I once read an article about the threats posed by bright, modern daffodils encroaching on the traditional more subdued flowers of Ullswater, immortalised in William Wordsworth's poem. 'Corby Candle' is too bright for the Cumbrian lake. A hybrid from the Northamptonshire enthusiast, John Gibson in 2003, this is a vibrant highlight in the Spring border. John is very active in the Daffodil Society. Indeed, should you require a copy of the latest RHS Daffodil, Snowdrop & Tulip yearbook, John is the port of call. One of my favourite modern narcissus. 
Narcissus 'Corby Candle' - Division 2
Viburnum x juddii in close-up
We have two of the sweetest smelling shrubs. The daphne will be in flower next month and as I mark time until the new plants come on stream for more current posts here's a reminder of March when our viburnum x juddii was streaming scent.
Fritillaria Crown Imperialis Lutea
Fritillaria Crown Imperialis Lutea bosses the spring border. The pendant shaped flowers of daffodil yellow have a strong musk smell you either like or dislike. Hard to be neutral. One thing I do know from the wonders of Google analytics is that my earlier post on the orange variety had more views than anything else I've posted for quite some time. Must be that musk.
Fritillaria uva-vulpis
In the early days of lockdown here in the UK travel was strictly limited to short walks for no more than 50 minutes and our garden became all consuming, vital for 'mental health'. I'd not realised how important visits to parks and gardens were to my state of mind. Luckily I'd new plants in our own garden to look out for and boy did I treasure them. And then there were those I'd taken for granted. Fritillaria uva-vulpis is a small bulb that grows in the front garden in our 'wild area'. Photographed on 4th April when things were grim with Covid and glorious in terms of weather small things mattered. This tiny fritillaria was one of the ingredients of our memorable spring. Don't you think it's a beauty?
Fountain, roses and berberis
Our fountain was off rather more than it was on this summer. We like the sound of water, I don't like cleaning the filter. So here is a dry Goddess basking in the sun amidst the roses. We bought the fountain as a reaction to discovering all the fish deceased after returning from a summer vacation. The pump had packed up. I'll just point out the golden berberis on the far right. It is thirty five years old, surviving dogs, children and drought. Safer than fish and no filters to clean. Sharp prickles however. 'Berberis thunbergii Aurea' I've written in an old diary.
'Where the World Turns Wild' by Nicola Penfold
I don't have advertising on this site. Today I'll make an exception and shamelessly plug our daughter's novel, Where the World Turns Wild, published this year on 6th February. I've linked the title to Amazon though there are other sellers. The blurb explains the plot better than I could ever manage though it has a strong environmental message, plus an equally strong and exciting plot. Read it and be aware the novel was written before the pandemic. Truth and fiction. Adults seem to have enjoyed the novel as much as children. A Korean edition has just been published.
Family visit
Apart from the obvious blessings of grandchildren and son-in-law hiding behind the hedge I'm posting this to remind me of how our garden looked in early July. So, the rowan tree got a fatal fungus, the Juniper 'Skyrocket' simply rocketed too far and the other conifer whose name escapes me got too dense. The roses to the left were transplanted where possible, though not the red one sadly. However Rosa 'Cliff Richard', a glorious pink rose, remains in situation. Looking at our now expansive front lawn I'm loathe to post a photograph as it all looks so bare, requiring spring warmth to blend turf and existing turf together. Our glorious family are blooming of course.
Omphalodes Cappadocica ‘Cherry Ingram’
A lovely plant for a shady position today. Omphalodes Cappadocica ‘Cherry Ingram’ was purchased from a plant stall at a local fair and it may not be the named variety. However it flowers in the most shady part of the garden and whereas it perhaps does not have the density of flower it might attain in a more favoured position it does lighten up our side gate area beside a dark purple hellebore and holly bush. Photographed on 3rd April.
Brodsworth Hall: Orchid Heaven
I have had little success in retaining hardy orchids in our garden. In search of inspiration and in the depths of Covid lockdown we travelled regularly to our local country estate. Brodsworth Hall has some of the best plantings in England and a display of hardy orchids I have not seen the like of anywhere else. In the rockery the plants were deliberately placed whilst elsewhere most have seeded themselves liberally. Indeed some of the normally bowling green quality bankings had been left to grow as rare bee orchids had found a welcome home. The gardeners tell me the garden has never had herbicides used in the estate's history. Funnily enough about five years ago they cordoned off a section of lawn to preserve a solitary orchid. Now they have spread everywhere. And look at the prices should one wish to commence a collection. Photographs taken on 15th June.
Hepatica japonica f. magna seedlings
Hepaticas are the most expensive plants. Frankly, for anyone but absolute experts and an alpine house, paying hundreds of pounds for the exquisite double, named forms, is a game for the very rich. However the range of colours of the Hepatica japonica f.magna make for a delightful addition to the early spring garden. In the pot below I added a few seedlings to brighten up what had been full of cyclamen coum. This was pictured on 16th March. I notice flower buds are already forming for this winter.
Narcissus 'Jenny' - a beautiful daffodil
We tend to believe the best plant varieties are the products of modern hybridisers, learning from mistakes, breeding from a huge stock. In the case of the cyclamineus 'Jenny', photographed on 29th March, the breeding goes back to 1943 by the English writer and grower, Cyril F. Coleman. The relexed petals are a milky white and the trumpets a slightly deeper cream, after an initial dalliance with a lemon yellow. I love this daffodil and certainly it is a favourite. In the fifties and sixties Cyril F. Coleman was one of the RHS's leading experts on narcissus and tulips, the author of several books on bulbs, one of which is featured below.
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