There was no permanent damage done by the snowfall, in fact I think that it done some good. Seed pots were covered with tiny green shoots within days of the snow melting, and the plants in the frames where I had left the lights of perked up immediately and started to grow. There must be something in the snow that they like or maybe it is just the cold water when the snow melts.
Whatever the reason there was a great explosion of flowers shortly after the snow left. Crocus popped up all over the front garden and enjoyed the spells of sunshine during the following few days before the rain returned with a vengeance. The Narcissus bulbocodium, and Iphion, and then Daphne mezereum rubrum quickly followed the crocuses. Cyclamen coum has spread to fill all the shady corners in the front garden, and the Snowdrops are pushing up through the cyclamen to foliage to announce their own coming of spring.
Iris unguicularis is a real picture this year with up to twenty flowers in bloom at once. This plant did not flower until I moved it three years ago, to a south facing spot close to a hedge. It is still in the original pot and seems to like this dry warm position and root restriction. . The lavender flowers are a treat when the sun is shining and as an added bonus they are perfumed as well.
The camellia hedge in the back garden is now a wall of various shades of pink and will last for weeks if the hard frost stays away. As most of them are facing west a light frost does them no harm at all.
All the better forms of Cyclamen coum are now in the alpine house for pollination and selection purposes, not to mention the comfort of the pollinator. The good leaf and flower colour forms are carefully noted and seed saved for to increase stocks, and a few for the Cyclamen seed exchange of coarse.
The flowers on the alpine Primulas are appearing thick and fast now and a careful watch is being kept on the seedlings for new colour breaks. Some of last year?s selections are filling five -inch pots now are looking pretty good. I have already earmarked those worth propagating, and this will be attended once the flowers fade, as I like the plants to grow to a decent size before the winter, when they will have just have the protection of a cold frame.
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