GBBD - After the Snow


The snow's almost gone. It's lain around for the longest period I can remember since moving down here 25 years ago, but the flowers are emerging as if waking up after a nice little nap. If anything they seem to be a bit perkier after their ordeal and I wonder if there's some truth in the alternative name given for late spring snowfall - poor man's fertiliser.

New this month are the crocus and winter aconites shown at the top of the collage. The aconites are just clear of the snowline and will soon be forming a river of gold in the top part of my front garden. The crocuses are just peeping through and should open more fully in the next few days. Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' is showing what a stalwart she is for the winter months. The snowdrops are the lovely double form - from the back garden this time. I can't tell you how many there are as some of them are still buried in snow. The primroses are now in their eighth month of flowering. Elsewhere violas, winter honeysuckle and perennial wallflowers have a few blooms and there's one single Kerria japonica flower. The viburnums and pulmonarias have been totally knocked back by the recent frosts their flowers having turned to mush.

Lots of tantalising buds are beginning to show around the garden despite the major freeze they had last week. That's made up for during the day if the sun comes out - it's beginning to have a real warmth about it and coaxes my plants to show themselves a little more each day. All around life is stirring itself - exciting times indeed.

Garden Bloggers Blooms Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. Hermes15 February 2009 at 08:49

    Aren't plants remarkable - just a bit of Sun and I can start to believe Spring might be on its way at last. What a long, cold winter this has been.

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  2. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 09:33

    Thanks for sharing a taste of spring with us, VP. It's nice to see snowdrops again, and even better to see the sunny yellow of the winter aconites.

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  3. Elizabeth Musgrave15 February 2009 at 10:07

    I have snowdrops and primroses but not much else here. We are probably a bit higher and a bit colder than you are. Love the clematis.

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  4. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 11:19

    Again a Garden Blogger's Bloom Day list with Winter Akonites on it.
    Oh, I do envy you. For some reason, those flowers seem to dislike my garden, and always vanish after a few years.

    I don't have primroses yet, but another gardenblogger in Belgium (living around Brussels, where it's slightly warmer than here in the Campine) already mentioned them on February, 1st.

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  5. Anna15 February 2009 at 11:33

    Some lovely spring blooms VP. I like your 'Freckles' clematis. My parents have clematis cirrhosa 'Jingle Bells' in their garden which is another beauty. I thought we had some aconites, but no sign of them and they would be hard to miss. The snow has long melted here.

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  6. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 11:52

    Hi VP, what strong constitutions those flowers have to withstand the snow and cold! Your snow has certainly lasted a long time. This is the second time I have seen the Clemmie Freckles, must look into it. The sea of gold you describe with the aconites sounds like a dream.
    Frances

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  7. Carol Michel15 February 2009 at 12:54

    These are exciting times in the garden, every day we find a new sprout or bud or something going on. Winter is almost over!

    Thanks for joining in for bloom day!
    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gail15 February 2009 at 13:39

    VP, Good afternoon! The phrase Poor man's fertilizer' is a new one to me, but it makes perfect sense. I used to worry when a snow came along...until I realized all the benefits they afforded some plants. The aconites are delicious...Years ago I tried them, but they didn't like this garden....that was when I was still trying to make my garden something that it can never be...a English cottage garden;-) Have a sweet day,
    Gail

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  9. Rose15 February 2009 at 13:43

    Lovely, VP, especially the clematis--I didn't know there was a variety that bloomed this time of year. We're still a month away from the anticipation of spring blooms that you are feeling.

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  10. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 13:44

    VP, that's a beautiful collage. I would be proud to have those in my garden.~~Dee

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  11. Helen @ Gardening With Confidence15 February 2009 at 15:04

    Very nice display! Love just love aconite, but we have mixed success in Raleigh. The best way for us to have it is as a passalong. My friend Ameila gave me some last year, but alas, it didn't come up this year. Nice to see yours.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unknown15 February 2009 at 15:49

    Lovely flowers. I am still waiting for it to warm up enough here. Soon I'll have blooms to share too. Now I'm just checking out the animal tracks in my yard.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nutty Gnome15 February 2009 at 17:09

    Nice photo VP!
    I've just been out for a bit of a nosey round my garden (having finished indoor renovation jobs for the day!)....I've found quite a few shoots that look hopeful, but no flowers as yet - but then, I'm quite a bit further north than you and it's still quite chilly up here, but spring will come eventually ..even in Derbyshire!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Monica the Garden Faerie15 February 2009 at 17:26

    Aconites are something that have been on my wish list a long time! Love your spring flower blooms. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Tatyana@MySecretGarden15 February 2009 at 19:54

    I like your collage! I can almost smell spring!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mr. McGregor's Daughter15 February 2009 at 20:42

    How pretty your Winter Aconites look already. I should steal, I mean, borrow your idea of planting them in a river of sunshine. (A river of yellow sounds disgusting.) I haven't seen any evidence of them returning yet in my garden. Your Snowdrops are also looking in fine form.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mrs Mac15 February 2009 at 20:48

    We have a few shoots popping up, hyacinths, I think.

    Colchester has lots of daffodils- they must have had a public planting campaign at some stage! They pop up all over roundabouts, verges, alongside people's walls etc. The town turns yellow every spring! I must remember to do lots of photo's this year!
    Anyway, the daff's are popping up, too. No flowers or buds as such so far, but it's nice to see the shoots back again!

    ReplyDelete
  18. VP15 February 2009 at 21:15

    Hi everyone - thanks for all your lovely comments today. I'll come over for a visit over at yours to see what you've been up to!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 21:35

    Your blooms are lovely. Not much blooming yet here in Vermont, but I have really enjoyed visiting everyone and seeing some of the first signs of spring.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Aunt Debbi/kurts mom15 February 2009 at 21:41

    Pretty blooms VP. All I've got are daffodils.

    ReplyDelete
  21. VP15 February 2009 at 22:03

    Liisa and Deb - that goes for you too!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  22. Matron15 February 2009 at 22:08

    If this long spell of freezing weather is really over, I bet everything will come burstin out now. I hope so!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous15 February 2009 at 23:24

    Lovely to see a bit of colour - I forgot it was bloom day - so I may have to do something about it tomorrow
    :(

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dreamybee16 February 2009 at 05:24

    I don't think I've ever seen aconites before-they're beautiful! What a nice spot of bright color for the winter.

    ReplyDelete
  25. TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe16 February 2009 at 08:52

    Lovely VP thank you for showing me those natures small wonders, now I know they are on their way to me too...soon.

    ReplyDelete
  26. VP16 February 2009 at 09:53

    Matron, Karen and Tyra - I'll visit you over at your place.

    Dreamybee - welcome and thanks for visiting. Like the others, I'll hop on over and look at Blooms Day over at your place.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Kerri16 February 2009 at 19:24

    Your spring is closer than ours, but our ground is showing through at last! Of course, it'll probably be covered with white again soon, but the break is nice.
    Lucky you to have such a pretty assortment of portents of spring. You've sure had an unusual amount of snow this winter. Hopefully the plants will appreciate the benefits of snow as mulch and moisture and not suffer ill effects.
    Our cats haven't done any lasting damage, thank heavens. Even then, they'd probably be forgiven :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. VP16 February 2009 at 20:22

    Hi Kerri - welcome and thanks for visiting :) Our cats get forgiven a lot too ;)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Commonweeder16 February 2009 at 22:41

    I do wish that New England's climate was more similar to Olde England's. I have a patch of exposed (dead) grass, but the snow is still deep and all my GBBD pix are inside. Your blooms are lovely and so hope inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog17 February 2009 at 00:30

    What a lovely collage. It really says spring in England. The aconites are especially nice.

    ReplyDelete
  31. VP17 February 2009 at 16:18

    Hi Pat and Jean - lovely to see you and a special welcome to Jean!

    I've been over for a peep at your blooms :)

    ReplyDelete

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