Each year the front yard explodes with the bounty of winter-flowering bulbs: tuberoses, jonquils of at least five different types, including the highly-perfumed and multi-layered clusters of the Erlicheers, and the dainty arches of the snowdrops.
I know the latter are properly named ‘snowflakes’, but childhood memories and habits, as well as their drooping stems and rounded heads, insist they remain ‘drops’.
The bees didn’t care about terminology as they crawled inside each little green-dotted cup.
The springtime daffodils are just beginning to unfurl their papery sheaths, so for a few weeks I will have the bounty of both seasons from my bulbs.
They all grow anywhere, fight their way up through tough grass, need no care from me, continue to multiply, expanding into bigger and bigger clumps each season — and offer their collective beauty to delight my indoor days.
Thanks for the backup, Trevor!
Hi Sharyn, DEFINITELY “snowdrops” !
Yes DWG, the backlighting through the flowers was lovely. I have a similar bunch in front of me now on my desk– scent and colour!
And Fleur, the bulbs garden themselves; some have been doing their rebirth thing annually for over 20 years! They ought to have died down by the time the snakes are a problem as I also keep everything mown short in the yard in summer.
BUT just saw my third lively black snake, which is why I am inside rather than still out weeding the vegies.
Your Nana must have been keen to grow and tend such plants in pots; I’m too lazy to keep water up to pots. Like the bulbs, things only get to grow here if they are survivors.
Sharyn, I wish my garden looked like that! Unfortunately, I’m the world’s worst gardener and I keep everything around the house very short in case of tiger snakes, so thanks for sharing such a lovely part of your life.
Back to the camellias, my nana used to grow them in pots on the veranda, so they were sheltered from the howling northerlies that would go through in summer.
Your photography skills get better and better!!! (Never bad) The container fill with jonquils and other springs is breathtaking…I stay confused at seasons between down under and up over..and even though we are at end of summer everything is LUSH because of the rains, but nothing ever compares to the spring jonquils and snowdrops. Beautiful post and thank you for sharing it!!! Happy Spring…DWG