Two days late for Bloomday – Monday it was raining, and yesterday I was away from home all-day – but to-day was a beautiful day, with blue, blue sky and sunshine.
Unfortunately despite the wonderful weather we have been having for the past few weeks, I don’t have many flowers in the garden. The primulas, pulmonaria and the majority of the hellebore have not flowered yet. The daffodils are barely pushing their noses above the ground, and of course this year I don’t have the outrageously pink Camellia any more.
The daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ gently scents the garden
Structure and colour is still to be found in the old flower-heads of the sedum -
Although tomorrow I will cut them back as new growth is now emerging at the base.
However, my patience has been rewarded by the snowdrops – who have now spread from the original 5 to about 12 (way to go!)
Also by euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ – which I brought with me from my last house. It has never really thrived here – but last year I managed to find a part of the garden that was relatively well drained – and the euphorbia is starting to recover.
The biggest reward however has been two of my hellebores.
A small hellebore ‘foetidus’ that I bought three years ago is now flowering.
I think that it looks much better in reality than it does in the photograph – the lime green flowers light up the garden.
Although its common name is “stinking hellebore” I have not crushed the leaves to find out how bad it smells.
My real joy is the fact that my first double hellebore has flowered – the plant is very small and the bloom is resolutely pointing down
I did wonder whether I should pick the flower and float it in a bowl of water ……
Or to lie down on the soil and try and get the shot
Thanks go to Carol May Dreams Garden for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – and this February marks the begining of the 4th year of Carols sucessful meme
Well, you still got me beat for Garden Day. I have a couple of flower buds not yet open and I just kept thinking each day that maybe they would bloom tomorrow – I could grab a couple of shots and post it. Now it’s Wednesday and they still haven’t bloomed. Your double hellebore is so delicate-looking. Did you end up on your hands and knees in order to get the picture?
Jill-O´s last blog ..Be Mine
…and very worth the wait! Hellebores are the joy of the season for many of us. It’s the only thing blooming in my garden! ~~let me tell you about last year at this time;-)~~ The daphne is scrumptious. I bought one last summer, having been seduced by the fragrance, and I hope (knock on wood) that she blooms for me! Karen, your euphorbia photo is stellar~What a beauty. gail
Gail´s last blog ..Abracadabra~Watch me Pull A Rabbit Out Of My Hat For GBBD!
It is always a pleasure to visit your blog and enjoy the photos. Well good things are never late. I am enchanted by lovely color of snow drop and daphne.
muhammad khabbab´s last blog ..Garden geek nominated in National Blog Awards
Great to see these photos. Very cheering on a cold, grey, wet day with the promise of the Spring that is not far away now (please).
Phillip´s last blog ..Ivy Bench
I often pick Hellebore flowers and float them in a bowl of water – they look lovelylike that
Helen/patientgardener´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday 16/02/10 – Primula
Dear Karen, I have fallen in love with your lovely double hellebore which is an absolute treasure. Also, your picture of the Daphne is divine. They do really have the most wonderful scent and yours seems to be doing so well. The blush pink is so attractive.
Keep dividing your snowdrops [as soon as they have finished flowering as I am sure you know] as it is surprising how quickly one can build up a colony.
Thank you for commenting on my latest posting to which I have replied.
Edith Hope´s last blog ..Out, Out, Damned Clematis!
For those of us under a blanket of snow, these are lovely! When I see your snowdrops, I know I must have them for next year, absolutely must, and so I’ll be planting snowdrop bulbs in the Fall. I hope your 12 that spread from 5 did so in one year!
Laurrie´s last blog ..Caryopteris
I really love the daphne Karen. I have snowdrops and hellebores and adore those too but I haven’t risked a daphne in case in was one of the many things that don’t grow up here. I think I may be changing my mind and deciding to give it a go!
It all looks so wonderful! I miss flowers blooming outdoors, and seeing your Hellebores & Snowdrops reminds me that mine will be doing there thing, eventually.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..Foliage Followup & GBBD combo
Your photos are gorgeous!!
sandy´s last blog ..MORE WALKING PHOTOS
I shall have to run out and take photos of my blooms now too. Your photos are such an inspiration. Such great close ups! I have the green Hellebore too and had no idea its common name was “stinking Hellebore”.
Helen at summerhouse´s last blog ..10 Things To Do To Get Over The It’s-Almost-Spring-Time-but-Not-Yet Blues
All that is blooming in my garden are the hellebores that you gave me and a couple of lonely yellow crocus in the pile of soil that came out of the ground to make way for my pond! I shall have to work hard over the next couple of months to get my garden re landscapped so that I can plant some early flowering specimens. Suggestion please for my damp shady plot:-)
I’ve been trying to visit all evening but Wordpress has been down, so glad I made it in the end. Fantastic photo’s as always. Absolutely love the daphne.
RO xx
Rothschild Orchid´s last blog ..FriZZy!
Fab photos-thanks.
Great start to wonderful day!
Going to snow pm-gggrrrrhhh!
Best
Robert
Gorgeous pics there!
I grow the “stinking Hellebore” too. I bought mine last year as a small plant and this year it has really paid dividends. No signs of stinking yet though.
Thanks for sharing.
Ryan
Great photos… I’m very good at lying on the ground to take hellebore photos!
I have to admit that some of your photos stopped downloading (I don’t know why), but do you ever compress your photos (to take less room)? That might help. Have a great day! 
Shady Gardener´s last blog ..E for Echinacea
I planted a bunch of snowdrops last fall but there’s no sign of them yet. They’re shaded by a fence this time of year, so no wonder they’re slow. But yours are lovely! And prolific, yeah!
Yummy daphne, I really need to find a spot for one around here.
VW´s last blog ..Do Projects Give You Panic Attacks?
Worth lying down for.
Lucy
Enjoyed your February blooms Karen. Don’t know if I would get up again if I lay down to photograph my hellebores:)
Anna´s last blog ..Ear,Ear
Karen, your daphne is stunningly gorgeous–such a pretty bloom she has. Hellebores, ’stinking’? That’s a new one on me…kind of funny, actually;-) I am just waiting (albeit NOT patiently) for our snow to melt so I can get down and take a look at mine. I haven’t any idea if they have buds or not. Wonderful post and I always love to stop by and say hi.
Jan (Thanks For Today)´s last blog ..Desperate for Color on Bloom Day
Lovely. You’ve got quite a lot going on for so early in the season.
The delicate Daphne is so pretty, and I’m now intensely curious about her fragrance. As far as the other scent, from the “stinking hellebore,” really, couldn’t they think of a better common name for that gorgeous plant? Makes me wonder how bad it really smells, if that’s all our ancestors could come up with…
Karen,
A lovely collection for February Bloom Day. The delicate pink blooms of the Daphne are just beautiful, and I so enjoyed your portraits of the Hellebore and snowdrops. I purchased Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ last year, as I fell in love with the deep purple leaves. Your photographs are always so beautiful, making your blog such a treat to visit.
Liisa´s last blog ..Cultivating Paradise Above the 44th Parallel
But where is shedman and is the Veg. Garden finished?
I got inspired to really work hard on my garden this weekend. Then the snow came along. How come that at only 10.46 miles as the crow flies, or 12.52 by road, my garden is covered by 2 inches of snow, and you have hardly seen a flake? It is simply not fair. I am putting a complaint in:-)
A great range of flowers and seed heads, Karen. A lovely hellebore. I was away for GBBD but I think I’d have struggled for any flowers this year.
HappyMouffetard´s last blog ..Lady gardeners