Taken this weekend. The Irises suggest spring cannot be far away 😀😀😀
Even more midwinter flowers
Plants, Botanical Art, Humour and Random Stuff by Darren Sleep
Plants, Botanical Art, Humour and Random Stuff by Darren Sleep
Taken this weekend. The Irises suggest spring cannot be far away 😀😀😀
The Arty Plantsman 
Very pretty!
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you. And congrats on recently reaching your big follower milestone! 😄😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!! And thank you very much for that! 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow… Ours are no where near this.. Only just poking heads above the earth 🙂 All of them..
Wonderful photos 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The irises were very sudden. No sign of them last weekend! Thank you for your lovely comment😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome.. 🙂 our daffs are about three inches, or so above ground in the pots but not as far in the boarders.. the crocus are just peeking through. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we are probably only a week or two ahead of you. We have a few crocus showing colour in the garden. The hoop-petticoat daffs in my pics are always early. Snowdrops are just approaching their best here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 yes snowdrops out here too.. 🙂 love those miniature daffs, so tiny, smaller than I have ever seen comparing thumbnails LOL 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The one with the thumbnail is Narcissus hedraeanthus which is the smallest daff of all 😄. Pity it is a sod to grow! This is one of the rare years it has conceded to produce a flower😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, well done to you.. 🙂 and its the tiniest I have ever seen.. 🙂 But exquisite ..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and it is lovely 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad I caught your post in the reader this evening 🙂 Now roll on Spring! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. You would like the little trumpet daffodil I posted on the 14th too😉😃
LikeLiked by 2 people
So pretty!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and a big welcome😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow! There’s no sign of them around here yet. What’s the last one? It looks so peculiar and lovely! 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is Massonia pustulata from South Africa. This is the true species. A botanist in 2012 discovered that the plant that had been grown under this name for a century was the wrong plant and if you google M. Pustulata you still usually see the wrong one which should be M. Longipes. These species with large visible pools of nectar are usually pollinated by mice and gerbils in the wild.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks very much! I love scientific stories like this! And I wasn´t aware of mice and gerbils functioning as pollinators too!! Learned something new today, thanks, Darren! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome. I have the papers somewhere that describe the first observations, quite recently, of mice pollinating the similar M. depressa. It has long been suspected because the flowers look a little like, and smell like, some low growing Proteas that were known to be rodent pollinated. Also the nectar has a special thickening agent in it that makes it too viscous for insects to suck it up through their proboscis, which stops the bugs stealing it. Isn’t nature amazing? 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! This is amazing! I feel like I´m back at uni again – thanks so much, Darren! Nature rocks, eh? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and hope you are doing ok?😍😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course, my friend! I’m doing okay, howre you? 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m ok now thank you. Last two months have been tough but things are improving😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spring…. 😏 i wish so
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful shots, Darren! 🙂 Spring is not too far off (because of your photographs)! You are an exception to the following (although you didn’t sin):
From Issa:
Winter lull
no talents
thus no sins
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Tom, and I love rhe quote 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful! I miss going outside and checking on our flowers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Won ‘t be long now..😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am holding you to that! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha. I can’t even control my own life so I’m not taking responsibility for the weather😉😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful photos, I love the wealth of colour!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Marie.😄😄😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Magical! Do you use a digital SLR or an old fashioned one or what? Stunning work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. For these I used my digital SLR. It is a now quite old Canon 1000D. The poor light at this time of year makes depth of field a challenge without a tripod. The last pic is the sharpest because I could rest my elbows on the bench to steady the camera. Sometimes I use the phone or ipad camera but still getting used to these.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful….and hopeful!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep- spring is not far away😄. Thank you Jen😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree with Sarah, the last flower looks so unusual. Massonia pustulata from South Africa, you say? I learn new things every time I visit your blog, Darren. If it’s not about you it is about a plant. Either way I always enjoy it. Beautiful shots! Hakuna Matata my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Dominique😄😄❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
So gorgeous
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sorry things haven’t been easy!! But improving is a good thing! Sending positive thoughts your way! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Have a hug!😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely pics.Except the cyclamens that are as beautiful as when I planted them all the rest is still behind here.just one daffodil,a brave one daring the wind that is back😱
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did read your lovely post about the sunny windless friday. I was not best pleased about being stuck in the office on that day as the weather was similar here😢
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear,if it is if any consolation the Saturday was rainy and windy and…yes it is still windy and rAiny today.😭have a good Monday anyway…. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here. Very annoying to have a manky weekend after sucj a nice friday.😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your posts are getting me excited and inspired for Spring to come so I can get my camera out! What is the fifth flower down? It’s yellow-purple? It’s beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Liz. That is Gymnospermium albertii:
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/plant-portraits/Gymnospermium+albertii+/99/
LikeLike
beautiful, as always!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank for sharing lots details,i really like and very useful post.keep,up,the good work.🤗
https://www.lukhidiamond.com/LOOSE-DIAMONDS
LikeLike
Simply sublime…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Linda 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful pictures! They are inspiring me to dream about spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I have been dreaming of spring since September…😉❤
LikeLike