In the garden: an April morning

[callmemadam]

Erythronium growing in shade with epimedium.

I’ve already done all the gardening I intend to do today and it’s warming up outside in spite of an early frost.



Now is the time for the wonderful acid yellows of the spurges and I have several. This is an old cottage garden favourite, formerly known as Euphorbia polychroma but now called E.epithymoides. It makes a low-growing little mound of brilliant spring colour, very good with blues. This plant is still young.


Fritillaria meleagris

I love these snake’s head fritillaries, which are growing in a damp, shady spot at the base of a bank. They are even darker than they look here.


Chaenomeles speciosa

I think this variety is called ‘Geisha Girl’ but I don’t know for sure. It’s a huge shrub, like a small tree and absolutely covered in flowers.


Violas in the porch

Not a good photo but they’re very pretty, unlike the potted tulips. The deer negotiated the fearsome spikes I put in the pot and ate every remaining flower and bud. The whole garden is full of primroses and pulmonarias of various kinds. It’s so good to see the fresh growth of the truly herbaceous plants. Phew! They’ve come through another winter.

Comments

[gwendraith.livejournal.com]

You have such a lovely garden with a great selection of plants. Isn't it lovely to see them all flowering? I love fritillaria meleagris but have no room for them.

It's glorious, have a wonderful weekend, B.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I am something of a plantswoman :-)

Isn't the weather fab? Nothing like a garden full of blossom, and washing blowing on the line to make you feel spring is here.

[trixiebacon.livejournal.com]

All looks lovely. We have a shrub which I think is like your Chaenomeles speciosa, but I've always referred to it as Japonica. It flowers before the leaves, as early as January in the past! Love fritillaries – it'll be fritillary season at Cricklade, up the road, with people moving in strange ways to avoid stepping on them. It always makes me think that Jacques Tati would have liked to film them!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yes, japonica and quince are both common names for it. I used to have a bright red one which, like yours, started flowering in January. It was a titch compared with the one here, though.

That would be a lovely film. I don't know anywhere near here to see fritillaries growing wild, sadly.

[gghost.livejournal.com]

How beautiful everything is, Barbara! Seeing it makes such a lovely start to my morning.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I'm glad! We're having a spell of wonderful warm, sunny weather so must make the most of it while it lasts.