Pictures of the garden in April

From the beginning in April, the first leaves of Gunnera tick off. I remove the wintry protection established by the own leaves of the plant recovering a layer of dead leaves and compost. I surround then with a plastic leaving the free top, to protect the young leaves of the night frosts. I leave this protection till the beginning of May.

The hellebore of Corsica, in flower since the end of January, always maintains one's rank.

The oriental hellebore 'Clair Buisson' illuminates this massif since February.

Plum trees bloom well this year.

I like the small electric blue notes of grape hyacinths.

The young foliage of the spiraea 'Goldflame' takes magnificent colours. The shrub was reduced at 40 cms at the beginning of March.

I like very much these first yellow 'marguerites' that's the doronics of Caucasus. It's good to divide them every three years.

This sedge must be early cleaned because its ears goes out from the beginning of April.

The sweet alyssum, a very sturdy plant for the loose stones.

This magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel', planted in 1996, is a little more flower-bearing every year.

The flower of this magnolia, mauve in button, blooms white.

The cornus controversa 'Variegata', planted in July 1999, grew this last year of approximately one metre, developing an new level.

Seen from top, the young leaves of cornus controversa 'Variegata' seem to dance a ballet.

The kerria of Japan with double flowers has a lot of merit. Indeed, it blooms abundantly in the shadow as here, clamped between spruces, oak and birch.

The kerria with double flowers, more common in gardens, gives up it in grace in front of the type with simple flowers which I like particularly.

The brillant yellow of the leaves of the hosta 'Chiquita', planted under the kerria, and the yellow flowers of the shrub match. Later when the bloom will be ended, the hosta will illuminate this dark place.

The primroses are still very present at this end of April. Here, primula Julia Wandae' with small very plentiful flowers.

Camellia x williamsii 'Donation' planted one year ago. Still very small, but producing already very big flowers.

The rhododendron 'Chevalier sauvage', here exposed to the sun, is very early-flowering.

Le geranium phaeum 'Black form' is the first hardy geranium to be decorated with flowers. It blooms well, here at the middle-shadow.

This lamium maculatum 'Anne Greenaway' likes the sun where his leaves are more colored.

This lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' grows to the shadow.

It didn't snow!!! Spiraea arguta are the first ones of their type be decorated with flowers.

On this flowerbed abandonned at feet of a hedge of thuyas, wallflowers and myosotis manage by itself.

The origanum vulgare 'Thumble's Variety' form a very dense carpet of yellow-green leaves which don't roast in the sun.

The bloom of these auricula primroses is less spectacular than that of the last year. It'll be necessary to divide them to make look younger the bundle.

I like this contrast of colours between the flowers of the auricula primroses and those of the euphorbia cyparissias 'walberton'. This small scene lasts three weeks.

This euphorbia is very intrusive and kills the other plants. Here it's time to intervene.

Some projects of plantation roam in the head further to the cutting of an enormous thuya the tree stump of which one sees to the right. The garden hose is very practical to realize the future outlines of the banks.