Spring in Fife
The third week of March and the Snowdrops hung on whilst the Crocus defied the Winter conditions to herald the beginning of Spring
Spring in Fife
Well, lookee here, things perked up and the Crocus Vernus was looking great in the courtyard. One fine day in late March the Crocus were smothered in bees feasting on the nectar.
Can you believe there is actually a beekeeper nearby.
Crocus Vernus white and purple
Crocus Vernus Striped
Crocus Vernus White
Crocus Vernus purple
The earliest of the Daffodils, planted in the borders and in tubs. They started to bloom in late March, with the one below first of all to flower.
Daffodil tete-a-tete
Daffodil Jetfire
This one is an all-time favourite of ours. Its planted in the tub along with Tulips which will extend the Spring interest
Daffodil Skype
I am extremely pleased we came upon this recently introduced variety. The long trumpet is an apricot shade and the slightly reflexed petals are off-white. They started to bloom on the 14th of April reaching their best by the 23rd. Height is around 12/14 in. Keep a lookout for this one it’s going to be in demand.
Daffodil Pipit
I have a preference for these shorter varieties which we have. Mainly because they stand up better to the windy conditions we tend to get.
Narcissus Martinette
Well, aren’t I of the old school. If it doesn’t have much of a trumpet then it’s a Narcissus, otherwise, it is a Daffodil. That’s the information we got in those bygone days.
Martinette photographs well, the blooms are small and the stems quite delicate. I think I will pot these ones up and position in a more sheltered position.
Daffodil Jack Snipe
This one has been popular for some time now. I ordered these bulbs online. When they arrived I was disappointed to see that they were much smaller bulbs than I usually get. However, I have not been let down by the performance.
Tulip multi-head Quebec
The Tulips are in the front garden planted in tubs along with the Daffodils. They all started flowering around the 17th of April. Some of them do carry two or three blooms.
Tulip multi-head Winnipeg
Tulip multi-head orange Toronto.
These Tulips look great in tubs, I treat them as annuals, fortunately, they are inexpensive. Plant along with Daffodils. In a reasonably deep pot, add a few crocks to the bottom and then fill with compost to about a quarter of the way up. cram with tulips, add more compost to around halfway up the pot and place your Daffodils. Don’t concern yourself with am I placing them directly above Tulips, they simply sort themselves out.
Polyanthus High seas
In the back garden, the perennials are coming through nicely. In the meantime, these Polyanthus high seas add some welcome colour.
Primula Sunarise
If you find the Polyanthus rather garish the Primula Sunarise with pastel shades may appeal to you.
Brunnera Macrophylia Sea Heart
This new variety is most impressive. I will have a lot to say about it in the near future.
Camellia Williamsii Donation
Growing away nicely in the back garden. If you have problems with Camellia in Scotland, this is the one to try. It is well documented that Donation is the most reliable Camellia North of the border.
Camellia Williamsii Debbie
I am also optimistic about Debbie planted in front of a cherry tree in the back garden.
Camellia x Williamsii Anticipation
Camellia Anticipation arrived with a label which said ideal for growing in a pot. That is just what I did and it is looking good sitting at the back door.
Prunus Accolade
The ornamental cherry tree Prunus Accolade was planted in the front garden 14 months ago. I am extremely pleased as to how well it is flowering.
Ribes White Icicle
White Icicle grew well in our Aberdeen garden. Here in our Fife back garden, it is coping well with the draughty position it has been given.
Skimmia Temptation
At the moment Skimmia Temptation is my favourite evergreen plant. Look out for it, as it is very special.
Magnolia stellata
In our front garden, the flowers of magnolia stellata, not quite fully open on the 20th April
Indie, one Camellia which may stand a chance is Donation.
Spring is such a lovely season! I love that ‘Skype’ daffodil! So pretty. I love your orange tulips and wish I could grow them here without all the critters eating them. I keep toying with the idea of trying a camellia here that might be more cold hardy. I do miss them from living down south. Yours are gorgeous!
such beautiful classical spring flowers, lucky bees. (And great photos)
Hi Sunil, Prunus Accolade is one of the early bloomers, its just about gone over now.
Wow Alistair, there are so many spring plants for your local bee keeper’s bees to have a go at. I’m not a fam of the garish coloured primroses but I do like the Toronto tulips. Your ornamental cherry flowers very early, ours is just coming out now.
Hi Debs, Narcissus is the Latin name for Daffodils. We referred to the flat type as Narcissus whether or not that was a common practice I don’t know.
Wow, what a wealth of gorgeous spring blooms you have had! I was glad to learn he difference between daffodils and narcissus. I have always called all of them daffodils, with a vague idea that narcissus were the ones you could force indoors around Christmas. I have no idea where I got that notion!
We moved 14 months ago, Myra was never going to be happy in Cheshire.
Woah! Have you moved again? Back to Scotland? How did I miss that?
Everything, as always, looks magnificent, where ever you garden ?
Hello Donna, the pictures seem to suggest a reasonably balmy Spring, the reality is a little different although it seems to be getting a little milder again.
What a fabulous spring in your garden…..loved seeing all your flowers. We are weeks delayed here but spring is still slowly blooming.
That is annoying. Placing comments a number of years ago was much simpler and effective for the purpose when you only left name and url. Too many options now.
PS somehow gravatar and wordpress don’t play nicely. If you click my name it goes to the dormant blog – nothing I do will convince it to change.
If you go via gravatar you will see I have deleted the old blog and only left a link to the new blog.
But still ‘my name’ clicks back to the old blog. Sob.
Thanks Pam, you are free to use my pics if you like.
Thanks for the information
It is Empodium (yellow stars is what I call them)
Spring has definitely arrived in your garden, Alistair — many of your plants are blooming ahead of mine. Love, love, love the daffodils and tulips in tubs. I’m just writing my monthly article for the local newspaper and it is about container gardening. I wish I had such stunning pictures to illustrate it. Beautiful! P x
Yellow stars, I will have to look that one up Diana.
The Prunus I am also fond of Nadezda. We have managed to plant fourteen trees around our property which will gradually take away the new build look.
Looking good. Hiking today I saw yellow stars just above the ground – very much like an autumn or spring crocus up north.
Oh, dear Alistair, what a wonderful garden! I love all your spring plants, I strolled twice watching them. Daffodil Jack Snipe is pretty, I think I have had them too. Tulips Winnipeg look very nice. Prunus Accolade is my favorite!