Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is here and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: Continuing dry and cold
Liz Hall leads off this week with a nice variety of spring flowers
Viola ‘Corsica’
A close up of Tulipa ‘Spring Break’
Tulipa ‘Spring Break’ can also be called ‘Spryng Break’
Primula polyanthus ‘Jack in the Green’
Primula polyanthus ‘Dark Rosaleen’
Primula polyanthus ‘Cowichan Cross’
Hose in Hose Primrose ‘Mount Juliet’
Double Aubrieta
Maggie Sugden is back again with yet more from her garden– and a question for you…
Can anyone identify this bulb for me?
Primula bought from Jackie Giles
Primula denticulata
Narcissus ‘W. P. Milne’
Muscari armeniacum ‘Valerie Finnis’ – I bought this when I visited her. Many many years ago!! It has since moved house twice.
Just Tulips
Helleborus ‘Molly’s White’
Fritillaria imperialis. This has taken three years to flower – we gardeners have to be patient, but I think it has been worth it.
A tulip that comes back each year, but I’ve lost the label
Bergenia
And Ann Fritchley has a Bergenia for you to identify
Trillium kurabayashii
Pachyphragma macrocarpa
Fritillaria meleagris – White
Fritillaria imperialis minus vine weevil
Erythronium tuolumnense and Fritillarias
Erythronium revolutum
Caltha palustris and Anemone ranunculoides
Bergenia – anybody know which one?
Scadoxus – a houseplant
Ruth Baumberg’s great primrosessurely prove that spring is here – even if the weather doesn’t
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is here and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: An icy Arctic blast greets Easter Monday, and the temperature takes a while to recoverthrough the week
Kate van Heel has a glorious Trillium in flower, plus a heron playing the good guy – unlike the ones that visit our garden…
Trillium chloropetalum ‘Album’ ( I think) rather than Trillium albidum
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ with Millium effusum ‘Aureum’ and Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’
Ipheion ‘Alberto Castillo’
Camellia ‘Silver Wedding’
The heron keeping an eye on the tadpoles
There’s so much going on in Maggie Sugden’s garden, despite the weather
Omphalodes cappadocica
Primula vulgaris sibthorpii
Primula vulgaris sibthorpii – alba
Viola ‘Molly Sanderson’
Viola ‘Martin’
Trillium chloropetalum rubra
The ubiquitous Magnolia stellata
Scilla sibirica
Scilla, I think!
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’
Pulmonaria ‘Cool Cotton’ I think – I’ve lost the label!
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’
Narcissus ‘Minnow’
Brunnera macrophylla ‘Dawson’s White’
I think this is Glenda Wray’s first contribution to the Gallery – very impressive!
Primula ‘Wanda’ series
Primula ‘Snowmound’ – likes pots better here
Primula clarkei
Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’
Dicentra cucullaria
Corydalis solida subsp. ‘George Baker’
Close-up of the dwarf cherry
Spring bulbs
Amanda Fincham has a very seasonal Pasque flower for us – and I hope that Apricot is under cover during this frosty week!
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is here and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: Starts very warm, but turns cool for the Easter weekend
Brian Denison sends a good selection for his first contribution of 2021
Pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’
Primula vulgaris
Primula ‘Tie Dye’ with Primula vulgaris
Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ just emerging
Pachyphragma macrophyllum
Muscari armeniacum
Hellebore seedlings with Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’
Hacquetia epipactis
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’
Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ in flower
Judith Ladley is guarding her precious Trillium this week
Trillium kurabayashii, complete with beer trap, purchased at our last Conference It’s my only trillium so deserves protecting
Tulipa turkestanica bought this week from York Gate nursery – they are now open on Thursdays and Fridays and have a good selection of bulbs for sale
Geranium ‘Spring Fling’ bought from Vanessa Cook many years ago
General view of hellebores – they are so beautiful
Ruth Baumberg has a very unusual primrose
Green Primrose
Bergenia ciliata
Helleborus viridis
Magnolia starting into bloom
Here’s Liz Hall’s first pictures of the new season, taken, she says, between the showers!
Primula elatior
Primula ‘Lady Greer’
Pulmonaria rubra
Erythronium
Erythronium
Early flowering Bergenia
Cardamine pentaphylla
Bergenia ‘Baby Doll’
Diane Rawnsley’s first showing includes some impressive Hepaticasand a selection of Hellebores
Hepaticas
Helleborus ‘Flash Gordon’
Yellow helleborus
Hybrid hellebores
Synthyris missurica subsp. stellata
Stachyurus praecox
Hacquetia epipactis
Daffodils on the bank
And there’s been a bit of sunshine in the Hackett garden this week – we don’t get much before the Equinox!
The Bloody Dock – Rumex sanguineus
Geranium palmatum
Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’ – no flowers yet
Allium paradoxum var. normale
Allium paradoxum var. normale – under the bird feeders, so enjoying regular guano feeds
Cardamine glanduligera ex ‘Washfield’. Bought from Michael Myers after a talk in 2019, I think
The cardoon, Cynara cardunculus
Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, thriving in deep shade by the stream
Lysichiton americanus, the Skunk Cabbage, skulking in shade
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is on the way and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: High pressure continues for another cool, quiet week
Ann Fritchley leads the way this week, with a little help in pellet form
The Iris unguicularis was being eaten by snails as it flowered until I dealt with them by a few slug pellets down the back of the wall
Primula denticulata – pink always flowers for me before the blue or white
Ficaria verna Flore Pleno Group (d). Celandine is a weed in the garden but very pretty.
The Molly the Witch Paeony (P. mlokosewitschii) new growth is just as attractive as the flowering plant
Sue Gray’s submission includes another little beauty from David Barnes’ garden
Cardamine enneaphylla, a beautiful, well behaved, cardamine which came from David’s garden. When the glossy foliage it is almost black, but gradually changes to green, contrasting with the beautiful cream flowers
Sadly this is not foliage relating to a colony of winter aconites but the emerging, fresh lime green, foliage of a tall, white Aconitum, which is welcome anyway
Erythronium dens-canis ‘Snowflake’, although we appear to have a rogue pink snowflake
Shades of pink – Hellebore, Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’ & Erythronium, but don’t ask me which one!
Anemone blanda – an unfortunate title I always feel as there is nothing bland about these beauties
Corydalis solida ‘George Baker’
Ruth Baumberg says “Well Spring has duly sprung; lots in flower but Iris unguicularis is 5 months later than last winter! The primroses are seeding everywhere including the lawn edges.“
Iris unguicularis
Primroses galore
Just coming out
Hellebores and daffodils in the front garden
Cardamine quinquefolia
Anemone blanda
Maggie Sugden has found a few more flowers for us this week too
Narcissus ‘February Gold’. A bit late!
Viburnum bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’. This has been flowering all winter and has got better and better.
Spring pot
Spring border
And to round off week 4, Judi Barton has a mystery plant for us to identify. She says “I think I planted this but can’t remember where I got it … does anyone recognise this leaf which has persisted through winter. There are shoots emerging nearby.“ I wonder – could that be a hepatica?
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is on the way and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: High pressure returns for a cool, quiet week
Judith Ladley has a basketthat just demands new plants to fill it
My basket – I really enjoy looking for plants to put in – a good excuse for looking round outlets
I wish I could remember the name of this crocus as I find it rather attractive
Self-seeded Corydalis cheilanthifolia
A super specimen of Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’ – well worth what I paid for it! Also Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’ and Skimmia ‘Kew Green’
A self-seeded hellebore – unfortunately it’s wedged itself amongst a bergenia and a paving stone so it will have to stay there, which is a shame because it is rather pretty
Amanda Fincham needs some naming ideas for her delightful Daphnes
First of two wonderfully scented Daphne seedlings from my mother’s garden. Any name suggestions ?
The second Daphne
Three Iris reticulata – top left ‘Gordon’, right ‘Injad Sherwood’ and bottom one, which has lost its label!
A tiny cyclamen grown from wild, using collected seed from an Alpine Garden Society
Ruth Baumberg is back with another treat for the galanthophiles – including that quilted beauty we saw before
Galanthus plicatus ‘Diggory’ – fully open
Galanthus plicatus ‘Trym’
Galanthus ‘Tubby Merlin’
Camellia × williamsii ‘Donation’
Daffodils
Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’
Hamamelis mollis
Maggie Sugden has found a few flowers for us, but says ‘Everyone’s waiting for some sun!
Daphne ‘Perfume Princess’. It’s a new shrub, so I’m surprised it’s flowering!
Crocuses ‘Snow Bunting’, Blue Pearl’ and ‘Cream Beauty’ – The same number of each went in!!
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is on the way and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: Starts showery, but becomes wet and windy during midweek
Here’s Ann Fritchley’s first contribution of the new year, starting with a welcome re-appearance
My pond free of ice, and pleased to see my five goldfish have survived!
Crocus tomassinianus, which has seeded all over during the years
Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Aphrodite’ is a glorious mass of orange flowers and blooms much later than H. Mollis
Leucojum vernum var. vagneri – my favourite
Puschkinia scilloides , a little stalwart which never disappoints
Sue Gray is back again – with a ferny question…
A lovely evergreen fern from David Barnes’ garden. Any ideas what it could be?
Galanthus ‘Spindlestone Surprise’ My cousin lives on the Spindlestone estate in Northumberland, so I had to have some!
Leucojum vernum – green marked variety
The first Erythronium to flower, but don’t ask me which one…
Well, we hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but spring ’21 is on the way and lockdown is still a part of our lives!
Over the coming weeks,I hope you will enjoy sharing your garden pictures with fellow WYHPS members (and anyone else who wants to see them) until the day comes when we can visit each other’s gardens again.
Weather: Cold and dry
The Lockdown Gallery’s first contributor of the season is Amanda Fincham, who reminds us that snow was not so long ago!
Cyclamen coum
Galanthus ‘Primrose Warburg’
Viola ‘Blueberry Swirl’ (in snow)
Viola
Sue Gray steps up next
Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ – I wish I could send the scent on a glorious sunny day
Hepatica nobilis – you might consider the flowers as rather insignificant & sparse, but as it is only about the 2nd time it has flowered in almost 15 years, I will take it, thank you!
Crocus sieberi subsp. sublimis ‘Tricolor’
Crocus tommasinianus
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’
Helleborus orientalis – largely self sown seedlings
Leucojum vernum – yellow marked variety
I’m delighted to welcome Ruth Baumberg to the ’21 Gallery. She brings some fine Hellebores – and the ultimate ‘Drop of Desire…a dimpled beauty!
Galanthus plicatus ‘Diggory’
Red Hellebore
Pale pink semi-double Hellebore
Hellebore – Dark-centred yellow
Lonicera fragrantissima
First double Celandine in flower
Leucojum
Hellebore – Double white with purple spots
Corydalis solida
There’s not much to see in the Hackett garden this week, but I’ve found a few early blooms
Ypsilandra thibetica – This is tiny, but so much tougher than it looks. It makes it back every year
Sterile primula – I don’t know the name of this primula, but since it’s sterile it flowers for many weeks. The regular primroses don’t last anything like as long, but they are the ones that feed the bees
Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ – a tiny, reliable favourite
Iris ‘Frozen Planet’ (Reticulata). Lynne hates the name of this Iris, but loves its cool looks
Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii – handsome geometric patterns, and that lovely acid lime colour
Maggie Sugden offers a strange looking snowdrop
A special snowdrop
Cyclamen coum selected leaf form
Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’
Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’
A selection of hellebores
Ribes laurifolium
Acacia baileyana ‘Purpurea’ – I bought it at East Rushton when we were there on the HPS holiday
In February 2019, I went to Ashwood Nursery (Yes, the one that we were meant to be visiting for our Day Trip last year) for a conducted tour to see “behind the scenes” to view the stock plants, and the different species they use to produce their beautiful Hellebores.
Our tour started in the stock greenhouse where there were benches of beautiful flowering Hellebores.
These are the stock plants from which they cross pollinate to make the wonderful variety of colours that become the Ashwood garden hybrids.
The latest breakthrough in their Hellebore range being the Ashwood Evolution Group, which have pale lime green leaves ( which can look a bit sickly- a personal comment) but the flower colours are something else!
Howard Drury
After the stock plant greenhouse, Howard Drury, our tour guide, explained to us the different species of Hellebore and their crosses.
They do say the Ashwood garden hybrids are exclusive to their nursery but they do also, in the talk, give praise to the breeding work of Rodney Davey and the marbled series. Names that are now well known – Anna’s Red, Pippa’s Purple, Penny’s Pink.
Hellebores are mainly evergreen perennial plants in the Ranunculaceae family from deciduous woodland in Europe and Asia.
This makes them ideal for gardens in the UK.
So now to my garden, I have 3 main areas of Hellebores; behind the house, which is north-facing, under a mature Oak tree and the third area is on top of a 6 foot high wall – this makes it very easy to show off the flowers.
Helleborus foetidus
One of the easiest Hellebores throughout my gardening life has been Helleborus foetidus, this self seeds around the garden, but is very easy to remove if it doesn’t fall in the right place. I have never quite managed to get the strain “Wester Flisk” with red stems or “Gold Bullion” with chartreuse green new foliage. I must try harder this year!
The first ones to flower this winter were Harvington double white, such a clean white.
Harvington Double White
Helleborus sternii, which is growing in a pot under the pergola as it is meant to be slightly more tender, flowers at the same time.
Helleborus sternii
This interspecies hybrid has now been bred with silver leaved varieties and used in breeding to produce the x ericsmithii hybrid which is a cross using H. niger, so it is hardy.
Springfield seedling
This is the other one that was flowering for New Year, and in my New Year flower count, a speckled hybrid.
Anna’s Red – buds
There is promise of more to come:
Meanwhile, just to show how adaptable Hellebores are, this is a Winter pot by the front door with Helleborus niger ‘Christmas Carol’ and Helleborus x sternii ‘Silver Dollar’.
Helleborus niger
Helleborus niger is the next to flower, with a much waxier leaf. Just look at those leaf edges –
(vine weevil?)
It is now into February and the Hellebores are in full flowering mode,
Walberton’s Rosemary is a firm favourite. It looks outward and the clump increases well.
Walberton’s Rosemary
Anna’s Red finally gets round to flowering (see the buds with the snow earlier).
Anna’s Red
The others around the garden include some of the many hybrids, double speckled.
Blotched,
One from the Evolution group,
And finally the Springfield seedlings, these are my hybrids. I do not help with any crosses, they are small plants that are grown on in the garden until they flower, at which point I either keep them or discard depending on their colours and markings.
Springfield seedlings
Hellebores do not work well as cut flowers in the house but they are often displayed in a bowl of water.
My original plant was purchased from Mrs Sybil Spencer at York Gate. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be grown there currently but I love it.
Papaver cambricum double-flowered, orange (d)
2 Hebe Hulkeana
I bought this plant many years ago from Mrs Philippa Rakusen who lived near Wetherby and had a strong association with Harlow Carr.
Hebe hulkeana
3 Filipendula ‘Red Umbrellas’
Fairly new in my garden but I like its colour combination.
Filipendula ‘Red Umbrellas’
4 Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Burning Hearts’
I like the dark foliage which emphasizes the bright flowers.
Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Burning Hearts’
5 Helleborus foetidus Wester Flisk group
This is one of my favourites -I enjoy its foliage as much as its flowers.
Helleborus foetidus Wester Flisk Group
6 Helleborus orientalis
A good specimen bought at Dove Cottage nursery. It produces good seedlings.
Helleborus orientalis
7 Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’
I first saw this at Newby Hall and couldn’t rest until I got one!
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’
8 Crepis rubra
Originally bought from a little nursery near Richmond a long time ago and I found it again at the nursery near Luddenden Foot. Its very difficult to propagate.
Crepis rubra
9 Euphorbia polychroma
Growing in a crack in my path!
Euphorbia polychroma
10 Galega officinalis mauve form
This is one of the first plants I remember as a child. I think my Mother acquired it from a family member and it has been around ever since. I do have a white form but this mauve one is special! Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of the mauve form – here is the ‘Alba’ version
Galega x hartlandii ‘Alba’
All images courtesy of Judith Ladley, except Euphorbia ‘Dixter and Galega ‘Alba’ which are from the HPS Image Library
I bought this from Binny’s Plants when I went with ‘The Gardeniers’ (our little gardening visiting group) up to an HPS AGM in Scotland many years ago. Again it moved house in 2012.
Paeonia ‘Buckeye Belle’
3 Rosa ‘Guinee‘
A beautiful rose that flowers all summer. It was formerly on a wall that is now inside as we had an extension in 2018. It has taken well and flowered in its new position. (Sorry – no picture available for this one)
4 Rosa ‘Wollerton Old Hall‘
A special rose bought when we visited the hall on our HPS holiday
Rosa ‘Wollerton Old Hall’
5 Hosta ‘George Smith‘
Another plant that moves with me, George Smith is a famous flower arranger who lives in Heslington near York. I have visited his beautiful garden a number of times and bought this on one of my early visits.
Hosta ‘George Smith’
6 Galanthus plicatus ‘Wendy’s Gold‘
A beautiful yellow one that cost the earth. I bought it at Primrose Bank nursery in 2019, when they opened for their snowdrops A super day and will go again when I can.
Galanthus plicatus ‘Wendy’s Gold’
7 Delphinium ‘Alice Artindale‘
An unusual delphinium that I got from either Liz or Jackie Giles. I have tried it a few times but it likes where it is and is now flourishing.
Delphinium ‘Alice Artindale’
8 Coronilla valentinasubsp. glauca
A wonderful winter shrub, I bought this a few years ago for this garden.
Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca
I have had it in others and bought it because Gill Evans always brought it to the Plant Forums and I loved it. It is also perfumed.
9 Prunus serrula
This is small tree that has the most wonderful bark It needs to be positioned where it receives a backlit sun Spectacular.
Prunus serrula
10 Daphne tangutica RetusaGroup
Bought at Harrogate Show in 2001. Again moved house with me. Transplanted well and the pink flowers begin in spring and go through the summer.
Daphne tangutica Retusa Group
All images courtesy of Maggie Sugden, except Prunus, Daphne, Coronilla & Hosta which are from the HPS Image Library