Red flowers in the Bute Park herbaceous border on May 7 – beautiful but I can’t quite identify them – any ideas? …thanks to Elaine Rickett for suggesting it’s Geum
When I go to Cardiff’s Bute Park to visit the tree I am “following”, I usually walk back along the herbaceous borders. I always admire them, as it is such a traditional British idea, having permanent plantings of perennials that are mostly at their best in the warmer months, dying back to bare soil in winter when we all stay indoors. Here are some pictures of the borders coming back to life in spring. Sorry I haven’t taken a general view yet – maybe next time!
After the wintry patches of pink lungwort (Pulmonaria) with its spotted leaves, the first flowers to bloom were the tulips, grown from bulbs…
Tulips in Bute Park, April 10, 2015
Vivid red and yellow tulips
Red tulips opening out, soon to fall
Also in healthy leaf against the bare soil was the Heuchera on April 10
Bleeding hearts in April – I know them as Dicentra spectabilis, but their official name is now Lamprocapnos spectabilis
I’m not very good at identifying daisy-like flowers, but I think I found this next one in a gardening book. It’s unusual to see such flowers so early in the year, as I associate golden daisy-types with summer and autumn.
Such sunshine in April!
I think this might be Doronicum orientale or leopard’s bane
When I visited on May 7 there was lots more leafy growth in the herbaceous borders…
Acid-green Euphorbia on May 7
A closer look
Hosta
These red-edge leaves looked lovely between showers
I have no idea what this is…
Any ideas? It looks like it should be African, but I’m guessing!
I love the borders at this time of year as the jewels reveal themselves one by one. There is a chance I can try to identify some of them before the massed displays of summer. And by then the borders will definitely be worth some general views for you.
Finally, in the bedding-plant border I couldn’t identify these spotted leaves in March…
Spotted leaf on March 26…
Mystery plant on April 10…
Mystery plant no more on April 24 – clearly a tulip! It had been suggested it might be a Lachenalia, which is something far more exotic in these parts, but I mustn’t be disappointed!
The Squirrelbasket 
I expect the parks department would help you out with id if you sent them a link, Pat…. (Parks@cardiff.gov.uk). They should be pleased to see all the free positive publicity you give their work!
Thanks for that, Paul. I do occasionally contact them if I am really stuck, but mostly I prefer the thrill of the chase, trying to work it out for myself first, or with help from blog friends!
Isn’t it a bit nippy for the time of year here, don’t you think?
All the best đŸ™‚
Could that be a Geum in your first picture. These perennial borders are a little different than that which is usually planted in municipal parks – our nearest park is devoted to bedding annuals.
I think you are right – Geum. That was probably somewhere right at the back of my mind and I am kicking myself for not dredging it up!
We are lucky with our parks. We do have (high maintenance) bedding plants, but the Bute Park borders near the castle are a bit special.
All the best đŸ™‚
They look like dahlias
They do a bit, but I am used to seeing Dahlias towards autumn, not so early in the year.
I think Elaine Rickett may be right that They are Geum.
Thanks for the suggestion, though!
All the best đŸ™‚
Red could be dahlias.
The yellow spike looks like our Bulbine, but the leaves, may be a species I don’t know. Or Eremerus??
I am used to seeing Dahlias towards autumn, not so early in the year. But I think Elaine Rickett may be right that the red flowers are Geum.
Now the yellow flowers are coming out more I don’t think they are Bulbine or Ememurus, but you may recognise them when I publish the new pictures in a week or two. I still feel they are likely to be something South African. By the way, the wonderful Kniphofia are now in bloom, too.
Thanks for the suggestions!
All the best đŸ™‚
I am used to seeing Dahlias towards autumn, not so early in the year. But I think Elaine Rickett may be right that the red flowers are Geum.
Now the yellow flowers are coming out more I don’t think they are Bulbine or Ememurus, but you may recognise them when I publish the new pictures in a week or two. I still feel they are likely to be something South African. By the way, the wonderful Kniphofia are now in bloom, too.
Thanks for the suggestions!
All the best đŸ™‚