The foliage I left on the sedum over winter has totally died off.
It's ready for pruning now as there's lots of new growth at the base of the old stems.
There was no trace of the tulips I planted in a container a couple of weeks ago, I thought they might have rotted but they've started to poke through the soil. These are Queen of the Night, a very deep purple tulip. I had every intention of buying some white tulips, or perhaps some orange ones, to grow with them, I think it would have made a lovely display but I never got round to it so I ended up planting the Queen of the Night on their own. They should still brighten the garden up.
I bought this little heather plant, Jack H Brummage, back in February last year. It didn't do much over summer but it's a lovely plant for the winter months and it's still going strong now. Can you see my little ladybird house next to it? I wonder if there's any hibernating bugs inside.
One of my favourite spring plants is the native primrose, it has such beautiful, pale yellow flowers and is very understated. I've got a few good clumps around the garden now. They will go on flowering for quite a while yet.
My patio plum tree, Czar, has lots of buds on it. I bought this tiny tree back in 2012 and I grew it in a container until I decided to plant it out in to the garden last Easter. I didn't get any fruit from it last year but I'm hoping it will reward me for allowing it to spread its roots this year. Time will tell.
There's lots of buds on my Stella cherry tree too. This tree is quite a bit bigger than the plum tree but it's still quite small in the grand scheme of things. I had this growing in a half barrel but as I've only had one decent harvest from it in the eight years I've had it, I thought I'd see if it does any better being planted in the garden. I hope it does as I love cherries.
One of the best things about spring though is that I can start drying washing on the line again. I hate having washing hung around the house to dry but apart from that, I just love the scent you get when it's been dried outdoors.
Blue skies with wispy clouds.
I hope they're here to stay.
It has been lovely to see the blue skies - I only hope it may be like that over the Easter weekend, but we will have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked sedum in the garden because no matter what the season this plant always offers something ... even when it does look dried and died, I somehow don't mind.
I hope you have success with all of your plantings, and I'm sure those tulips will give some amazing colour.
Happy Monday and a Happy Week ahead.
All the best Jan
I've heard bad weather reports for the Easter weekend but they could have got that wrong, I live in hope. Sedums are lovely plants, they're a magnet for bees and butterflies and as you say, even the dried flower heads are quite attractive. I didn't get round to planting as many bulbs this year so I'm really looking forward to the tulips blooming, it's just a shame that I didn't manage to buy a contrast to grow with them but I'm sure they'll be lovely anyway.
DeleteMy Tulips in a pot are at the same stage as yours, I was giving up on them but they are well on the way. Nothing beats line dried laundry x
ReplyDeleteIt seems ages since I planted the tulips and with the daffodils already blooming and nothing showing, I thought they might have rotted. I'm so pleased they haven't. Line dried laundry is one of those simple pleasures, isn't it? I got all the bedding done yesterday and it pleased me very much.
DeleteDefinitely signs of spring. Love tulips but they won't regrow, it's bloom once and that's it.
ReplyDeleteI have tulips, and daffodils, in my garden which were here before we were, and we've been here twenty two years. They appear year after year, they must be very happy where they were planted.
DeleteAn enjoyable post and good pictures. I'm looking forward to seeing my sedum grow and flower. native primrose flowers are a lovely flower.
ReplyDeleteIt was sunny here this morning. Flighty xx
I'm a big fan of sedums, I've only had my one a short time but I can't believe the number, and variety, of butterflies it brought in to the garden last year. It was covered in butterflies and bees all summer long. It's been another nice day here today, long may the fine weather continue.
DeleteI love spring, your flowers are very prettyx
ReplyDeleteSummer is my favourite season but I love spring for all the hope and anticipation it offers. It's nice to see the garden springing in to life again.
DeleteYou've summed my thoughts of spring up to. Seeing all that new growth on things is exciting and a glimpse into the future. Tx
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take long from seeing the first buds to everything being clothed in green again. I love how everything looks so fresh in spring, the growth is so new that the colours just zing.
DeleteThe sun is shining here but it's still nippy. The garden knows it's spring though.
ReplyDeletexx
Mick said it was cold this morning when he nipped out to the car before he went to work but I didn't think it was too bad when I took Archie for a walk. We've been lucky really, not too many frosty mornings this winter and very little snow.
DeleteHere's hoping it will last so that I too can get some washing out, there is nothing nicer than sheets that have been dried on the line. However I fear the forecast is not good for Easter weekend.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that too. I'm making the most of the weather this week, it's supposed to be fine up to the weekend. I'm all washed up at the moment, I've had everything out on the line whilst the weather's been good.
DeleteI'm growing tulips in pots this year, and they are at the same stage as yours. It has been years since I grew them so I am really looking forward to seeing them.
ReplyDeleteI think tulips are lovely flowers, they put on such a good show. I just wish I'd made more of an effort to get a contrasting colour for the ones I've got but I'll be pleased to see them flower anyway.
DeleteMy sedum needs cutting back too this weather is wonderful for drying washing on the line. It is definitely warmer - mine dried under a grey sky today xx
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased with my sedum, not only does it flower over such a long period but it attracts bees and butterflies too. It's great to be able to get the washing on the line again, I'm thoroughly fed up of seeing it drying around the house, and it never smells as nice as it does when it's been dried outdoors.
DeleteWe've had twelve straight days without any rain! Can you believe it. It's definitely been springlike over the weekend here although it felt cooler today. Your garden is coming back to life after the winter, I love the primroses, so pretty.
ReplyDeleteIt's been great having some dry days, not only can I get the washing on the line but lots of outdoor jobs have been tackled too. It's nice to see the garden coming back to life again, another few weeks and it will be totally green again.
DeleteIt's so good to see blue sky - but of course dire weather is being forecast for the weekend!
ReplyDeleteI'm making the most of the good weather whilst it's here. I don't know what it is about Easter, it's very rare we get decent weather no matter when it falls.
DeleteIt's been a glorious day today and much progress made in the garden. We're rushing to do as much as possible this week because I've also seen reports of rain at the weekend.
ReplyDeleteYour fruit trees look so healthy. I do hope they reward you with a good strong harvest.
It's great when spring finally arrives and we manage to get lots of jobs done in the garden. It rarely lasts though, typical that the forecast's bad for Easter. This will be the first full year that the fruit trees have been in the ground. I planted out two apples as well as the plum and the cherry, I'm hoping that it's a good year for them all.
DeleteSpring is such a beautiful season, looks like your flowers adn your laundry are enjoying being outside in the sun.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
I have to admit that summer is my favourite season but I do love it when spring arrives and winter's finally over.
DeleteIsn't it funny how you are looking forward to warmer weather and I'm the opposite at the moment. Lovely to see your garden springing to life. I've just planted a sedum and will see how it goes. Today is supposed to be 26, but is cooling down for Easter. I love washing outside, which we can do most of the year. Enjoy the blue skies and take care.
ReplyDeleteDifferent sides of the world, upside down and topsy turvy. I can't tolerate extreme heat but then again, we rarely get it here. I don't like the cold weather though, I'm definitely a summer girl. You're lucky to be able to dry washing outdoors throughout the year, I'm fed up of seeing it hung about the house so it's been good to finally get some dry outside.
DeleteI hung my washing outside today too. There was just enough of a breeze to get it all dried too. I do love the smell of line-dried washing!
ReplyDeleteI've got more hung out today. I'm making the most of this weather, but then it means more ironing and I hate that.
DeleteIt's nice to see your garden coming back to life, Jo. I really love seeing what comes back from year to year. I planted some tulips in a pot last year and they did nothing, but this year, there are shoots! I don't know if there will be flowers yet though. I think your tulips will be very dramatic, I hope you'll share a photo when they bloom.
ReplyDeleteIt just goes to show that you shouldn't be too quick to throw things out, hopefully your tulips will go on to flower this year. I think the tulips would have made more of an impact with a contrasting variety planted amongst them but they'll still be good on their own. I'll be sure to take some photos.
DeleteIt is amazing how quickly spring can get going once it starts isn't it! xx
ReplyDeleteIt is. One minute there's just bare earth and the next time you look there's flowers blooming and more shoots popping up. It won't be long now until the trees are clothed in their greenery again.
DeleteI love native primroses too.
ReplyDeleteThey're so pretty and understated, I think that's why I love them so much.
DeleteIt was a beautiful day for the first day of Spring here too on Sunday, lovely to see blue skies and like you i love hanging the washing out, except that i seem to keep finding more things to wash when the weather is nice, lol
ReplyDeleteWe need to get in the garden and tidy up a bit, I noticed that people were cutting their lawns last week, but ours still seemed a bit too wet.
I tend the make the most of the fine weather and wash things just because I know I can get them dry. I'm not so keen on all the extra ironing it produces though. Our lawn had a cut a few weeks ago, it was so long. The mild winter has meant that it's kept growing.
DeleteI love all the flowers in the garden. I'm now inspired to plant some tulips too. Hopefully it's not too late. I think it was quite overcast in most places last weekend but we had blue skies and sunshine here on Sunday morning. Today it's cloudy again but fingers crossed it will clear up by the afternoon. Enjoy your week! X
ReplyDeleteI didn't get round to planting as many bulbs as I wanted to in the autumn but I'm pleased I got the tulips in. It's a bit dull here today but quite warm so I'm hoping I can get some more washing dry, I've put it on the line anyway, fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.
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ReplyDeleteSpring arrived early in Pennsylvania, Jo, with blooms usually seen in England in March, but not seen here until April/May. I don't hang my wash outside as it's so easy to throw it in the dryer, but I am thinking of doing it to cut down on the use of electricity. I remember the wonderful smell of sheets dried outside. P. x
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to get an early spring, though I'm not complaining, our winter has been so mild. My dryer was worse than useless so I'm now without, I hate to have washing hanging around the house so it's lovely when I can hang it outside to dry.
DeleteHello again! It's weeks since I've read any blogs, let alone comment. Grief, spring already! I need to get back in the swing. The plants are looking lovely x
ReplyDeleteI think many of us hibernate over winter but spring is like a new beginning. Glad to see you back again.
DeleteMust be so nice to be having such wonderful weather. We had a taste of spring a couple of weeks ago, but are now back into winter mode with most days barely hitting 5C and most nights well below freezing. I can't wait to stroll around the garden without a jacket again...hopefully not too much longer.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a taste of spring, even if it doesn't last. The weather forecast for the Easter weekend doesn't look good, but that's only to be expected, it's rare we get good weather over a bank holiday. Let's hope spring arrives and lasts for us both soon.
DeleteThere is nothing quite like washing dried outside is there. I have some tulips like that in my garden except someone had thrown some bricks on top of them and they were trying to come up underneath! I hope they have all survived their ordeal ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything would dry outdoors today, it's not raining but it's very dull and rather cold too. It's amazing how plants thrive even in the most inhospitable conditions, I'm sure your tulips will be pleased they've been freed from the bricks and will go on to reward you with some beautiful blooms.
DeleteLovely to see the first signs of spring in your garden, I hope you do get a few plums this year, I planted a couple of plum trees years ago and once they got to four they took off. Washing always smells so much nicer when dried outdoors.xxx
ReplyDeleteI had a bumper crop of plums the first year I had the tree. I know some people say they crop in alternate years so perhaps I'm due a good year again this year. I do love the scent of line dried washing.
DeleteIt looks like there's plenty growing in your garden. I love heathers as they attract the bees in the summer :)
ReplyDeleteSedum is fantastic for attracting bees, they attract butterflies too. There's some lovely varieties out there.
DeleteHappy Spring to you too Jo! We were away for it up in the Lake District where the weather surprised us with blue skies and sunshine to celebrate. There are primrose clumps dotted all over the caravan site and they looked lovely. I hope that you enjoy the Easter weekend.
ReplyDeleteYou chose the right time to visit your holiday home, the weather's been glorious, a shame it's now on the turn but we can't really complain, can we. Daniel's home for Easter so we're having some much treasured family time. Wishing you a wonderful Easter too.
DeleteMore blue sky drying days is on my wish list too!
ReplyDeleteLots of buds on your trees and I love the variety of tulips you have chosen, such a beautiful colour.
I dislike sedums, we dug ours up the other year!
Lisa x
It's lovely today. We keep getting the odd short shower but it's sunny in between. I'm looking forward to my tulips blooming, they seem to be very slow growing so I may have to wait some time yet. I can't believe the number of butterflies my sedum attracts, I love it for that fact, and it attracts bees too.
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