Lemon Stardust and Netty’s Pride Liliums – a cardboard tapestry of blooms.

As I look at the beautiful array  of bulbs  in my local garden centre I find it very hard to resist walking away without buying some. They are such a colourful cardboard tapestry of blooms.  I just can’t ignore the beautiful flowers on the fronts of the packaging.  There’s so much choice and its like being back in a sweetie shop  from childhood days figuring out what to choose (Candy for my “across the pond “readers).  I always liked the toffees, bonbons and clove rock as they lasted longer than the soft centres.  Longevity is what I was looking for in a sweet  and this year its going to be the same with my bulbs. 

 

.

I really would like to find a source for Martagon turncap lilies as these were the first lilies I grew as a child in my own garden.  My grandad had huge clumps of yellow ones  in his garden and the little bulbils were so easy to establish in my garden.  I might just wait till Autumn time to try to find these in the catalogues as I have not seen them in my local garden centre. I loved those blooms as a child.

.

I’ve started the Lilium collection with  some packets of each variety as they only come in  twos so I am going to need quite a few  of the same varieties to have  impact in the garden.  I’ve seen a few more in the garden centre that I would like  and I must get them bought quickly as the choice might not be as good later on as the Perthshire gardeners awaken  defrost from their winter hibernation.  Alot will depend on their final height as I don’t want them too tall.  I also want to buy them without the weak stem growth showing in the packets as they need to grow good strong roots before they even think about growing shoots.
.

Lilium  Lemon Stardust

 

.

Even the name of this variety sounds like the name of a sweet.  It grows to 28 “ , has a lovely dark centre and flowers around June/July time.  It needs planted 6 “ deep in compost or soil is from the asiatic family.

Lilium Netty’s Pride

 

.

I loved the colour of the blooms on the packet and thought it was quite different to other lilies and would be good subject to photograph.  It  grows to 28” and flowers also around June/July and needs to be planted 6” deep too.  Its supposed to be fragrant as well and also quite a recent introduction to the asiatic family.

.

I’m growing these in deep pots and keeping them in the garage till the weather improves. Once growing outside they will need their heads in the sun or light shade and their roots nice and shady.   

.

I don’t like the pots but I can provide better conditions for the bulbs there and the pots are light to carry and won’t be seen in the borders once all the other perennials have grown around them.  I can cover the compost with a mulch of pebbles to keep the roots shaded and can move the pots under the eaves of the house to stop the worst of the winter wet getting to them in the autumn time.   At least if they are in a pot I can bring the pots into the garage during the worst of   the weather.   

.

All my other lilies have been grown in the garden.  I  am not sure if the ones planted last year are even going to make it through this winter as this is the worst one for 30 years.  Even though my soil ph suits lilies very well as its on the acid side – it does get waterlogged in some places  during the winter so I think if I want longevity and some decent blooms I am going to have to keep these growing in pots. 

.

So how do you grow your lilies -  in pots or in the ground?

.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matt. 6:28-29)

Snowdrops on Parade

The Snowdrops are blooming along the banks of the lade.

.

Did you know that US Military Police who were stationed in the UK during World War 2 were called “Snowdrops” because they wore a white helmet, white gloves, a white webbing Sam Browne belt, white gloves, and white gaiters, atop the standard olive drab uniform.  (source: Wikipedia) 

My contribution to Wordless Wednesday

Related posts: Spring Bulbs


. 

For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. Job 37:6

winter aconites – little Cups of gold and Babies bibs

Spring is not that far away  now that the Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis)   are out on “bloom parade” along the banks of the lade.
  
As I walked along the bank of the lade they looked beautiful as they hugged the ground with their acid yellow blooms just like little cups of gold glowing in the winter afternoon sunshine  with their little ruffles of green leaves.  

 .

.

 .

or as AH Graham writes in his poem…………..

.

.

One thing is for sure ………. they certainly seem to flower better along the lade than they do in my own garden.

.

In my garden 

.

I have a little clump of winter aconites under my Physocarpus diablo and another clump  under my Mahonia Charity which usually flower around this time each year but so far there is no sign of them yet.  Its probably just this harsh winter that has delayed them – I hope!

.

Over the years I have placed them in other parts of the garden as those little weird shaped tubers that look like gnarled bits of dried wood but I’ve never had any success with those.  

.

Only the winter aconites bought in flower in pots from the garden centre have colonized a little in the garden.  I’ve found that the best place to grow them is under a big shrub , to let their leaves die down naturally and not  disturb the soil much during the rest of the year.  I also think that the ph of the soil has an effect on them too.  Alot of areas in my garden are quite acidic like in my scree bed and they totally refuse to grow in that area of the garden even though the snowdrops and cyclamen do well there.

.

For now I am patiently awaiting those little babies bibs (leaves) breaking free from this frozen soil  down in the leaves ‘n bloom garden. 

.

So do any of you find growing these little plants a challenge like myself – or have you any tips to share in how you have succeeded with them?

.

   

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth

is full of thy riches. Psalm 104:24





.

Leaves ‘n all that chlorophyll in the Winter Garden

 Hello everyone and after a busy day with GBBD  its now foliage follow up  in our gardens hosted by Pam at Digging and congratulations to Pam who on Sunday celebrated her 4th blog birthday.
x

Just like last month there are still many foliage characters wanting to get on the stage for the followup. But I’ve just included the best of the plants that are giving me hope and the promise that Spring is finally on its way.  So without further ado lets get on with the show.

Leaves

We have some of the spikey collection today –  the houseleeks (2 different types – names unknown) and  the wonderful evergreen Osmanthus Tricolour that many visitors to the garden mistake for a holly. 

And Speaking of holly leaves here are some softer ones from my fern collection including the Japanese holly fern  emerging in fresh new growth in my Japanese Garden. Quite a few of the plants featured today are from this Japanese garden so I have added a  picture or 2 below to let you see what that part of the garden looks like at a better time of the year. I can assure all readers that it was not February when these 2 photos below were taken!

  x

In this  shady area too I have the little ranunculus “Brazen Hussy” which spreads everywhere but its great where little else wants to grow and 6 months of the year it is under the ground.   Then there is  the lovely fresh new leaves from the Asarum – though I have never succeeded in getting it to flower or produce those clusters of redish orange berries  yet.  The Pachrysandra is thriving and is creating a wonderful carpet of foliage colour in one part of the Japanese garden too.

Elsewhere in the garden………

Anyone heard of Santolina Lemon Fizz before? I am so glad to see that mine has survived the winter – its tiny tiny leaves might not look great just now but it was only new to the UK market last summer and I was not too sure how  it would tolerate our winter – and so far we have had the harshest one in over 100 years so its seems like its going to be a winner.  Its leaves are chartreuse in colour and the leaves are thread like with a scent just like other silver leafed santolinas.
x

Then I have the new shoots of my bronze fennel poking through the soil – hehee  the early greenfly will love these but hopefully that will mean that the ladybirds will have a feast.
x 

Heuchera, Heuchera ……….. say no more we’ll just let the leaves do the talking!

Seed Heads

I still have a few decent seed heads in the garden including the Carlina which grows in my front scree bed where I am sure passers by think the new foliage  is a  weed rather than an ornamental.  Can’t have a Scottish garden without a thistle!

Just below my kitchen window I have a large clump of Asters and the seed heads have looked great all winter and have been giving a little protection to the new growth that's coming through the soil just now.

Fruit

I’ve still got some  Skimmia Reevesiana  berries so I presume that they must not taste good otherwise the birds would have eaten them by now.

Just outside the garden along the lade  I found some wonderful looking fruiting spores from an old log.

Bark

Well last month the star of the show was my Acer Griseum and this month ……………… Its a corker!

Its my Eyonymous Alatus.  Not only does it have the most amazing autumnal colours of shrimp pink leaves but this wonderful looking winged bark to look at during the winter time. 

x

But look who else is in the garden - we have an audience this month. Someone is waiting for some juicy new primrose leaves to munch his way through.  Its Mr Sammy the Snail and in my garden he  always brings a friend or two or three or four!

So if you want another fix of chlorophyll  head over to Digging to see what else folks are featuring in their gardens this month.

The Harbingers of Spring - Febuary Blooms on GBBD

Well its that time again the 15th of the month and GBBD hosted by Carol at  May Dreams Gardens. Its a very special occasion today as this is the begining of the "bloom day year", and begins the fourth year of this garden bloggers' meme.  I think its a wonderful meme to be part of and a great way of journaling whats in bloom each month.


So come on into my garden for a little walk  ................ 
Overall the garden  is looking rather bleak with lots of winter damage on the evergreens.  But if you look closely at the garden plants there are little jewel blooms starting to break free from the winter doldrums.

Container Planting
Alot of my blooms this month are from my container planting. Where would we be without containers especially at this time of year?  Nice and cheerful to greet all the visitors and lovely to look out on from inside in the heat!

The blooms in the above photo come from the Tete a Tete Daffodils, Primrose Heritage and Hamamelis Orange Beauty.  A friend suggested I place the orange leafed libertia also in the pot to draw out the colour from the centre of the heritage primroses -that would have been lovely  but I think all the orange leafed libertia in Scotland died over the winter - so far I have not been able to source one locally.  I  continually change the tete a tete's to fresher ones every few weeks.

In other containers I have Hamamelis Diane underplanted with Primrose Spinx Apricot  and Primula Wanda. You can read about my other Hamamelis here which are in flower just now as well but featured in last months GBBD.

 

  

 

I have over 80 pansies, blotch mix, pure yellow and blue marina and out of all of those only 2 are showing any sign of flowers.  No amount of encouragement  to  bloom on or before the 15th worked!


In the Garden
Sadly the snowdrops in my garden need a few more days of sunshine so didn't make it into this months GBBD.  But elsewhere..............

You'll notice that there are 2 types of pulmonaria in the collage -  one with spots and one without spots on the leaves.  The P. Rubra (without spots) is quick growing and a very early spring flowering type and very valuable to me at this time of year as it has a great show of colour.  It spreads well so its great to share with others.  It has moved house 4 times with me, sadly its partner "Blue Ensign" never survived all the moves.  The other Pulmonaria (spotted) was given to me from an old garden so I am not sure what variety it is. They readily seed all over the garden.

 I have a few hellebores in the garden and would like to grow some more of the named varieties as mine are from old gardens and unnamed. Above is the only one in flower just now.

I have a little patch of Cyclamen Coum growing in the shady part of my scree bed.

I couldn't garden in Scotland without having white erica heather in the garden along with the rose coloured one too they make a great show in early spring.  I also have a tree heather starting to bloom too.

Buds and Blooms to come
Lots of hope and promise here 

 

 

Finally............Down by the lade
Snowdrops are blooming, coloured catkins are dancing in the breeze and furry catkins (pussy willow) are emerging from naked stems.

 

  

 

Well thats it for this month.  I hope you enjoyed your little stroll in the garden and down by the lade.......... now head on over to Carol's place to see  everyone elses blooms this month.

Chit chat and this and that antics from the bird table

 I thought I was doing the birds around here a great service.  I didn’t think I was going to need to do any market research.  My plan was to move my bird table and bird bath closer to the house so that I could photograph and watch the birds from my sofa. I never anticipated any problems in my plan.   But you’ve guessed it -  things are not happening around here the way I thought they would and I need some advice.

Firstly if you were a bird would you feed from a bird house like this? 

 One where the paint is peeling off and the roof is caving in

or

would you feed from this 5 star deluxe feeding station standing approx 9 feet tall

where there are fat balls, sunflower hearts, nuts and seeds of all various types (only half full for now), some fruit and a coconut shell filled with a seed and lard mixture.

 

My problem is that the birds won’t feed from my new feeding station. 

x

On Saturday I removed the old bird table  from the bottom of the garden along by the back fence and placed a new bird table/station  about 14 feet away from my patio doors so that I could take photos of my feathered visitors.  I also moved the bird bath from the other corner of the garden  closer to the patio.

x 

Thinking this would be great  and who needs to watch tv  when there’s going to be entertainment outside the window  I sat back on the sofa and waited for some action.   Well there was a brief and I mean a brief confrontation on Saturday afternoon  - one bird tried to get at some of the seed and Mr Robin came along and chased him away and since then there’s been nothing.   I can hear  the most wonderful bird song as I walk into the garden  and at the back fence I can see all the birds darting about  through the shrubs  – but that's as far as they are prepared to travel. 

Squirrel Antics

Well I did get one visit to the table – well in fact it was an attempted raid. 

This cheeky chap Mr Squirrel Nutkin  got  three quarters of the way up that  7 foot  wooden pole  and then decided that was far enough and came back down again.  It was quite funny though I missed getting it on camera as I was so busy laughing at his antics.   x Then he  climbed up and down the walls of the house,  and  peered in through the patio doors at me probably saying “ Look at me see what I can do!”   x Finally he tried to climb up Mr leavesnbloom’s weather station - didn’t get very far up that metal pole and  slipped back down again.

Now the metal pole is sitting at slight slant after that bit of pole antics.

 x

I don’t think Mr Squirrel Nutkin has given up yet on my bird station if he’s anything like the squirrels the BBC filmed……… only I don’t have any hazelnuts to tempt him.
 x

Red Squirrel extreme assault course - Clever Critters - BBC Animals

"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

Hot about the Mouth

 After watching those antics on youtube I don’t think my bird box design will  deter him for much longer.  I certainly don’t mind giving Mr Squirrel Nutkin a little food  but not all of it!  so if he starts raiding the bird box on a frequent basis then I’ll have to consider dusting the bird seed with Chilli powder or Tabasco.    It won’t deter the birds but the squirrels simply detest it and its recommended by the RSPB.
x
I would love to have a red squirrel visiting as the greys have a bad reputation around here but the reds in this area have now died out due to squirrel pox)

 x

More Hot tips this time from you!

Does anyone have any tips on getting my birds to move to this bird table  or has anyone had the same problem in the past?
Are there any solutions other than moving the station down to the bottom of the garden? 
Am I just being an impatient gardener?
How long should the food be left on the bird table before it goes stale as I am used to seed being eaten in no time at all around here?

 x

and finally if you can cope with all these questions ………………… if you were a bird which bird would you be and why?

 

x

The Call of the Wild along the River Almond Part 2

Last weekend  I went on a beautiful river walk along the Almond with one of my of my sons and you can recap on part 1 here.  I left off where we had just crossed over to a little island on the river.  On the south facing side were mossy banks and little clumps of snowdrops.  I had never ventured over to this part of the river before but I could tell that my youngest had been here on many of his own explorations.

 x

 x

Here the teenager turned intrepid  explorer  tapped into the nature enthusiast he once was and became the hunter gatherer once again as long as  no photos  were taken of him in the act! 
x

What's this – is it part of the antler of a red deer?  

It didn’t  look like a piece of wood as we discussed its  texture  xand the patterns etched on its surface………… the keen explorer wanted to take it home with him for a closer look.

and even more puzzling – what is this?
I know of no sheep that roam these areas but down here there were bunches of this woolly material lying on the ground. Could it be from the deer maybe? Now if this was nearer Christmas time I am sure there would be some comments about it being part of some ones beard!

We also found some interesting shapes made by the ice as we walked over the cobbles on the north side.

x

x

……. but what is that in the distance that looks so strange and out of place? 

.

	We move closer and closer and then realise that we are looking at large blocks of ice that have been deposited here when the river level was high  during our meltdown a few weeks ago.
	It just makes you wonder what size they were originally when they came floating down the river.

 

 xx

We both have a fascination with rocks and  spent ages down on this stretch of the river  looking for the unusual ones and the coloured ones and came across a very striking conglomerate standing tall in the middle of the water with blocks of frozen ice surrounding it.  

 x

x

Rock Solid

For Such a Time as This……

I’m going  get a little personal here  as this week was quite an eventful week  in our lives  and that first picture of a rock reminds me of Mr leaves ‘n bloom – standing there with all those little pebbles embedded representing  experiences and challenges in life that he has had to cope with over the years that have shaped and formed his character and no matter what problems he has faced  …….. he has stood firm in his faith just like this rock.

Time went by so fast down here and we needed to head home for lunch.  It was great quality time with my youngest –  where he was able to see God’s fingerprints over everything and appreciate how much we need to protect the Earth He made.  

We plan to make more visits very soon again to keep a record of the River Almond, its flora and fauna throughout all the seasons.  

From River Bed to Scree Bed

When we got home I noticed a little glimpse of colour in my scree bed  where I have plenty of cobbles and pebbles that I have dug up and collected while gardening here.   A one foot blanket of snow  kept the Cyclamen Coum nice and warm through the coldest of winters here for it to finally emerge and bloom in all its glory.

x

 x
And the explorer now has his trophy sitting at the side of our own pond to remind him of his morning walk.


As I type this I see that alot of my US readers are experiencing the most dreadful snow conditions in about 90 years - stay safe and warm everyone.