Category Archives: Bulbs

In a Vase on Monday: Sweet April

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April is the month for tulips, but since I had a whole vase full of them last week I thought I would choose just one in its prime for today. Once again I am happy to join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her Monday meme. 😃

This is Tulip Menton. I loved it so much last year that I planted some more along with some Tulip Menton Exotic, which were a little disappointing as they are almost the same colour as Menton but more fussy and without that striking shape. Let‘s see how they develop as they both only opened a few days ago.

My star Hellebore is still going strong, and doesn‘t seem to be bothered by the wind or the dry ground. So it made it into this vase too, along with some Bellis, Buddleia foliage, the first Geranium phaeum to open (brought with me from the old garden), and a Camassia (I am afraid I failed to photograph it close up). The Camassia are small, and I seem to remember rather expensive, so if they don‘t come up reliably next year I think they will not be replaced. They really need to be planted alone, perhaps in a big pot as I did one year, or en masse, which I believe I saw first in a TV report about the nursery (https://www.harespringcottageplants.co.uk) that provided Camassias for Chris Beardshaw‘s garden at the Chelsea  flower show a few years ago.

On the left of the above photo is a peachy pink broom – Cytisus praecox ‘Hollandia’ –  that opened a few days ago too. It looks gorgeous in the Butterfly Bed, and smells nice too.

Below you can see the pretty little flowers of G. phaeum. They are a deep maroon that always reminds me of my school uniform! (Maroon blazers and ties!)

I have been weeding all day, but the usual therapeutic effect of spending time in the garden seemed elusive today. I am sure that looking at all the other vases linking up to Cathy‘s blog will help restore my equilibrium over the next day or so. And I have tomato seedlings to plant up too!

Hope you are all finding something in your gardens to soothe the mind and keep you busy. 💕

 

 

In a Vase on Monday: Tulip Love

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I love tulips!

🌷🌷🌷

And you?

Here are some gorgeous samples to make you smile. They are in a vase because it is Monday and I am joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her Monday meme again.

  • Yellow lily-flowered: West Point
  • Orange lily-flowered: Ballerina
  • Purple: Purple Dream
  • Purple with green: Purple Dance
  • Pink with green and gold tinge: Amazing Parrot
  • Orange and yellow: The packet simply said ‘Parrot’
  • Orange with gold and green tinge: Dynasty Orange (Could be a new favourite!)
  • 2 x yellow and cream with orangey tips: Akebono (last year‘s favourite and still very much loved)

Click on any image to create a slideshow.

My props this week are my collection of hearts. I never intended to collect them, but they just seem to have multiplied over the years and several have a special meaning, reminding me of loved ones past and present. 😊

What is your favourite tulip? Any recommendations most welcome as I will be looking at Peter Nyssen‘s webiste soon and choosing my tulips for autumn planting. Best to preorder as the best and most popular sell out really quickly. 😉 I will definitely be ordering more of these…

Tulipa humilis Helene

I have been so busy in the garden recently and hope to reveal my new project soon. I also have another store cupboard recipe or two to share later this week for all of you avoiding supermarkets like the…. no, I won‘t say it!

My thoughts are with everyone in lockdown, be it partial or total. Our restrictions are slowly being lifted at last here in Bavaria, and the garden centres are reopening this week, albeit with very strict hygiene regulations. Yay!

Have a good week!

😃

 

 

 

In a Vase on Monday: Peachy

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This Easter Monday I am joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly meme, and must thank her again for the focus it gives me.

It has been gorgeous weather here recently and the garden is really coming to life, so I had fewer qualms than of late about picking a handful of flowers to bring indoors.

The later narcissi and early tulips all started opening on Thursday which meant I could enjoy them while working outside on Friday and Saturday. The sweet fragrance of the narcissi every time I passed was a joy, but indoors they are making us sneeze!

The deep orange tulip on the left is Ballerina. Only about half of the original bulbs have flowered so I must replenish them. The larger peachy tulip on the right is Apricot Emperor. I love it in combination with Narcissus Actaea and planted a huge clump of them together in the herb bed. Actaea is the white one with a striking orange ‘eye’.

The dear little Narcissus at the front of the vase is Hawera. It is spreading! I don‘t think that has ever happened with any other Narcissus I have grown, so  it gets 10 out of ten for its delicate appearance and yet durability. The petals curve backwards as it ages and there are usually at least two flower heads to each stem. The graceful yellow botanical tulip is Sylvestris. I do like the botanical ones for their natural and yet elegant looks…. sort of Audrey Hepburn style! 😉

Other Narcissi I used are Cheerfulness, Thalia and a yellow one I have forgotten the name of. Possibly Tamara. I had to include one of my parrot tulips too. They are just so cheeky! And I added a sprig of fresh birch growth. (The trees are all turning green as you watch here!)

Well, as we all enter another week of lockdown I wish you all the best. Stay calm. Keep smiling. Enjoy your gardens. Focus on something you can look forward to. I will be sowing seeds again today.

🌱🌻🌱