How does the garden know it’s spring? Daytime temperatures are barely into double figures, nights remain frosty and the drought continues, yet on my early morning walks, I know the garden’s waking up.
Maybe the soil is warming beneath the surface, maybe longer days affect the garden’s circadian rhythm, whatever, I see the difference every day and I know spring’s round the corner.
Shoots are appearing on the bare wood of deciduous trees and shrubs. Manchurian Pears (Pyrus ussuriensis) that flower in early September on bare wood looked almost dead yesterday but today are springing to life, as are Korean Pears (P. x fauriei Korean Sun) that flower later, after coming into leaf.
Even more exciting, a woody tree peony (P. suffruticosa) is actually in leaf, though this is slightly unnerving as it’s now highly vulnerable to frost.
Sow poppies straight into the ground for early summer flowers.
An English oak’s shadow nearby is a mixed blessing, theoretically protecting the peony from the cold but limiting its flowering capacity (I’ve just been out and counted nine buds).
Luckily the huge, iridescent white saucers with hearts of gold are so beautiful when they appear, I make myself believe quality matters more than quantity.
Meanwhile clusters of tiny, primrose yellow flowers on a dwarf Oregon Grape (Mahonia x wagneri) are almost open. The shiny, prickly, pinnate leaves are interesting all year, green turning bronze, yellow and red as summer segues into autumn. Mahonias are slow but worth the wait.
Several ground covers are showing miniscule shoots, invisible to all except my admittedly doting eye. The glaucous, metallic-like leaves of a prostrate spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) are tipped with gleaming, limey gold flower buds, and purple mounds of a low growing wood spurge (E. amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’) are dotted with burgundy red young shoots.
Thank goodness spurges are no longer regarded as weeds, I can’t imagine gardening in a dry sunny climate without them and unwanted seedlings, if any, are easily removed.
New shoots are also visible on low growing, aromatic Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum), another good ground cover with soft, feathery, pale green leaves. Mine has never flowered so no worries about seeding and as it grows only to 30 centimetres, it makes a great edging plant that’s easily divided and replanted in autumn.
There’s still masses of winter colour in the garden. I’m amazed how pansies, stocks and wallflowers have flowered continuously since I planted them last April, despite little rain and thumping frosts.
A brief weekend shower miraculously brought several hellebores into bloom, including the desirable Anna’s Red, named for brilliant gardener and writer Anna Pavord, with purplish green leaves and gorgeous magenta flowers.
Lastly a few snowdrops, tiny and precious reminders of my Kentish childhood. Galanthus elwesii from Turkey is drought hardier than English G. nivalis and just as beautiful.
Heads Up: Secret Garden Spring Fair, Clydesdale Lane, Richmond, September 8. Market stalls, bargain price plants and much more. www.secretgarden.org.au
Do it Now: Sow poppies straight into the ground for early summer flowers. If you can’t find seeds, David Glenn (www.lambley.com.au) offers a fantastic choice by mail order.
