Snowdrops on Show

I've been taking lots of photos of snowdrops... and they all pretty much look the same.

Highly recommended for all gardens!

Snowdrops look great growing under trees and shrubs. 

Daffodils are starting to come up and will flower as the snowdrops finish. 

One of the jobs on my 'to do' list is to divide the snowdrops to spread them out a bit. From watching gardening programmes I believe the best time to divide is when they're in flower or before the foliage begins to die down.

Last year I moved some bulbs and planted them individually in this new area. In the background you can see the staggered individual plants (each a single bulb). Over time (over a few years) they will form clumps making a much bigger impact.
Gardening is great for those who are patient.

Snowdrops with a backdrop of Yellow Archangel / Dead Nettle weed.

Crocus and 1st Daffodil

The crocus are popping up throughout the garden  -ever forget where you plant your bulbs?!? It's a nice surprise this time of year!

The yellow crocus are very cheerful, even in the rain, which is what we've been getting today.

Over the years I've bought different crocus packs: "Crocus Botanical Mixed", "Crocus Large Flowering", and "Specie Crocus Mixed".

Crocus coming up through Poached Egg plants / Limnanthes.

Crocus growing along a grass bank. This variety has a sort of stripe. I can't really tell one crocus from another! 

Stripey crocus close up with raindrops.

Purple crocus emerging. 

The daffodils are coming up too. The above clump look to be well on; however... 

As I was walking around the garden I spotted a lone daffodil almost in flower growing amongst a Vinca Minor Argenteo Varigatia.

This will likely be my 1st Daffodil to flower! Last year I spotted my first Daffodil in flower around 26-27 Feb. The post is located at:  http://kelliboylesgarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/hail-stones-and-1st-daffodil-flower.html

Winter Grasses

Grasses... are regularly used in gardening and landscaping programmes. I went through a grass phase and bought various plants... and stuck them randomly around the garden.
What are your views on grasses?

Two photos above: "Carex Oshimensis Evergold". Fully hardy. Height and spread 8 x 8 inches. 

"Ophiopogon Planiscapus Nigrescens" or Black Mondo Grass. This plant provides good ground cover and forms thick roots under the ground that spread. Like many grasses, it can be difficult to remove. Fully hardy. Photo taken Oct 2010. 

Black Mondo produces berries in Winter around December, and flowers in the Summer (photo below).

Years ago I bought Black Mondo at a garden fete for 50 pence (cira 75 cents) per small plant. They really multiply easily. A good tip if you like Black Mondo is to buy one plant (they cost about £8 in the garden centre) and then divide the one plant into 3 or 4 pieces to plant. 

"Carex Buchananii" Leatherleaf Sedge - this plant reaches 2 feet high, is fully hardy and likes moist soil - great for Ireland!

Leatherleaf Sedge looks lovely covered in snow. Photo taken Nov 2010. 

This one I'm not sure what its called. I like the way it always looks wind swept. I never cut my grasses but apparently most grasses like to be cut in Spring. 

The cat enjoys the garden grasses.

Every Spring I do various 'tidy up' projects around the garden. Last Spring I tidied a section containing various grasses - photos above 'Before' and 'After'. I ended up throwing out alot of Black Mondo!

Do you think (legal) Grasses are valuable plants?