colour showing everywhere

Thats right Snoops, Vinca major variegata I think ......to give it its sunday name, watch it Fran, it sends out long tendrils that can root a distance away from the parent, I just gather them upmin my hand and chop them off, easy to root if you want more plants though.....

I love to see your crocus and snowdrops coming through, very early this year.
Are some of the snowdrops doubles?

lovely flowers, it is great seeing what jewels you have and it is so exciting.

if the perriwinkle flower is bigger than 1/2" across it is Vinca major: if its less then it will be vinca minor variegata. I have a blue form and a white flowered form. as well as some named varieties.

Was thinking same as Pam double snowdrops that's a bonus, although I imagine the whole garden is a bonus, Goy members will soon help you fill it.

Absolutely lovely! I dug out some Vinca major (blue periwinkle) in my raised beds here. It was rooting itself right through the border. The 'minor' ones are much nicer in my view. They all need hacking back from time to time or they seem to lose their desire to flower. I do the same as Pam...gather the sprawling stems in my hand and cut them back with scissors or secateurs. I can tell you are enjoying yourself Fran! :))

Oh the joy of your first ever garden. I will never forget that feeling after living in a flat. My garden can be walked around in 30 seconds, but it takes me forever as I minutely study every inch of ground. I wish you every happiness in your new garden. x Nan

Lovely pictures Fran. Isn't this an exciting time of year as we watch all the new life emerging? Even more so for you...happy gardening :)

Fantastic Fran, your prior tenant was a keen bulb planter person! I love that row of Daffs all in a line and with buds too. Better than mine! I have an idea what all your green fronds are in the first picture.....but I will PM you about that. Crocus are lovely, they are tough and survivors too and give delight really early in the season. I have some in my big Crinum pot and the've sqeezed in there for years with Big brother Crinum bulbs, which can be 10 inches across.

Dorjac, please identify the first pic here as I'm longing to know what it is! its like little butterflies.

Fran, we have been waiting ages to know what's hidden in your garden and at last things are beginning to show themselves. Wonder what will be next?

Fran its a treat to join you in discovering whats growing in your new garden, I assure you we'd all be the same if we were in your shoes, you are in for an exciting time and when you have discovered everything and start putting your own stamp on it then we'll enjoy that as well, I'm just pleased you have found your own little Shangrilla...might not have spelled that correctly..

How exciting for you Fran to find brand new flowers emerging almost daily in your very own garden who knows what treats there are in store for you ... Happy Gardening :o))

Happy Gardening and discovering Fran, hope we all have a great spring and summer to see more great pictures of lovely gardens on here. Glad you are settling in and enjoying your first ever garden, long may it continue. :O)

Can you imagine how excited you are going to get as the year progresses Fran. Wonderful that you have some lovely spring bulbs to start your year of discovery.
Re the edge between neighbours, have you asked them? It looks to me 50/50, as both paths are different and the join is in the middle.
Have you been out bare foot on the lawn yet :)

the first picture is crocus to my eye any way.

Oh yes, I guess so - but aren't they little fragile ones? Even the species don't often look so dainty and fragile. I thought they were something exotic!

Oh, you lovely people!! It did feel a bit like someone showing off their window-box to the people at Kew! 

Sorry, this is going to be a bit long, but I want to answer you all.

Lol Snoop, I did wonder if I’d been a Jonah, I moved in just in time for the abnormally lousy weather – but then I read there was bad weather in London, too, so I can’t be blamed for both! (unless I left a part of my aura there).

I hadn’t looked that closely at the snowdrops, Pam – it was enough of a contortion to kneel and crouch to get these pics. I hadn’t thought of doubles, I’ll have to have another contort now you’ve mentioned it

Thanks both for the Vinca ID – I’ve only seen the one flower so far, so it doesn’t look like it’s very rampant (yet).

Thanks, Seaburngirl, I’ll have to measure it to find which one it is

Lol Bjs, any flower that’s not in a pot is a bonus!! Once I know what I’ve got, and checked up what it’s like in all seasons, I’ll know what I want to keep where it is, or at all. And I’ve still got my plants from the old place to find new homes for.

I really am beginning to enjoy myself, Karen, now I can go outside without the risk of being blown or washed away! I generally err on the side of caution when it comes to cutting back – bit hard to stick it back on if too much is taken off!

I still can’t quite believe it, Nannijii, my very own garden, all mine!!! (demonical laugh). I roughly measured it by pacing, make to be about thirty foot square – even I could get round that in short order! But I want to do so much, and aren’t quite sure what to do when or where. but planning is half the fun.

Thanks, Waddy. Once I get stuck in, there’ll be lots to do – it’s just taking the plunge. I’m going to make lots of mistakes and kill more than a few plants in the process, I should think; but so long as I don’t make the same mistake twice!

Thanks, Dorjac. At first, I was a little disappointed at the unimaginative planting scheme, but the bulbs are making up for that. I’ve found another few bunches of what look like daffs or narcs in the back border, no colour showing yet, or at least there wasn’t the last time that I looked. I’ve even got some coming up in the middle of the green mat in the small raised bed – had no idea anything was there apart from the greet mat of whatever-it-is. Your Crinum tub sounds lovely, do you have any pics? Or is there nothing to take pics of yet?

Lol you and me both, Stera! There are lots more shoots coming up, and who knows what’s hasn’t managed to break ground yet? I’m going to have to be so careful with weeding etc, in case I pull up something that I should have left alone.

Thanks, Lincs – I do feel a bit like a kid at Christmas – only even more so, cos this time I *know* I’ll be getting presents that I actually want! Lol I know what you mean, and it will be – my secret place where I shall stay forever young.

Thanks, Amy. Not been out for a day or so, so I expect there’ll be even more new treasures to discover.

Thanks, Olive; just sort of beginning to settle in, inside and out, but still so much to do and don’t know where to start, either inside or out. But no matter how good it gets, *this* year is something I won’t forget in a hurry.

Thanks, Scottish, I think perhaps I moved here at the right time of year, despite the weather – and even that might turn out to be a good thing – I won’t have to spend a year worrying about what it’s going to be like in winter, I know already! Though, of course if-when we get snow …

I’ve not spoken to the neighbours since we had a chat when I came to view; not seen them outside, not been outside myself much, so hardly surprising. I could drop them a note, but it’s hardly something I need to know urgently, so it’ll keep till we happen across each other.

Lol I had my first barefoot lawn experience yesterday. It was flippin’ cold! But I thought that it was about time I did so – one of my dreams about having a garden was to walk barefoot, to connect to the ground, so I did. This is one reason I sort of want a taller fence between us: then maybe I won’t have to stop at “barefoot”!!

The first pic could be crocus, but not as robust as the other ones. I assumed that the flowers belonged to the greenery that they were growing amongst, and that didn’t fit any crocus that I knew about – but of course they could be growing through

If you want to look into the snowdrop put a finger gently under its head and lift it .
you could pick a few for the house then look at them, there are a huge number of varieties I think.
the singles are elegant I think and the doubles like dancers frilly skirts

I just stuck my nose out of the door, it got wet, so I ducked back in again pdq! As soon as I can go outside and stay dry I'll have a peer and see what they are - there's a tiny clumo in a corner right outside the front door, too, whch might be easier to get at

It must be very exciting for you to see so many bulbs springing up in your new garden! I know I'd be thrill3ed to bits!

im happy to see the bulbs from last year flowering again! They were left in the troughs all year - for thre first time ever in the 12 years i have been gardening on the balcony! All the Daffs have survived & are now in full bloom! Many Crocuses &Snowdrops are also flowering now!

It is, Balcony - I'm taking stacks of pictures (lol some even in focus), because, no matter how long i live here or bow much I do to the garden, this year, my very first year, will always be special.

I'm glad the Tete-a-Tet's didn't mind the move, shame more of my old plants aren't so adaptable! I had them all in a corner, the most wind-sheltered place I could find, with plastic crates for some kind of wind-break, but maybe the other plants wre on the way out anyway and this finished them - and if this didn't sure the snow will ,(when it arrives)

You've not balcony-gardened for 12 years?? Did I read that right?

I've got snowdrops, single flowers, as I managed to find out - not many but maybe they're so tiny that i don't notice them till I'm up close. I planted a stack more that I bought last year; they might or might not come up this year - sort of hope they do, but sort of hope they don't, cos they should have been planted Seot-Dec, they didn't go in till March, so they won't have had the time to get energy tp put out flowers, they should build up their strength for later.

Just have to add Fran how great it is to share in your excitement and discoveries - a great antidote to taking anything at all for granted! I think probably we all feel excited for you, I know I do.

thanks, Stera, I did wonder if I were getting a bit too eager, after all, most GoYers have been doing it longer, and have more to do it with, than me. But this *is* my frist year of having a proper garden ...