The green shoots of recovery.

Now, where have I heard that before?

But these green shoots are real, they are echiums. Four of them and very precious to me!

Anyone who has read my blogs in the past will know I am a bit obsessed with echiums! They are magnificent, they are also known as 'rocket plants' as they reach around 12 - 14 foot high in their second or third year, with lovely purply blue flowers which bees love. This variety is called Pininana, there are others, some with a very different, ground covering, non biennial habit. The herb, borage, is a close relation. They share the flower colour and furry, slightly rough, leaf surface.

This is a goldfinch sitting atop one last year. I know, I know, it could be anything, but you will just have to believe me, it is a goldfinch!

We had so many last year, that it was easy to take them for granted, and this year was set to be our best ever. We wrapped some up against the frost, we had a few younger ones in pots in the polytunnel.

We lost them all to the severe winter.

I was gutted, the sticks of dead echium stood as testament in the ground for a while, they have now all been removed. The garden centres have lost theirs too, so it will be a while before we can get any. So, there will be no echiums this year, and only next year if I can get a few soon which are fairly advanced. The following year, however, should be good, if we do not have any more killer frosts!

So, now you can see why those little seedlings are so precious to me! I am constantly checking other pots and the garden for more!