The weather has been mostly cold during the last week, this morning there was heavy frost on the solar panel although not on the ground and the tomatoes are Okay so even the air temperature can’t have fallen to zero. There were more hail stones in the area, not like a couple of weeks ago but I am thankful I was lucky again and that they didn’t fall here. Easter isn’t predicted to be particularly warm and someone commented this morning that it felt more like Christmas than Easter!
The usual view
Some European poppies are blooming and mixing with the Eschscholzia californica.
Eschscholzia californica
European poppy makes its fleeting appearance
Eschscholzia californica
Eschscholzia californica with prostrate rosemary and thyme
The bloom I am most happy to see this week is a white Cistus that I grew as a cutting. This is the first year any of the cuttings have flowered and as the various cuttings had become mixed up I was thrilled to see that two of them are from a parent plant is now dying, over-taken by the shade of the Mulberry nearby. This Cistus doesn’t have a very long flowering period but the pure white petals with a yellow centre are usually the first Cistus to flower; this year they are all flowering now.
Cistus
Photinia with its new foliage and flowers
Rosa bankseai
Looking up from the gate, the white flower is Solanum jasminoides ‘Alba’
What’s the weather doing with you this week? Have you plans for working in the garden over Easter?
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
It is bright in Aberdeen today, but still cold and very windy. I am so glad I staked the narcissus in pots or they would all be horizontal by now. The wind makes it difficult to photograph the plants too. I don’t think my photinia has ever had flowers, so interesting to see yours. Your white cistus is beautiful – I love pure white flowers, even with yellow middles.
I can’t imagine staking something like narcissus. The cold north wind is blowing here too. How interesting that you’ve never bad flowers on your photinia. Maybe you prune it late in autumn? I prune mine straight after it flowers so late April or early May.
Well maybe I have just never noticed! I am getting much more observant of all things botanical these days. Well you have to don’t you, if you want something to blog about! Our neighbours have some established photinias so will get my binoculars out!
I don’t think you’d miss the flowers, they have a strong (not particularly pleasant) perfume and completely cover the shrub!
Don’t the red and orange poppies look good together… I’m going to pinch your idea to try here! It’s cold and overcast here now, but has been better earlier in the week. Let’s hope we all get some good gardening weather over the weekend.
It is really cold here for April, we lit a fire one evening and the heating is back on!
I was surprised to read you have frosts this late, is this normal. We are forecast a change from the sunshine we have been enjoying to rain on Easter Sunday and Monday, good for the gardens though.
Who knows what is normal any more? The solar panel seems to get frost on it when the garden doesn’t but I can’t explain why. There can’t have actually been a frost or the tomatoes and salad leaves would be dead.
Your poppy and lovely white Cistus seem very early. I love your Rosa banksiae Lutes. It is so dainty. I have one grown from a cutting but after 6 years it is yet to flower.
The one I have was grown from a cutting by a friend and it flowered even when it was very small, maybe it needs more summer heat?
That mix of poppies is just fabulous, Christina, quite delicious! I hope to do a little gentle pottering over the next few days: I have lots of pricking out to do if I can find the energy!
I really enjoy pricking out, as long as you have a bench at the correct height.
Lovely poppies, and the Photinia is fabulous with flowers on – never seen them before! 😀
Friday is supposedly cold and wet here, so hope the weekend warms up for some more gardening time.
you’re the second person to say they’ve never sen the flowers; I didn’t have any in the UK so maybe they need hot summers to flower. when you prune also makes a huge difference.
What a sunny beautiful sky in your photos. The cistus is a nice reward for your efforts. Your rose is beautiful. I was just reminded this week the world’s largest rose is a Lady Banksia Rose planted in Tombstone, Ariz. in 1885. “The tree officially covers 9,000 square feet, and its gnarled trunk is about 12 feet around.” see: http://www.npr.org/2014/04/16/303634602/unique-rose-bush-graces-arizona-desert-town
Thanks for the link Susie, I knew they could get big but that is truely amazing!
You have more California poppies in bloom than I do, Christina! It’s hard to believe that you’re getting hail in mid-April. I’m beginning to wonder if the seasons as we knew them are history. After temperatures in the 90sF (32+C) a weeks ago, they’ve come down into the cool range again this week – there’s even a small chance of sprinkles tomorrow.
I hope you get the rain you so desperately need. Easter is often cold even if the weather before has been warm. Speaking to someone the other day they said he remembers Easter Monday always being good weather when he was a child (Italians traditionally go for picnics on Pasquetta (Easter Monday) so it may not just be a miss-memory.
Despite the cold snap the slope looks more like a summer scene Christina with that orange blaze of poppies. Glad to read that your tomatoes are unscathed. Here this morning it’s still quite cold but we have blue skies and sunshine and the temperature is predicted to rise to about 13 degrees. I’m off to the allotment later to work there and then if I have enough energy left to spend some time in the garden when I get home. Buona Pasqua!
Your Photinia flowers are amazing, I’ve never seen on flowers before, there are so many of them in gardens around here and I didn’t think they flowered, maybe they need the heat of your summers to ripen the wood?! Your Californian poppies get better an better each port!
I’m beginning to think you’re right about the Photinia. I never had any in the UK; it always flowers here unless I prune late so heat on the old wood seems to be the requisite.
It may be cold there, but the photo of the slope with clear blue sky in the back is fantastic…. and of course the poppies too. I like the verbena, it seems to make a hardy groundcover.
Yes, the verbena is a good ground cover and spreads really well. I started with one small plant in a 9 cm pot (because I wasn’t convinced it was hardy) and now it covers goodness knows how many square metres. Today is hot!
Yes, definitely planning a garden weekend – weather permitting. It’s supposed to be starting sunny but cold, here, but ending with rain. Hey-ho! Love your Rosa bankseai!
The changeability of the weather seems universal!
Glad you avoided the hail again, those poppies would not have enjoyed it, and they are looking so magnificent. I must buy some orange ones to go with the red I sowed last year. I love the colour of Rosa bankseai.
I saw some amazing R. bankseai the other day, I’ll show them soon!
It is sunny and about 65 here today…perfect spring day…I love when your slope is adorned with the poppies in bloom. Happy Easter Christina!
At last a perfect spring day for you – wonderful.