What a mess! This little patch hasn’t had any attention at all for nearly three months and it shows! Nevertheless it has been getting on growing as best it can, and so here are my Six on Saturday in The Fortnight Garden at the beginning of April. My plan for the next weeks was a lot of vigorous gardening but a slippage in my lower back has put that plan on hold. At least I can still hold the camera!
1.Pulmonaria
This little plant is hiding away next to the back hedge and under a dogwood. The dogwood has been cut down mercilessly (cuttings stuck in pots as a backup, just in case it doesn’t forgive me) and as a result I can see these pretty flowers.
2.Fruit Trees
The quince tree buds are opening and look very pretty. I can’t see the flower buds yet but I am sure they will appear. My heart rather sinks at the prospect of another quince crop at the end of the year as I still have quince jelly from 2016, as well as quince cheese, membrillo. And the Victoria Plum is flowering. I have plum jam from last year, and plums in the freezer. I think now is the time to eat plum crumble! The Conference Pear buds are also considering opening quite soon, as are the Crab Apple buds.
3.Canary Bird
This happy rose is about to burst into flower – we certainly need some cheer!
4.Primroses
Pale yellow primroses are so pretty! A bunch grows under the plum tree and there is another patch near the Acanthus. Some pink primroses are hiding under the hedge and a large plant has self-seeded amongst Japanese Anemones.
5.Bergenias
I like bergenias which I think are not always very popular. I have white ones, Silberlicht, and a deep pink – no idea of the name.
6.Libertia Grandiflora
And finally, a BIG job. I planted the Libertia c.8 years ago and have been wondering what I should do. Well, the decision was taken out of my hands when I started tugging at dead leaves and chunks of plant gave way! I will continue tomorrow.
What a lovely day to be posting Six on Saturday in the Fortnight Garden at the beginning of April! I hope The Propagator is happy too!
I take it you don’t get Libertia seedlings all over the garden then. I still have loads and it’s years since I let that sort flower and seed. Never needed to prop it by division. The white Bergenia is lovely.
No, I haven’t found seedlings, but I tend to cut off the dead flower heads quite early. This plant pulled apart quite easily and clearly needed to be ‘separated’. I will pot the bits and wait to see if they prosper, or not. ‘Silberlicht’ is pretty, but a slightly messy plant, if you know what I mean
lovely pictures of your plum blossom. I’ve been excited to find my fairly new fanned plum is covered in blossom, i’m hoping for lots of plums later in the year.
Thank you! I think I am beginning to understand the plum tree now and prune in the autumn, only taking out broken or dead, and keeping the top down and accessible. I think it only bears on old wood and to support this the new branches at the top of the tree don’t have any flowers; the ones you can see have just been trimmed but not pruned.
I like the photos of the fruit trees in blossom. I recognise the problem about frozen fruit. My freezer has last year’s mulberries in it. Trouble it no one is all that keen on them.
Mulberry jam…? Mixed fruit jam…?
Lovely photos – but having just ‘followed’ your blog, I can see that’s your ‘thing’! Your blossom lifts the heart! I love bergenias too, and the photo of the white sort of peeping out from under the leaf is perfect.
Thank you! And what a lovely and extraordinary garden you have! I am missing my weeks in Brittany this year, photographing the church closes – there is a hint of them on https://londontraveller.org – I love being in France! I assume you found me through Six on Saturday and so I will make a special effort this weekend!