Lots of Blue and White

There's a lot of blue and white around at the moment, both in the sky and in the garden.

First of all, the whites:

clematis avalanche

dicentra spectabilis alba

exochorda

variegated white honesty 

white lilac

Next, the blues: lots and lots of forget-me-nots

forget-me-not

camassia

iris bud

It's not all blue and white though, the sky sometimes goes dark dark grey and the garden has splashes of other colours too.

cerinthe

Cerinthe self sows all over my front garden, and in the back there's more dicentra

dicentra spectabilis

 and the late flowering narcissus tresamble.

narcissus tresamble

But before I go, I must just share with you a tulip, now fully opened and all frayed and pretty -

Tulip Huis Ten Bosch

So Nearly

My goodness it's February already, how did that happen?

I found my snowdrops this morning, hiding under some hellebore leaves.  I thought they'd disappeared (I think that every year, I really should learn!).  They're not quite flowering - but are so nearly.

Also so near to opening is this bud:

I think it's an Iris Reticulata.  I know I planted some last year, trouble is I thought I'd planted them in the front garden so I could see them when I came home each day and this one is very much in the back garden!  As there's no sign of any in the front garden I guess I thought one thing and did another!

Clematis Freckles

But these are definitely out and look so cheerful winding their way through the rose stems.

My Kind of Saturday

Today was my kind of Saturday:
Should have hoovered - didn't
Should have dusted - didn't
Should have cleaned the bathroom - didn't
Should have gone shopping - didn't

So what did I do you might ask?  I gardened, that's what I did, all day!  I cut back, I weeded, I divided, I fed, I swept leaves and cleared the winter debris.  I found tiny shoots emerging all over the place and spring flowers and buds about to burst:

Anenome Blanda

Unknown variety of Daffodils

                        

Hellebores

Primroses

 

White Lilac bud

Ornamental Rhubarb bud

Did I get everything done in the garden that I wanted to? No - there are still weeds to weed and seeds to sow, and I haven't even started on the veg garden...
Am I bothered that I haven't done any housework?  No - just don't come round when it's sunny then you won't notice the dust!

Just Around the Corner

Yesterday it seemed as though spring really was just around the corner.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and plants were bursting into life all over the place, there are buds everywhere:

 Camelia

Actinidia

 Clematis Constance

 Hydrangea

Lilac

I was really pleased to see that the Japonica is covered in blossom buds as last year I only had one flower!  I did prune it by the book last year - the RHS Pruning and Training book and the difference is amazing!

I also found daffodils and tulips popping their noses up - including some tulips where I don't remember there being any before!  But my favourite plant in the garden at the moment has to be these double snowdrops that had been buried under concrete for years and only emerged last year once I'd reclaimed that part of the garden.

Aren't they just beautiful?

The promise of things to come....

My garden is full of promise today.  It feels as though it's teasing me, with its half opened buds, just biding their time, waiting for the right moment.

Alliums - Purple Sensation

unknown clematis

Centranthus ruber

Unknown rose - possibly Mme Alfred Carriere

Rosa Abraham Darby

I am sure the waiting will be worth it!