(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to bug, hellebore niger, macro on 2008-01-29, 13:26:00

Another flowering Hellebore, and a world within a world. The close up of the centre reveals finer details of the Hellebore.
Golden oval shapes, floating pollen grains like satelites orbiting the centre, A pink central spire arising from the golden centre, and neatly folded green tubes. A bug sits at the base of the the pink Cathedral feasting on the sugary nectar.
I did not even see him as I had to kneel down, lean sideways, and look up balancing on the raised slabs, through the camera electronic view finder. Life through a lens reveals small mysterys and beauty.
The more we look at the natural beauty of apparently simple things (like flowers) the more we realise how complex they are.
The delicate petals bely how tough these plants are as its been freezing,soaking wet, and freezing cold winds. The white sails remain aloft, unphased by the inclement weather of December and January.
One more long day to go tomorrow at work, before a garden day on Thursday..Hurray!

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to hellebore niger, seeds on 2008-01-25, 11:22:00

The Wind was blowing hard again today. My fence rattled like it was going to blow down. My running repairs to the hole were blown into next doors garden.
I have just spent an hour turning the kitchen into a mini greenhouse. Seed trays and pots now fill the side by the window.
Evening Primrose, Poppy Bracteatum, Alternathera Purple Knight, Viola Midnight Runner, Agastache Lavender Haze, Heliotrope Marine Cherry Pie, and more pots of Genovese Basil, and Parsley were sown.
I need to invest in a couple of Grow Houses to house my many plants if they germinate and develop.
The Walton plant stall will get my excess so I have a reason (if i needed any) to grow millions of plants. It helps the community groups who benefit from the plant sales. It will be Hil's Tenth year running doing it. She liked the extra help me and Fran gave her last year.
I am working all weekend.
The pretty Hellebore Niger is photographed. I love the starry pollen grains. What a flower.It was worth waiting for!

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to hellebore niger, rain, seed packets on 2008-01-21, 08:03:00

I am off finally after four night shifts. The photo is of the Hellebore after the torrential rain that fell last night and this morning. The local rivers of the Calder and Aire are near to bursting their banks in places.
The soil is waterlogged in places. No early veg seed sowing for a while yet. Its made me think I want to raise the right border by a foot. If it does rain then it will drain away easier.
You can see the White flowered Heather, and the house warming Cyclamen behind the Birds sunken water dish.
I want a bigger water dish I think as the reflective element of still water is good. Its very calming the water reflecting plants and flowers below the real ones. The earthly ones above, and the magical shimmering reflected plants below. Very Heaven and Earth like.
Bird seed that has been left on the soil has germinated. I have a pot full of germinated bird seeds growing into some kind of grass.
I can see daffodils, tulips, and crocus pushing their way up out of the soil and windowbox. The big blue pot with the mystery bulbs has a baby Muscari. The small grape like flower bud is visible now after the rain battered the strappy leaves, exposing it at the base.
I saw my Robin today, but otherwise the birds have been hiding in the trees. I saw three Chaffinches fly to the fir tree and sit, but they moved away before my camera came out.
I have two days off to reacquaint myself with the garden and the birds. There is weeding to be done, and plans made to raise the borders. The African bag gardens are here and need some things buying so I can construct them for the pavers.
I will sort out my seed packets and photograph how many I actually have. I might even suprise myself with how many I actually have. Bought seed packets, and other seeds loose in envelopes and pharmacy brown bottles... like Calendula, Aquilegia's, Poppies, and Snapdragons I remember...
Thats my reflections after work and rain :)

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to hellebore niger on 2008-01-19, 00:36:00

Guess what flowered on my second night of four? The Christmas rose has flowered, on three out of six plants. Do they talk to each other in a Hellebore huddle? Ok today we three will flower at the same time.
I was outside checking the garden with bleary eyes. The white cup flower glows ghostlike in the morning light, with golden centres.
I will photograph them after nights in good light.I hope all your gardening weekends are good. I am waiting for the African Bag Gardens to be delivered hopefully today.
Good things come (Or Three flowering Hellebores) to those who wait :)

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to hellebore niger, viburnum on 2008-01-15, 06:32:00

The Rain came again today, pouring down for a few hours. I ventured outside to see if the Hellebores had flowered yet. Not yet, but pretty close. They have either pink ish or white flower buds. Five plants have developed flower buds which are now growing upwards, as they started off in the soil close to the base of the plants.
The Raindrops are photogenic on the blue berrys of the Viburnum.I actually saw a blackbird eating one yesterday.
You can see the Sunken Bird waterbowl with surrounding stones..
I wandered if the Rain would dampen the garden birds spirits. It was like wacky races today with numerous birds flying in and out. I counted up to twelve at the most. Five Blackbirds, and seven Blue tits. They are actually quite hard to count because they are all moving about rapidly.
Some bird photos to come today..

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Sunday, hellebore niger on 2008-01-06, 08:26:00

A Hellebore Niger is nearly in flower finally on this mild Sunday. I spent a few hours just watching the garden and the birds flying in and out of the bird table, whilst drinking Kenco coffee which almost has a chocolate taste to it.
The Sky was blue and the Sun actually came out for a while.
My neighbours two doors up took a hedge cutter last night, and decimated the hedge along the alley.
I thought the birds would be stressed but they hopped through the bare branches!
What a relaxing way to spend a quiet Sunday before the stresses of work on monday and tuesday.
I like the Quote "Poor Indeed is the garden in which birds find no home" (Abram L Urban).

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to garden, hellebore niger, plans on 2007-12-30, 11:41:00

The Christmas rose with its flower bud on it.The leaves have grown in size and are held aloft now like fans. I hope they flower soon.The plants seem to hold the developing buds almost in the soil held on with tight arms. I think they will hoist the flower up when its due to open.
Hellebore Niger is its posh name.
The herbs and spring onions continue to grow well in the kitchen. The alpine strawberrys are still germinating in the ten pots.
The best suprise was in my windowbox outside the kitchen window. Lots of bulbs are now poking up through the soil. In the darkest time of the year they offer us a little reminder of the Spring to come. Its been cold, wet, and very windy. I made a leaf pile today for the creepy crawlies to chill in. No bird sightings today in the garden but i was not paying atttention.
I cooked a roast dinner, and a magic chocolate sponge (where the chocolate sauce is beneath the risen sponge).I am full now...
The White climbing rose has developed two pairs of new leafs.I am thinking now of the planter boxes with the trellis attached to it. One for each climbing rose plant on either side of the backdoor pavers.
I seem to have been quite active when other gardeners have gone to read seed and flower catalogues, and to plan for next year.
I had the year Without A Garden which drove me mad, so i have a years worth of energy stored up ready to be unleashed. To be able to go outside and stand in a garden is Heavenly. I read quotes once about an Itinerant gardener dreaming about his perfect plot. The way it faced, the soil type, the flowers, plants, tree's, and fruits he wanted. He had spent all his time working other peoples land. The dirt on his hands made him yearn for his own soil to garden.
I have a lot of plans fermenting in my mind developing the garden in the new growing season. I have started indoor seedlings, have a cold frame ready to grow early plants, and imagination in plentiful supply.