March 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere

[hadacekf]

Almost all flowering bulbs on the meadow are self-seedlings.

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful meadow Franz.

[astragalus]

A lovely meadow. When you see what self-sown seedlings can do it seems better not to do too much planning yourself.

[Matt T]

Beautiful, Franz! It would be impossible to create such a naturalistic effect by planting all those bulbs. Nature always does it best!

[hadacekf]

Thanks
Iris reticulata - so my seedlings look at present.

We had a frosty winter. The damage is considerable.

[Maggi Young]

Oh dear - this frost damage done by black frost without snow, Franz?
We have some similar damage to plants in troughs also.

[hadacekf]

Maggi this is right, all January we had day and night frost. I think the plants are dried up

[Lampwick]

Pictures taken today. . .

[WimB]

A few Ranunculaceae in flower:

Adonis amurensis
Adonis vernalis
Ficaria verna 'Leo'
and Trollius altaicus.

[Lesley Cox]

Welcome back from a short break away John. I hope things are gradually getting better for you though I don't for a moment underestimate your pain and sadness, ongoing for a long time. These lovely things in your garden perhaps will help a little bit. I'm pleased you in the north are entering springtime.

[Lesley Cox]

Lovely Adonis Wim. Why can't I grow A. vernalis? It germinates (rarely) then withers away and is dead, and not even slowly. A. amurensis seems much happier though we don't have the wonderful newer forms you have in the northern hemisphere.

[WimB]

Lovely Adonis Wim. Why can't I grow A. vernalis? It germinates (rarely) then withers away and is dead, and not even slowly. A. amurensis seems much happier though we don't have the wonderful newer forms you have in the northern hemisphere.

Cheers, Lesley.

That amurensis came from wild collected seeds from Russia...a good semi-plena, which looks very exquisite in bud (see pic attached)....

A vernalis is tricky in my garden too, I need to keep it in a pot for it to stay happy...not too sure why. I've lost it 4 times in my garden and now I've been able to keep it alive for 4 years in a pot and it seems to be increasing quite well there. It needs good drainage (there are lava stones and small tufa stones in the soil-mix), a lot of sun in spring and then, from early summer onwards I keep the pot outdoors in a warm spot (against a west-facing wall, so sun from 13h until the evening) but in between other plants which give it quite some shade. My guess was that they grow in between the grass in the wild, so they would be quite dry and warm but shaded. And that seems to have done the trick... In winter I keep it indoors in an unheated greenhouse and quite (but not bone) dry.

The new Adonis amurensis forms over here are Japanese, so their origin is much closer to NZ than to Europe...you just need a good Japanese friend 

[Leena]

That is a beutiful A.amurensis, Wim.
I planted A.vernalis last autumn, I didn't realize it would be more demanding than A.amurensis. I hope it has survived the winter (still under snow).

Spring is finally slowly coming, 'Mrs Macnamara' pushing through snow melting snow, and another 'Mrs Macnamara' surrounded by ice.

[Gunilla]

I have been enjoying all your spring photos.  Franz, your meadow with self seedlings is very beautiful and perfectly arranged by nature itself. 
Wim, your Adonis are lovely.  I can't get them to thrive at all  .

My garden is frost free at last and I hope there will be no more snow. 

Some pictures from today:

[Maggi Young]

How lovely , Gunilla.