This will be my third year for a February End of Month View, and looking back at the past posts, the progress towards Spring this year is about on par with previous years. Everything is roughly at the same stage, although a few plants maybe possibly be a fraction behind. In my February 2012 EOMV post I showed photos of the Kerria in bloom, this year there are only a few buds that are showing yellow petals.
However, the Peony is slightly advanced. I made a mistake last year by mulching the buds for fear of frost damage, and the plant repaid me by producing no flowers. So this year I am leaving it to its own devices with the hope it will flower without sulking.
The Elder (Sambucus Nigra) is beginning to burst out all over with tiny dark maroon buds. Although I thinned out some of the older branches, I have left the height this year as it gives some good structure to the garden.
The most exciting change in the garden in February was cutting down the ivy at the bottom of the garden. We filled, two large brown garden sacks, one enormous garden waste wheelie bin, took a trip to the dump and what was left after that filled the wheelie bin again ready for the next bin collection. The light into the garden now is fantastic. It is still heavy and thick against the wall, but at least we have reduced the height down to wall level. Removing the rest of it is going to take some care so that the wall is not damaged.
All we need to do now is tackle the left-hand side of the garden. Unfortunately, this is growing from next door’s garden, and whilst they are quite happy for me to cut it down but are not going to make any effort themselves to remove it or even help me.
There is still very little colour in the garden, but all the bulbs are coming up and hopefully by the time the March EOMV arrives, I will be able to include photos of daffodils, tulips and fritillaria. Meanwhile, I can include a photo of my favourite Erysimum which seems to have flowered continually throughout the year. Even the hardest frost hasn’t put it off.
It maybe because of the newly found light in the garden but I noticed today how lush, green and shiny the ferns are looking.
Looking around for other signs of Spring beginning to take a hold, I saw that the Eurphorbia are being to come to life. I have a dark green evergreen plant on one side of the garden, but can’t remember what it is called.
The other Euphorbia Griffithii Fireglow, dies down every year and I am always pleased to see the little yellow/red shoots arrive in the Spring. It is such a very pretty variety, but I don’t think it is in the right place in the garden and may try and move it this year, when undertaking the revamp.
I planted some foxgloves last year, but after their flowering time. They are looking very healthy so I am hoping that they will produce some splendid flowers this time. It is wonderful to have some thick green leaved plants that would appear to repel slugs and snails – yeah!
Apparently the first day of Spring is 20 March 2013, so with a little bit of luck there will be an exciting EMOV at the end of March.
Thank you Helen at Patient Gardener for hosting this great meme. Please take time to visit her blog and take a look at the other contributions for this month’s End of Month View.
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