This year has flown already. I must say, I’ve struggled to make time to blog, but I have found Instagram (I’m naomi.outofmyshed by the way) very alluring and now have a widget on my blog showing my Instagram images.
Using my iPhone (mostly), it’s so quick and simple, and for me, it’s a great way to record what grows and blooms throughout the year, (plus a few dogs in coats, sculptural stuff and great lighting installations). I do have to restrain myself though to a post (ish) a day. I’ve been told that that’s quite enough (if not too much?). Anyhow, I love it!
But there are times that you want to say (and share) a little more.
So here’s a gorgeous Clematis alpina Columbine. An early flowerer. I planted it last year and it’s slowly building up new growth and beautiful clusters of flowers. There’s no need to prune this unless it gets out of hand, and it’s a smallish well-behaved variety (growing to 6-8ft), so I don’t think it’ll need too much attention for a while.
Its petite blue/purple delicate flowers are a joy to behold, and good to spend time with for a bit of quite contemplation.
Meanwhile, in the front garden, things are a little livelier. The tulips are out. With the sudden burst of hot weather in London, I’m not sure that they’ll be around for long. But they are vibrant and uplifting and a great sight to come home to.
Mistress Mystic is a new one to me. A lovely muted pink with soft orange stripes.
Pink Twist seems really reliable and I do like the solid shape and the paler tinges at the top of the blooms.
Paul Scherer strangely has a few that are double-headed . Never seen that before, and it’s a perfect foil for the brighter hues in the bed.
Ballerina is always a favourite and adds a zing to an otherwise tasteful yet subdued palette. They don’t seem to be reliable as they usually are though and are a bit thinner on the ground than I thought I had planned. Following a comment from Barbara below, I spoke to my bulb supplier, Peter Nyssen, who said that due to a mild winter followed by really cold weather, many bulbs have struggled to grow well this year. Suppliers all over Europe have had these problems and there will be a shortage of decent sized bulbs to order as a result of this when ordering in autumn-so don’t leave it too late this year!
And finally, on top of the bay window in the front garden, these jolly tazetta daffs are looking fabulous en masse. They’re an heirloom variety from pre 1937 (according to Peter Nyssen Bulbs) called Yellow Cheerfulness, and I can’t argue with that.
Out of my shed 
Wonderful to share your joy and see stunning images of it this week. Love it!
Thanks Suzanne!
Lovely to see your tulips and daffodils, mine have been disappointingly sparse this year, and apart from the Ballerinas, a lot of them are a bit weedy too, I see you said you thought you’d seen fewer coming up than you expected, too. Do you have any ideas why this might be?
Hi Barbara, I have noticed that in past years when we’ve had a dry spring, some bulbs have been rather on the stumpy side. https://outofmyshed.co.uk/2015/05/03/tulip-disappointment/
There’s also a fungal disease called ‘Tulip Fire’ (Botrytis tulipae) https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=252 which can really damage your bulbs. According the the RHS, you should remove these damaged plants straight away, and not grow tulips in the same bed for at least 3 years!!
As to them not appearing at all, I’ve just spoken to my bulb supplier, Peter Nyssen, and all over Europe apparently, bulbs have failed this year due to the mild winter, followed by a really cold spell. Some varieties of bulbs (not just tulips) have been wiped out completely and certain varieties of tulips will be in short supply next year. They advise that if your tulips are on the small side this year, but will normally return each year, feed well now, let them die down naturally and they should do better next year again. Fingers crossed!!!
[…] via Clematis alpina Columbine — Out of my shed […]
So happy to see you blogging again, Naomi. I’ve missed news of your garden(s). Thanks for the lovely photo. PS. Here in the southern US, tulips are not perennial. If we grow them, we grow like annuals. I don’t grow them anymore because there’s usually an early March spate of 80 degrees that blasts all the blooms in a few days. This year is an exception however. We are having a long cool spring and the early woodland flowers are hanging around. Love it.
Thanks Christine!
I grow my tulips as annuals too, as London clay is generally too heavy for them and most of the bulbs rot during our wet winters.
As I’ve got such a small space to grow in, this also gives me room straight away for veg growing. Better start sowing some seeds!
Oh it’s good to see a blog post from you Naomi. ‘Columbine’ looks a most attractive clematis even when dripping in the rain. Thanks for the glimpse of the tulip ‘Mistress Mystique’. I’ve grown her too but she has still to open. It looks as if I’m in for a treat. There was a shortage of tulips last autumn too 😦