It’s September, it’s spring and there have been some lovely sunny days if chilly nights. Lockdown continues, with several lovely walks in the Botanic Gardens to brighten our days. Lots of daffodils, hellebores, magnolia and other signs of the season. Anyway, thanks to The Propagator who encourages us to share what is going on in our gardens in all parts of the world. Check out the participant guide if you want to join in. Photos taken on Wednesday and today.
First up, the hellebores with which I ended last week’s post, are still looking so gorgeous. I guess you’ll see them again next week too!
Next up, the magnolia at the back of the house is looking so pretty, covered with white flowers. It is, however really hard to get a decent photo, since I only have my iPhone. Anyway, I hope you get the idea from the pictures below. You can also see two of the camellias in the middle picture.
Which brings us nicely to the camellias – the bush with the small white flowers, the one with the large red ones and the pink one loved by tuis. I’m cheating a bit with the other white camellia, which is in fact in the Botanic Gardens, but I thought some of you might be interested in it. Named Kate Sheppard after the famous New Zealand suffragette, it is a stunning bloom close up, with really pretty petals. New Zealand was the first to open up votes to women in 1893, and the tree was planted as a commemoration.
At number three, spring bulb progress – apart from the daffodils. The crocus are popping up, bit by bit, my first tulips in a pot are really coming on, and I am so excited to see how they progress. Meanwhile, for the second year running, I am having almost zero luck with anemones. I put the bulbs in the fridge for a few days, did what I thought were all the right things, and all I have is this little specimen. The iris have been disappointing too, with only one flower, and as expected, the pot that got flooded in one of the storms has not produced anything. Ah well….there is time yet to see what happens.
And at number four – the miscellaneous corner, with signs of ajuga, the little evergreen shrub which I think is a confetti bush (?) has lots of those pretty white flowers, and, the flowers on the cactus from last week opened up in all their bright pink glory.
Finally, there really is a host of golden daffodils out there, and there are more to come. Such a lovely thing to see when you step out of the front door. I had a couple of bulbs left when planting, and put them in the ‘anything goes corner’ alongside a rosemary, a spider plant and a lonely nasturtium – they seem to be coming on a treat.
As usual, I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful gardens in other parts of the world. Hope you are all well and enjoying your gardens in whatever the season is with you.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Lovely pictures. It’s nice to hear the story behind ‘Kate Sheppard’. New Zealand ahead of the times as it so often seems to be on these matters!
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Those daffodils are a very cheering sight!
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They really are at this time!
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Happy to discover the open pink flowers of this cactus, as we talked about last week. Very nice story around this camellia. It’s a beauty !
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Yes I had to post a picture of the flowers on the cactus! I agree – that camellia is a beauty.
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Lovely photo of those golden daffs, and I agree that seeing the tulips developing is very exciting. Also nothing as pretty as white magnolia buds against a blue sky.
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This is my first year of tulips in pots – inspired by Fred!
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It’s lovely to see a blue sky. Here in North Wales, we have seen nothing but grey for over a week, and they’re not even rain clouds! Pretty hellebores too. I must give them another try.
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Oh I know that grey sky well coming from Scotland!
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How interesting, I didn’t realise New Zealand had votes for women so long before us. Lovely hellebores again. What a pretty cactus flower.
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The little cactus flower was a bit of a surprise…but a lovely one.
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Spring, spring, spring! Bound to gladden the heart, even with a lockdown.
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Oh it really does!
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Great story about Kate Sheppard and the camellia named after her.
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It was nice to learn about Kate Sheppard. A great photo of the camellia named after her too.
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Camellia ‘Kate Shephard’ narrowly escaped being called ‘Mount Egmont’, which probably wouldn’t stand in its favour these days. There was an article about the camellia in the International Camellia Society Journal which I’ll copy and send you, assuming you haven’t already seen it.
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Thank you so much for sending that article on Jim. I hadn’t seen it but have just read it. Yes – you are so right re Mount Egmont!
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That’s really intersting to hear about women’s suffrage – glad to see it so beautifully commemorated
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Hope springs eternal? for Covid to go away and Jacinda is goining more fans by the day. Stay safe. So wonderful to see your Hellebores and Daffodils, enjoy! And I know you are cooking something wonderful, I baked Foccacia this morning.
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At least people seem to be going out and getting vaccinated…meanwhile I will enjoy the season! I am planning on a beef based ragu for pasta for dinner tonight! Focaccia – warm from the oven – lovely.
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Good to hear. Lockdown is awful. We made bison ragu recently, bison is buffalo, much lower fat than beef.
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Now that is interesting and something I would like to try one day!
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Well.lots of New Zealand lamb here! Have you heard of Ted Turner C N N? He is a huge Bison rancher.
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Love the beautiful flowers great photos. I thought I had an all time favourite in the Magnolias but now I don’t know, lol, there all glorious.
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I think camellias are my ‘new favourite’ !
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A nice camellia selection. I’m trying to feed my magnolia in the hope that it buds up for next year but I think it might be another year until we get flowers. I bought it very tiny.
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I love experiencing two hemispheres at once, thanks to your lovely photos and enthusiastic reports!
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You have some wonderful stuf out there my friend Great to see spring again
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Laugh! Drink in some happiness
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