New flowers

[igenlode]

I had a short-lived speedwell flower this morning, and the first of the corn-chamomile has come out. I also have a pretty yellow cruciferous wild-flower of some sort. My sage plants have put out large flower buds, although they're looking a bit dry, as has the miniature rose. One of the possibly-yellow-poppy plants (the one I thought was the less likely candidate, although I'm still not certain if I have two different species growing very close or one plant with differing lower leaves) is growing an unmistakable poppy bud, although we shall have to see whether it turns out to be red or yellow. I also have a tiny weedy little field poppy which has produced a flower bud and dropped its head today, so that will be the first to bloom -- no sign of any bud stems on any of the oriental poppies yet.

Meanwhile the California poppies and poached-egg plants are in a riot of full bloom, as are the calendulas, with more corn-marigolds starting to open. The ivy-leaved toadflax with its little purple snapdragon flowers is busy sending out runners; I planted some more calendula and marigold seeds a few days ago and they have come up already, so encouraged by this I have put in one of my final two chilli seeds. The three that germinated previously haven't actually damped off, but they still haven't managed even to open their seed leaves, and I'm very conscious that the UK growing season for outdoor chillies and tomatoes is barely long enough for them to set fruit even if they do develop on schedule :-(