A good death

If there's one thing certain about life, is that it is limited.  That's why it is so vital to live life to the full, grab every opportunity to enrich it, and have a good death.  It's a great concept in theory but unlike plants we humans rarely go out with such a finale.  Today's entry is a fanfare, a celebration of death, a closing performance if you like.

Himalayan birch 

Cornus 

Viburnum 

Azalea 

Liquidamber styraciflua Lane Roberts 

Hydrangea Blueberry Cheesecake 

Weigela Wings of Fire 

Magnolia George Henry Kern 

Acer Crimson King 

The two acers borrowed from the neighbour's garden (above and below)

Heuchera 

Purple Pittosporum tenufolium Tom Thumb with bright green new foliage. 

Acer in front garden 

Hydrangea in front garden 

Deep chocolate heuchera 

And Staghorn.

The bright red stemmed cornus didn't fare well behind the birdbath. I suspect cats laying in that area didn't help, so TMTC has moved it to a brighter spot.  The roots looked healthy so I think it will survive. 

The wires and eyes have been removed from the old fence across the end of the back garden, along with the mirror.

And Folly door.

In our garden since we use mainly shrubs and perennials, dying usually isn't so final.  Already bulbs are pushing through the soil and blooms are forming on winter flowering shrubs.

Inside the baby spiderlings have readily sprouted roots and the first batch have been potted up.

One has already made the journey to its new home with our Dutch friends.  The next batch have been popped into glasses of water on the kitchen window sill but there are still a great many more babies on the mother plant!

Tiny flower buds are forming on this Christmas Cactus in the sunroom.

Last Christmas, our Dutch friends cut back their large rubber plant (ficus elastica) and we helped show them how to use the sections removed as cuttings.  Much to their delight the cuttings rooted and were potted on over the last 9 months.  One of their babies now resides here with us.  I hope I can continue their care and raise a healthy new rubber plant.

And finally, bulbs from the Netherlands have also been gifted to us.  These will be planted later next month, deeper than usual as suggested to endeavour to help them bloom the following year.

Terrific Tulips

 2017 has been a good year for tulips here.  I think the cooler drier spring has encouraged the flowers to last just that little bit longer.  As I write this entry the first tulips are beginning to drop their petals but there are yet more to open on other varieties.  I'll let the photos tell their own story. 

These final tulips are very dwarf, only 4" tall and still opening at time of this entry.

There are only one or two 'Tilburg' tulips that have flowered from previous plantings. There had been many more that simply didn't survive.  The bold clumps were of last Autumn's planting, and again most were from our friends in The Netherlands. Therefore I will in future replace the bulbs each year for a better display.