February is the time I start to cut things back and if it stopped raining I would make a start. It seems that the sunny days fall when I need to be elsewhere. Even if I’m elsewhere the garden moves on. In one part of the garden I have had camassias bulbs pushing through the soil for weeks now. Elsewhere a planting of 30 new bulbs has yet to break the soil. That old gardening trait of impatience is creeping back. Here’s six signs of garden growth for this week.
One
The new tree has arrived. I was very willing to spend a little more to purchase a taller tree but the variety I chose was only available as a 1.5 – 2metre specimen. It is sorbus sargentiana, chosen because it has a slightly narrower growth shape. I fully intended to buy a native sorbus, but this one hails from W. Szechwan, China. It seems to have made it’s way to the UK around 1910 which sits happily with the age of this garden.
Two
The clematis armandii buds are a bit of a garden marker. When the first fat ones appear I know the garden is getting going and so must I.
Three
The other clematis plants are also shooting, this one is ‘Madame Julia Correvon’, a viticella variety that was raised in France in 1900.
Four
These are the glossy leaves of the cherry laurel seedling that appeared mysteriously in the garden last year. I let in stay and it is doing very well. This may eventually move to my daughter’s new garden, once we see what is growing there.
Five
The new rosettes of buds on the hylotelephium. I have several of these in a holding bed. Also waiting to see if they are needed for the new garden.
Six
Lastly, the flowers on the iberis sempervirens are just beginning to open up. An easy doer and reliably hardy. I might be persuaded to share a little of this too.
It’s a sunny day tomorrow so I plan to start some cutting back. Sunny days at this time of year often mean cold overnight temperatures but I for one will be happy to see a blue sky. Jim at Garden Ruminations hosts as usual, stop by and take a look at everything that is going on and happy gardening to you all.
n20gardener 
I googled to find out a little more about sorbus sargentiana, and I have to say that the orange-red colour predicted for fall looks stunning! Nice fat bud of the clematis armandii. You certainly can’t wait to see the first flowers, right?
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Yes impatient for flowers and for the sorbus to have berries and change leaf colour!!
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Lovely signs of Spring.
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My clematis plants are also shooting, seems such a shame to cut them back!
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Always the dilemma. Now we have zero temperatures for week so I’ll hold back for a bit.
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Ah, yes, best not tempt fate. I might not be so ruthless with mine this year, just to see what happens. Last year was a disaster as most clematis didn’t get off the ground because of the slugs.
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Jealous that you are at cutting back stage. That is April for me after we have had a solid wee above 10 C, maybe even early May. Drives me crazy! I hope your tree attracts lots of birds. There is one in the neighbors yard and one fall I was treated to a migrating flock of cedar waxwings happily munching on the berries.
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We have just hit a cold spell here -3 tonight and then a week or so zero. So I’ll hold off for a while. What a wait you have though!
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Your idea of a holding bed resonates with me, I am sure your daughter’s garden will welcome new plants. The Iberis roots very easily in my garden where I just push a cutting into the ground.
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Yes I’ve done that here with the Iberis. I will get a pot going for her once it warms up.
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It is the best part of February, walking around and seeing fat buds on trees. Or new growth just ready & waiting. Love the tight little new growth of the sedum.
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It is interesting that Sorbus is popular elsewhere. I noticed that the European species, Sorbus aucuparia, is popular for gardens within its native range. I could actually get it more easily here than the American species, Sorbus americana, which I only recently acquired seed for. Is yours for culinary application, or just because it is so pretty while fruited?
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Purely going for looks here. Hoping the birds will enjoy the berries!
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Yes, the berries resemble those of firethorn or the native (here) Toyon, but more orangish. I am trying the American mountain ash for culinary application, in the future, of course.
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The sorbus sargentiana is sporting some nice buds. There’s something very pleasing about the fresh new growth of a Sedum. I’ve yet to inspect mine out in the front garden for signs of life.
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Avery tidy sorbus, nice tight upright habit, is Sorbus ‘Autumn Spire’. I have one going well and lost six, yes 6, due to wet conditions last winter…I have bought replacements!
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I also have ‘Autumn Spire’ – a beautiful upright tree.
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I never gave a thought to losing a tree due to the wet.
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So much new growth showing, such a hopeful time of the year.
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Oh, so much hope and beauty here! The Iberis sempervirens blooms are so pretty. And the Cherry Laurel foliage is luscious. Love the buds and developing plants, too. Happy Six!
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Thank you!
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Great to see so many new shoots and promise of Spring
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