There is nothing better after what seems like interminable days of rain than getting outside and having a good look around the garden to see what the plants have been up to. The real draw were the red berries of Bomarea salsilla which I can see from the kitchen. The seeds heads have been hanging on the vine for some months and I have wondered whether it was worth picking them then the other day a spot of red was winking at me. Closer inspection today showed that the seed capsules were opening to reveal lots of red berries. Tomorrow, I intend to pick them and to have a go at sowing the seed. Research indicates that I will need to remove the red sarcotesta fleshy layer as it may inhibit germination. I haven’t tried growing from berries before so this will be interesting. Research has also led me to wonder if this variety is in fact Bomarea salsilla as on-line photos suggest it should be a pinker flower whilst the flowers on my plant are a real brick-red.
Another splash of vibrant red beckoning me into the garden is the Chaenomeles which is being trained up the back fence. It should be a real picture in a week or so when all the buds open.
Having been drawn outside by the strident reds I found myself noticing more including these two delightful iris, which have really made my day. I don’t remember planting them but I did plant out a lot of iris reticulata and histriodies corms that I had in pots back in the summer as I had read somewhere that they might grow better if planted deep in some shade rather than my normal practice of planting them in a sunny and dry location. A bit more research on-line and I think this is Iris histriodies ‘George’ which was definitely amongst the corms languishing in the pot collection for some years without producing any flowers.
I also spotted some narcissus flowering, ridiculously early. I am pretty sure this is Narcissus ‘Geranium’. A real delight but I do wonder where this season is going with spring flowers blooming some two months early. Maybe we will get a cold spell in the next month and everything will revert back to normal.
Who knows what 2016 will bring, whatever it is I am sure it will be very interesting.