritated that there seems to be so many incorrect items in orders from so many different suppliers. I’ll buy Ballerina again, but will try a new supplier. 😐

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