Flowers and foliage February 2008

[hadacekf]

In my meadow the bulbs flowers despite frost in the night.
Crocus sieberi
Colchicum hungaricum
Crocus chrysanthus  C. biflorus

[dominique]

Two tulips in the front garden.  The first is 'lost label' but I think Thomas may know it.  The second (third pic) is Tulipa edulis which does well in the garden here.

Tony, I think that it is Tulipa bifloriformis, perhaps the cv 'Starlight' which is dwarfer than the type. Perhaps too Tulipa biflora 'Maxima' (biflora type is smaller and biflore)

[Armin]

Franz,
you have a phantastic meadow and garden!
It is a great pleasure to see it -
I assume will never reach this level in my own garden..

Can confirm my own crocus flowered today in fully frozen soil (4-5cm deep) without any frost damages!

[Tony Willis]

here is orchis morio

That is unusually pale and very early. Is it a named form Tony and do you grow it in the greenhouse? Mine is still in tight rosette in a trough.

No it is just an ordinary one.I have three and theyare all in flower now.A friend locally still has his as rosettes but mine are kept frost free and maybe this brings them on earlier

[Lvandelft]

Luit,
What a superb Abeliophyllum distichum! It seems there is a superior clone in the Netherlands.
All plants which I have seen here had distorted twigs although nice flowers too.
Does your plant build seeds?
30 years ago I tried to cross this species with Forsythia because the Abeliophyllum is called the white Forsythia. No success - 
Gerd   

I never looked Gerd. After flowering I mostly take the scissors to take the long and untidy branches away.
In most years when flowering there are heavy nightfrosts, so I think no seed.
I'll have a better look this year.
Luit

[johngennard]

Paddy,
I'm not ignoring you,I will come back to you to-morrow when I have assembled a few pics.

[johngennard]

Paddy,
The permutations are endless,but in my own case the upper storey comprises some of the larger Acers like rubrum,cappadocicum,ginnala etc.plus birches,Koelreutaria,magnolias and cercidiphyllum whilst the middle storey is filled with various japanese   maples,camellias,rhododendrons,corylopsis and viburnums with evergreen azaleas beneath and the floor is invisible by the end of May/
early June with successively dentarias,corydalis flexuosa,malkensis & solida,hacquetia epipactis,epimediums,trilliums,glaucidium palmatum
ferns,hostas,tiarellas,hylomecon japonicum,primula sieboldii,euphorbias,podophyllums etc.These are some pics. from last year.

[johngennard]

additionally

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Franz, I don't think any "real" alpine meadow looks as good as yours !
 
Simply stunning. 

[Maggi Young]

Nor do many woodland glades look as good as John's!! What talented gardeners we have here... it is just an absolute delight to share your gardens with you....thankyou!

[Brian Ellis]

John and Franz, what absolute delights, thank you so much for sharing these wonderful pictures with us.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Oops - I made a posting earlier on regarding Johns Woodland glade that apparantly got lost in Cyber space... (the posting I mean  )

I just wanted to express my awe as to the breathtaking displays John is able to create throughout successive seasons !    
Absolutely brilliant !

[Thomas Huber]

Great garden-photos everyone.
I have some, not from my own garden, but from the Botanical
Garden in Giessen, where my sister lives! No special plants
but the quantity makes them special even so:

[Casalima]

John,

Your woodland glade is absolutely fantastic! I would love to do something similar here one day - adapted to the local climate, of course, but my local climate has great potential

Congratulations!!

[Katherine J]

but the quantity makes them special even so:

indeed. So many Eranthis in a place! 
Beautiful.

But John, you have no place where to step!!!  (I wish I had no place where to step because of flowers