Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019

Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019
On the Archduke's Path in Mallorca

Thursday 10 February 2011

Spring Flowers (1)

Snowdrops and Winter Aconites at Dunham Massey
After a long journey home, not aided by the eight hours we knew we had to spend in Philadelphia airport, it was a joy to arrive to bright sunshine on a warm day.

Our garden now sports Snowdrops and other winter flowers, and the shrubs are starting to burst into leaf.  What a difference a couple of weeks makes.  Long-tailed tits have joined the Blue, Great and Coal varieties on the feeder.  Pigeons coo to each other, and the ducks on the canal are looking decidedly frisky.

Anyway, having opened our post after arriving home an hour early on Tuesday morning, Sue and I felt duty bound to take advantage of the sunshine and toddle off to Dunham Massey’s winter garden, where today’s snaps were taken.

The names may not all be correct!

Snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii) were growing in gay abandon.

Snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii)

There were several species of Witch Hazel (eg Hamemelis intermedia).

Witch Hazel (Hamemelis intermedia)

These red berries certainly caught the eye.

Red berries

The Orange House, just a shell until recently, is full of plants that look as if they will shortly be in flower, and there are various types of fruit shrubs inside, with…. oranges…

The Orange House

This sweet smelling Honeysuckle (Lonicera purpusii) is a winter-flowering variety.

Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera purpusii) 
We will be making regular visits to these gardens over the next few weeks

4 comments:

Mike Knipe said...

Cripes, we're still in tundra here at Knipetowers. The glacier at the end of the street has only just melted. I still have the hot water bottle and bruno, the ear muffs....

Prolly global warming, everything else is...

Phreerunner said...

Yes, Global Warming is alive and well in Timperley, I'm pleased to observe...
Doesn't Bruno get a hot water bottle? Or does he sleep under a blanket with his ears sticking out?

Mike Knipe said...

Ashley, he does sleep under a blanket as it happens. (thermal one, bought it in Skipton, smells of dog) Nothing sticks out, though. There is the odd low growl seeping out....

afootinthehills said...

Spring flowers? Lovely. We've just got rid of Sunday's snow fall!

It managed up to 11C yesterday though and did feel like a spring day. -5C last night.