28/04/07

Lots of stuff out this week. Tulips looking good against the backlit leaves of the Cotinus.

Elsewhere, an early (by about a month) bearded Iris along with the first of the Lily of the Valley, and Centaurea montana

Dickie

More stuff

More stuff looking good - Tulipa 'Black Parrot', Rubus 'Benenden' and Matteuccia stuthiopetris opening near the woodpile .

Dickie

Looking good

Tulipa 'Ballerina' against Euphorbia 'Lambrook Gold', Tellima grandiflora and a nice combination from the long border in my park - Tulipa 'Queen of the Night' growing through the soft grey foliage of Lychnis coronaria.

Catherine Grove Park

The park has erupted into life - the triangular raised bed is a mass of colour from wallflowers and lily flowered tulips, whilst the flowering cherries are dripping with blossom. Not subtle, but welcome all the same!

Dickie

Tulipa 'Spring Green'

Looking good this morning underneath the newly emerging Cotinus leaves (which seem to have flower buds for the first time so hopefully it will 'smoke' later in the season....)

Tulip Time

The tulips seems to be a couple of weeks earlier this year.

This one is 'Couleur Cardinal', quite a stumpy variety with red petals flushed with purple , which I first saw at Chelsea a few years ago and sourced from Broadleigh Gardens Catalogue.

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Back to my garden to find the Cercis in full bloom - bare stems covered in pea-like pink flowers.... a real bonus for an already
beautiful tree

Crete 2007

Just back from a lovely holiday in Crete at a friends villa outside of Chania.

Great weather and great views of the White Mountains from the terrace, but a little too cold to use the pool!

Several new bird spots for me including Griffin Vultures and Red Backed Shrike.