When returning to France from our holiday we found frost and snow everywhere. Getting quite worried about the state of our nursery and garden. But we discovered that all was well; in spite of the light frosts bulbs were flowering freely every where:
The following Crocus are in flower : C ancyrense in the lawn (see photo), in the rockeries are C. laevigatus and imperati. The Narcissus tazettas are putting up a good show (Paperwhite since Novembre) , but there is already the small yellow species from Andalousia (N.cordobense) which is just starting.
The Algerian iris (Iris unguicularis) is still going strong since November (see photo):
Very adapted to a mediterranean garden is the Kniphoffia rooperi. A large planting along the entry road was badly damaged by the January 2012 frost. Now a hundred or so tall flowering spikes are showing their brillant orange flowers.
Also Anemones (A.coronaria) are showing since December, at first the white forms, but now other colours are appearing. They will continue to flower until early April. A.hortense (the wild anemone from this area) is now starting also
There are several other species now beginning to show up in our wintergarden: Snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii), wild hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis albiflorus), Cyclamen coum et pseudobericum, Oxalis versicolor .
We will soon go back to our packing shed, to send out all the standing orders for winter planting spêcies. All will be with our customers before the end of February.
If you live in this area or when passing by, please reserve the 13 or 14 April to attend our 4th edition of "rencontres autour des jardins méditerranéens" Apart from seeing numerous bulb species in flower, five fellow nurserymen (each one of them specialised) will present mediterranean plants and will introduce several discussion topics related to mediterranean gardening. Lateron we will present the detailed programme.
We hope to wellcome you to this convivial but studious event.
Lauw and Joelle de Jager
