WINTER IN YELLOW AND WHITE

Nature is a great colourist, I think.  Each season of the year produces it's own harmonies.  The oranges and rusts of Autumn are widely celebrated, but Winter too has it's particular palette.  It is subtle shades of browns, greys and greens with small touches of white and yellow.  It is a quiet palette, but  a beautiful  one none the less.  


1. Phlomis russelliana

Before we get onto those whites and yellows, here is a little curiosity for you.  This is the seed head of Phlomis russelliana with what I assume are germinating seeds peeking out of these beautifully tessellated  compartments, arranged like an Islamic mosaic.


2. Long awaited

As soon as Christmas has passed, I begin to eagerly await the appearance of the snowdrops. They are a sign that the new gardening year is beginning.  Each day I visit them to see how they are progressing.  I missed the last two days because the weather has been rather wet, but then suddenly, today, the first of them were there.  



3. Yellow Aconites

I love the fancy green ruffs that encircle each flower head, and how each globe of flower is held upright above them.  They form themselves into little posies.  They are tougher than they look, as these have appeared through the bark path, and at the edge of the gravel drive another patch regularly appear despite their gravel covering.


4. Pale yellow Hellebores

These Hellebores will look even better when the flowers open up, so I should wait until they do before featuring them, but since these are another important contributor to the scheme of yellow and white, due to their beautiful creamy yellow colour, I've been impatient and included them regardless.  


5. Helleborus foetidus

I haven't planted these.  They just appeared last year in an area where overgrown shrubs had been cut back.  They flowered for the first time this week, but I'm sorry that forgot to check how foetidus they are. I will have to report back another time.




6. Mahonia Aquifolium

Those beautifully scented flowers are starting to appear. 



I hope my rather poor closeup captures something of their lovely cupped double rows of petals.  After I took these photos, a little group of blue tits seemed to be delighting in pecking these and tossing their petals around.  I couldn't be cross about it, as they looked so cute.


That's all from my garden for this week.  If you'd like to see what's happening in other gardens around the world then do visit The Propagator who kindly hosts Six on Saturday.

Comments

  1. Lovely pictures. I found Winter aconites this week in the garden and managed to get a picture before the birds peck at them and strew the flowers around the bed. There must be something in them that they are after. Hoorah for the snowdrops.

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    Replies
    1. I wonder if they just peck at everything this time of year? And the slugs get the blame for the damage!

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  2. The seed head of the Phlomis russelliana is fascinating. I've been eyeing a pale yellow hellebore online and resisting making a purchase. I fear when I see yours in flower I may cave in. Lovely snowdrops.

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    Replies
    1. You're as well caving in now, as you know you will :D

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    2. I really like this hellebore, which just came as a mixed batch from Parkers, so I bought some more from a specialist grower which have sulked and not done anything much. They seem to be rather temperamental plants.

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  3. Your garden is waking up to 2021 with some beautiful colour. Those lovely little yellow aconites are so pretty, and its always so exciting to see the first snowdrops open.

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    1. I used to wonder why gardeners were so interested in snowdrops, and then I started gardening...

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  4. Many people show yellow aconites this morning. I didn't check mine but probably they are already open too. Nice phlomis picture !

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  5. Love the way the seedlings are peeping through in the dried seed head.

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    1. I feel like I ought to put them in some soil, since they are trying so hard.

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  6. Those aconites are very cheerful with their ruffs. I like your colour palette this week, very restful.

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  7. The Phlomis is fascinating. I have one Phlomis in my garden and as far as I know, it has never dropped a seed anywhere (there are certainly no babies around) never mind germinating a seed on the plant. I like the aconites very much. We never hear of them here.

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    1. I've never found any Phlomis seedlings either, so it was a bit of a surprise.

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  8. Snowdrops and winter aconites are such treasures at this time of the year - and, then, the hellebores. All beautiful and, like you, I make the daily patrol to see what is peeping up.

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