Spring is really here! The first asparagus is in the shops, the Botanic Gardens are looking stunning (tomorrow is Tulip Sunday: Whānau Day Out so hope to get some photos for a post later in the week), and people are smiling. We have had some stunning days this week that have lifted spirits and also made our gardens happy! Anyway, thanks once again to The Propagator for allowing us to share what is going on in our gardens.
First up, the hellebores continue to delight, with so many flowers this year in more than one place around the side of the house. I just love them.
With spring in the air, there is new growth everywhere after the winter slumber. Even the lemon thyme is showing a resurgence of growth. I know I posted a picture of our lavender a few weeks ago, but it is still looking magnificent. All the cutting back I did earlier in the year has paid dividends.
There are still a few beautiful anemones, such as the one below, as well as the red one featured in Wednesday’s post. The daffodils are all almost past now, but there are still a few grape hyacinths around the place.
I make no apology for yet another picture of the magnolia in all its glory. If you look behind it, you can see a Kōwhai tree, covered with its yellow blooms. What you can’t see, or hear, are all the tuis feasting on it.
I had a good clear out and tidy up of the small propagator I have, and planted some more micro greens which make a lovely addition to any salad or on top of a sandwich. One of the neighbourhood cats decided to come and help me, and also run indoors to steal our Charlie’s food when my back was turned. He is a lovely creature and has spent a good part of the afternoon enjoying the sun in our terrace. Anyway, I completed my task, and also planted some chilli seeds which I will keep indoors for the moment. I need to spend the week deciding on good places for the rest of my seeds for the summer.
These are my six things, but I wonder if anyone can identify these flowers, spotted in Bolton Street Memorial Park. I see them every year: they look very like freesias, but look at the colours and the shape of the plant. Any ideas welcome!
As usual, I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful gardens in other parts of the world.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram@thistleandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Nice six. Nice to know there’ll be lots of spring and summer colour to enjoy on SoS when autumn then winter kick in here.
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Thank you!
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My hellebore have been blooming for a few weeks now, in the n. hemisphere – no idea why, but they’re welcomed. Gosh, your lavender is doing great & that magnolia needs no apology to appear several times as it goes through its paces. Do the cats have turf wars? I can’t imagine mine letting me garden w/a neighbour feline. Love the photo of the anemone w/the grape hyacinth. O spring!
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So glad you are enjoying the magnolia with me. There are three cats that live in close proximity to each other, including ours, They kind of tolerate each other as they know they have to cross each other’s boundaries. Luckily, our cat was out visiting some of his many human friends when the other cat came to call. There is a fourth cat, however, that Charlie really does not like and you an hear them making quite a noise when they meet.
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I know I day it frequently, but it is lovely to see the opposite seasons. We are starting to see Autumn colours here.
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That is the great thing about this theme!
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…say…
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A lovely form of Sparaxis in the Bolton Street Cemetary?
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Could be…
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They look like the wild freesias we have growing in our garden.
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Being located where they are, I think they have been there a long time so you could be right.
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Nice to see so much flowering, its’ been beautiful here in Northland.
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A good start to spring!
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Ah beautiful sunny spring photos. Of course autumn is starting here but it has been warm and dry and the gardens are struggling. The rain is supposed to start today. I hope the it knows when to start.
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Stop!
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It’s nice to see start of the season shots in September! Your daily view with the magnolia in the centre field must be so cheering. I am glad to see any number of photos of it!
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Sounds like you are having a wonderful spring in the garden. Your mystery flowers look like alstroemerias, but these are summer autumn flowering in the northern hemisphere so probably not.
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I will see if I can find a gardener at the Botanic Gardens to ask!
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Beautiful! I love lavender. It’s just turning autumn here in Wales.
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The last ones do look like the wild freesias that grown in the Algarve. Whatever they are they are very pretty.
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Two people have said that so going with that idea!
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Wonderful to see that some of your spring blooms are the same as mine. May your summer be kinder than mine in the months to come, though!
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