Long Time No See....

What sort of gardening blog doesn't have any posts on it since July 2015? A bad one should be the answer. Anyway I'm back now, and in the time I have been gone 6 whole months have now drifted by and it is now December, The backside of 2015 as some would say.

December is supposed to be winter. Last year I can tell you thanks to my weather station on the shed, this time last year we had an average temperature of just 8°C. This year however could not be further from that, from the 1st to the 29th (today) the average temperate is 16°C. As a result of this the garden is now confused, Daffodils and Crocuses are flowering, The dahlia tubers are in the greenhouse but are not covered up, if they where they would rot away. The acers didn't lose their leaves until late November.
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One bulb that should not be flowering now from what I have read on the internet is an unusual Chilean plant called Miersia chilensis, It has tiny flowers, 5 millimeters maximum. I bought it from Kirsten Andersen and Lars Hansen from alpines.dk.

Miersia chilensis

Another plants that have grown alot due to the warm weather.

A pot of 2 Narcissus verieties, Rip Van Winkle and Twinkling Yellow.

Galanthus elwesii


Tulip 'Little Beauty', Crocus tommansianus and Iris recticulata 'Jimmy'

                                               

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Last year was also my first year in participating in the SRGC Seed Exchange. My request was mainly Primula, Androsace and Meconopsis but sadly the latter two did not germinate although I have kept the pots over summer to see if anything happens in spring. I had excellent germination from the Primula, however. 

Those plants are now in the garden waiting to flower this year. A certain Primula capitata flowered the same year, in November well out of season but it is nice to see I must be doing something right.

I not only participated in the Seed Exchange again this year but contributed to it also. This was mostly with cyclamen and primula. As for my request I know think i have really thrown myself in at the deep end with three species of Trillium (Trillium chloropetalum forma. rubra, Trillium grandiflorum and Trillium kurabayashii) Trilliums have always been plants I look for. But never been able to find.
Also requested are four species of Fritillaria (Fritillaria camschatcensis, Fritillaria crassifolia. Fritillaria karenlinii and Fritillaria tubiformis subsp moggridgei) which considering I have only been growing thing for two years, may have been a mistake, and a waste of someones precious seeds.

Anyway that's the end of that. Hopefully 2016 you'll seed more of me and the garden and have a Happy New Year.