The sun is shining, the birds are singing, Littlest Weed is outside shouting his little cotton socks off (except he’s barefoot) – what’s not to like about this mini-heatwave? Like our esteemed host, The Propagator, I am loving the tulips this week, but there is lots more happening out in the garden worth a mention too.
- Bluebells
Although I’m no expert, I’m pretty sure these are the less desirable Spanish variety, but they are still providing lovely cerulean splashes of colour around our garden.
2. Tulipa ‘Ballerina’
I planted these in the autumn in our herbaceous border which is meant to be a mixture of bright oranges, purples and blues (although a few yellows and pinks have crept in) and have been rewarded by this first beautiful bloom.
3. Tulipa ‘Ile de France’
These gorgeous crimson cups have popped into flower in the last day or two.
4. Narcissus – unidentified
I bought a daffodil and narcissus mixture from Peter Nyssen in the autumn, so I don’t know the name of this narcissus – one of the last to bloom – but I think it looks rather stunning.
5. Ferns unfurling at last
I had almost given up hope that our ferns would ever unfurl after the harsh winter, and feared I had cut them back too soon, but here they are proving that nature’s instinct is to come back to life in the spring.
6. The first apple blossom…
… has appeared in all its pinky white majesty on our little apple tree.
To see what is happening in other SOS-ers’ gardens this sunny weekend, don’t forget to drop in on The Propagator.
Carrots and Calendula 
All fresh and green. Very nice. The Bluebells might be a hybrid, they look as though there is something of both types in them.
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Nice pictures ! Do you know the apple variety? is it a young tree?
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Not sure as it was here when we moved in a couple of years ago.
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GAH! Spanish Bluebells: my arch enemy! I dig them up to incinerate them as we have natives along our lane and I have this moral panic that I might be responsible for setting loose the beast of hybridisation! I curse our previous occupants! Your tulips are looking divine, and your apple blossom. Such an exciting time…
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Not sure as it was here when we moved in a couple of years ago.
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I think they’re a hybrid too but I have them too…..I like them although I know, I know they are not a good thing but then neither is Vinca and I tolerate that too!
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I cut most of my ferns down about a week ago and can hardly believe how fast they are shooting up again. Fresh fern foliage is a joy.
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Oh that tulip Ballerina is a striking thing! And the unidentified narcissus- wow!
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‘Ile de France’ is one that I have been wanting, as well as the white ones of course, but we have no tulips here. I have avoided them forever, but I really would like to grow some.
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such a splendid narcissus. Is it fragrant?
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English and Spanish bluebells hybridise easily though when that happens, the Spanish genes will become dominant. True English ones hang gracefully from curved stems with spaces between the individual flowers whilst Spanish are more erect and clumpy. The flowers in yours are erect (a Spanish trait) but a bit spaced out (an English one) hence a guess at a hybrid. The narcissus looks like “Tahiti”. Like you I worried about some of my ferns this year but they have all started into growth now.
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I have some bluebells (I think) in the front garden. They seem to spread quite happily. I must investigate the variety. They may well feature next week. I like ballerina very much.
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