In February 2013, the plant I chose was a native primrose. I already had other primroses in the garden but they're such a beautiful plant, one of my favourites at this time of year, that I decided to add to what I'd already got.
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Although it was in flower when I bought it in February 2013, it hasn't yet flowered this year and has just about missed February completely. It could also do with a bit of a tidy up, some of its leaves are looking very unattractive.
It has increased in size though, and as you can see, it's just starting to bud up. It should have a mass of flowers given time.
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Perhaps primroses are better suited to being a flower for March, and with this in mind, I treated myself to a new plant for February, Erica x darleyensis Jack H. Brummage.
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The information states that it's a compact plant with bright yellow foliage in summer turning to deeper gold in winter. It's suitable for most soil types and thrives in full sun or partial shade, so it should do well in my garden.
Its flowers are produced in late winter and early spring, so it sounds as though this is ideal as my February bloomer.
I like the Erica, very colourful. It's hard to find good plants so early in the season so well done with that one.
ReplyDeleteThey're great plants for giving winter colour. There's a bed filled with them at Harlow Carr and it looks fabulous at this time of year.
DeleteInteresting post, love the primrose, I'm not sure with winter flowering plants, must look into them, my garden is bare at moment.
ReplyDeleteI love primroses but perhaps it is a little early in the year for them, they should be blooming by next month.
DeleteThe foliage on the heather is a great colour!
ReplyDeleteIt is. I think this plant should definitely bulk up and it will be a lovely addition to the garden. I've never grown heathers before.
DeleteWhat a great idea...think I might start doing that and by year's end there should be quite a variety! (Some may have to grow inside for awhile, but that's okay!). Love your pick for February--beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGeoff Hamilton is sorely missed for his wise advice and great tips. I thought it was a brilliant idea myself, and such a simple one really when you think about it.
DeleteAre you going to do the "buy a flowering plant every month" thing again this year?
ReplyDeleteI shall review my previous plant purchases and then decide if I need to buy another for that month, as I've done this month. Unfortunately, many of the plants I bought in 2013 are no longer.
DeleteA gorgeous erica. We used to have masses of it when I was little, I would pick loads of it for little vases and to give to my grandmother. I like the look of the primrose, even though it's not in bloom yet. It's looking really healthy.
ReplyDeleteCertain plants can take us back to some wonderful times. It's honesty for me in my grandma's garden and then the dried seed pods in vases around her house. The primrose has done really well and has increased in size so it's definitely happy where it is.
DeleteMy primroses are biding their time too, although one has flowered, most are still in bud like yours. I do like your latest addition.xxx
ReplyDeleteAt least we've got something to look forward to, it won't be long until they're in flower, I'm sure. I think Erica is a great plant to give some winter colour, I don't know why I didn't buy one when I originally bought a plant each month.
DeleteI always associate primroses with March/April and Easter time Jo. I wonder if your plant had been protected from the elements before you bought it. It's certainly bulked up and looks as if could be divided later in the year :)
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the hazzards of buying a plant in flower each month from a garden centre, many of them have been brought on and are flowering early so once you get them in the garden, they flower at a later time. I think I shall have a go at dividing the primrose, it's definitely bulked up enough.
DeleteInteresting as our native primroses are flowering in fact I took a photo of them today.
ReplyDeletePerhaps yours are getting more sun being exposed as they are on the allotment site. I don't think mine will be too long behind though, they're budding up and getting ready.
DeleteCould be although we also have some in the garden growing under a mahonia that are also flowering. Maybe it's a bit warmer here down south :)
DeleteWe do seem to have different weather at times, even though there's only a few miles between us. It's sunny and mild here today so perhaps that will bring them on a bit.
DeleteI love the idea of a plant a month and this is defiantly something I might try. I also found what you said about primroses interesting as I have seen them in the shops and was thinking of getting some because the garden looks so dull this time of year think maybe I will take the plunge.
ReplyDeleteI think buying a plant each month is a great idea too, not only do you end up with something in flower the whole year round but it's a good way to increase the number of plants in your garden and spread the cost. I love primroses at this time of year, they're such a delicate looking flower yet they withstand whatever the weather throws at them.
DeleteI like the little heather. I promised myself last year to buy some to brighten up the garde, I still haven't got round to it xx
ReplyDeleteI like it too. I don't know why I've never grown heather before, they're readily available plants and certainly brighten up the garden during the winter months.
DeleteI like heathers and that looks to be a good one. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI think it's a lovely colour, both the foliage and the little flowers.
DeleteWe have some polyanthus that are flowering well, but they were bought this year, the ones from past years are not out yet. Your heather is very pretty isn't it! I hope that it does a good job of flowering future February's for you. The primroses will be lovely when they do come! xx
ReplyDeleteI think garden centres must bring plants on so that they're flowering earlier, they tend to revert to the norm in subsequent years. It'll still be lovely when it does bloom, it'll just be a little later than February, but I've now got my heather to fill the gap.
DeleteThe adorable primrose is one of my favorite flowers, Jo, but mine won't bloom until April. If I do the flower a month (it's a great idea) I would have to stick to house plants until then. P. x
ReplyDeleteI love primroses, I look forward each year to them blooming. I love the flower a month idea, it's definitely given me more colour in my garden throughout the year.
DeleteThat heather is gorgeous I have a long thin bed of them alongside a path which goes into my garden, I love heathers! I have one very small primrose in flower it is a pot which I think has shaded it from the cold and prompted it to flower, hope yours does soon it is a lovely big plant.
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few different heathers to choose from but I thought this one was really pretty. I bet your bed is wonderful in winter, they look great when there's a clump of them all together. Plants grown in containers are often shielded from the worst of the weather so they can come in to flower a little early. My primrose is well on the way to flowering now, another few days and the first flowers should open.
DeleteI love ericas...my plan for this year is to try and fins blooms that the bees can feed on all year round...and if possible give something back to me too!!
ReplyDeleteThere's actually lots of plants which bloom in the winter months, it's just a case of finding them in the garden centres as they seem to sell the same things year in year out.
DeleteI want to see your beautiful primroses! It must be so interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt won't be long until it's flowering now, we just need a bit of sunshine to bring it out.
DeleteThe native primroses in our garden have flowered already and look lovely. A few of them have been flowering have ages which is a bit strange. You new heather is lovely. I've been told there is a heather for every month.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for my primroses to flower, I don't thing this cold weather is helping them along at all. I didn't know about there being a heather for every month, I shall have to look in to that.
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