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 Is Spring Sprung?

The birds are singing, the frogs are doing what comes naturally in the pond… is this beginning of Spring?  Before I can answer, icy winds blast the garden followed by hail, sleet, snow then sunshine. No, not just yet.  However much I am itching to get going in the garden, I must wait a bit longer.

          Trying to weed to early often leads to dormant plants being disturbed. Can you remember where every lily and allium bulb is buried? I can’t.   I did try last autumn to mark every lily with a wooden label but not all of these have survived the winter.

          What are doing very well and give a real lift to the garden are Hellebores.

          Hellebore Foetidus with its green flowers is striking, but as the name suggests, it does not have a pleasant smell. In late winter/early Spring it adds vibrancy to the garden.  It is one of the taller verities 18 inches upwards, so I have planted a group of Helleborus Orientalis in front.

          These Hellebores have flowers that vary in colour depending on the variety. Colours can vary from creams, pale pinks to dark claret-like colour.

          One of the earliest is Helleborus Niger’ Christmas Rose. As the name suggests it flowers mid-winter and really lifts the front of a shady area.

          Hellebores are hardy, would benefit from top dressing with a fertilizer in the Spring.

          During the summer before hoeing weeds away from your Hellebore patch look carefully around the plant for seedlings. Pot up these seedlings—they will flower in about 5 years! Not a long time to wait in the gardening world.

          A warning Hellebores have a sap that can irritate the skin so wear gloves when cutting them back or dividing plants.

          Other plants that will do well in the same shady area are the   Pulmoniarias.  Varieties include Sissinghurst with White flowers, Mrs Wilmot pale pink flowers but there are many more some with blue flowers that turn pink!

          I mentioned fertilizer. I use a general all-purpose one but scatter it very thinly as to much can over stimulate plants. When it is planting out time I make up a mix in a bucket using compost, fine grit and a handful of bone meal.

          So on a day when the wind is very cold I actually cleaned my tools. I have 5 different trowel all different shapes. I don’t think you can have too many I do try to remember to hang them up but often in early spring I will find lying around in the garden hidden by a plant one!  Also a long two-pronged weeding tool is essential as it is fantastic for digging up dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds.  I even remembered to sharpen the edge of the spade.

          Seeds ordered, labels written for them but I have to be patient but at least I am all ready to get going just as soon as Spring decides to arrive.

Alison