I missed GBBD this year which is on the 15th of the month. But I can’t let the month go by without celebrating some of the prettiest and most fragrant blooms of the year. The best, the most gorgeous, the most fragrant, the most exquisite, plus all the superlatives you can think of, is the queen of the garden, Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’. The scent all around her would make you swoon.
There are other winter- flowering daphnes, for instance Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ smells divine too. But it doesn’t have the masses of flowers that Jacqueline sports and it is a low growing shrub whereas Jacqueline grows to from 6 to 12 foot tall; mine is about 6 foot at the moment and I worship every inch of her. The only drawback to these aristocrats of the garden is that they can suffer from sudden and inexplicable death.
There is even a little native woodland daphne which crops up all over my garden uninvited. I allow it to stay though because it is useful for shade, it has glossy, evergreen leaves and pretty little flowers in winter.
I have been excessive in my praise of ‘Jaqueline Postill’, but I also have a gorgeous, small, February-flowering tree which is expensive, but well worth breaking into the piggy bank for. It is stunning with dark carmine-pink, fragrant blossom. It is the Japanese Apricot, Prunus mume ‘Beni-chidori’.
Whilst we are talking about winter -flowering trees I have to include the daintyflowered Prunus subhirtella autumnalis ‘Rosea’ which is a bit of a mouthful for such a prettily uncomplicated flower. It is very long-lasting and I much prefer it to the blowsy, pink- knicker blooms of the spring-flowering cherry trees such as the awful ‘Kanzan’
There are lovely shrubs in bloom now too. Most of us have the fragrant winter -flowering honeysuckle. I have several including this Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’.
In my eyes, even more beautiful, is the rather rare, Lonicera elisae. It has long, tubular flowers which are just tinged with pink.
Many of the Witch Hazels which delighted us through the winter have finished flowering now. For some reason my Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ which should be long gone, is very late blooming this year, so I still have the pleasure of its lovely primrose yellow flowers.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ is always the last one to bloom and it extends the witch hazel season .
Catkins are looking lovely at the moment. I have a lovely black salix which has red -anthered black catkins which start off looking like black claws. It is called Salix melanostachys.
All the winter-flowering beauties got off to a slow start this year. The diminutive, but perfectly formed Narcissus minor ‘Cedric Morris’ is often in bloom for Christmas, or early January at the latest. This year it waited until early February and is still looking lovely now.
As it is so late, it is overlapping with early daffs such as the January-flowering ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’.
Pretty little ‘Spring Dawn’ is always early in February.
As it is February I have to mention the ‘S’ word, but I will try and make it snappy as I know plenty of bloggers think snowdrops are quite pretty, but basically, just little white bells which are best looked at en masse, rather than brooded over obsessively. Even as a galanthophile I think there are too many introductions that are so similar that you need a magnifying glass to tell them apart. If you grow plenty of Galanthus elwesii you will find plenty of variations. Even the common Galanthus nivalis has significant variations. As my garden is very old, I have carpets of snowdrops. Amongst the nivalis I have found a diminutive one with a long bent pedicle like a small ‘Magnet’ and I have found some with green on the outer petals which look a variety of ‘viridipice’. I even have a green tipped one with long bunny ears like Galanthus sharlockii.
OK, stop yawning at the back there, I will just show you some really distinctive ones and then we will say no more about them until next year.
Being a total snowdrop anorak, I have a lot of Greatorex doubles, but to be honest those Shakespearean heroines and their chums all look alike. My favourite is ‘Washfield Titania’ which came from Elizabeth Strangman’s wonderful nursery.
There are some lovely yellow snowdrops, that is ones with yellow ovaries and markings. My favourites are ‘Madelaine,’ ‘Wendy’s Gold’ and ‘Spindlestone Surprise’
Some snowdrops have very distinctive markings, like Galanthus ‘Two Eyes’.
‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Little John’ both have a distinctive cross.
And then there are the coveted snowdrops with green markings on their petals. I have ‘Trymlet’ and ‘Corrin’.
Most of the Galanthus plicatus hybrids are late flowering and so still to come. One that blooms now is the delightful ‘Augustus’, named after E.A.Bowles. It has lovely plump flowers.
For plump snowdrop flowers, they don’t come any plumper than ‘Diggory’. I just love the unmistakable Diggory with his seersucker petals. For all those of you who think all snowdrops look alike, just look at him.
Another snowdrop which is quite distinctive and soon spreads to make lovely carpets is Galanthus woronowii, it has shiny, apple green leaves.
Right, enough with the snowdrops, I have delighted you long enough, as you might remember Mr Bennet saying to his daughter Mary, when she showed no sign of stopping playing the piano any time that day, in Pride and Prejudice. Like Mary, I could go and on about snowdrops, but I won’t.
But I will just mention lovely Leucojum vernum which looks a bit like a snowdrop but isn’t. The flowers are like little lampshades or pixie hats if you have a whimsical turn of mind. The tips of the flowers are green.
You can get one with yellow tips called Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum. If you look carefully at the next picture you will see that some of the flowers are pure white with no colour on the tips at all. I found one single flower like this and grew it on. I shall weed out the ones with slight colour on their tips and hopefully I will soon have a sizeable clump of pure white ones.
I haven’t even started on the hellebores. And believe me, I am a hellebore bore. But I will spare you the commentary, I will just make a gallery of some of them.
The weather has been awful this month apart from a couple of warm days. We have had wind and rain and Storm Doris petulantly throwing my fences and birch trees about.
There have been days when I haven’t felt like going into the garden. But whatever the weather the blooms of February are a constant source of delight. The aconites are beginning to go over now but they are being replaced by ever more crocuses opening up. Little reticulated irises and Cyclamen coum are everywhere. I think another gallery will show them off best.
I will finish with some views of the winter garden whilst it is still winter. I made this garden two years ago and it’s jut beginning to mature.
I feel like I can smell your Daphne from your description Chloris! All your other blooms are pretty as well. I am glad you ending up posting these. It’s never too late for Bloom Day!
It is a wonderful scent, there is nothing quite like. These are all winter blooms so I thought I had better write about them before spring puts in an appearance this month.
How wonderful seeing all these blooms! You must have a field day walking around and discovering them all. Daphne sounds intoxicating, and the Japanese apricot is gorgeous. I loved the yellow snowdrops and those black catkins and am envious of all those varied Hellebores.xxx
And I am looking forward to seeing photos of all the Malaysian blooms you saw on your trip. You must have come back to some nice surprises in your garden.
The winter garden is looking good, there is so much to delight in throughout your borders. I am coming to appreciate snowdrops more and more. A proper slippery slope. Prunus mume ‘Beni-chidori’ is a stunner. Have you driven those rusty nails into your Kanzan yet?
Thank you. Have you come across Galanthus ‘Jessica’? That should be on your list, it is very pretty. The Kanzan is still there, but on borrowed time. The money that was to pay the tree surgeon now has to be used for a new fence.
If you hadn’t mentioned your snowdrops, I’d have been concerned that something was seriously wrong with you. Although I don’t have a chance in hell of growing them myself, I’ve come to appreciate the differences (subtle and not) between them. You grow so many things I can’t; however, you have me taking a second look at the Daphnes – there is one species (D. odora) that is said to grow in my climate, which I might just take a chance and try should I find it locally. This wandering eye is a side effect of the plentiful rain we’ve had this winter, I’m afraid, a kind of madness probably.
But it is fun to push the boundaries of what you can grow. Daphne bholua which I think is the best, comes from Nepal at high altitudes so wouldn’ t do for you. Daphne odora has the same exquisite scent but is not so floriferous.
Wonderful to hear and see everything that is going on in your garden. You’ve inspired and reminded me to get outside and really pay attention!
The weather hasn’ t really inspired us to venture out lately. But there is so much to enjoy at this time of the year. I love the February flowers almost as much as those of the June garden. If only the weather was a bit kinder.
I am full of envy for your Daphnes; I would love to have that wonderful perfume in my garden in winter but I’ll just have to content myself with my Lonicera which is flowering more than ever before, I imagine due to the cold weather in December and January. I’m glad you showed your winter garden, I was wondering how it was looking.
Winter honeysuckle has a wonderful perfume and you have a fine specimen.
I have only just finished tidying up the winter garden, it has been so wet that I couldn’t walk on it. I created it as a winter garden but it really comes into its own in spring.
Gorgeous D.p.’JP’ – the scent really is sublime. So many winter treasures here – you have loads going on, Liz! The snowdrops you sent me last year have sent out healthy leaves but no flowers yet. I’m hoping I haven’t done anything stupid and that they’re just settling in! Here’s hoping the weather calms down and we can all get going outside asap.
I hope your snowdrops will bloom next year, if not let me know. I think I sent you some Galanthus plicatus which are very late blooming, mine aren’t out yet.
Lovely day today, but more rain to come I’m afraid.
It is G. plicatus – there’s time yet 🙂
I’m feeling most fortunate as a friend has recently given me a cutting of daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ which I will treasure. No flowers this year but I’m looking forward to swooning before long 🙂 As always I enjoyed gazing at your fabulous snowdrops. I’m with you about the proliferation of indistinct snowdrop introductions. ‘Diggory’ remains my favourite. Your new winter garden is really knitting together now – you must be delighted with it.
What a clever friend, I haven’t managed to strike any cuttings yet and if I did I wouldn’t give them away. I would like a grove of Jacqueline Postill.
Diggory is my favourite too.
P.S. I forgot to ask what is the plant growing behind Galanthus woronowii? It looks familiar but I can’t put a name to it.
The bronze foliage is Corydalis temulifolia ‘ Chocolate Stars’. An absolute star all year round but particularly bronze in spring.
Chez moi, il n’y a que les perce neige qui sortent de terre et bien sûr les Héllébores 😉 Le printemps est plus présent dans ton jardin ! Belle journée
Mais maintenant, le mois de Mars, les premiers rayons du soleil printempiers éveillent tes fleurs n’ est- ce pas? Bonne journeé á toi Christiane.
Le soleil est encore timide, mais les bulbes sont impatients de fleurir 🙂
Some beautiful snowdrops and hellebores (amongst other beauties) which encourage us out in less than conducive gardening weather. Thank you for sharing (I am rather envious of your beautiful garden…I only have a small thin Victorian terrace back garden. I would love more hellebores but I can always enjoy yours instead!)
Best wishes
Ellie
One never feels that one has enough hellebores, each one is different. They seed around too. I sometimes think a small garden would be fun and a chance to grow the very choicest plants and to keep it all looking good all the time. Mine does keep getting away from me no matter how hard I work.
I hesitate to call myself a plantswoman, when there are specimens like yourself showing mine to be a hollow boast. Thank you for your delicious pictures which make my mouth water. You are causing trouble in my plant wish list, which is growing faster than I can cope with. I take my hat off to you Madam, you are a magician.
Oh how kind. No I am not a magician, just a nerdy obsessive.
Wow, I really enjoyed seeing your garden. Thank you. It is just beautiful and the Winter Garden looks great.
It is all very late this year but at last I have plenty of colour. I should call the winter garden a winter and spring garden because it gets more colourful once the spring flowers are in bloom.
Bravo!
Our Daphne JP died suddenly when I was Cliffe, it was tragic, I blamed excessive wet at the roots but I know they do suddenly keel over. Have you tried Daphne retusa? Whilst not quite as lovely as herself, it is a nice, tidy plant, which sounds faint praise but is not meant to be. One more question, do you have a name for the hellebore bottom row, second from the left? I may have fallen in love …. 🙂
Sadly they are short lived. I have Daphne retusa which is quite pretty but not in the same league as the peerless Jacqueline. The hellebore is called Phoebe. I bought it at the market in Bury St Edmunds for £7.50 which I thought was a bargain.
Your garden is an absolute delight even in winter, and an inspiration to me to find some winter-flowering shrubs! The Loniceras in particular caught my attention.
Thank you Cathy. The loniceras have a wonderful fragrance.
I, for one, like to read about your snowdrops. Thank you.
Thank you Wayne. I am well aware that many people are not as obsessed with snowdrops as I am and so I try not to on about them too much.
Your posts always provoke a reaction in me, I was just thinking something rude about snowdrops and had to laugh at your line aimed at those in the back row! I love the Daphne and yesterday stood under a 8′ footer for longer than is acceptable. Swoon is the perfect word here. We’ve had similar damage here, very glad that doesn’t happen often. I hope March brings us all better weather.
I know a lot of people feel like you about snowdrops Julie. I do try not to drone on about them too much.
The daphne really is amazing isn’ t it? I would like to have a grove of them.
Oh I am so glad you are not ashamed to show off your bounty, Chloris – I loved ogling all your pictures and of course your descriptions just add to the pleasure of reading your posts. I assume that the named snowdrops were ones you put in yourself – but when was that? They are making some lovely clumps. I was sorry to lose my Spindlestone Surprise (although it never looked very happy last year) as it is such a pretty little thing, and I am much taken with Robin Hood and its very neat X – that might be one for my collection for next year. When I heard that Jacqueline P was once again available I did look into it but the prices were fairly prohibitive – and if she is only short lived anyway I think I can aaccept that I can live without her 😉 Thanks for a lovely post, Chloris
I have been here for 6 years so some of the snowdrop clumps date from this time and others have been added more recently. I will send you a Robin Hood if you like it.
Jacqueline P is expensive but worth every penny.
Do you have ‘before’ pictures of when you moved in? It would be good to see them if you did. And yes please, that would SO kind if Robin Hood was permitted to march in my direction 🙂 Thank you x
Lovely spring display Chloris. Does your H. Pallida hold on to its dead leaves while flowering, mine does every year, which is very annoying, I have to remove them by hand.
I have 2 H. Pallida and one does hold on to its dead leaves and the other doesn’ t. I can’ t work out why.
What a beautiful post, Chloris – full of all my favourite perfumes – and some gorgeous new ones. The piggy bank could soon be a lot lighter! Your winter garden is coming along so well and is looking amazing. Good choices!
You and I are mad about scent in the garden and February is a wonderful month for scent. Have you got a Japanese Apricot? It smells divine.
No! Looks like the piggy bank will take another bashing – will definitely try to find that one!
I’ve read up on your Japanese Apricot. With its “sweet scent of almonds” it’s a must-have! A spot must be found! Thanks, Chloris
It smells wonderful and has lovely dark pink flowers. It is expensive but well worth it.
I never tire of hearing about your snowdrops; only wish they grew better here. We have the same problem as you with daphne. I’ve heard they require exacting drainage, but who knows, perhaps they like to keep us guessing. Agree with your praise for Prunus subhirtella autumnalis. It’s show is nearly over here, but it’s graced us with flowers for nearly a month.
Daphnes are fussy about drainage but however hard you try to please them they do suffer from sudden death.
Here Prunus subhirtella starts blooming in late November and stops when it gets too icy. As soon as it gets milder it carries on until the end of March. I can’ t think of anything else so long lasting and with such delicate- looking blossoms.
Wow, your winter garden is brimming with rare treasure, what a delight it must be to enjoy all that colour and fragrance. We do need something special to entice us outdooors at this time year, don’t we?
I agree Kate. I have made a winter garden to help me through our endless winters. There are plenty of lovely plants for winter interest to entice us outside on the bleakest days.
your winter garden is a delight, Liz, and Beverley N. would certainly agree! you’ve certainly planned your garden properly. love the heelebores, daphne laur. grows wild in our woods, so pretty too. I’ve planted the dainty Iris danfordiae – is this one in your photo? Only one came up so far but maybe more next year. Wishing you happy spring days 🙂
How wonderful to have wild hellebores. Yes, the yellow iris is Iris danfordiae. I buy new ones each year. It is a tricky one, I can never get it to rebloom. The bulbs split up into lots of bubils. Quite a few of the reticulated irises do this but danfordiae is particularly prone to it.
I’ve just noticed it’s a tricky one but am hopeful as the climate should be just what Lady Danfordiae requires.
I wish I could smell that Daphne. I love the Lonicera elisae – those white, dangling flowers. Amazing to me how much color you have in February.
Ahh, Lonicera elisae is so elegant, I will have to look out for that. Your garden looks lovely and I hope that the weather this month lets you get outside to enjoy it more. What is the yellow shrub in the last line of the iris gallery please?
The shrub is Edgeworthia chrysantha. I have tried this before, third time lucky.