Monday 8th April 2019
Dashed home from work and, what a joy! It’s still light enough to run round the garden and cut some flowers. Photos taken at 7.30pm. I’ve chosen rich purple tones for my flower posy today.
Hyacinths have been the highlight of the garden this spring. I’ve managed to get them into flower from Christmas through to April, just by staggering the planting times and bringing them into light and warmth at different times. My favourite is hyacinth Blue Jacket, but today’s posy features deep plum/ purple hyacinth Woodstock. The scent is drifting across the garden as the light of the day fades to dusk.
Just unfurling is Anemone de Caen, pale pink with plum coloured streaks and black stamens. Planted last october in 4″ pots, these will be planted in the wild garden to flower again next year.
Hellebores are still looking good. This one is a seedling from a plant I bought at Hodsock Priory several years ago. It tones beautifully with spring bulbs. The tiny flowers alongside are Daphne Jacqueline Postill, and from the veg patch, some winter salad and mustard- which has run to seed.
Nestled in along side is pink comfrey flowers. I grow this for bees. They simply adore the plant. An important nectar source, early in the season. Also lasts for a week in a vase as a cut flower. There’s plenty for everyone.
When they have finished flowering, I cut the whole plant down to the ground. It will regrow and flower a second time. Nothing is wasted. The leaves are put into a barrel and topped up with water. After a few weeks, the resulting noxious -smelling brew makes a fabulous high potash liquid feed. Just dilute it 1 to 10 when you use it. Free plant food is always welcome.
Forget me nots form a cheerful frill around the base of my posy. Such a pretty biennial, it seeds itself freely around here and is growing in the wild garden- and where it shouldn’t- in all the gravel paths. Cutting them for vases stops forget me nots self seeding and is my attempt to control them, a little.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a mad dash round the garden with me. The sun set within minutes of taking these photos. Still, we must not complain. I’ve more than once has to cut flowers by torchlight, while tripping over the cat. Roll on lighter evenings. That’s what I say!
Thank you to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday. https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/category/gardens/in-a-vase-on-monday/
Anemone :https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/26664/i-Anemone-coronaria-i-De-Caen-Group/Details
Hyacinth Woodstock : https://www.gee-tee.co.uk/bulbs/hyacinths/ordinary-hyacinths/ordinary-hyacinth-woodstock
Comfrey. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/92452/Symphytum-Hidcote-Pink/Details
Bramble Garden 
Just catching up, Karen! What gloriously rich coliurs you gave here – and the comfrey is gorgeous. Is it Hidcote Pink? I do the same with my confrey which, as you say, the bees adore. Any tips for growing the anemones?
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I’m loving these darker shades, so unexpected amidst the usual fluffy lightness of spring.
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That’s what attracted me too. I’ll grow the hyacinths again. They have been amazing and long flowering. Worth planting. Enjoy your weekend Rickii x
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These hyacinth are so enviable. Others have been sharing pictures of theirs as well. I don’t grow them. Forget-me-not is somewhat naturalized here, although not in a bad way, but it does not look as happy as it does in other regions.
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My Comfrey isn’t even showing any foliage yet. Is yours in the greenhouse? Your Hellebores still look fantastic.
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Such deep, rich colours – a gorgeous bouquet, Karen!
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😊 xx
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Karen what beauty of flowers you have in your beautiful garden. The photos are magnificent. The purple Hyacinth Woodstock I like a lot like the Anemone of Caen. I love the Hodsock Priory Hellebore as well as Daphne Jacqueline Postill flowers. Comfrey is very special: I also have it and I make the same liquid with its leaves. Forget-me-nots are lovely. The bouquet I love, it’s magnificent, divine. The colors are wonderful. Thanks for the links, they are very instructive. I am glad that I gave you time after coming to work to make this marigold of bouquet and to photograph it with a very special light. May your vegetables grow healthy and strong so that you can soon pick them up and enjoy them. Have a very good week. Karen love, health and strength for your whole family and for you. Take care and rest. Have good weather for gardening. Loving greetings from Margarita and many memories. 🙂 🙂
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Thank you Margarita. Your comments always make me smile. Sending loving greetings in return. Karen xx
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Thanks Karen. And they make me smile your flowers. Greetings and memories of Margarita.
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Karen what beauty of flowers you have in your beautiful garden. The photos are magnificent. The purple Hyacinth Woodstock I like a lot like the Anemone of Caen. I love the Hodsock Priory Hellebore as well as Daphne Jacqueline Postill flowers. Comfrey is very special: I also have it and I make the same liquid with its leaves. Forget-me-nots are lovely. The bouquet I love, it’s magnificent, divine. The colors are wonderful. Thanks for the links, they are very instructive. I am glad that I gave you time after coming to work to make this marigold of bouquet and to photograph it with a very special light. May your vegetables grow healthy and strong so that you can soon pick them up and enjoy them. Have a very good week. Karen love, health and strength for your whole family and for you. Take care and rest. Have good weather for gardening. Loving greetings from Margarita.
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What a beautiful bouquet! I love it!!!
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Thank you 😊
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As decorative and well photographed as ever. I particularly liked the forget-me-nots
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Thank you Derrick. The forget me nots are taking over the world here. Very pretty even if they are rather invasive.
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Lovely! I thought at first that your anemone was a magnolia bud, it looks so huge. Nice effect with the humble forget-me-nots too.
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Thank you 😊
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After a long day, a walk through the garden collecting flowers as beautiful as these must be the best pick me up possible. Then when you sit and enjoy dinner they are a joy. Have a lovely week.
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Thank you Noelle. Quite right. I put the posy on the kitchen table, and tonight all the flowers have opened right up. The anemone has spilled its black pollen and smudged the pale pink petals. So pretty and of the moment. I wish spring would slow down a little now. The wild cherries are dropping their petals. Too soon. Too soon.
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Lovely mixture, especially the bright blue of the forgetmenots
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Thank you Cathy 😊 xx
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Your photos are perfect, and I enjoy your narrative. This post was a feast for the eyes.
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Thank you Anne. I do wish I had more time. And spring seems to be speeding by. The wild cherries are dropping their petals already. I haven’t had enough time to stand and gaze at them. Tomorrow I will make time. Before it’s too late.
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That’s great that you catch the moments when you can.
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Gorgeous bouquet! I l love the dark purple color of woodstock and they look so beautiful with the mauve hellebores.
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Thank you 😊
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My heart skipped a beat when I saw those pink comfrey blossoms! I’ve only seen them in purple before. And I think the dark red hyacinths are my favorite…I can almost smell yours. 🙂
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Thank you Joanna. The flowers have all opened up today in the heat. The scent this evening is amazing. The comfrey has been buzzing all day with every kind of wild bee. So pleased to see we have so many here when they seem to be in decline. I have just planted some blue comfrey. It has a habit of spreading, but it’s in the wild garden where it is most welcome.
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The story of your garden is very nice and I really like your flowers.
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Thank you 😊
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