Pasque Flower Joy!

Hello Friends ~~~

Springtime joy is blooming in my garden in the form of my much loved Pulsatilla vulgaris, commonly called the Pasque flower.  My treasured purple flowered one seems to have disappeared, so last year I bought a new white flowered one. I think I will see if I can buy another purple one this year, as I do love this sweet and gentle plant.

If you would like to read more about the plant and suitability, aspect and so on, you can do so here and here.

While I enjoy this delightful flower in my border, and I'm hoping it will grow much bigger in time, I confess that I grow it mainly for the magical seed heads that will follow. I do not think I have ever seen a seed head that delights me so, and in time another entry will follow to allow me to share the magnificence of this little beauty ~~~

However, for today, here is the plant as it progresses into it's second year in my garden.  I planted it into the raised border after it had finished flowering and the seed heads were over last year, so this is its first year in the new aspect ~~~

About a month ago, the first signs of movement as the plant emerges from the soil

Then, two weeks later, the first bud breaks open on a rainy day in March

Now, it is full of delicate, white blooms with bright yellow centres

No dead heading for this flower! The first sign of those magical seed heads is starting to show at last!

Peek~a~Boo ~ I "heart" you too!

A delightful crown of foliage, and yet more buds coming up underneath the ones already here!

Here are a few more things that are bringing delight and joy to the springtime garden at the cottage ~~~

The first, early bloom on my very special osteospermum ~ when this opens the centre is a deep violet~blue with bright yellow~orange stamens ~ it is a stunning beauty ~~~ look at the shimmering sheen in the centre ~ the photo does not do it justice!

The last of my yellow tulips that once were red, scattered around are Celandines, a native flower which can become invasive if not controlled, but it is so pretty I don't want to control it, but I must. Apparently, as tulips age they revert to yellow!  Isn't that strange?

I can never remember what this is called, {please say in the comments if you know, I shall be most grateful to you} but it throws out flame red tops to the green, which brings a fire like quality to that corner of the garden ~~~

Finally ~ a plant for free! During the winter my mints went into hibernation and I bought one of those growing herb pots.  I casually tossed it to one side once I had used it, then just the other day I noticed some new green buds pushing up through the soil, so I found a big pot, filled it with compost and sank the mint plant into its new home! Already it is growing well. Mint is such an easy plant to grow, almost too easy!  This one is particularly flavoursome so I am looking forward to some refreshing cups of tea later in the year.

I have been busy writing descriptive narrative over on my Facebook companion page and I think if you use that link you will be able to read what I have written, should you wish, even if you are not on Facebook. If you do, please leave your thoughts here if you can't on Facebook as I love to know what you think!   Also, I have been tagged in a photo challenge by my dear friend Linnie whose wonderfully entertaining, charming, and very informative
blog The Buttry and Bookry is oh! so worth visiting.  Here is the photo I shared this morning, a hydrangea petal that was sitting on the grass and I found it as I was mowing the other evening ~~~

Until next time ~~~
~~~ Deborah xoxo