Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – March 2015
When I sit back and reflect, it doesn’t feel like there’s much difference since last month.
But that can’t be true, can it? After all, we’ve had Snowdrops, Irises and the Croci are coming to an end, yet to look out at the garden there still isn’t much in bloom! It’s just the luck of the draw. And as it happens, we’re hitting a lull before everything else arrives – Anemones, Bluebells, Tulips etc.
So really all we have are Hellebores, early Narcissi, Winter Jasmine and Crocus flowering.
That being said, there’s plenty of other things happening instead. Such as leaves on Cotoneaster emerging, new growth on Clematis, Roses, Bleeding Heart, Sedum and Sanguisorba… So it really things are happening, and green is slowly returning. Just not enough for it to be really obvious quite yet.
Crocus Tommasinianus ‘Ruby Giant’ has bulked up nicely, in fact this year ruby giant has been my best performing Crocus with a number of large groups brightening up both the front and back gardens.
Try not to get too excited about the Fritillaria… This one was bought in the green for vases. My actual Frits are still in bud and will probably bloom in a couple of weeks.
This year, the double purples are really small, and there aren’t many of them. I’ve no idea why they’d be upset this year… Here’s hoping they are OK next year and I don’t lose it completely.
The Hellebore in the central photo isn’t in bloom yet, but I’ve put it here because I’m so pleased it’s managed to produce a flower. This one I had assumed we’d lost when I dug it up and placed it in a pot. The plant was pretty much dead after moving, but there’s plenty of leaves emerging and this tiny little flower.
Below we have, I believe ‘Double Pink’. I’m pretty certain, but I could be wrong.
I’ve seen a number of Bees around already, not yet the typical bumbles, but these rusty-coloured queen bees. She’s often spotted ‘sleeping’ in the Croci, probably because it’s often still a little chilly. A few days ago I went to cut some Crocuses for vases and I found her sleeping in one which was almost fully closed.
And, I saw my first Wasp! It’s very early for wasps… usually I don’t see any until at least May.
The first few blooms on Geum have been slightly damaged when the temperatures have dipped, however with buds looming, it won’t be long before I have new, pristine blooms. Again, this is very early. Even the repeated snow hits didn’t kill off the blooms.
I have to wonder whether it’ll bloom itself to death and die by the end of this season.
Copyright 2015 Liz.
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Gwirrel's Garden 
Oh Liz your photo of the sleeping pollen dusted bee is glorious 🙂
I’m having images of you skulking around on the ground following that wasp Liz – he looks as if he’s spotted you too 🙂 I can’t believer you have a Geum and Geranium blooming already – wow! The geraniums haven’t even reappeared here yet!
Lovely hellebores too and those Crocus, they’ve done well and considering you thought they’d all disappeared.
Lovely photos, especially of your bee and wasp! The crocus are going over here already, unfortunately but hopefully they will seed around and we will have more next year. Your Acer is a lot earlier than any of mine, I don’t think mine are putting out any leaves yet, maybe I will have some by B G Foliage Day!
Your hellebores and crocus are lovely and the macro photography is amazing. We are starting to thaw here and the bulbs are finally breaking ground. Happy spring!
Bloom Day Post March Garden: http://landscapedesignbylee.blogspot.com/
You HAVE got a geum – you must the geum touch Liz! Love the streaky hellebores – I have been photographing mine today ready for a WW post. Several bees here too.
Your bee is a delight and the Geum, well that is just showing off!