Six on Saturday – 19th February 2022

Seeing other Six on Saturday participants popping into my reader box, I feel the urge to get gardening, except it is very , very, wet and for the last few days stormy too! But then this morning we had SNOW! There was only a little and it quickly started to melt, but it makes the garden look pretty even if underneath everything is sodden. Many thanks for our host “The Propagator” for hosting Six on Saturday. Check out the participation guide.

First this week a friendly garden robin (my daughter calls him Timmy), puffed up against the cold.

Robin

Next, daffodils, tete-a-tete, copying with a dusting on snow.

mini daffodils

Third, frog spawn in garden pond – also trying to cope with slushy snow. Frogs arrived, like last year, in time for Valentines day. So far numbers are low, thirty at most, but hopefully more will come after this cold spell.

frog spawn

Fourth, hazel catkins with melting snow.

Hazel catkins

Fifth, willow catkins. The last few years these seem to acome earlier and earlier. There are even some green leaves on this Salix rubra.

Willow

And finally this week – snowdrops in snow.

Snowdrops

Silent Sunday

Daffodils in snow

Snowy daffs

In the west of Ireland, snow is not common. And we’ve had quite a bit already this winter. This afternoon, we had a dusting of unusually, soft powdery snow.

Miniature daffodils in snow

Usually, it is damp snow perfect for making snowmen. We’re told we will get more snow tomorrow night as Storm Emma makes her way from the Bay of Biscay and hits some cold Siberian air. Blizzard like conditions are expected in the east and south, where snowfall has already been heavier. The last time we had a blizzard was 1982, so it is really not something we are used to! Keep safe everyone.

A bit of spring cheer

Looking back at last year’s photographs it looks like this year’s dwarf daffodils and crocuses are about a week ahead of 2016. The larger daffodils are yet to open.

Dwarf Daffodil

Crocus

Crocus & Dwarf Daffodil

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Crocus

Silent Sunday

 

Daffodil in sunshine

Bumbles are Back!

I’ve been on the look out for bumblebees and today they are back! Three days earlier than last year. After a wet, cold January and February here in the west of Ireland, we are finally getting some dry weather, and today the temperatures reached about 14 degrees, in beautiful spring sunshine.

Most of the bumblebees I saw today were feeding on the willow in the garden (it’s a cultivated form which produces pollen a bit earlier than some of our native willows). The catkins are full of pollen.

Willow pollen

Problem was the bees seemed to prefer the higher branches so it was next to impossible to get a good photograph. They appeared to be mostly Buff tailed queens (Bombus terrestris) though I think there may have been an Early bumblebee queen (Bombus pratorum) too – but it was too high and too fast for me to get a proper identification.

Bumble on willow

Bumble on willow

Bumble on willow

The droneflies were there too and where a bit more accommodating.

Drone fly

However, I did find a bumble feeding on the daffodils further down the garden and it posed perfectly.

Bumble on daffodil

I’m a little puzzled by this one as the yellow banding is usually the same colour in freshly emerged queens but this one has two different colours. Still a lovely bee! I am delighted the bees are back. I really feel spring is underway now.

Bumble on daffodil

Spring is coming

It may be cold outside but there is a definite feeling of spring in the air. The birds are singing and chasing each other around the garden, and stocking up on peanuts.

bluetit

The flowers seem to be coming in small flurries but I love the bright daffodils. So far only the dwarf ones are open but the others are not far off.

Daffodils

Daffodils

snowdrops

 

And the primrose are flowering in the bank by the hedgerow. They are one of my favorite wildflowers.

Primrose

And for the early pollinators food is becoming available, so I am sure if it warms up a couple of degrees we will start to see a few early hoverflies and bumblebees. Willow is an excellent early pollen provider. This is a cultivated willow, always one of the earliest to have catkins and pollen in my garden. The wild willows are usually a couple of weeks behind it.

Willow catkins

Plenty of pollen

 

Gorse, another early flower

Wood sorrel just showing

Frogswell Garden

Our friend Celia, at Frogswell Garden, has the most amazing garden. It’s a woodland garden filled with woodland plants and flowers of all shapes and sizes. At this time of year the hellebores and daffodils are at their best. We visited last Friday and here is to just a small sample of what we saw. Celia is a true plants woman and her love and knowledge of gardening is evident just walking through the grounds with her. I should write more but have decided that a picture paints a thousand words, so enjoy!

Lovely Spring Days

We’ve had the most amazing weather for the last few days, lots of warm sunshine. Everything in the garden seems to be rushing on and the jobs are mounting up! The first fruit tree to flower was the plum.

Blossom on the plum tree

The pear is not far behind it and I expect the apples will be after those.

Pear tree

The greenhouse is packed with seed trays. And both the greenhouse and polytunnel are providing plenty spring greens. While outside there is lots of purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflowers to enjoy. In the tunnel, broad beans and mangetout peas have been planted out and more planted in pots to be planted outside in the coming weeks.

Polytunnel

And we’ve been working on the new flower and herb garden. There is still lots to do, though the first plants are in. The miniature daffodils have given a lovely display.  The weed membrane will be covered with small stones which we are still waiting to be delivered but the main hard landscaping is done and the fence is finally all painted.

New flower garden

New Flower garden

I just love this time of year. There is so many new things to admire, so much to see and enjoy.

Willow Catkin

Larch

Primroses

Snail

Wood Sorrel

February

Sunday, the first of February, was Ireland’s Saint Brigit’s day and seen by many in Ireland, as the first day of spring. Outside it is cold with wintery showers of hail and sleet, but the sun is shining in between. In the garden, there are signs of life. A beautiful Hellebore I got from my sister, is in flower; daffodils almost ready to open; my Brigid’s cross made from rushes; bluebell shoots from seeds I planted two years ago; hazel catkins opening and elder catkins looking nice again the blue sky.

Hellebore

Daffodils

Brigid’s Cross

Bluebell shoots

Hazel catkins opening

Alder catkins