A nice surprise

16 comments

Well this afternon I decided it was time to have he afternoon off work and do some work in the garden. So I cleaned out lots of rubbish from the pond (very cold on the hands) – counted the fish and they were all there and looking healthy, but I do wish they would keep still. I brushed paths and walked around trimming and pruning as necessary and getting rid of some pesky weeds – why do they still grow after -16 in the winter?.(please do not answer that one).
Anyway i wasn’t expecting much life about after the horrible cold winter but I was pleasently surprised as well as all the spring bulbs starting to flower I found this

I assume its petasites japanicus giganteus I assume this as its in the same space where I planted one last year, but I didn’t expect it to survive, I’m glad it did as I love its huge leaves.

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Is there are common name for this plant?
Moving around the garden I came across this pulmonaria in flower

Lovely.
As always my cats followed me, today is a special day as TC is 15 , Happy Birthday TC – he might be getting on a bit, but he can still put Golly (our other cat ) up a tree.

25 Feb, 2011
7 likes

Comments

Stickitoffee

those plants seem so forward! and you are much further north than i am!

25 Feb, 2011

Driad

What is that plant with the big leaves? They have pulled through the winter well! All four of my fish have and the frogs are drifting around in very close couples today.
I have put compost in the seed trays ready for the big day tomorrow, planting. [Here starts my annual night-mare] all those babies waiting to be potted -up. It feels good to get out there and get on with it all, doesn't it?

25 Feb, 2011

Kfunsters

I'm not sure Driad what the plant is I bought it fom a specialist nursery in Cornwall, it specialised in hardy tropicals ( they have a website called "hardy tropicals" )I know what you mean about baby plants, as well as the jobs listed, I moved all my seedlings that had germinated into the greenhouse. To do this i had to get the heater going, finding paraffin these days is hard, I've only found it at B+Q - expensive.

25 Feb, 2011

Lincslass

An afternoon in the garden in my opinion was the best choice, I sympathise with you as regards cleaning the pond, it is a cold job, the frogs have moved back into my bottom pond, much to the delight of both dogs who now won`t leave it alone, I`ve had to put a mesh frame back over it.......
I found the parrafin much too expensive so hubby bought me an electric greenhouse heater, its set to only come on if it freezes so hasn`t been too costly to run.....

25 Feb, 2011

Hywel

Happy Birthday TC !
=^..^=

25 Feb, 2011

Sanbaz

love the giant leaf plant and happy birthday TC :o)

26 Feb, 2011

Helenium

That's the best kind of surprise, you must be delighted! Can you imagine the size of the plant this year, if that was the size of the leaves last year? Enormous! It'll look fantastic!

26 Feb, 2011

Kfunsters

I love those huge leaves too, can't wait for the summer.

26 Feb, 2011

Helenium

What size of pot was it in when you bought it?

26 Feb, 2011

Kfunsters

It really wasn't that big - a medium sized one I think, bu I would like to know if there is a common name for it?

27 Feb, 2011

Helenium

The other name it's known by is Butterbur.