More for March...

Rhamnus frangula'Ron Williams with it's fresh new growth 

The miniature 'Duc Van Tol Rose' getting pinker everyday 

I've been keeping a close eye on these Muscari'Golden Fragrace' all I could see was blue ; and I thought oh no more blue Muscari " they've send me the wrong batch". But , no I can see the lower blooms ….maybe... golden. 

Someone has really thrown out the seeds . These are new to me. I'm guessing the Sangusorba , since it's the nearest plant. 

I forgot all about the fiddly pricking out and repotting that needs to be done , I scattered to many seeds in the pots, now I'm great time trying to separate them all. and replant in trays. I think I'll just take small clumps of the  left overs and just plant them in the ground. 

March in the garden...

After a lovely dry, warn, sunny weekend , this week has been the  usual mix of grey, sun, wind and rain March weather. We find ourselves in and out in and out .  Mostly I've been watching the progress of my many seeds I 've got started in various plastic pots. I have  dug up just  and  a few things, but at this time if year I'm trying to  wait till more things start appearing . How many times have I accidentally stuck my spade into a still sleeping plant…many times. So I've just been wandering around nose to the ground.

I was beginning to worry the  Muehlenbeckia had been killed of this winter; but no, looking into the bare wiry stems I can just now see green.

The same here with  Leucosceptrum 'October Moon' , lots of dead brittle stems till this week ; and  now lovely fresh new growth.

A newly planted twig of a tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum pendulum , it's leaves just about to unfurl.

And here Robinia 'twisty baby' 

The normally Chartreuse Euphorbis ridgida's decided to be orange this year.

 Golden tips of Juniperus Media daub's frosted Juniperus media' daubs's frosted'  my  favorite  conifer in the garden, not that I have that many.

If only you were a little wet owl ; but no just a very wet Syneilesis 

A not so shady area , back to the drawing board ...

With this being the first week of spring ; and a beautiful sunny week it was . I had a chance to  move all the shade plants   that will no longer be in shade , but full on sun . So, the Ligularias , Brunnera and Cimifuga all were on the move …again. The dead Accacia  will not much shelter , even with the clematis I've planted to cover it.

All settled in under the bamboo . At least in moving I've made a nice pairing of Brunnera 'looking glass ' and Lamium 

The first tiny blade of Millium effusum Aureum , Bowles Golden Grass which will join my new shady group .

New seedlings of Euphorbis oblongata ; because I now need more sun lovers for the former shade area. Though I'm not sure about these, I see they like dappled shade ; so these will also join the shady bunch...

First Tulip , buds, old friends and more seeds...

My garden seems always to be slightly behind everyone , as far as blooming goes : but not so with this very early Tulip 'Duc Van Tol Rose' from This one from 1700 , is as dainty as a species and so fragrant I didn't need to get down on my hands and knees to get a whiff It only has a very slight blush of pink now ; but that should get pinker  every day.   

Robinia 'Twisty baby' with buds beginning to open, this will be it's second year in the garden.

An old friend returns again , it's eighth year in the garden . Saxifraga furtunei' Silver velvet' still my sentimental favorite . You have been moved over and over again. Still you return ; but never have you grown any bigger.  

I saw Carol Klein on " Gardeners World' last night collecting  Cyclamen coum  seeds and  planting them in pots of compost with just a sprinkling of  Vermiculite ; so off I went this morning: and sure enough I found seed everywhere. At least I hope they are Cyclamen seeds. 

Cyclemen coam seeds and a new sowing of Lychnis coronaria ' occulata'  which is an unusual white with soft pink eye. 

More seedlings…dozens of Achillea 'The pearl' . This will be a very fiddly repotting job . 

The two that refuse...

Refuse to bloom ...that is .  Fritillaria 'persica' has been in the garden for several years ,always looks promising with beautiful healthy foliage. I know it's planted as it should , full sun, good drainage, but still it refuses  me those dark purple blooms. 

I had visions of these Anemone blanda 'white splendor' carpeting  the ' Persica' . The Anemone are spreading nicely around. Now it's just for the ' Persica' to perform . Though even without blooms I enjoy it for the short time it's around.

Another none bloomer  Erthronium 'dens-canis'  has been even longer in the ground. I don't really mind  not having blooms , I love the little thing anyway with it's mottled leaves : any anyway …one day maybe !

We're off...

With the help of a heat mat and a few warm days. The first seeds have spouted up this morning ,  I only started these at the beginning of the week , amazingly quick germination , but they are Achilleas , which happily self seed all over the garden . These are 'The pearl' . "Elegant sprays of pure white double , pom-pom flowers borne over a long period above finely toothed , dark green leaves"

Bare...

After much pulling and snipping. I'm ready for  a  new season ahead. I'm still gutted about loosing both my Acacias .  I've enjoyed  having a shady area  to plant in. Now I'm back to full sun, and scorched plants...

A look back at my shade lovers under the Acacia , perhaps a big umbrella 

Not growing as rapidly as the Acacia , but one day cercidiphyllum-japonicum-pendulum/    will fill in and provide plenty of shade. And a hardy no winter worry tree for once.

And  just as I've made a nice clearing.  These beautifully presented seeds from Seedaholic in Ireland arrived, with both sides printed full of interesting information . I've got two new Euphoria's to try out  E.oblongata and E. sticta 'golden form' . Along with Squirrel tail grass Hordeum jubatum and Bowles golden grass Milium effusum aureum  , Bowles golden grass . Nemophila menziesii 'snowstorm' is a new one , I've never tried any of the Nemophila , probably because "nemophila ' means shade lover , very  lacking in my garden. A fluffy double white Achillea 'The pearl'.  Lychnis coronaria 'Occulata' which is white as well, but with a pink center.I wonder if it's as rampant as the others ? I'd guess ….yes
I've also got Erynginum alpinum super bum. One of the showiest ! so says the blurb. And lastly an annual  Europeon wildflower Anchusa arvensis  which I'm hoping will love my sandy soil. As all the seeds need temps of 68 to 70 F to germinate, I'm taking my time ….