The White Garden

The white garden with the plum seen through the tree at the left back. 

This is the only time of year when the garden is white. And I love it. There are the white flowers of the Victoria plum which flowers earlier than most other fruit trees and can be caught by frosts but looks OK this year.  It is up the back of the garden.   

Magnolia stellata which looks great is also at the back of the garden but can be seen well from the windows. This is the little one. I love the big ones but they do take up the whole of a small garden and don't leave room for anything else much at other times of year.  

Magnolia stellata

Coming towards the house is  Bergenia Silberlicht, the white version which is out now, the pink one will be out soon.   

Bergenia silberlicht

Then there is the Leucojum like a very large snowdrop, which I was given by my next door neighbour a couple of years ago and which seems in fine fettle.   

Leucojum

Nearer the house are the fruit trees against the wall of which the damson blossom is spectacular and lasts for ages but the apples and pear are also in flower. 

Damson in flower

Quite near the house in a pot  is the Camellia transkoensis, with small flowers which I love. I was too late to buy it at a RHS show in Vincent Square. So I tried the following year and it has done really well. The larger-flowered Camellia Lady van Sittart has just put out it's first flower which is white though it occasionally puts out a flower with bright red on it as well.  

Camellia Lady van Sittart

 I saw the first ladybird in the garden the other day. I was very pleased to see it and hope it will be followed by others. 

Ladybird

I have lots of primroses in the garden, unlike snowdrops they really seem to like it and keep appearing in new places. But at this time of year something always gets at them and leaves the flowers lying around - not eaten. 

Dead primroses - taken by what?