January flowers

[piggingardener]

Morning all

It was so nice to see the sun yesterday so I took a few pics of some of the plants that are currently in flower in my garden.

[Plocket]

Oh Piggin what lovely flowers! You have inspired me to go and see what I've got in flower - may I post them if they are reasonable photos?

[piggingardener]

Of course you can me dear. We all need something to cheer us up at this time of year!

[Plocket]

Actually not many of them were feeling photogenic ;D Both my Jap.Quinces aren't quite open yet (one white and one pink) and the hellebores were quivering in the breeze. The primroses look a bit munched and basically I gave up!!! I did manage these three photos though:

[piggingardener]

I like your witch hazel Plocket, is it fragrant?

[sleepysunday]

I've never been fond of the orangey witchhazels - although yours is wonderfully covered with flowers. I prefer the yellow ones like PGs.

Your hellebore looks very healthy P. Mine always look naff this time of year.

[Deleted]

very pretty, I do like Hellebores, when I saw all my Hellebores buds I cut off all the leaves with brown marks on them, now I only have flower buds with their little leaves My Hellebores with healthy leaves haven't budded The buds are pink though so am guessing I will have pinkish flowers, will def take a photo when they bloom.

[Plocket]

It's not particularly fragrant Piggin, no - is yours? I did have a Mollis for a couple of years Sleepy but I think my moist clay soil was too much for it - Magic Fire (can't spell the proper German name!) is raised up in soil that I've worked on more so hopefully it will last a bit longer. I actually chose the orange so it went with the garden wall and because the flowers are quite big! I'm seriously considering trying to grow one in a container but as they are so expensive I don't want to risk it and lose another.

I think I've got about 8 hellebores but only the green one is properly in flower at the moment. Some aren't even showing buds yet, but it is early days.

[piggingardener]

It's not particularly fragrant Piggin, no - is yours?

Mine is fragrant, very delicate. I bought the variety called Diane but it died (£20 down the swannee) the yellow one cost me £3 from Penkridge market. It was only a baby but has settled in very well.

[Plocket]

I've never been to Penkridge market - is it any good? Now might be the time for me to look for a baby witch hazel!!!

[piggingardener]

I like Penkridge market. It's not very big but it does have a good variety of stalls, unlike many of the others which are all selling the same type of tat!

There are usually about three stalls selling plants and I have had some very good buys from there. There are also three stalls selling pet food including stuff for wild birds. I buy all my seed, peanuts and fatballs from there. It's definitely worth a visit and Penkridge itself is a nice place. There's a lovely Norman church near the market and several Tudor buildings in the village. Plenty of pubs too if you fancy lunch out!

[sweetleaf]

I really need some Hellebores!

Shameful that I haven't got any really, I'm going to BBG on Sunday, maybe there will be some to tempt me.....

Any to recommend?

[Plocket]

Well that's ANOTHER recommendation from you Piggin! Ok I'll make the effort to go - it's on Wednesdays isn't it?

Well the green one I photographed above is a "Corsican" hellebore, then there's the bog standard "stinking" hellebore which spreads quickly. "Niger" is your Christmas Rose and don't forget whatever hellebore you get will produce seeds of any colour, not necessarily the same as the parent plant. Personally I like "Harvington" hellebores - I find them very healthy and reliable.

[sweetleaf]

Thanks Plocket, Im going to take notes and hope there are some for sale on sunday, they usually tempt me with the perrennials but I will be especially looking for Hellebores now. ;D

[Chuckles]

Well here is my sparse collection, getting some inspiration from this thread though on what I may get for the future. Witch Hazel for sure.

Need a couple of ID's on some please folks

Helles to start with







Lemon scented flowers before the leaves.....is it a Japonica



Mahonia



Not sure on this one either



One for Plocket, as you probably remember I have a Wisley Cream, well I thought this was one too until I took this photo



Ruby Wedding forcing a last bloom, she looks how I feel, a bit rough round the edges



Lovely Pansies faces, have some of those large Alliums in the same pot for later.



Now I'm cheating, got desperate so did things not planted out yet or in the GH ;D

Ornithogaliums



Lavendar......not sure on variety, cuttings I bought back from hols, they smell lovely in the GH





Snowdrops still to be planted



Camelia, well you can just see a tingle of red on the buds

[Plocket]

The one you think is a japonica BB, I think is a winter flowering honeysuckle. Can't remember the proper name though.

The clem could be Freckles, but more likely Balearica because the colour is less dominant.

I recognise the lavender but can't remember it's name. From memory it's slightly tender so be careful of it!!

Lovely photos - thank you very much!

[Deleted]

This might help you with your Hellebore id's BB..

www.littlecreeknursery.co.uk/hellebore_hybrids.htm

[Susie Snowdrop]

Lonicera fragrantissima ;D...............smells divine!

[piggingardener]

Well that's ANOTHER recommendation from you Piggin! Ok I'll make the effort to go - it's on Wednesdays isn't it?

Hi P

I go to the Saturday market as I work full time. I don't know whether the same stalls are there on a Wednesday!

[Plocket]

Ah! The Saturday one might be a bit more difficult because of LP's ballet and swimming commitments. Perhaps during half term though!

[Chuckles]

Thanks P, Susie & TJ you are all 'S and of course not forgetting PG for starting the thread

[Deleted]

Wonderful to see flowers this time of year isn't it ;D
It's too wet for me to go out with my camera at the mo
The lavender you have BB has unusual leaves.

[Plocket]

Did you get the lavender from Tenerife by any chane BB?

[Chuckles]

The leaves are quite feathery and give the impression that they are more tender than traditional Lavendars. I moved them into the GH because of this. They came from Portugal last May and I popped the cuttings in compo & course sand when I got home and bingo they rooted, have got some others going off them too.

[Chuckles]

I think I've googled it down to a Fernleaf Lavender...Lavandula multifida or Pinnata then I got in a fuddle with all the names and gave up

[Deleted]

i'm so jealous
fantastic pics guys

[Plocket]

My little winter aconite is flowering - it look so cute!!!

[isabella]

Can't show you my January flowers as my camera is crap

Yours are all beautiful ;D

[Plocket]

Aw!

[Dutchy]

Several plants are in flower but I am for now confined to indoors.
I googled the clems and neither will stand my soil or weather.
Could they survive in a pot? Near the house they would be sheltered. Which one would be best to go for? Is Freckles more hardy. Couldn't get a straight answer on the internet.
Dutchy