I have begun to check out the Spring Walk in the hope of seeing some spring flowers beginning. At present I can’t see any tulip shoots pushing up and as I mentioned before I have seen some evidence of mice but I can’t imagine they’re eaten them all can they?
I can see lots of Anemones and some even have flowers! I intended planting some of these in an area where they could be cut without leaving gaps but I seem to have planted them all here. Does anyone know if they need cold for a period of time to push them into growth as tulips do? I love them so much they are certainly something I would like to try forcing to have their gorgeous flowers for an even longer season.
Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’
Anemone coronaria – this one has been eaten by something, slugs or snails I imagine and failed to open
Anemone coronaria
Not sure what colour this will be
Anemone coronaria
Anemone coronaria, Isn’t that just beautiful?
Even the whites are all slightly different
Anemone coronaria
Anemone coronaria
I’d forgotten I’d planted some Iris Specie Lady Beatrix Stanley in this border; they are slightly later than the others too, although might be because there is less sun here.
Iris Specie Lady Beatrix Stanley
Iris Specie Lady Beatrix Stanley
Early last autumn I moved some Iris unguicularis from where the large patch is under the mutabilis roses by the drive. I am happy that the large clump remain there as I see them every time I go out into the garden but I wanted to add some early colour to the Spring Walk too; I was surprised to see some flowers already as they are known to take a while to settle before flowering. If I ever find any of the other varieties I would certainly add them to the garden as they have flowered from November and are still going strong now so worth their space, their foliage isn’t unattractive for the rest of the year either.
Iris unguicularis
Mahonia
The Mahonia is very small but has flowered quite well this year, I must give it more water during the summer then it might grow enough to provide some flowers to cut.
Rosa Old Blush
Also flowering is Rosa China Pink, it has had flowers for almost the entire year.
As we are nearly in March I’m hoping that spring is really nearly here. What spring flowers are there in your garden at the moment?
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
Those anemones are lovely Christina. Do the bees like them? If I were a bee I would languish in those colourful silky flowers! I have actually been able to work in my garden for a couple of sunny hours – where the snow has melted I have been removing a thick layer of leaves so the bulbs can come through and I can see little shoots everywhere… mostly crocus and small narcissi I think. 😀
It is wonderful when the spring bulbs start to appear.
I have a soft spot for the Anemone coronaria. They don’t naturalise well here as most years the summers are just too wet. But they are glorious and they can be forced. You start the process in August: store the corm for approximately 4-6 weeks in the fridge crisper (around the 5C mark); pot it up and it will then sprout and flower about 5 weeks or so after that; so you might be able to keep that same anemone flowering until February by potting it into an unheated greenhouse/coldframe rather than in the open garden.
That’s really good to know as I love Anemones as cut flowers and would be very happy to have them all winter! As I think I mentioned you may be responsible for the need to buy another fridge.
Here we have daffodils- the very ordinary sort but they lift the heart in this wet weather. Yesterday I found some violets, and the hellebores are looking good. Nothing beats the delicacy of those anemones though. I can grow them outside, but not reliably and they emerge much battered by wind and weather.
Anemone coronaria seem to like the conditions here so all the more reason to plant more. Next year I’ll try forcing some for an early show, and to cut. I love them as cut flowers and they usually last well in a vase. Enjoy your daffodils – they’re something that flowers earlier with you than with me!
These are beautiful plants, especially ‘the Bride’, and lovely to see in your Spring Walk. We were recently given an arrangement of Anemone coronaria and they lasted over a week as cut flowers. Did you know there is a Anemone coronaria hybrid called Christina?
No, I didn’t know that; I’ll certainly look out for it. I will buy more for next year to force as Matt suggests. This just means that there won’t be any food in the fridge just bulbs!
These are beautiful! We had snow again yesterday…so sick of winter:^(
I would be sick of it too, I was ready for spring a month ago!
It seems we are both thinking about spring today. No sign yet of a real break in the winter weather….woke up to 5 degrees and frost on anything not buried by snow. Patiently waiting!
Love the anemones but mine in spring don’t last long….
Here the Anemones flower for the longest time of all the spring flowers, when I went into the garden just now I saw a purple crocus flowering.
Seeing your Anemones waking up in the garden is a soothing balm on this cold morning. The color differences within the white ones is intriguing. I planted some in the fall and see some foliage (hoping the voles don’t get them all before they can bloom).
I’m wondering if the white purple combination is a volunteer, especially as it is very close to others of different colours, if so I’m rather pleased with it.
Beautiful anemones, Christina. Our tulips are two inches high and the peach is about to blossom from all the unusually warm weather. And the forecast is for snow!
2 inches is taller than mine, but yours would get the cold they need earlier than mine or they may even have been treated bulbs. I must look at my peach tree to see if it is flowering yet and it needs pruning!
Is it just your newly planted tulip bulbs that are missing, or the older ones? Mice seem to go for the new bulbs, they seem to be able to find them better in disturbed soil.
Truthfully I’m not sure yet. I’ve seen some shoots just today so maybe I’ve been looking for them too soon.
What wonderful anemones, Christina! I hope to try some here eventually and hope they’ll be okay with the climate… Your Iris unguicularis has me wanting to grow one 🙂 My favorite blossoms of the moment here come from some just-planted orange osteospermum. And the Autumn Sage just doesn’t quit blooming…!
Maybe you don’t have enough cold weather for the Anemones, Amy. Matt below says they need 4-6 weeks of cold before they’ll flower.
I am looking forward to seeing your spring border again regularly, Christina – and what a lovely preview with these anemones! Great photos…I have made a note of what Matt has said too – a very useful tip!
Matt knows a lot about forcing bulbs and the timings. I must include all that he has said in a post. Early bulbs are very special and not difficult if you have somewhere cold to store the bulbs.
As the Paperwhites are already prepared for forcing it wouldn’t have occurred to me that chilling others would produce results without any additional treatment. The fridge will be very full this winter 🙂
All so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed them, I hope there’ll be lots more spring walk posts!
It seems your Amenones are a hit with everyone judging by the comments. They are rather lovely. No sign of anemones here yet, I may have lost them again! This will be the latest species I will resign myself to accept they won’t do well here.
Obligatory Hellebores and Snowdrops here and I noticed that just the tips of some tulips were up by the front gate.
you mustn’t complain if you have Hellebores and snowdrops, I can’t grow either.
Your flowers and your photos are beautiful.
Thanks Tina
You have wonderful spring color already, Christina. Seeing your anemones made me wish I’d planted some white ones. I hope your tulips are okay!
Anemones are one of those things you can’t have too many of, I think.
Years ago I read an article about a greenhouse grower in the US state of Connecticut who grew beds of anemones for cutting. I’m going to see if I can dig out the old thing and see if there’s anything helpful in the article. All I remember getting out of the article was that they were beautiful and they wouldn’t grow for me without a lot of trouble….
I would be grateful for a link if you find it.
I am reminded to plant a bunch more Anemone. Mine have mostly been overrun by other things. Yours are lovely.
You have a lot of colour in your garden at the moment. I haven’t seen any anemones yet. All I seem to be seeing is rain. Amelia
Your anemones are fabulous Christina. I especially like the white one with those oh so subtle purple markings. I have never grown them but must do some research forthwith with view to remedying that situation 🙂
Your anemones are wonderful! I hope your tulips come up. I remember them from last year in your spring walk, and they were gorgeous! Here, the hellebores are looking great, and the daffodils are about to bloom. More freezing weather is predicted midweek, so it seems winter will linger a bit longer.
Lovely anemones. A friend gave me one last year and it started to come through, but something is eating it now 😔 I’m glad yours seem to be thriving and fingers crossed the tulips will thrive too.