We don’t have summer yet, not much warmth or sun at all. Strong winds still bully the garden. We only just have double-figure temperatures. It’s definitely still spring here in Edinburgh. But as I walked through our rented front garden today, it struck me how many plants were in bud.
There were fat pink flames of rhododendron and azalea, a single meconopsis clenched like a fist, this year’s first rose on ‘Forever Friends’, dozens of childish pink snapdragons, and some lovely red peonies.
More buds in the back garden: clematis buds hanging like hairpins, white lilac, fat honeysuckle, tiny alliums. I went back inside and checked the weather forecast: bright sun and fifteen degrees predicted for the weekend. Could it be that summer is about to happen? Now, we mustn’t get our hopes up, but I really do feel as though we are on the brink. Soon we will have icecreams, and warm afternoons on sunny garden benches, and supper on the patio, and… and…
Your garden is full of anticipation Joanna. Last night was the first ‘warm’ night of the year. On my way home from work this morning at 3am it was reading 13 on the thermometer in the car, onwards and upwards hopefully! Have a good weekend in the garden 🙂
Much warmer up here today too. The buds I am most excited about opening are some irises as they haven’t flowered before and I can’t remember what they are. I love your photograph of the meconopsis – it is a great angle. Have a good weekend.
I think I’ll come to Edinburgh and enjoy the start of summer again; then maybe move on to the Orkneys.. I’ve already said goodbye to the wisteria and the irises and the last of the spring bulbs, and now the lilac’s becoming shabby. My peony buds are fatter (I’m very excited about them – they are two years old and it looks as though I’ll have flowers to cut this year) but my honeysuckle is not much further ahead than yours. Did the honeysuckle you cut last? Mine has so far, but it is not opening so fast as the buds outside.
Nothing could be more elegant than that clematis bud, but the meconopsis bud is weird – it looks like a tiny Martian fist.
Your garden looks ready to burst with spring flowers!