April 2016 in the Northern Hemisphere

[johngennard]

Couldn't agree more Maggie,but where were they and in what situation ?Obviously in grass.

[Gabriela]

What a symphony of colours from all!

Actually Gabriela I've not found it at all difficult. It needs established Salix spp. to grow on - in the wild it seems to prefer wet conditions on clay but here it seems to tolerate our rather thin loamy stuff well. The roots grow an inch or two below soil level and are whitish, rather like the rhizomes of Dentaria bulbifera or Dicentra formosa. It seems to take quite a lot of water from the willows if it isn't wet enough as the soil around the plant can be physically wet when all around is dry. I established mine by planting pieces of root next to willow roots in the garden. I've not seen the seed but I'm sure it is around I'll take a look at the right time.

I went around and read more about it Tristan and it seems the capsules are 'explosive', unfortunately. Maybe if you can put a mesh over them while still green, otherwise slim chances to get any.
Anyway, you gave me a good idea for trying the Indian pipe by pieces of root instead of seeds! 

[David King]

Thought you might like to see a few more pictures of the anemone carpet we saw yesterday afternoon showing a little more of their situation.

[Maggi Young]

A quite sheltered situation in a walled garden, it seems.
John - you have so many fabulous displays in your garden I feel you really must try to replicate this anemone show - you are one of the few who could succeed with it, I reckon.

[David King]

Lathraea clandestina. This interesting parasitic plant grows on the roots of willows and produces masses of scented purple flowers in spring. It never appears in exactly the same place twice.

We saw this strange plant too yesterday where it was appearing between paving stones.  Not sure if it is tree roots pushing them up or the Lathraea.

[David King]

Two rather nice trees seen yesterday.

1.  A lovely Acer with young leaves
2.  A Horse Chestnut

[David King]

A selection of Fritillary coll. by Cedric Morris.

[David King]

A Fritillary, Narcissus and Muscari.

1.  Fritillari meleagris 'Saturnus'
2.  Narcissus poeticus var. physaloides
3.  Muscari 'Captain Pinwell'

[Robert]

Robert, my understanding of collinsias is that they like a wet spring followed by dry.  Is that correct?

Hi Anne,

All of our California Collinsia species are annuals. I plant the seed in the Autumn, mid October to early November. They bloom best with cool, moist weather. Many like somewhat shady growing sites (at least around here). Once it gets hot and dry around here they dry-up and go away for the season. With a very gritty, well drained soil I get C. heterophylla to seed around on its own. At the farm C. hetrophylla grow wild on north facing slopes just down the road.

I have grown Collinsia torreyi and C. parviflora too. These two are small high elevation species. Unfortunately, I did not keep these lines going and will have to start over again. They are straight forward to grow and of coarse annual.

[ranunculus]

Images from last summer in the garden … covered with snow for much of yesterday.

[ranunculus]

… And a few more.

[meanie]

Finally some of the perennials awake!
Corydalis flexuosa..............


And Eccromocarpus scaber.............

[Maggi Young]

Images from last summer in the garden … covered with snow for much of yesterday.

Proof, if any were needed by doubters, that it is not necessary to have a large garden to have a world of colour to enjoy.

[Yann]

a quick tour in the garden, Epimedium seedling 2008, Pulsatila vulgaris and Tulipa lost-labelus 



Sarracenia flava and Anemonella thalictroides green dragon



Saxifraga 'Norman', Tulipa whittallii and Caltha palustris