Bloom, Blooms and Bold Birds

This week I moved a few things around to refresh the displays in the courtyard garden in honour of the seconds sale - strangely people often forget that this is possible and keep the same pots in the same positions year after year even if it means that some are flowering in obscurity. I often find that simply moving a few pots makes some of my colleagues 'discover' things that have been there for ages. That is one of the many joys of pot gardening - you can rediscover plants and combinations just by having a shuffle.



Violas and Scilla siberica
in a straight-sided basket pot

There is plenty to look at outside and it is changing by the minute. I make sure I have a good look at the pots every working day (I'm only at the pottery for three days every week)  because warmer temperatures and windy weather mean that I have to watch for drying out.

Paradoxical irrigation

Container gardeners can't rely on rain to wet their pots at this time of year as the lush foliage, especially of tulips, will prevent a lot of the water from reaching the compost. I don't water every day but I do make sure that the pots are not too dry before a heavy spring shower. This often puzzles people but flowers are much less likely to get squashed or snapped off if they are fully turgid than if they are a bit on the limp side.  As the drainage is so good in our pots I am less worried about waterlogging than about plants collapsing under the rain, so I am often to be seen out with the hose when there are juicy black clouds looming over the village.

 

Narcissus 'Bath's Flame'
Dating from 1913

N. 'Mrs Langtry'

 The other reason for loitering in the garden is that new flowers are opening all the time. I have really enjoyed Rene's collection of vintage daffodils. Narcissus 'Bath's Flame' opened soon after N. pseudonarcissus and is a real beauty, tall and strong even though the flowers are large, with lovely clear colour.

N. 'Butter and Eggs' dates from 1777. Variable but surprisingly strong for a double.

Unripe tulips

T. 'Rococo'

My favourite visual treat at this time of year is the changing colours of the tulip tepals (neither petals nor sepals), many enhanced by a beautiful glaucous bloom. T. 'Rococo' almost looks better before it turns red, with hints of yellow, purple, green and turquoise in its curly flowers.



T. 'Princesse Charmante'



A Greigii tulip, 'Princesse Charmante', is beginning to colour up, too - this modestly blushing flower will soon turn bright red and smell of freesias when the sun shines on her.

Fritillaria persica

Other bloomy blooms include the fritillaries - the Snakesheads have been going for a while and the F. persicaria have now raised their spectacular heads of dark purple bells.

More modest F. uva-vulpis are looking good in a couple of small pots.

Fritillaria uva-vulpis in a small Parsley pot

And finally - Bird News
Yackety jackdaws visit every morning to check for cake crumbs. They have an uncouth look about them but they are very clever birds - they were quick to learn that Whichford Pottery is a good source of cake!

Mr Right?

Mrs B has been dividing her time between excitable suitors and very busy nest building. We had had hardly any rain for ages and she scuttled into the greenhouse to join me when I had been watering plants and pottered about gathering mud to stick her nest together. I think Chez B is in the hedge beside the gas tanks for the kilns this year.

The robin has also been in the greenhouse looking for caterpillars and picking off a few greenfly, so I have had some company while I prick out seedlings. Better get back there now...