Spring blue carpet of Scilla Chionodoxa. Image: Kathryn Hawkins
Hello again everyone. Here we are almost at the end of another month. There has been a big transformation in the garden since my last out-of-doors update at the beginning of the month. We had a lovely spell of warm, sunny weather last week and as a consequence there are flowers and plants in bloom everywhere. This time of year certainly lifts the spirits as everything comes to life with such vibrancy and splendor.
Scilla Scilla everywhere, and busy bees as well. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
The beds, paths and borders are once again covered in a blue carpet of tiny Chionodoxa. I did a bit of reading on the species and their common name is Glory of the Snow. We had a lot of the white stuff lying in February so I am wondering whether this has had something to do with the fact that there are so many this year.
Muscari enjoying some spring sunshine. Image: Kathryn Hawkins
Whilst the Chionodoxa have done very well this year, I have lost a lot of Muscari (grape hyacinth). No idea why. This is the only patch left in the garden now. I will try to remember to plant more in the Autumn.
The last of the crocus. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
This is the last clump of crocus for another year. The bees were very busy making the most of the pollen-rich stamens before the petals curl up completely.
And now it’s time for my annual Hellebore fest. Just a couple of images this time. The reddish-burgundy varieties are looking exceptionally dramatic and bold this year. I couldn’t resist capturing them again.
March Hellebores. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
From the bold and dynamic to the tiny and delicate, this little wood anemone appears in a crack on the stone steps leading up to the top garden every year. It blooms for a very few days and then disappears without trace.
Lone purple wood anemone. Image: Kathryn Hawkins
More delicate petals, this time in the shadiest part of the garden, where the primroses grow. There are two new plants to add to the mix this year. This seems to be a good spot for the other primroses to multiply so hopefully the new plants will thrive in the same way.
Primroses, established and new. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
The pink “candy-floss” rhododendron is just going over now and beginning to lose petals, but it has put on a good show this year and has had no frost to nip the blossoms.
Candy-floss pink rhododendron in full flower. Images: Kathryn Hawkins
My final image this week is set against a glorious blue-sky canvas from last week. The bell-shaped flowers of the Pieris are a sight to behold on a clear and sunny day as they sway gently in the breeze.
Blue sky and Pieris. Image: Kathryn Hawkins
In a few days it will be Easter, so I am back in the kitchen again for my next post. Until then, enjoy the spring flowers and sunshine (if you have it), and see you again soon. Take care and best wishes 🙂
My Virtually Free-from Kitchen 
So very pretty already! So much blue in your garden, just like June a couple of years ago. Over here not much flowering at all in the neighborhood but the daffodils that I had planted in the fall of 2019 (gifted by my sister-in-law to brighten the front of our son’s front yard) have started coming out so I am hoping for a show of yellow in the coming weeks. Winter drags on in New England, with barely any transition into summer. Scotland sounds more and more lovely after each of your posts, Kathryn, thank you for sharing 😊
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Hello from across the pond. Thanks for saying such nice things about the garden. The warm weather last week really hastened things along but it’s not been so good this week and today we have had hail and sleet so the poor flowers have had a bit of a shock! I hope you are keeping well and are enjoying being in the US in spite of the chilly weather. I’m sure it will begin to warm up soon. Best wishes 🙂
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