Looking Ahead

Oh yes, you'll make it! I love streps too, though haven't grown any for years.

I'm having a good day so far - planted up some anonymous bulbs I found growing without compost in an old pot and got my gooseberries pruned, which is the most important job in the garden in February! Isn't it nice to have a lovely sunny day? Your iris are gorgeous. I have five out too, and a few very early daffs in pots. Shouldn't be long before those sheep are mothers once again!

I've been doing a little pruning and seed setting myself! I'm enjoying having a heated Propagator...it means I can start early. Sunshine here today, but not. Much to see in the garden. It's a bit muddy after we had our first rain in many weeks over the weekend, which means I have a rainwater supply again thank goodness! lovely blue strep JAne!

Hello Steragram and Cottagekaren - thanks for calling by - yes you can feel Spring in the air but it is still so wet here the ground is really heavy - but everyday there is an improvement - my Hellebores are still going strong they are the best ever

Yes, the hellebores have been good......but very strange this year Jane. Two of mine flowered full on in November and are now gone. Three or four are flowering now, but being knocked back by the hard frosts. Usually my Hellebores are full on in March! perhaps it is just because they are babies, but perhaps more to do with the weather. Next year we'll know better.

That pot is a lovely sight to see when working away in the kitchen, I really like the shade of the flowers. Its a right miserable day here, been pouring with rain nonstop, even the birds look disgruntled although they seem to be having a good old grubbing session working away on my bottom lawn where I raked it yesterday..
My hellebores are so slow this year, one has been flowering away since xmas, even the snow didn't have an effect on it but the others are still asleep, mind you I quite like the staggered flowering as they last longer.....
I haven't started any seed sowing yet, I am one of the gardeners that grow too many, I'm determined to be good this year and cut down, mind you I've been saying that for a lot of years so only time will tell....

Lincslass...I do that as well, so this year, to cut down on the urge to sow the whole packet, I bought some half sized seed trays, which is great cause I can fit four in the Propagator! :)

I was looking at them last night Karen, my son always uses them, I guess its the fact that I have lots of the larger trays already waiting in the shed so I tend to use them consequently too many plants, my own worst enemy my hubby always says, lol.........

My propagator holds four smaller seed trays too,which is plenty for me..I haven't started any off yet,as my cuttings are still overwintering in it....unheated of course..I'm not going to sow mine just yet,maybe in a couple of weeks..and then I'll turn on some heat..It's given a keen frost for tonight.!

Very wise Bloomer. But you know me....impatient. Mind you, I have so many seeds and so many plans for them, it makes sense to get a move on! When I was volunteering at Glamis I learned the joys of the heated Propagator!

Are my eyes deceiving me, or what are those Bindweeds doing in the Iris pot ?

sorry for hijacking your blog and Photo's Jane..your basket is delightful.,and I love the three wise sheep ! Lol.I'm sure your overwintered plants will be fine..They have managed ok this hard winter.and it's almost spring!.

Diane, do you think they look more like dog violets than bindweed?

Linclass - Bloomer -Cottagekaren - we seem to have started off a little forum on this blog which is rather nice -
Dianebulley - the additional plant in my reticulata pot is a violet - it was in the pot originally I bought it in a sell off at Portmerion in Wales last year. I go crazy when I am planting bulbs I pop them in all over the garden - have a good day - Jane

That plant is a wonderful specimen. I've got a small one. I wish it would grow like yours :o)

Hywel - that pot has at lease 5 or 6 cuttings in it I take them in August off the mother plant - root them in water and grow them on - it takes 12 months to get the full cycle- Jane

Thank you ... I'll try it :o)

Thanks Jane. I have some wild Violets that grow naturally in a corner of my garden. Didnt put them there.
Another good idea from GOY although Helen Yemm says we shouldnt put other plants onto the surface of Clematis growing in large tubs. They take the goodness out of the soil and moisture from the Clematis. To put them in pots and stand the pots on the surface to add interest and help keep the parent plant moist. Will do.