Brightening the spirits

May already, and the weather is no better.  Rather depressing, to be honest.  The great British obsession with complaining about the weather is at full throttle, with everybody saying that it has been a poor spring.  The meteorologists tell us that temperatures in April were actually slightly above normal, but with rainfall slightly above average – on top of a very rainy few months before that.  The April figures were distorted by a couple of quite warm days early in the month, but since then it has continued fairly cold, with chilly winds, and whereas there is often a short spell of a week or so of warmer weather at some point in spring, we haven’t had that so far.  And there has been relatively little sunshine, which always makes a difference, even if the weather is on the cool side.  Nothing much better in the forecast.

Cheerful - but not 'World Friendship'

So a few potfuls of tulips making a cheerful splash of colour to brighten the spirits is especially welcome.  Even if it’s not quite the colour I was expecting! – the ‘World Friendship’ tulips (so-called), which should have been a graceful soft yellow, have come out orange with a slight pink flush.  The other pots seem to contain what they were meant to contain.  The mix of ‘Dreamer’, ‘National Velvet’ and ‘Havran’ is good, but really ‘Havran’ is too dark a contrast; a brighter purple would have been better, as ‘National Velvet’ is quite a dark red tulip.  The big pot has ‘Prinses Irene’ and ‘Uncle Tom’, which are a good match in height, with ‘Black Hero’ which is lovely but noticeably taller; ‘Havran’ would have done better there.  It would also be a good partner for ‘Prinses Irene’ (orange) and ‘Doll’s Minuet’ (magenta), if I’m brave enough to put them together next time!

'Dreamer', 'National Velvet' and 'Havran'

'Doll's Minuet' in front of 'Prinses Irene, 'Uncle Tom' and 'Black Hero'

The apple cordons are in flower, with green alkanet flowering blue among some of them – another cheerful contrast.  At the other end of the row, the lily of the valley started to bloom in time for May Day.  And the roses won’t be far behind: ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ is already out.

Blue-flowered green alkanet under the apple cordons

The chilly weather doesn’t seem to be putting off the pollinators; a pair of bumblebees were on the apple cordons the other day.  Butterflies are also starting to appear.  A male orange-tip was about yesterday, and a speckled wood a couple of weeks ago.

Bumblebee on the apple flowers