I am struggling to get the refrain ‘What’s New, Pussycat’ (oh-o-o-o) out of my head since I decided to pick out some newly flowering blooms for today’s post, which is linking as usual to Jim’s Six on Saturday meme. Sadly, the only new gift from the local pussy cats is piles of cat poo around the garden, and the less said about that the better.
So what is new? Well, after a couple of very pleasant spring afternoons with warmth apparent in the sunshine and temperatures up to 17°C, buds on Clematis armandii ‘Snowdrift’ (above) are finally opening, no doubt another example of later flowering due to December and January’s cold spells. Strangely, however, I have today spotted the first tulip bud (below)! Having stocked up on end-of-season tulips, I hope I have kept details of what they were!
Pulmonaria have been flowering for a few weeks, although the named varieties seem to have been a little later than the generic ones. Below we have the true blue ‘Blue Ensign’, pretty pink ‘Pretty in Pink’ and the delightfully named ‘Shrimps on the Barbie’:
To complete the six is the first fritillary in the woodland. I forget how quickly they follow on from snowdrops, so was surprised when foliage and buds began appearing a month ago. Recent warmth and moisture have given them a boost and this is just the first of many, numbers boosted by a combination of self-seeding and adding extra bulbs every year. The yellow label is one of my extra large snowdrop labels, which will be removed as the snowdrops begin to die back, leaving just the more discreet smaller black ones.
Rambling in the Garden 
I remember when I was first introduced to fritillary, relatives took us to a meadow and I fell in love with their delicateness.
I would love to see them in the wild – I believe there is a meadow of them by the river in our local town, and I really must make the effort to see them. I know it’s an SSSI but there should still be public access
Your clematis has a charming flower. I’ve tried a couple of times but I have not been able to grow fritillaries here. They seem to have got lost somehow and probably don’t like the climate even though it’s reasonably gentle at the time when fritillaries flower. I’ll enjoy them from afar, in other gardens.
I know fritillaries do like damp, but it’s not especially damp where mine are, as they are in my little bit of woodland so must get quite dry in summer under the canopy
Your clematis is lovely, even though you say it is late! My snakeshead fritillaries are now starting to flower too, soon there will be loads to photograph but I’ve never felt the need to add extra bulbs as they are spreading nicely by themselves.
The bulbs are just so cheap, Pauline, and I have begun adding them to my woodland edge areas too
Like many species that do not typically perform well here, the Clematis armandii seems to be about to bloom more impressively than ever before. It is a common sort that may lack a cultivar designation, so blooms with blushed flowers. Yours is pretty, not only because the name suggests that the bloom will stay white, but also because the foliage is so exemplary. It typically does not look like that here. I do not know why.
Yes, the foliage is evergreen and really striking, but prone to damage by cold winds
It’s definitely warmer here too Cathy and Friday was a most pleasant day although rain stopped play yesterday. It’s so good to know that spring will arrive imminently 😂 A trio of charming pulmonarias – the aptly named ‘Shrimps In The Barbie’ does look
rather flushed and glowing with warmth.
I was stuck in the greenhouse for about 15 minutes during a heavy downpour on Saturday – I would have been drenched if I had tried to make it back to the house! Most of the afternoon was dry, thankfully
Shrimps on the barbie ! 🤣 (Although I can see why that came to mind)
As good a name as some, perhaps.. 😉
I’ve always found those Snakes Head Fritillary difficult to grow, but today I can really admire yours.
I know they like dampness, although the woodland is fairly dry during much of the year while the trees are clothed, but perhaps they like a dty summer, like snowdrops do. They grow happily in the gravel drive at my Mum’s, where they have fairly high rainfall and very little depth to the soil
I may have to try some then.
The deep pink Pulmonaria is gorgeous, but I must say I don’t like the image the name conjures up! LOL! I am looking forward to seeing tulips soon… I have a few buds of botanical ones showing too. 😃
I have a few tulips appearing in the shrub border too, where they disappeared after their first year of flowering, which I think will have been 6 or 7 years ago!