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In a January vase on Monday

I feel as though we are well into the new year now.  There are green shoots pushing through the leaf litter in the woods, with a peep of white and the promise of a snowdrop.  The witch hazel is in bloom, I have seen viburnum in flower in other people's gardens, and now catkins on common alder are very much in evidence too.  Plant life is stirring.

It is also the start of my annual campaign to rescue as many bunches of supermarket daffodils as I can afford.  So to accompany the alder catkins, I have a few flowers from the first three bunches of daffodils I bought during the week!

Comments

  1. Lovely photos, Amanda! I had to smile at the thought of you rescuing the supermarket daffodils - since I have been doing IAVOM I have not bought any cut flowersfor myself or anyone else apart from an occasional bunch for my Mum because flowers from my garden might not enjoy the 420 mile journey to get there, but I used to always pick up a bunch of daffodils once they started appearing. They look lovely with catkins, don't they?

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    1. I feel so bad about the bunches of daffodil buds lying in dry heaps in every supermarket at this time of year. The bulb follows its intelligent star to produce a bud and flower and I feel that if the bunches are not bought, all that wondrous process just goes to waste and the flowers cannot reach their full potential. That really makes me sad! So, lots more sunshine dotted about the house to look forward to over the coming weeks!! A

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  2. Alders are fabulous trees. They are one of the things I admire when cycling on the levels.

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    1. With their feet in water, they will love your part of the world!! A

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  3. What a delight - the wind is raging so fiercely here and now it brings with it cold rain. Your catkins are cheering, and a beautiful reminder that yes, things are stirring.

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    1. It's been blowing a gale here too (East Lothian) with rain and generally been absolutely foul today!! So, we look to our vases on IAVOM for some joy! It never fails! A

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  4. I love the catkins. I've got nothing in my garden that produces anything like them. I planted Garrya elliptica, a California native, just for its catkins but it stubbornly refused to grow.

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  5. I'm sorry that the Garrya isn't co-operating! Very frustrating because it is such a splendid plant. I was looking at one the other day on one of my walks in the grounds of Gosford House (see previous posts of mine). Catkins are rather lovely things! I love the pools of pollen they drop once they flower! A

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  6. Alders are beautiful in winter and perfect with the daffodils. I might just go and liberate a few myself. Lovely harbingers of spring.

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  7. The close ups of the catkins are amazing. Enjoy your sweet daffodils--such cheerfulness in them.

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