With the jet stream bringing wet weather over from the Atlantic this week has not been one for getting into the garden. Bulbs still remain unplanted, though I did manage to spend a dry afternoon planting some destined for the raised bed. Narcissi, tulips, iris reticulata and muscari will hopefully provide some lovely colour in spring.

Meanwhile here’s six things in the garden today:

1. Stepping stones have been bought and positioned on the new bed and four new white Cyclamen hederifolium  planted as well as 25 Crocus ‘Snow Bunting’ which has yellow-centred, white flowers with a faint purple flush on the outside of the petals and 25 Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’. Often referred to as ‘Snow Crocus‘ the chrysanthus varieties flower earlier than most and produces lilac petals with white around the base and a pretty yellow centre. The thing I love about bulbs is anticipating what they might be like when they come through. I still have bark to spread over this area and I might plant my Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa ‘Golden Lanterns’) here too.
   
2. Ajuga reptans Burgundy Glow – Bugle.  A superb plant for ground cover that suppresses weeds, it has attractive tri-colour foliage and spikes of blue flowers in spring. I planted several clumps along my woodland wall and it has now started to spread quite nicely. As is the case in this garden mine seems to flower at any time of the year, including now.
   
3. Brunnera ‘Sea Heart’ seemed to disappear after flowering, but the leaves have come back, I suspect the S&S had something to do with the disappearance. This is happy in a shady border mixed with Heucheras and Tiarellas, but I had hoped it would have spread more by now. Maybe next year.
   
4. In the front courtyard I have a trough of double flowering Begonias. Not the usual things I grow but the corms were free with another plant order. I grew them last year too and they seemed to be happy in the shady spot. They add some colour to this front area where I can only grow things in containers.
   Next year I might try some of the more specialised Begonias as although I love the leaf shape I am not very keen on the gaudy flowers.
5. Now for some new acquisitions – I know – I said I was NOT going to BUY ANY MORE PLANTS THIS YEAR!  First were a couple of Skimmia japonica female plants that I have been looking for for years (so these don’t count) as I want to have some winter berries. I already have a male plant and the only ones I have seen have also been male, so these just HAD to be purchased. I’ll show photos of them later in the year. But popping into the garden centre to buy a couple of new containers for them I happened to come across a couple of plants at half price. I am a bit of a sucker for a bargain and somehow they jumped onto my trolley.
   Phlox paniculata ‘Twinkle Purple’. I have always wanted a Phlox as I love the scent. It is supposedly hardy and once it has stopped raining it will be planted in my Bee and Butterfly bed.
6. Aster ‘Island’ series. I already have a large container with three different Asters that need to come out. But this little beauty with soft blue petals and yellow centres caught my eye and will replace those in the pot once I manage to extract them. They are a dwarf form which bloom for a very long period in summer and autumn.
   

I hope that there will be some dry weather heading my way soon so I can finish my bulb planting and various other tasks around the garden. I still have a lot of clearing and cleaning up to do too!

As always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls then please pop over to our host, the lovely Jon, AKA ‘The Propagator’ where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world.

See here for the participant’s guide.

Six on Saturday