Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double", not the miracle, these are very easy to grow luckily.
I wanted to show the pretty speckled inside.
Hellebore Winter Jewels 'Cherry Blossom', probably missed the peak day by a day or two. Somethings been chewing on it, not sure who to blame.
Hellebore - Christmas Rose type.
No this Pulmonaria isn't the miracle, although the flower surprised me today! These bloom for months once they get started.
A happy surprise to find the Pieris in the container starting to bloom, but not really a miracle.
This might be second on the list of miracles. The pinecone mulch seems to have prevented the squirrels from digging up the tulip bulbs.
Here is my miracle... a Delphinium is returning and the slugs haven't completely decimated it yet. There are two that I planted last summer but since I've never had luck with them returning or being completely chewed up by slugs I sort of thought of them as an annual. These are the one flower that I wish I could have a large stand of like I see in English cottage garden pictures. I have sprinkled a pet and wildlife safe slug bait around them and will be guarding them them for the rest of the spring. I will be keeping my fingers crossed that they will be blooming in June.
Any miracles occurring in your garden or any that you hope will this spring?
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.
That is wonderful, Catherine, and very exciting! We cannot grow the delphs here, but the foxgloves are similar and not bothered by those dastardly slugs. How those pine cones stopped the digging of squirrels is the real miracle of this post to me! HA
ReplyDeleteFrances
Keep up on the slug bait! I see my Delphs are popping up too! I love the squirrel proof mulch! I'm gonna have to remember that one! And, I so admire all of your hellebores, so pretty and cheerful. I'm looking forward to having more room to add to my collection, they are such addicting plants! Happy Heart Day to you! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteLook at all those beautiful blooms, Your whole garden is a miracle to me! You've inspired me to plant more winter bloomers. Love LOVE the use of pine-cones to keep the squirrels at bay. I'm so so so excited for your Delph shoot, crossing my fingers for a beautiful bloom...slugs beware ;) Sorry I missed you too at the garden show =( Bloody dead cell, that will teach me to take so many pics on it...lol! Cheers Julia xx
ReplyDeleteSo excited for you! I hope it makes it to bloom, looking forward to seeing the pictures of it when it does! Have you thought of using the copper tape around it? I've heard that does a good job of deterring slugs too. It is so discouraging when they chew up things. Those Hellebores are gorgeous, especially the doubles!
ReplyDeleteI have to wait two more months for miracles outside. I did dig an old fashion rose, roots were all that survived, where we tore down a house. Put it in a bucket of dirt and it sprouted up like it was spring. It is still green. I will plant it out in late April.
ReplyDeleteAll of your blooms are beautiful. I planted the Mardi Gras Hellebores last spring and they blooming...a little behind the others, but I am excited they are blooming. I am so envious of the delphiniums. They do not do well here. Enjoy! Bonnie
ReplyDeleteA dandelion ... go figure!
ReplyDeleteLove your beauties, Catherine.
Happy Valentine's ~
TTFN ~
Marydon
The hellibore 'Mardi Gras' is just gorgeous. Would be just too delicate for my climate. Delphiniums do alright here for a couple of seasons and then disappear. Good luck with the container. V
ReplyDeleteHow beauitful! You flowers are so awesome. Hugs, Lynn
ReplyDeleteCatherine,
ReplyDeleteWell worth waiting for, these double hellebores! I planted a fair number of different double hellebores last year. Two are now blooming another is ready to open any day, lost one....Oh that Cherry Blossom.
I love the Cherry Blossom hellebore - I must search for one.
ReplyDeleteIf it is any consolation, slugs attack our delphiniums as well and I find that to get a big display of flowers is quite tricky.
I often use Monkshoods instead which work well, never get eaten, don't need staking and cope quite well in semi-shade or sun. The foliage can be a bit coarse but can be disguised by growing other things in front of them.
My miracle plant is Philadelphus microphyllus. It barely grows to three feet tall, has pretty cinnamon coloured twigs in winter and minute white Mock Orange flowers in summer. How can a flower that tiny send out so much scent? It has to be a miracle!
Johnson
Love Mardi Gras, beautiful Hellebore.
ReplyDeleteSurprises in my garden? Anything that has new growth in the vole ridden section of the garden! Each and every little green leaf is a cause for celebration.
Spring is comming !!!...love Ria....Happy Valentine's day....♥.. ♥... ♥....Love Ria......♥.. ♥... ♥....
ReplyDeleteGreat shots...love all the colors!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots...love all the colors!
ReplyDeleteI love your hellebores! It is exciting that you have delphiniums coming up! I dig mine up, but don't get them stored properly. I should just leave them and see what happens. They may have been able to survive this mild winter.
ReplyDeleteOh my GOODNESS! I must have 'Mardi Gras Double' and 'Cherry Blossom'!! Hellbores grow very well for me here and I brought home several doubles from the show. I only had singles up to now. I will definitely seek these out!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Delphiniums! Luckily, I can grow these here fairly well, as long as they aren't the fern-leaf variety.
Super, Catherine! I grew Delph's 1 yr but they died in the heat and of course, didn't come back. You are so far ahead of us now with your Pieris and Pulmonaria already in bloom! My Hellebores are partially up but the temps keep going back and forth, not to mention the fact that the ones that are up have been nibbled on by critters! I blame the squirrels! Do you have squirrels that could have chewed on yours?!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful blooms Catherine, and how wonderful to have a pot full of delph's coming up again for you this season.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
That is wonderful. I hope it spreads for you too. I have to tell you I am in love with your Cherry Blossom hellebore. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI always hope every spring that the new plants I planted in the fall will come up.
Nothing can match the unexpected colors in the garden. It is a miracle daily.
ReplyDeleteLoved your flowers.
Thanks.
I have my fingers crossed for you. The hellebores are beautiful, mine are still a few weeks away from blooming. Spring has arrived to your garden, lucky gal.
ReplyDeleteI will be trying to grow delphiniums this year for the first time. I guess I shouldn't be expecting much from them this year. I know nothing about them really. It is a happy dance when we get something to grow/bloom that has given us a fit before. Good luck - I hope to see a beautiful bloom on it. Those hellebores are so pretty. That is something I haven't grown yet either.
ReplyDeleteThis is a test.
ReplyDeleteTesting, testing Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat miracles all...no miracles here yet...still too cold...
ReplyDeleteWOW - that Winter Jewel hellebore knocked my socks off. I may have to add that to the list. I definitely want more hellebores!
ReplyDeleteHow genius to use pinecones to keep your potted bulbs from being dug up! I'll have to remember that one. I've had to cover mine with a "tent" of hardware cloth now that they are emerging to keep the cats from sitting on them! Good grief.
Love that your delphinium is making a comeback! It must really feel like spring over there now. :) No miracles here right now, other than my calliopsis winter-sown seeds having sprouted in two weeks!
Looks like several miracles to me. Each one is a treasure too. The hellebores are just gorgeous. I noticed little pellets of slug bait by your baby Delphs. They should help. I've never been able to keep Delphs alive in my garden either so I commend you.
ReplyDeleteThose hellebores are beautiful. I have to try to grow delphinium one year!
ReplyDeleteI'd say much of your garden is a magical miracle ... so beautiful ... and all those hellebores! Congratulations on your delphinium! I am rooting for them! I used to collect oyster shells in Maine along the shore and put them in my garden - slugs hate them. Here I've tried pennies and eggshells.
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it from over here where we are still in search of something new and green...they are all miracles in your beautiful garden! Great photos and I love the 'Mardi Gras' Double Hellebore as much as the 'Cherry Blossom.' Good luck with your delphinium, I find them to be a bit tricky too. Either too much light or not enough seems to be my issue. Nice show write-up as well. Wish we could have met but maybe next time...
ReplyDeleteI would say your garden is full of miracles! Beautiful plants and blooms.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are so amazing! I love the way you framed the photos. Well, congratulations on your garden miracles. I hope you have a lot more to come. =)
ReplyDelete-Jamie Keifer
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Hope that those delphiniums continue to flourish and you can win the battle against the molluscs Catherine. Beautiful hellebores - I wonder if they have made it over here.
ReplyDeleteThose pine cones would not dissuade the inner city squirrels. :) Up here they are much too street smart. And the slugs don't go after my delphiniums either. Strange how different it is clear across the country.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe me if I told you that to have any of those plants in my garden would be a miracle?
ReplyDeleteEverytime I see Hellebores in blogs, it reminds me that I must get some. Can't plant them, ground is frozen solid, hard as a rock...all the way down. But I must get some, can you imagine, next winter, having a flower that isn't frozen solid? Whoot Whoot.
Congrats on your Delfies, love them, wonder if they will grow here?
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Delphinium never returns to my garden either, so I've given up. So cheers to you! The double hellobore with speckles is gorgeous! Your garden is definitely advanced a few weeks, although this year looks to be an early year here too.
ReplyDeleteCrossing my fingers with you that we will all get to see it blooming and beautiful in June!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful pink hellebore doubles!
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! You're right...it is a miracle...I'm always amazed (and annoyed) at all the bulbs and other plants that have fallen victim to those darn squirrels!
ReplyDelete