Forum home Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

2014

1457910148

Posts

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    The incessant rain was getting me down; the wind was howling like a banshee down the chimney.  I decided if I could not do any gardening ( so frustrating with an empty wheeliebin) i could at least don my waterproofs and get some flowers for the weekend from my January garden.  Here they are and what i did with them.  The smell from the snowdrops and the apple mint is delightful.

    image

     

    image

     

    image

     

    image

     

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,991

    So pretty Marion. My snowdrops aren't really out yet. Nothing is. The daphne has pink buds though, it's new, haven't had one before. Looking forward to smelling it. What are the pink flowers in your vases?

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Bergenia, Busy-Lizzie.  It was in the front garden when I came here fifty years ago and has flowered almost non-stop ever since.  I can rely on picking lots at Xmas and the "Elephant ears" leaves have been used by countless if my flower arranging friends repeatedly over the years.

  • maureen60maureen60 Posts: 193

    Those are lovely Happymarion, i will pick some snowdrops tomorrow.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,991

    I have 2 Bergenia in different places from different sources, one really old, the other is about 3 and neither has ever flowered. Don't know why. The leaves aren't very big either.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • How lovely to see some flowers, all I can see in my garden is mud! Tulips, daffs and crocus are shooting up so hopefully soon, if they don't all drown first.

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Busy Lizzie, as they are very long lived - the bergenias, i mean, they probably take some time to reach flowering size (like peonies).  There is a huge spread in the Univ. of Bristol Botanic garden whose original garden was built in 1879.  They are on the edge of the carpark and get little attention but flower prolifically.  I just take off any brown leaves at this time of year and pick bunches of flowers all through the year.  They do not need feeding but I occasionally pinch pieces off the original clump for elsewhere in the garden and this seems to give them a boost.  They do well under trees and by the sides of buildings so perhap full sun and threat of drought is not for them.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,991

    They are in dappled shade, perhaps the summers here are just too hot and dry, though I do water the beds.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    February the first and the garden could not be wetter.  It is still pouring with rain and very windy in Bristol.  There are puddles in places that have never had puddles in the fifty years I have been here.  Forecast is for more of the same on Monday and Wednesday next week and i am so glad I brought ten pots of bulbs in to the conservaory from outdoors.  Lots of the daffs have buds on and hyacinths too.

Sign In or Register to comment.