TULIPS AND BLUEBELLS

We had great weather at the beginning of the week, so I got quite a lot done in the garden.

Here are the fruits of my labour, and by popular request (well a couple of Sixers mentioned it) some more tulips.

I like to think I'm in tune with the Zeitgeist and wild gardens are where it's at (apparently).  No Mow May* is being mentioned in the press and the previews for the Chelsea Flower show gardens look very rustic.  Not an outdoor kitchen or piece of sawn paving in sight.

* If you've not heard of it, here's a link to the No Mow May website.

So my first photo this week is of some bluebells and cowslips in unmown grass in a little wild corner of the garden.  Note the Goose Grass poking out there.  We have masses of this in the garden and I've pulled out a few wheelbarrow loads of it and there's still plenty left for Mr B to do.

Just a small sample of the Goose Grass (and Ground Elder too)

Most of the bluebells in the garden are the frowned upon Spanish variety (and no, I'm not going to dig them out because quite frankly I've tried and it's impossible), but I think these below are the real McCoy.

Now for our first tulip this week.  This is Angelique I believe, but I did order a mixture of Finola and Angelique for these pots and they look very similar.

               

But why didn't they all grow to the same height?  Next time, it's one variety per pot I think.

Up in the Knot Garden I planted the central beds with lily flowered Tulip Burgundy last year, except what I ordered wasn't what I got.  There were a few Tulip Burgundy, several that did nothing at all, and one rather lovely orangey one which looked lovely with the Photinias.  I think that rogue tulip was Cairo, so last Autumn I added some more of them,

Here's the combination in close up.

Last Autumn I also planted Tulip Olliouls in the Knot Garden to replace some supposedly perennial pink Viridiflora tulips that hadn't returned.  The name was lovely, which is why I chose them, but they are a bit like large blobs on stiff sticks.  I hope they do return next year, but a little smaller.

For my number five slot, another tulip!  This was planted in the front garden near the Narcissus Tresamble to brighten up what is predominantly a shrub border.

I chose Tulip Maureen as I already had some earlier white tulips in this border and I thought I would extend the season a little.  I'm assuming that it will lighten to the 'marble white' stated in the catalogue as the flower matures.

I'm going to finish with a shot of the New Perennial border as it is now.  I started making this border back in October and finally finished striping the turf back last week.  I've given it a layer of Strulch to hopefully prevent the inevitable weed festival that occurs in new borders.

Sadly my attempt at growing some plants for this border from seed has only been partly successful.  I'm not sure how long to keep watering seed trays of weed seedlings before I give in and just buy some plants. I can usually manage anything that needs a spring sowing but some of these had to be sown in Autumn and that's something I struggle with.

Well that's  all I have room for.  Thank you for reading and I hope to see you next week (where I think there might be a few more tulips to look at).

Don't forget all the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations where Jim collates all our garden ramblings.