The gardening gurus are right, much as I hate to admit it! These rather pathetic leaves tucked under a hedge of screening evergreens are in fact tulips - they flowered in the first season - just like these...
but in subsequent years they've got smaller and smaller. These green tulips on the other hand are still flourishing - in their second year of planting, but are not a patch on these...
which were planted just a few months ago.
Since I've been talking about fern croziers I couldn't resist snapping these monsters outside the Otago Museum!
Fern croziers and spring. What more needs to be said?
This silver fern is growing in our garden on the sheltered shady side of the house, just by a path of steps which climb up the steep clay bank. They have a long way to go before they are the size of those growing in a gully on our neighbour's property which must have been growing since before the houses were built about 20 years ago, as theirs are approaching 4m tall. This plant however, must have been planted when the house was built and would I imagine have been two or three years old when planted. It is about as tall as me - well to be exact the crown (with croziers) is about as tall as me. Last year's fronds add another 1.5m in height.
