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After a day in our mother’s garden, I wandered around ours.
Lamiums rise from the Dragon Bed, where
the first of our rhododendrons is in full boom.
Another of these rich red shrubs, in Margery’s Bed,
can be seen on the grass patch side,
beyond the pieris
that stands behind the Nottingham Castle Bench,
opposite which one of the ubiquitous honesty plants presages the hebe blooms with which it will soon blend.
Cyclamens border the Head Gardener’s Walk.
These particular pansies smile in the West Bed,
where hellebores, like these among the comfrey and the tellimas, are adopting their maturer colouring,
and snakes head fritillaries hang their lanterns.
We thought we had lost the red Japanese maple from which I had removed dead material two years ago. Aaron cut some more away recently and fresh shoots are appearing.
Many later daffodils linger
and our surprise collection of tulips has revealed yet another dramatic red striped variety.
A white spirea cascades over the Palm Bed,
and at the front of the house the prunus Amanogawa is now in full bloom. Should anyone wonder at the proliferation of piping on this side of our building, that is because this, we believe, was originally the back of the house.
This evening we dined on real fusion food – Jackie’s superb savoury egg rice, Mr Chan’s spring rolls and prawn toasts, Lidl’s pork rib rack in barbecue sauce; Belgium’s Hoegaarden beer and Argentina’s Trivento reserve Malbec 2017.
Loveliness!
Thank you very much, Cindy
Some of the names I recognize, but wish I could remember more. Still – they’re all beautiful!
Many thanks, GP. I have usually had to check some with the Head Gardener 🙂
I can sure understand THAT!
🙂
Such bright spots of color in your garden. Those surprise tulips are stunning. It’s beginning to look summery, rather than like spring.
I love fusion meals like that. 🙂
Thanks very much, Merril. It has cooled down a bit, but certainly it has been feeling more like summer
A wonderful little world.
Thank you very much, Rupali
If you need an alibi about how you acquired that parkbench from Nottingham Castle, Derrick, you only have to ask!
🙂 Thanks a lot, John
Derrick you are in full spring mode. They all look so gorgeous. I could sit there all day and write.
Thanks very much, Andrew. I hope it will inspire you
There is nothing quite like an April garden, it is so full of surprises and enthusiasm! Love yours!
Very many thanks, Andrew
Such a beautiful garden!!
Thanks very much, Lynn. It is waking up in earnest now
Still amazed at how quickly your garden spreads colour around!
All very quick once it has got going. Many thanks, Mary
Sorry – Pauline
Beautiful photos, Derrick, and lovely commentary. Is the Spirea very fragrant? I remember a similar looking bush from my childhood neighborhood (an odd thing for a kid to notice, now that I think about it) and it was super fragrant.
Not really, Jodie. Many thanks
It must be something else I am thinking of. Thanks, Derrick!
Possibly a vibernum Jodie? Similar flower form often very fragrant.
Jackie -thanks! I am going to check the nurseries. I am obsessed now with smelling it once again.
I just talked to my mom and she remembers the bush well. She thinks it might have been a mock orange, whatever that is. I need to get out and sniff some vibernum and mock oranges.
A likely candidate for the scent
Mock Orange – https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1421
Nice link, Quercus
Wow! The tulips are amazing, Derrick! All of your photos popped off my screen…thank you for brightening this rainy Monday.
Many thanks, Jill
Tulips were free with a certain purchase at a local garden centre, I put them in a couple of tubs and forgot about them, ’til now, so glad I got them.
They’re really beautiful, Jackie.
We see so little seasonal changes in Sydney that I realise now why I never saw the big deal about spring. Now I see.
Still can’t ‘like’ and can only comment if I ‘log in’ again each time I want to comment.
What a pain, Mary. Thanks very much for making the effort
I had the same problem for the last couple of days, but it seems to have righted itself now.
Thank you for giving me hope 🙂
It was so frustrating. ?
Lovely flowers, and the food sounds pretty good too. ?
Thanks very much, Sylvia
Your garden Derrick, is an absolute delight!
Thanks very much, Agnes
Delightful, Derrick!
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Your red striped Tulips are truly amazing and I loved the purple Pansies.
Many thanks, Ivor. I’ve never seen those tulips before
Glorious colours ?
Those tulips are getting their flamenco dancin’ frills on. D
They certainly are, Widders. Nice one
Not sure that the tulips weren’t called Flamenco, if they weren’t they should have been!
😀
The tulips and daffodils are so lovely 🙂
Thank you very much, Arlene
This is the first time I’ve seen red rhododendrons. Beautiful as its name. Thank you.
Thanks very much, Byung
You’re the florist who fused photography with poetry. It is for the first time I have seen snakes head fritillaries’ lanterns.
Thanks very much, Uma. I like the alliteration
Such gorgeous color! We are finally starting to see spring here!
Thanks very much, Dorinda. Glad you are seeing some, too
You’re welcome, Derrick 🙂
What a beautiful garden.
Thanks very much, Miriam
That red striped tulip is a real joy. And I have always been a bit of a rhododendron fan.
Thanks very much, Paol
Wow! What beautiful vibrant colors in your garden! The rhododendron is spectacular.
Thanks very much, Cheryl
Oh, those flowers and blooms! Such a delight going around the garden with you.
I’m pleased, Laurie. Thanks very much
Ah! Spring! The flower family is back!
Yep. Thanks very much, Cathi
I’m way behind in reading blog posts, but found time to open this one. So glad I did. Beautiful spring photos.
Very many thanks, Leslie
Delightful garden! 🙂
Thanks very much, Amy
The assortment of flowers and colors is a feast for the eyes, Derrick and Jackie!
Many thanks from us both, Lavinia
The rhododendron blooms and the snake’s head fritillaries are so amazingly perfect, Derrick! ? This was a wonderful trip down the garden paths! ? ?
Thanks very much, Robin X
Garden is looking lovely. Our tulips aren’t out yet. 🙁
Thanks very much, Quercus. Such a difference in a few miles
Yes, we always used to remark on the fact, when visting my parents, that being 50 miles south of us gave them almost a week’s advantage in growing. You are positively Mediterranean…
That’s what it feels like
🙂