Chloris at The Blooming Garden encourages us garden bloggers to venture out into the garden in all winds and weathers to take pictures of our favourite ten blooms each month. My ten include the inevitable Snowdrops, of which I have the grand total of three varieties, (Chloris is the one to visit to enjoy a Galanthus feast), the common Nivalis, its double and the third which I think is Galanthus S. Arnott. This is also Hellebore season, with the orientalis adding their charm and colour to the February garden.
I am very impressed with the Hamamelis in the oriental garden, it has been flowering since December. I do have a degree of admiration for the variegated ‘Laurel’, which at this time of year lightens up the rear of the oriental garden. It was a rescue, ‘no name’, plant when we were living in our previous house. I could not decide where to plant it therefore it remained in a pot until we developed the garden here. I do like to see an underdog succeed!
This is the beginning of the Crocus season, there are more still to flower in the garden. ‘Gypsy Girl’ is I think a bit special with its brown stripes, it is in pots along with an unknown Iris Reticulata. A favourite Iris this time of year is ‘ Katherine Hodgkin’, I have had it in the garden since Carol Klein sang its praises during a lecture at Pershore College.
In the White and Green garden there is a nod to the seventies when we all grew Conifers and Heathers. The Erica Carnea ‘Whitehall’ thrives due to it not requiring ericaceous soil, it sits below the fragrant flowering Winter Honeysuckle.
A special plant for me is the Lunaria Annua ‘Rosemary Verey’, its dark leaves providing a contrast to the snowdrops. I purchased one plant four years ago and have saved seed each year to raise plants for the garden and to sell at our open days. It has also self sown around the garden, coming true each time even though we have two other varieties here. Rosemary Verey was the first garden designer to influence me, from visiting her garden, at Barnsley, Gloucestershire, experiencing the style of planting within the borders and the pottager. Then through her books, with the plan of her Chelsea garden in 1992 inspiring the original layout of what I now call the blue border. (It has changed somewhat since 2005).
While Christmas now seems a while ago the flowering Hippeastrum was a gift to Irene from a friend. We were very impressed with its three blooms.
These are my ten favourites for February, please visit Chloris to see what she and other bloggers have chosen. Do you have a favourite February flower?
brimfields.com 
I’m always impressed by the variety of blooms in your garden throughout the year Brian. Snowdrops are my favourite flower for February, which is just as well because that’s all we have, apart from a couple of crocus plants.
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Thank you Anne. I try to have something of interest through out the year, I have just being reading a blog from Cornwall where the daffodils are in flower, we have those to look forward to.
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Thank you for showing us your February favourites Brian. I think winter flowering heathers are wonderful. Nothing else gives you sheets of colour in the depths of winter.
I love your dark leaved honesty. H. Pallida is still a favourite.
Your variegated shrub intrigues me. I have never seen a laurel like that and with such small leaves. Could it be a euonymus do you think? It looks a bit like E. Blondy, but not quite. I think you have something unusual there, what lovely bright foliage.
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It could be an euonymus Chloris, it would be nice to know. I really have no idea!
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That hippeastrum is very unusual almost daffodil like. Our Kathleen Hodgkins seem to have disappeared this year. All except one that is.
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You saved the best till last…what a great contrast between the snowdrops and the dark foliage of the Lunaria. Have you tried to propagate from seed? Does it come true. I have seen quite a lot of daffodils in bloom around here…must plant some here for next year. You have a lovely array of treasure to admire in your garden.
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A beautiful selection. My honesty is coming up at the moment, the heart shaped leaves are so easy to spot but I have never seen a dark leaved variety. It does look stunning with the snow drops. Amelia
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Would you like some seeds when I have some?
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Good to see what is flowering in your garden at the moment, Brian – I have the dark leaved honesty ‘Chedworth’, which came originally from Anna of Green Tapestry and like yours it such an attractive plant to have and so easy. I just need to work round it being a biennial as I was without last year!
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Hi Cathy, I have seen pictures of ‘Chedworth’ on Anna’s blog. I don’t think there is much if any difference.
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You have a lovely collection of plants Brian. You were blessed to visit Rosemary Verey’s garden. 🌼
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Lovely selection Brian 🙂
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