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Monday 26 January 2009

Signs of springtime....

Walking around the garden and our woodland signs of spring on it's way at last are getting more and more prominent. An exciting season where new life is bursting forth and where bulbs are now really starting to push their way through the recently frozen soil - it's amazing what a quick turn around has happened, when only a week or two ago the soil was so solid with ice I couldn't even get a border fork through it!















Many of the catkins are out on the Hazel trees, our lovely red Camelia bush which we inherited is on it's way with red petals just showing on the buds... I can't wait...

then I spotted a couple of small clumps of snow drops just starting to come into bloom

and then in another shady spot the beautiful little cyclamen...

Further on my tour of the garden the wonderful Daphne odora "Aureo-marginata" - something Graeme & I bought during our honeymoon down in Cornwall when we visited the beautiful Trewidden Gardens near to Penzance. It certainly seems to have come on leaps and bounds since we bought it.

Going down towards the woodland are some of my favorites... the Helebores - this one is Helebore Niger and the usually the first of the Helebores to come into flower alongside this is the beautiful variegated ivy which was totally hidden when we arrived but with more room to breathe is rather enjoying life now...

I must admit one of the excitements for me today was spotting our resident nuthatch starting to peck away at the entrance hole to one of our nesting boxes - how exciting would that be to have a family of nuthatches in the garden... will keep you updated with this, so watch this space!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It certainly looks as if spring is on its way in your garden. I can't grow snowdrops like you do, but my summer snowflakes are about six inches high. I can't wait for them to bloom.

Jan
Always Growing

Shirley said...

Wow Miranda, your garden is certainly awake now :-)

What wonderful images from your garden. I have a few bulbs coming through too but you have me wanting to run out now and see if there is anything else ;-)

Oh… and the excitement of birds pecking at nestbox entrances! Fantastic stuff – you have a great number of species nesting in your garden too you lucky thing ;-)

I just wanted to say that I am thrilled so many of my garden blogging friends made their way over to you on the plant challenge. I felt this has been a huge bonus that so many people have met though it – I am chuffed to bits :-D

Cheryl said...

You have some lovely blooms there Miranda.....we are so lucky that our winters are not really harsh. We have bad spells of weather, but they do not last long.

Lovely to share your beautiful gardens.......

NCmountainwoman said...

There is nothing better in January than to see signs of spring. Lovely pictures.

Anonymous said...

Lovely signs of Spring Miranda - especially the catkins - they always seem so "jolly"

Miranda Bell said...

Hi Jan, Shirl, Cheryl, NCMountain Woman & Karen

Hi Jan - it's amazing in these last few days how the snow drops have come on, but it's much colder this morning and I think more cold weather due so hope they'll survive!

Hi Shirl - glad you liked the images - it's been exciting watching new things starting to appear in the garden this week - I noticed some little crocus plants almost there yesterday! It was amazing the response to your desert island plants and great to have some more people visiting my blog now - so a big thanks to you - you deserve to be chuffed to bits!

Hi Cheryl - yes it is fun sharing gardens and what is going on - the rate of things growing here is very similar to the UK - it's a beautiful sunny cold morning this morning and I hear that more cold weather on the way! Time to wrap up!

NC Mountain Woman - I love the spring and all it's surprises too - I always go out each day to see what has appeared next...

Hi Karen - you're right and the catkins are even more evident now - with many more on the trees and so pretty too...

Have a good week and see you all soon Miranda

Barbara said...

There are indeed the first Spring harbinges in your garden. Lucky you! This I cannot say from my garden which still has its wintery sleep ;-) ! But I don't mind, Spring will come in a few weeks here too.
Have a good time!
Barbara

Dr.Susan Sharma said...

Spring is indeed the best time for a Garden lover! I love listening to the garden birds' sounds, sparrows, white eyes, babblers and mynahs(who relly make their presence felt).

Miranda Bell said...

Hi Barbara & Indianwildlifeclub

Thanks for visiting....

Barbara - it is great to see early signs of spring here but with the latest snow - we've not had much yet, I'm glad not too much has come out yet... do you have much with you?

Hi Indian W C - you're right, Spring time is a great time of year and lovely to start to see the evenings drawing out too... just rather cold right now!

Many thanks for visiting... Miranda

Miranda Bell said...

Hi Barbara & Indianwildlifeclub

Thanks for visiting....

Barbara - it is great to see early signs of spring here but with the latest snow - we've not had much yet, I'm glad not too much has come out yet... do you have much with you?

Hi Indian W C - you're right, Spring time is a great time of year and lovely to start to see the evenings drawing out too... just rather cold right now!

Many thanks for visiting... Miranda

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this post anticipating Spring. We're a bit behind you but not so far that we can't start salivating at the signs of Hellebores and Daphne. I've always been amazed at these early bloomers that seem to be right on the edge of getting burnt off by late cold weather but somehow always manage a lovely flower show. Nice to see these insights regarding living in Brittany.

Miranda Bell said...

Thankyou Mac Gardens and welcome to my blog - apologies too that I've taken so long to get back to you... spring is such a pretty time of year and one of constant surprises... hopefully we should get a few daffodils out soon unless we get more cold weather - I guess time will tell...