It seems everyone is always busy in this fast paced world. I have no excuses, yet I have missed two Monday vases. However, this week taught me a lesson. I think because I get obsessive about the garden at this time of year and flowers cannot come soon enough I garden like there is tomorrow. I was punished for this obsession in the last few days. I have been furiously working everyday in the garden to get everything looking tickety boo, planting up spring pansies and primroses, preparing the cut flower beds, fertilising and bringing out the patio furniture. The weather has been perfect, too perfect for mid April. Temperatures of 23C and bluebird skies enabled me to bask in the warmth and luxury of an ‘early spring’ .
Then, 10cm of heavy wet snow weighing down branches and flooding low areas as it melted, happened; back to -5C at night, a broken branch on a favourite tree, flattened Sweet Peas and Ranunculus that a few days ago looked fabulous, now quaking in their roots. One should never be in a rush in this climate but when summer is so short it is hard to resist.
Despite this cruel blast I was able to rescue Hellebores and a few early blooms. This first vase contains the twisted branches of Corkscrew Hazel Corylus avellana with rescued Helleborus. I am amazed these Hellebores were able to stand up again. The second little pot contains one Tulipa, a few Grape Hyacinths Muscari, Lungwort Pulmonaria officinalis, Corylus avellana catkin, Guinea Hen Flower, Fritillaria meleagris, a first nepeta bloom, Hyacinth and a greenhouse geranium blossom. Without the snow, there might have been a few sprigs of forsythia flowers remaining! However I am more than thankful for the colour including the white Hellebores.
Now over to some gardens that are probably a few weeks ahead! Do visit Cathy’s blog, ‘Rambling in the Garden’ where she hosts gardeners and their flowers from a diverse range of climate zones.
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