April Flowers

We open the garden the last weekend in April and it set me to thinking, is this good timing to show the garden in terms of spring flowers. But this is a quandary shared by many gardeners including, apparently, HRH Prince of Wales.

If only we were open last week, or next week. The main narcissus & muscari are starting to go over, the primula Quakers Bonnets that have adorned the garden since before Christmas are starting to wane, only ever so slightly but they are past their peak.  

On the other hand, the late narcissus are starting to flower, the muscari latifolium are in their prime, with their "look at me" two toned tops. The "forget me nots" never fail to lift the spirits, we have strategically lifted bonnie self sown clumps and moved them to prime spots. The hellebores have flowered profusely since January, the seed heads are now starting to swell. The camassia leichtinii in the orchard will keep us on tenterhooks 'til the last minute as to whether they will flower by then or not.

I have fallen in love with pulmonarias, with only a few in the garden, I have been inspired by the collection at Ballyrobert Cottage Garden, too numerous to mention but Blue Ensign, Roy Davison & Sissinghurst White are among them. 

The geranium macrorrhizum, which I used to despise, I now appreciate for its versatility - thriving in every possible situation. It is starting to flower. I am excited. As is ever thus.....spring....the season of anticipation.