Yearning for Spring colour! Blog 22

Posted on 23 Nov, 2008 17 comments

I expect we are the same as many of our fellow gardeners on G.O.Y in the U.K in that we just can’t wait until spring arrives again next season.

Hopefully, the garden will begin to burst out once more with new life and colour.

The majority of plants in our garden are growing in pots and containers, so we have the opportunity to mix and match the colour and the planting combinations.

At the moment we have an evergreen backdrop to see us through the winter months, but once the Spring arrives we hopefully will have masses of colour and perfume.

We use Muscari Hyacinths, Hellebores, Tete a tete Daffodills, Bluebells and Tulips, followed by Fritillarias and Alliums to provide drifts of colour as well as height and texture, together with some perfume from the Hyacinths.

Some of our favourites are Tulip ‘Queen of the night’ (Deep burgundy with hints of purple) and Tulip ‘Menton’ (Delicate pink with hints of Ivory.)
This is a successful colour combination particularly when used with other green foliage as a backdrop.

We have planted hundreds of different bulbs this autumn in our tiny garden, and packed the urns and containers to give a massed planting effect for maximum impact.

Tulips can be planted in layers and easily grown in pots. The pots can be moved around the garden to provide focal points and splashes of colour where it is needed.

The beautiful colour of Tulip: ‘Queen of the night.’

The delicate shades of Tulip: ‘Menton.’

We also incorporate Hellebores, as they can add an almost exotic touch of colour and texture during the winter months and early spring. They are a perfect choice for a woodland garden or shady setting.We tend to use the deep purple varieties with shades of cream to create a dramatic and luscious colour combination. They look even more effective when they are massed together to form ‘drifts’ or ‘blocks’ of colour.

We group the plants together in pots in shady areas, and also combine the Hellebores with our evergreen ferns.

Pots of Hellebores will also be placed within the Stumpery.

The delicate blue flowers of the Muscari Hyacinths add a splash of colour and delicate perfume to the garden in Spring.

So we hope this taste of spring will help to brighten the dark gloomy days of our winter in the U.K, and give us a taste of the wonderful colours that wait to greet us next year !

With best wishes,
Grenville and Alan.
Bristol.U.K
November 23rd 2008.

Comments

Bonkersbon

23 Nov, 2008

Thank you for sharing Grenville great to look forward to these - I too have planted Queen of the night this year with a pale pink variety name escapes me .

Hopefully helebores will look something like yours next year.Cheery plant with lovely colours so early in the year.
Thanks for brightening things up with this splash of colour.

Spritzhenry

23 Nov, 2008

Lovely photos - thanks Alan! That was a cheer-up blog, Grenville, especially for the people out there struggling with snow. Pretty to look at, not good to have to go to work while it's around.

I am looking forward to new Hellebores - my H.niger is already in flower - I bought some doubles this time. They are real show-stoppers when in flower, though I do like ALL of them, even the H.foetidissima!

Clarice

23 Nov, 2008

Thanks Granville & Alan i've put some queen of nights tulips in & some hellebores, so i'm looking forwould to seeing them in flower. Just hoping when spring does come it brings a lot better summer with it than the last 2 we've had, anyway thanks for the nice cheerful blog, enjoyed it.

Grenville

23 Nov, 2008

Thanks Clarice. Hope the tulips and Hellebores give you a good show next spring and fingers crossed for a better warmer and drier summer.Keep nice and warm.

Thanks Bonkers and Spritz as well. Hope it's not too cold for you Bonkers.

So far the snow hasn't reached us today, but its very cold outside. Lots of stormy clouds and sleety rain though!
All best wishes.

Blodyn

23 Nov, 2008

Thanks for showing all those lovely spring colours. I like the photo of Queen of the night and Menton together. The colour combination is great .
That reminds me I still have a few bulbs I haven't got round to planting yet.

Grenville

23 Nov, 2008

Thanks Hywel.
Try to get those bulbs in before it gets too cold and damp.It's still not too late.
All best wishes.

Andrewr

23 Nov, 2008

I really struggle with helleborus niger as it dislikes my acid soil (for once, you are one up on me spritz). I'm now trying it beside a path where it can get its roots down into cement and scalpings to see if it likes that

Grenville

23 Nov, 2008

Ours seem to be doing really well Andrew. For four consecutive years the helleborus niger have put on a good display and all the signs are good for 2009.Hope the new location in your garden will work well for you.

Youngdaisydee

23 Nov, 2008

Reminders of spring Grenville, Lovely. I have queen of the night planted with cream tulips and they looked great together last year, ive planted some more with Bright purple tulips (there name escapes me ) for next spring and im looking forward to seeing that combination together..Helleborus, Ive never tried them because they seem a bit dull to me (sorry) also as i dont have too many pots i dont think they would look good in my borders or survive even, looking forward to seeing your Fab garden in spring, It is going to look amazing... Dee..

Spritzhenry

23 Nov, 2008

Oh, Dee - Andrew has the most amazing double purple Hellebore, I fell in love with it and it's on my favourites list. I actually found one earlier this autumn and I am hoping it might flower in the spring.. I have several - a lovely pink double, as well as white, cream, pink, and freckled ones. Dull? Never!

Youngdaisydee

23 Nov, 2008

Ok Spritzhenry, I believe you :)))) Its just a plant ive never fancied. you know me, if its not red and showy, its dull.. It will look Fantastic in Grenville's garden because he plants in pots and when there all grouped together, as i said Amazing..

Spritzhenry

23 Nov, 2008

Dee- guess what - you can buy red ones as well! Showy? YESSS!

Gilli

23 Nov, 2008

Lovely Grenville. You will also brighten up the long dark winter for me too out here in BC. I haven't got around to putting in bulbs in my garden yet. I have one lonely red tulip that comes up faithfully every spring. Not a patch on your lovely ones. I love the colour of the deep purple. This past month I did plant a few Muscari; only 20 bulbs. However, I am looking forward to the lovely little flowers popping up next year.
Thanks for the lovely pics. ~ Gilli

Youngdaisydee

23 Nov, 2008

My ears are pricking up Spritzh...;)

Arlene

24 Nov, 2008

~ I have several dark purple hellebores including a double~as well as a beautiful pink all in very large pots.A lot grown from seed. In the summer I bought some tiny plugs which are supposed to be white /pink spotted(5) and a selection of different doubles from the Guardian(10) they are all growing fairly well and I think a repot is in order.
I have been using various composts but recently was able to get some supagrow from Ashwoods nursery.Had only an hour to spare there and didn't see any hellebores.
Has anyone used it and will it be suitable for my baby hellebores?
I am planning a trip up to Farmyard Nurseries Llandyssul who are within about an hours drive I think~so looking forward to that.
Nb got about 20 pots outside in addition to the babies so waiting to see what I get this year!

Terratoonie

28 Nov, 2008

Just catching up with this blog.
Lovely to see all the spring flowers.
Grenville and Alan ~ thanks. :o)

Dottydaisy2

7 Dec, 2008

I am just catching up with this blog as well, as per usual most informative, and lovely pictures to boot. Have put in lots of bulbs this year, could be the Year of The Bulb, methinks.....