I don’t know about you but we’re still having a long winter’s journey into spring here and it’s lashing rain. We had snow a few weeks ago. To cheer myself up, here are some of my favourite spring flowers. I’m tempted to try the crocus carpet under the trees next year. What do you look forward to seeing in spring?
Victorian-era plant hunters were an intrepid lot
Would you have applied for a job as a plant hunter in the 19th century? The first skill you would have needed was an adventurous spirit. Plant hunting botanists had to survive shipwreck, pirates, numerous accidents and foreign diseases, such as dysentery and yellow fever. Some never came home. I’ve been doing some research on medicinal plants and popular Victorian garden trees and, in this month’s blog, I take a look at a few of the specimens these brave, intrepid men brought back with them that still adorn our gardens today…
January joys in the garden
It takes a bit of searching to find colour in my garden this month but I always appreciate it when I do. I had to get up close with the camera to find little yellow crocus among dead leaves, drifts of snowdrops, tiny pink and white flowers of sweet-scented Viburnum 'Fragrans' and spiky leaves of Mahonia japonica with cheerful yellow flowers. And, of course, a friendly robin.
May spring growth be with you
As I look out on my May garden, it's hard to imagine what it was like only two months ago but all I have to do is glance back at the photos in my March post to see several feet of snow. Unlike my hero in THE NEGLECTED GARDEN, nature never dwells on the past and, although spring plants are late arriving this year, they are just as beautiful and even more welcome than ever. I'm going to celebrate spring with plenty of photographs.