Sunday 4 January 2015

A Black Cap and Winter Sunshine.




Welcome to Our Garden@19 for 2015.
I have posted a few photos of what is happening in the garden this weekend.

The male Blackcap arrived in the garden on the 13th December, it has taken me until now to catch him on camera, he is a very elusive bird.




The Hamamelis mollis 'Pallida' has been flowering in the Oriental Garden for a few weeks now...




...when I was pruning the climbing roses on Saturday I notice the delicate flowers of Clematis cirrhosa balearica amongst the Mahonia japonica Beali.
It has wonderful Pixy Hat-like flowers with red freckles inside.



Sarcococca confusa (Christmas Box) reliably flowers this time of year, it is by the South facing front door, producing wonderful scent from such small flowers...



...I grew this shrub from seed several years ago, when I attended a propagation course at Pershore College, this makes it particularly pleasing to see it doing so well.

I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse of Winter Sunshine and all your garden wishes and dreams for 2015 come true.

For more birdie photos please visit Tweets' Diary on the Home bar.

13 comments:

  1. I toyed with buying H. mollis Pallida a few years back - wish I had now! It's beautiful.
    I love the Clematis/Mahonia image Brian - it's a work of art.

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    1. Thank you Angie, The only problem with Pallida is that it retains its dead leaves even when the flowers are out, you have to pull them off.

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  2. I am envious of your Blackcap visitor, we were fortunate last year to take part in a bird song morning, an early 4a.m start, but so worthwhile, I remember much joy when we were listening to Blackcaps.

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    1. I will have to go out early one morning Julie to see if I can identify their song.

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  3. I must get a winter flowering clematis. They look too delicate to be flowering now but what a welcome sight.

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    1. It is a delicate flower, if I had not been working in the garden I don't think I would have seen it.

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  4. Interesting to read that you grew your sarcococca from seed Brian. I have a plentiful source of berries. How many years did it take to produce flowers?

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    1. I honestly cannot remember, I would guess 4-5 years. It is always worth trying, plants seem more 'special' when grown from seed or cutting.

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    2. Thanks Brian. Must get going!

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  5. Brian, this is a blog job I need to work more on a regular basis (I used to). Enjoyed your garden update – delighted to see the Blackcap is still with you (no sightings here) and always admire witch hazel when it appears on blogs. I’ve yet to find the space or location for this plant :-(

    Thanks, wishing you great garden dreaming for 2015 too ;-)

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    1. I am pleased you enjoyed the update Shirley. You should find space for Witch Hazel, I would today choose a different one to 'Pallida'. (see above)

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  6. What lovely winter plants and it is wonderful to have a blackcap in the garden, I haven' t seen one for years.

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  7. They started coming here during the very severe winter and have come back each year since then.

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