Middle March and things are looking cheerful.

Like you, I have been cutting back the borders, and I too found lots of ladybirds much to my surprise. Your hellebores are attractive. I looked at 'Penny's Pink' myself a few weeks ago, but for once discretion ruled! The corydalis are pretty things with their soft colours. I'm not quite sure how I managed it but I have 3 different red ones making an appearance.There's a purple one somewhere but that is either lost or not keen on showing itself yet. I do like your saxifrages. I have no luck at all with the mossy types...

the saxifrages are in a terracotta tower in very sharp drainage. They are very slow growing sadly as a friend is eager to get a piece or 2 from me !

I am amazed at the shades of red/pink I have got. The blue C flexuosa are not in flower yet but they are making buds.

Lots of pretty hellebores, Eileen. You’re fortunate your saxifrage has come in to flower, mine is yet to to do. I love it on the rockery. Your ”manchu” is very cheerful isn’t it! It must add real brightness to the garden on a duller spring day..

I can see why your friend might want the saxifrages SBG. Thanks for the info. Pots are obviously the way forward.

These Saxifraga are alpine ones rather than the border ones that tend to flower mid -late summer. Very small grey green rosettes of needle like leaves.

I try to have something in flower very week of the year. So far I have managed it those some plants flower when the books say they don't. Glad plants cant read!

Ellen's double was a Mother's day present about 10 yrs ago now.

It’s lovely to see it flowering for you on Mother’s Day.

You have some very beautiful flowers, SBG! I love to see your garden! 👏

The dead plant stems are Jap anemone, Helianthus Lemon Queen, phlox and heleniums Paul. I don't have any ornamental grasses in the garden, never really got round to growing any.

The last 2 years a male squirrel has nipped off the Ellen Double flowers and left them at the base of the beech tree, I assumed for his harem of 3 females. They certainly have nibbled at them.

thanks Balcony

What a great mix of plants especially  C chelianthifolia ‘Manchu not seen that one before.

Love your selection of plants. I am envious of the reticulate Iris and the Corydalis, 'cause they just don't do for me. Perhaps you could tell me in what sort of soil you are growing them and the aspect. I've tried several times. I believe the Iris like to be planted quite deeply?

I haven't seen Manchu for sale for a while now, cant remember where I got it from but it does give lots of seedlings. I might be able to lift one for you 3d.

My soil is a reasonable loam with chalk so I am quite alkaline, Siris. [bedrock is chalk and is about 1-2ft down].
the I reticuata are planted about 4" deep and get at least 6hrs of sun every day. the ones down this strip get baked in the summer and I think this is why they do so well here. the ones at the shadier end haven't bulked up as much as the ones in full sun. Hope this helps.

I love your Hellebores Seaburn, but mine don't seem to self seed! I don't know why and haven't got many either!
You have a lovely collection of plants already.

Your garden is waking up in spectacular fashion. Love that corydalis, Beth Evans - not something I see often.

Lovely! Its so satisfying to have something in flower whatever the time of year. The Saxifrages are very pretty and pay for being photographed close up don't they? Am envious of your Corydalis. I just have Tory MP and love it, but it flowers later. There is another yellow one (don't know its name) that prefers very light soil and it grew everywhere including cracks in the pavement in Stafford and I miss it here.
So nice to have found ladybirds waking up! that's your reward or all your hard work...

I had Tory MP too Sue but it didn't survive winter 2011/12. I do have China Blue and Spinners which are budding now.
The bright yellow one with small leaves is probably C lutea. Funnily enough I cant grow it in my garden but the chap over the road has lots of it.

Lots of bees out and about today as well as a brimstone butterfly. I managed to get 3 hrs gardening in too.

Its great to see all our spring flowers opening Seaburn, even on dull wet days its a cheery sight, I've nearly finished cutting back the dead stems, made sure I checked first for ladybirds, I've seen a lot but then I did this time last year as well but then only the odd one from about June onwards, cold wet days forced me to stop..
I have a lovely Corydalis that was a gift from Bj's last year, Beth Evans, its flowering beautifully, I'm keeping it in the pot for now though because I've tried growing the blue many times but it just never survives here, I'll transplant my pink when I can safely keep a small one in a pot for safe keeping, now the yellow one was here when we moved in 1974 , growing down near my g'house under a huge Canchu Iotoneaster, funny thing is I've also tried that in various other parts of the garden without success, I think some of the root is underneath the garden path, yours looks really pretty with the Scilla... Manchu is very attractive, don't think I've seen that one before, my rockery flowers are just beginning to open..
Lovely photo's,....

Thanks lincs.
would you like a C. 'Manchu' baby?

Thanks for the info, SBG, about the reticulate Iris. I can grow Azaleas etc, so soil not that alkaline, sun is not a problem. Think Iris must need planting much deeper.
I have Corydalis ophiocarpa Bronze Beauty, a self seeder, with bronze leaves and yellowish flowers, the only Corydalis that does well for me.