I am not sure if my comment posted, but just in case-- nice to meet you! :) This is my first time visiting your page and it was a lovely tour. Your gardens are beautiful. Looking forward to reading more.
Julie, I greatly enjoyed seeing your photos, as always, and wish we had more garden space here but I am conscious of the amount of work it takes to keep it looking so beautiful. We live in the UK, where daffodils are long gone and tulips just finishing. Our irises are still looking glorious and the peony is opening. Dianthus, scabiosa and geum are all adding colour and verbascum is budding up well. I have seen roses blooming in neighbouring gardens but ours, mainly David Austin beauties, are not there yet.
That sounds so lovely, Joy! I have a real soft spot for the British garden, as you probably know :) I tend to try to work smarter, not harder, so doing a job in its season and then not worrying about it later. Spring is always a rush, no matter how far ahead you felt in February though, I think. Here in Pennsylvania, we usually pass you all in the UK in bloom season during June, running right through roses and all in to a hot summer garden. Sometimes it snows in May and then is very hot in June! So I am really enjoying our early spring this year as there is a bit more time to enjoy it, even if the weeds come too.
The fritillaria caught my eye immediately. I have a small plot of land so at least it isn't that much work. It seems new flowers are opening up daily. Right now my daffodils are ruling, but I also have grape hyacinth and hyacinth in bloom along with one species tulip. My later tulips are getting ready to open. In my shady area are primroses and brunnera. I bought a pansy basket today - I normally plant my own but I think I was feeling lazy. Alana ramblinwitham
That sounds wonderful, and I say enjoy the pansies! These are wonderful days when everything is just getting going out there, and they go by so quickly. Thanks for stopping Alana!
I wish I had the willpower to exercise such discretion with my Bloom Day post, Julie! You have wonderful displays of bulb blooms, some of which (the larger tulips and Fritillaria for example) I can only dream of growing in my zone 10b/11a garden. Enjoy your spring garden as it continues to unfold!
Yes, it is patterned like a snake skin. That plus the way the bud goes up in the air in a triangular shape, so it’s common name is “Snakehead fritillary” :)
It certainly looks as if the pattern is part of the plant. I also agree it is fascinating. Julie has talent with her photos as well which gives us an extra gift.
Hellebore Hill gets my top vote. I simply treasure hellebores and it is always an odd feeling for me that they are called Christmas Roses or to do with Lent because my season is the opposite. For us in my part of Australia, the camellias are out in force and they hold a special place in my heart but today I walked past a garden which had several beds of scarlet pelargoniums - I had to stand and take it all in.
Thanks for stopping for a walk around this morning! HH is a really fun garden that was inspired by one that I saw at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia, a large public garden. When they are grouped together this way they start to reseed all the way down the hill, and you can see them a little better from a lower position. This photo is taken across the top though, as I was watching the sun come up in the morning. Hope you have a wonderful day Catherine :)
I am not sure if my comment posted, but just in case-- nice to meet you! :) This is my first time visiting your page and it was a lovely tour. Your gardens are beautiful. Looking forward to reading more.
Hello Angie! Thanks for stopping by! Have a good Sunday. 🌿🙏
Julie, I greatly enjoyed seeing your photos, as always, and wish we had more garden space here but I am conscious of the amount of work it takes to keep it looking so beautiful. We live in the UK, where daffodils are long gone and tulips just finishing. Our irises are still looking glorious and the peony is opening. Dianthus, scabiosa and geum are all adding colour and verbascum is budding up well. I have seen roses blooming in neighbouring gardens but ours, mainly David Austin beauties, are not there yet.
That sounds so lovely, Joy! I have a real soft spot for the British garden, as you probably know :) I tend to try to work smarter, not harder, so doing a job in its season and then not worrying about it later. Spring is always a rush, no matter how far ahead you felt in February though, I think. Here in Pennsylvania, we usually pass you all in the UK in bloom season during June, running right through roses and all in to a hot summer garden. Sometimes it snows in May and then is very hot in June! So I am really enjoying our early spring this year as there is a bit more time to enjoy it, even if the weeds come too.
The fritillaria caught my eye immediately. I have a small plot of land so at least it isn't that much work. It seems new flowers are opening up daily. Right now my daffodils are ruling, but I also have grape hyacinth and hyacinth in bloom along with one species tulip. My later tulips are getting ready to open. In my shady area are primroses and brunnera. I bought a pansy basket today - I normally plant my own but I think I was feeling lazy. Alana ramblinwitham
That sounds wonderful, and I say enjoy the pansies! These are wonderful days when everything is just getting going out there, and they go by so quickly. Thanks for stopping Alana!
I wish I had the willpower to exercise such discretion with my Bloom Day post, Julie! You have wonderful displays of bulb blooms, some of which (the larger tulips and Fritillaria for example) I can only dream of growing in my zone 10b/11a garden. Enjoy your spring garden as it continues to unfold!
You have such an amazing variety of things growing at your place. Thanks for stopping by!
Gorgeous.
That fritillaria meleagris in the first photo is fascinating. Does it really have that checked pattern or is that just the way the light catches it?
Yes, it is patterned like a snake skin. That plus the way the bud goes up in the air in a triangular shape, so it’s common name is “Snakehead fritillary” :)
It certainly looks as if the pattern is part of the plant. I also agree it is fascinating. Julie has talent with her photos as well which gives us an extra gift.
Thanks Catherine! Yes you are right. These bulbs like damp conditions, so not sure they grow much in dry climates.
Your pictures and prose are a delight!
Thank you Sheri! I am sure your garden is getting going too this month!
Hellebore Hill gets my top vote. I simply treasure hellebores and it is always an odd feeling for me that they are called Christmas Roses or to do with Lent because my season is the opposite. For us in my part of Australia, the camellias are out in force and they hold a special place in my heart but today I walked past a garden which had several beds of scarlet pelargoniums - I had to stand and take it all in.
Thanks for stopping for a walk around this morning! HH is a really fun garden that was inspired by one that I saw at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia, a large public garden. When they are grouped together this way they start to reseed all the way down the hill, and you can see them a little better from a lower position. This photo is taken across the top though, as I was watching the sun come up in the morning. Hope you have a wonderful day Catherine :)
What a lovely tour!(and I love the Goudge quote) 💐 my favorite thing blooming right now are my red tulips- they are so cheerful!
It is so nice to have some real vivid color this time of year! It wakes us up again. :) Thanks for taking a walk around with me!
Cheerful are the best, I agree. Bright and cheerful. That is why the pelargoniums caught my eye.