April 2017 in the northern hemisphere

[ian mcdonald]

Did you know that the entrance fee for the Harrogate spring show has been reduced to £5 to attract more visitors. Must check the calendar. More than 50 years ago our gardening teacher encouraged us to buy bulbs and enter them in the schools flower show. I bought some Texas Narcissus then planted them in the garden after the show. There is still one flowering on a surviving progeny after this time img. 1020320. Successes and failures in the new indoor scree img. 1020321. A dead woodmouse on the lawn, no doubt left by a cat img. 1020322. A colourful cyclamen on the raised bed img. 1020323.

[Robert]

It has been extremely windy (dry north winds) for 4 days out of 5. The garden is holding up well and I managed a few photographs.



Sisyrinchium bellum is looking good in our garden.



I make an effort to plant good forms that will repeat bloom throughout the season.



Heliophila coronopifolia  I like growing annuals in our garden. This South African species is easy and looks great. Unfortunately they were blown over by the wind!

[Corrado & Rina]

Soldanella montana

[Leucogenes]

Since this week Townsendia hookeri begins to bloom. It has as many flowers as every year.
I like the foliage especially with Vitaliana primuliflora var. assoana.

[Robert]

Some scenes of our garden from the kitchen window and back window door.

[Robert]

Some plants that are looking good.



Allium campanulatum - Grown from seed gathered in the Sierra Nevada. By far the best form I have grown to date. The large spreading perianth parts are fairly deep colored for the species.



Erysimum capitatum - A high elevation form grown from seed gathered in Alpine County, California. Very compact and mounding. Many more flower stems are yet to open. Plants found at lower elevations can have tall blooming stalks and are useful in other parts of the garden.



Potentilla flabellifolia - Another plant grown from seed gathered in the high Sierra Nevada. This species is found in moist meadows. As one can see, this plant is in a tub. In the garden I like how the flowering stems grow through other plants. This how they grow in alpine meadows. This easy-to-grow species brings good memories and a part of the high Sierra Nevada into our garden.



Primula (Dodecantheon) hendersonii - Grown from seed gathered at 2,600 feet, 792 meters, in the Sierra Nevada. I only got one plant to grow (rarely any seed!), however I am very pleased. This form blooms after the low elevation forms are finished, but before the higher elevation forms of this species start blooming. The high elevation forms are just starting to send up their flowering stem at this time. Having Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii blooming in the garden for 2 months will be very pleasing for me.

[Leena]

Very nice views from the windows, Robert!

[Cfred72]

Your garden looks dense Robert. With us, the Magnolia soulangeana is recovering from its wounds. By January 2016, the weight of the snow in a few hours had caused a third of the tree to break.

[Hoy]

Some scenes of our garden from the kitchen window and back window door.

Looks very good, Robert!

We are still months away from such lush sights.

[Hoy]

........ With us, the Magnolia soulangeana is recovering from its wounds. By January 2016, the weight of the snow in a few hours had caused a third of the tree to break.

Very nice Cfred!

[WimB]

Ficaria verna 'Graham Joseph' is very beautiful with closed flowers too.

[Catwheazle]

Pulsatilla vulgaris and Pulsatilla vernalis

[Robert]

Looks very good, Robert!

We are still months away from such lush sights.

Hi Trond,

I, too, am pleased with how the garden is progressing. A lot of the new plantings need to grow in, but that is okay. 

We are about 5 days away from more winter-like weather. This will slow things down for us.

I can tell by the photographs that you have posted, that your garden about 6 weeks behind ours. I can see how things are still many weeks away for you. ....but something to look forward to also.

Trond - can you check on the Viola I posted on the Viola thread? I am not sure as to the species. 

Very nice views from the windows, Robert!

Leena,

Thank you very much! I always enjoy the photographs that you post. Like Trond, your garden must be just waking up? or maybe things are much different that I imagine in Finland. I guess, depending on where one lives, there could still be snow on the ground or maybe the weather is much warmer?

[Leucogenes]

... because this interesting Sedum is almost coplet red at the time of flowering, I show it already today. Sedum valens ... an Endemite from Idaho. Monocarp but very well to multiply. The form and color I find ingenious.

[Leucogenes]

For me, spring means not only flowers, but the freshness of the shrubs makes me happy every year. This clone of Betula gladulosa grows flat on the ground and is only a few centimeters high ... no wonder ... comes from the south of Greenland from the region at Narsaq.