This week was described as a ‘quiet’ week by the weathermen. Calm days with some sunshine though some mist and frost in places and some gentle sunsets. I continued my daily pottering though limited to cutting down some of the old growth on the perennials and ferns and turfing out more Bittercress from the borders and beds. This weekend will be a turn for the worse again as another storm heads our way over the Atlantic. “… a very strong to near gale force and gusty southwest wind will develop on Sunday along with heavy rain, as Storm Ciara tracks to the north of the country.” So back to cosying up by the woodburner and reading a book.
This week let’s have a look at all the early spring bulbs that are emerging from beneath the ground and in the many pots I planted last September. I don’t think you can ever have enough pots of spring bulbs. They are so easy to do and you can move them where you like when they start to emerge.
- My spring bed is beginning to look colourful as the crocuses make their way up through the leaf litter and more snowdrops emerge. I have some new crocus bulbs Crocus Chrysanthus ‘Blue Pearl’ and ‘Cream Beauty’ and Crocus ‘Orange Monarch’ ( planted in shallow pans so I can move them around), but for now they remain here as this is the only bit of the garden that receives any sunshine. I may bring these pots inside at the weekend so the flowers don’t get blasted.
- My yellow Iris reticulata ‘Danfordiae‘ have begun to open somewhat reluctantly. They appear to have green markings, but not one of the flowers has opened sufficiently for me to see this properly. I think they might like some sun. They have a sweet scent apparently so I need to stick my nose in a bit closer as I haven’t noticed any.
- More Iris reticulata ‘J S Dijt/Dyt’ ‘ are flowering in pots around my little bit of driftwood. This year’s new dwarf narcissi are only just beginning to open, but more of them in a future SOS post.
- Tulips are on the move. I bought new types this year to trial different colours. So it is all a bit of an experiment. No flowers yet – I don’t expect them until late April – but I liked the way the sun was catching the leaves in this tall pot.
- Last week’s dwarf narcissi in the woodland border were just showing signs of colour. This week has seen the flowers open. I think these are February Gold. They are also the first to flower in the garden and always in February.
- Can you have too many photos of the irises? I think not. Here are last week’s Pixie along with Harmony in the raised bed. Along with some of the lovely low winter sunlight.
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 and probably lots of spring bulbs from the Northerners!
See here for the participant’s guide.
Cornwall in Colours 
Gorgeous Jude, both your flowers and your images of them. I loved your grid display especially. BTW the WP engineers told me that when we do many comments at one sitting their engine thinks it’s being spammed so the “solution” they recommended was to slow down. Very annoying!!!
That’s ridiculous! I imagine most of us will have a session reading posts and commenting. I certainly don’t post as fast as a bot would 😳
A lovely sight for winter-sore eyes! My garden is still a mess after a recent wind storm. Time to call out my yard man to help me clean it up. I’m quite sure that baby tips of crocuses and grape hyacinths are poking up underneath the bracken, and I’m longing to see them again.
We are experiencing a wind storm right now, I’m not sure how many of those crocuses will survive.
Beautiful photos. The colours in the sunlight are stunning. Your garden is looking great
Well it was until today! Been a bit blowy here! Not sure how those crocuses will fare.
I am entranced by your main photo, Jude, with the dappled sunlight playing over your emerging bulbs. Just gorgeous. And I agree, you can never have too many photos of irises.
Beautiful photographs of beautiful iris and crocus. The colours work together really well with the colour of the pots.
Your garden is looking fabulous, Jude.
After the months of fires and years of drought, over the last 4 days we’ve had near cyclonic conditions including 391mm of rain in Sydney, with flooding and king tides. I hate storms!
I hate storms too, especially when they result in water ingress. 😕
Lovely. Your pots are so colourful and cheerful.
Thank you!
My tulips are also mostly on their way up. I need to top dress the pots (40 of them!) And move them into position. Which means I need to jet wash the patio first. Nothing is ever simple…
I like your bulb pots very much, pretty.
Top dress them? With what? Good luck with moving 40 pots! You are going to have a magnificent display in spring. Are they mixed or planted as single varieties?
Oh just 10 or 20mm gravel, I think it looks neater. I think I planted them all as single varieties, 11 or 12 to a pot in two layers. The pots are just big plastic buckets, florist buckets from morrisons, they arent heavy.
I use horticultural grit on the top of mine but I put it on when I plant the bulbs. I’ve gone for single colours this year too, so I can tell which ones are which! Then next year I can order the ones I prefer. I left some of last years in the glazed pots, they are coming up but it remains to be seen if they flower. The new ones are in plastic pots too. As you say, not so heavy to move!
oh what gorgeous spring pots and borders Jude, so very lovely
Well worth the small effort of planting them in September or maybe even October! I like the small bulbs they are so easy and so rewarding. Taller flowers get battered here, even some of my tete a tete got broken this weekend!
I’ve not been bothering because usually we’re not here…wish I had foreseen!
Oh no just seen the battering, that’s so sad. Hope the next storm not as violent