Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - March 2012

I have been waiting for the murk and mistiness to disappear and the temperatures to rise before venturing out into the garden - have given up at on the last score. The promised sunshine has not materialised so the temperature is floating around eight degrees centigrade. It has been grey, still and dry for days seemingly - I think ancient sailors might have declared that we are in the doldrums.

I missed out on GBMD last March but if I recollect correctly growth was as not as advanced at the same stage as it this year. Today I have been startled to see that the first flower open on a geranium phaeum, to see slivers of blue on brunnera and a small white heart just beginning to unfurl on a dicentra specatablis. Yes I know that the latter has had a change of name thrust on it but can't get myself to use it - it does not trip off the tongue easily or is attractive enough for this plant. The foliage on the dicentra seems rather stunted - maybe down to the recent distinct lack of the wet stuff.

 As usual the main stars of my garden at this time are hellebores with more waiting to be planted in the wings. There are also little daffs, primroses and pulmonarias. Then there is the little ornamental cherry - prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai', which himself bought me as a belated Valentine's Day present to replace the one that I had killed off. I was delighted when this first oh so thoughtfully came into flower on 10th March, which is the anniversary of our first ever kiss. I have a feeling that this usually peaks in April but have a feeling that that my new plant may well have been bought on under cover. I'm not complaining though.

As always a special thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens  whose brilliant idea it was to share our blooms in the middle of each month.