What a difference a few days makes at this time of the year. Particularly if you get a little sunshine. As the second in a series of mainly image based posts to record the progress of the spring bulb emergence at Gelli Uchaf, as we open as a NGS snowdrop festival garden, this follows on from my previous post.
The snowdrops are in full swing now and at last we have a few daffodils out, just in time for St. David’s day on March 1st (Narcissus ‘Rjinveld’s Early Sensation’), but weeks later than the last 2 much colder winters.
Many more crocus are emerging all the time, and are being joined by early scillas. The Cyclamen coum are hanging on in there, the scent of Daphne bholua fills the air, the Canada geese have returned, the pied wagtails have started ridge bobbing, the frogs have spawned, the turkeys are laying.
And snow is forecast overnight.
Enjoy the pictures. 
thegardenimpressionists 
This is truly spectacular… it captures the essence of spring… love all the photos!
Spring has definitely sprung in your garden! Wonderful photos- an absolute pleasure to see- I love them all.
Hello Marianne,
Glad you like the pics. I forgot to include a photo of the Snowdrop/Ophiopogon combination which you described at Wisley recently. We were wowed when we saw it a few years ago, and have incorporated it in a couple of places, as well as adding Cardamine trifolia – which we first saw at Aberglasney, into the mix – This extends the interest over a slightly longer period with its very pretty white flowers.
The trouble with photographing just massed snowdrops, is that they never look as impressive as the real thing, whereas the colour from the other bulbs does seem to reproduce the effects fairly well,
BW for spring at Llettys,
Julian
Hello Larry,
Thanks for that kind comment. After years of trying, we’re finally creating some of the effects we were after, as well as highlighting the deficiencies!
BW
Julian
I did enjoy the photographs, the garden looks idyllic. I spotted your Hamamelis looking very happy as well as your Deutsia.
Hello A,
Glad you liked the pics. The Hamamelis are nearing the end (Aphrodite is the last to flower this year), but I’m guessing what you reckoned was a Deutsia was perhaps one of our Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postil, which is still covered in pale pink fragrant flowers – a divine plant if you can find one/grow one, since even on a cold day you can smell it from 20 or 30 yards away. It lifts the senses as you work in the garden whatever the weather.
BW
Julian
You are quite right! It is the Daphne but I’ve never heard of it. It is now on my plant wish list. I keep a plant wish list, mainly of plants that are recommended from blogs I read or magazines and it comes in amazingly useful. I love perfumed plants.
Your garden looks gorgeous, my favorite time of year in the garden. I am so jealous. Four degrees F two nights ago and six inches of snow coming on Monday. I despair of ever shipping snowdrops to my customers. Trying to hack some out of the ground for a Russian customer for Women’s Day on March 8. Finally successful but only because they were under the dryer vent.
Hello Carolyn,
Thanks for the comment and update. It sounds horrendous for you, and such a shame at what is normally one of the best times of the year, particularly for a shade loving gardener. I guess we’re all having to learn that what we assumed were ‘normal’ patterns of weather are shaken up now, and adapt as best we can.Still, things will change soon for you I’m sure, just as for us we hope that sometime soon we’ll have a 24 hour period without any rain…, but your travails put a different perspective on our discomforts,
Best wishes
Julian
Truly enjoying your posts…In my garden I’ve found that the things that bloom for you at the same time are quite different here in Oregon. My Flag iris bloomed about a month ago and the crocus, snowdrops, Hellebores, violets and a few tiny daffodils are just now blooming. Rain tends to ruin the crocus…
Hello Jenny,
Thanks for the comment. I always find it interesting what’s going on in other gardens round the world at a particular time. And I agree about Crocus damage and rain – ours have taken a pasting this year, but usually more flowers pop up when any brief sunny interludes appear – like this morning, so hopefully some flowers will open for our first garden visitors of the year. It’ll all change with a rush, as the days continue to lengthen – and that childlike excitement about what’s coming next will return,
BW
Julian
Hi, I came across your site via Carolyn s shade garden. Its a gem and made all the more interesting with the fact that we have moved recently from Aberdeen to well not so very far from you. I do miss my large garden, however we will have to do the best we can with our current teeny plot. Your Iris Reticulata are looking good, will catch up with the rest of your site later.
Hello Alistair,
Thanks for the comment. Let’s hope that your introduction to Welsh rain hasn’t been too demoralising after coming from, I guess, a drier climate? We’re still exploring Iris reticulata and whether it’s worthwhile as a perennial planting here. The ‘Harmony’ hybrid does seem to return from about 50% of the bulbs planted, which given how lovely they look when in flower is good enough for us,
Best wishes
Julian