Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – March 2014th

Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White
As Spring seems to have arrived in my garden I thought I would join in with the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post.
I know I have said a few posts back that I wasn’t that keen on Pulmonaria but I have to admit that I do like the purity of the flowers of Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White. Of course at this time of year when the light levels are still low the white and paler colours really show up.

Pulmonaria
I quite like this Pulmonaria as well, although I don’t know the variety. It’s the blue/pink ones that I’m not keen on.
A variety of Primulas are also adding colour – here are some of my favourites
The Narcissus have started to flower and I have a growing number of varieties although my memory of what is what is terrible. I thought the one below was Pheasant’s Eye but I think I am wrong as it doesn’t have the red ring around the edge of the eye. I will have to look back through the blog to see if I can work out what it is.
I do know the name of the following Narcissus – its Narcisssus Eystettensis which I bought from a friend at the recent AGS group meeting. I love the mad flowers.

Narcissus Eystettensis
A small and dainty unknown Erythronium. I planted a few of years some years back and this is the only one which flowers. Compared to Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ it is tiny and I only just spotted its flower today.

Hepatica nobilis
Another gem from my pot collection. I am wondering whether to risk planting it out in the ground, as my instinct is that it will do much better.

Epimedium
I have about eight different epimediums and their flowers are impossible to photograph, well with my compact camera they are. This one is the first to flower and it is my oldest acquisition so needless to say I have no idea what variety it is – any ideas?
Finally a couple of flowering shrub – a Camellia which I rescued from the discount area of a garden centre. It seems to be thriving in its new home out in the garden, much happier than in the pot it previously was in.

Prunus incisa ‘kojo-no-mai’
I will finish with my favourite shrub in the garden, Prunus incisa ‘kojo-no-mai’ which is just beginning to flower.
Those are my floral highlights for March. For other bloggers’ floral highlights visit Carol’s blog
The white Pulmonaria is lovely – as you say much nicer than the blue and pink variety. I didn’t even know you could get different types.
Helen you have some lovely blooms in your garden, Frances
so pretty and dainty – spring – But here in Auckland NZ we have had cloudless blue, no wind and reflections on the Gulf and swimming days AND THEN WHAM BANG the tail end of cyclone Luci, Blowing and rain (tho’ not enough here for gardens and tanks ) and moving plants out of the wind and tying up olive trees that were rocking and rolling and cutting up a tibochina that had been blown out of its roots (a couple of metres tall)! Not cold and supposed to blow over tomorrow. That’s weather or you!
I do remember your recent words about pulmonarias Helen 🙂 I’ve sadly lost my white and so has my friend who gave it to me and wondered whether I still had it. I think that the whites are not as sturdy. Your second photo is probably of pulmonaria rubra ‘Redstart’. I do like the shape of your erythronium. My prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ has just started to show too and like you and your hepatica I’m wondering whether to leave it in its pot or plant it in the ground.
Hi Anna
My Prunus incisa was planted out probably 6 years ago and has withstood all the recent bad winters although I have to prune a few dead branch ends off after the -18C. It is now about 5-6ft tall.
I’ve recently bought a hepatica nobilis – I was taken by the blue of the flowers.
Hasn’t the weather made such a difference to the garden, everything is shooting up now. I used to have Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White, I have tried twice and lost it twice, I think that’s enough! I must go and check my epimedium and cut the leaves off, I should have already done that but there’s too much to do!
Helen, it’s so funny what you say about photographing epimediums. We find it impossible too, with whatever camera we use. Yours looks almost identical to mine.. I also have a photo on the blog, slightly fuzzy! I think (but not 100% sure) it is Epimedium x versicolour ‘Sulphureum’. I brought it with me from my last garden and am sure I had the variety there but have subsequently lost the label.
That hepatica is gorgeous.
Isn’t Spring just wonderful! Looking at your Pulomonaria I realise that it hasn’t appeared this year – so sad.
Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is such a great idea. It is great for us to make a note of what we have out and it is lovely to see what everyone else is enjoying too. I love your Narcissus eystettnsis, it reminds me I used to have it, I must go and check. And Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White where on earth has that gone? If Pauline has lost it twice, mine has probably disappeared too.
Wonderful spring images. I’m drooling over your beautiful blooms. Happy Bloom Day!
So many pretties in a cool spring garden. The only thing we’ve in common is Camellias. Love the Primroses. They are sold here in garden centers in the spring as if they would thrive.
That pale yellow epimedium is lovely Helen. The pulmonaria may be ‘Bowles Red’, which seems to be the most common one of that colour – I love them all, spots or no spots, whatever colour the flowers! Thanks for sharing your blooms 🙂
So many great blooms Helen. I am looking forward to seeing my Pulmonaria in about a month.
Why don’t I have any primulas? Every time I see them, I fall in love with them! Yours are gorgeous! Happy Bloom Day to you! ~ Julie, Garden Delights
Hi Julie
Primulas are generally so easy, you plant them and leave them to their own devices and divide occasionally. You need to get some
A beautiful range of spring flowers, Helen. I planted an erythonium a couple of years ago that sadly never came up – neither did the Anemone lipsiensis I plunged into the ground nearby, but I still hold out a small hope that those at least are just biding their time, and one year will suddenly emerge, as anemone can be slow. I love the white pulmonaria too.
We have some Narcissus Rip Van Winkle which have similarly mad flowers to your N. Eystettensis, lots of fun.
Sara
Hi Sara
I would recommend Erythronium Pagoda – very pretty but more robust than the others and seems to come up every year in my garden
I came to your site while looking at GBBD posts and I was surprised to see your location. My grandfather was born in Malvern and I’ve always had a soft spot for the Malvern Hills. He was an avid gardener everywhere he lived in Canada and I’ve inherited some of that urge to grow things.
Nice images of springtime commencing. I especially like that little Erythronium. I’m pretty sure that is Epimedium × versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ that you’ve shown above.
Hi willisjw
It’s amazing given how small Malvern is the number of people that have links with Malvern