Sunday 15 February 2015

Spring arrival – February GBBD

The last 3-4 weeks have been cold here in London, cold, windy and with very few days with sunshine. The weather has finally turned milder lately, but with the rain we have had this week I am pretty desperate for some sunshine. I was trying to dodge the showers today while taking my photos for the February Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post, but after going inside 4 times I just stayed outside in the rain to get finished. February is the month where it is most likely to get snow here in London, we are now half-way through and still haven’t had any snow at all – let’s hope we can finish this month without any. Last time I had snow in my garden was February 2013, but that snow only lasted a few hours on the ground.

I am starting my post today in the front garden, with the lovely Garrya elliptica 'James Roof', which has been growing in this pot for more than 10 years. If planted in the ground it would probably have been 4m tall and wide by now, in the container it got to this nice, manageable size about 6 years ago and hasn’t grown since. Perfect for a container.

The flowers, or catkins or tassels, whatever you call them, are the real feature of this lovely bush, and they start to grow in late autumn.

By January they start to open up and they last well into March before going off.

This evergreen bush is just a backdrop to my other plants the rest of the year, but right now it is the star performer in my front garden and I often see people through my window stop and look at it.

The plants in my window baskets are slowly starting to bulk up and getting into flower. The cold weather has made them later than usual, but hopefully things will speed up now.

These rosebud primroses are not so happy with all the rain either, they get a bit brown-edged.

When I bought them online, this was what I thought I bought – this was how they advertised them (photo courtesy Jersey Plants).

The reality is a bit different though, they only look like rosebuds before they actually open up.

Pretty enough, but I think they will end up in the main garden when I change to the summer bedding, and I won’t have these again in the window baskets.

The Bellis perennis 'Belle' have been flowering since December, each flower last for months. This one seem to have misunderstood a bit what bit should be where :-)

Let’s move to the back garden and see what’s happening here. By first glance it looks like not a lot, apart from the green dots here and there by the evergreen plants.

But get a bit closer and you can see there are flowers everywhere. The last couple of weeks I have been mainly working in this bed and I am not completely finished yet. The two Dregea sinensis on the arch have been dug out, and I have planted 2 new David Austin roses instead - 'Gertrude Jekyll' and 'The Generous Gardener'. Can’t wait to see them in flower over the arch! I took out ALL the spring bulbs that were here, put them temporarily in pots and most of them are back in the bed again in their new position. So are two of my other David Austin roses, 'Wildeve' and 'Scepter'd Isle' that I moved from other places in the garden, and I have planted daylilies along the edge plus a new dark red peony I have had growing in a pot, still small and yet to flower. I will write more about the changes here in my End of Month View post on the 28th February.

Here is the flowerbed from a different angle, the daylilies are emerging, but not really visible yet. But the main feature in my garden this month is snowdrops! I have them everywhere, in every flowerbed and in pots all over the garden.

They really brighten up the shelf here, these were dug up from the bed in the previous photo and will be put back somewhere in the garden after flowering.

I especially like these double snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno', despite their unusual look they are dead cheap compared to many other snowdrops. 

Nothing cheap about this look! But you can buy them in the green right now for £11 for 100 of them, sent you in the post (UK only).

I also have some more rare and a bit more expensive snowdrops, this is Galanthus elwesii 'Maidwell L'.

This is Galanthus plicatus 'Warham' .

And this is Galanthus woronowii.

And of course I have lots and lots of plain Galanthus nivalis – don’t get me wrong, they are pretty too, and even cheaper than 'Flore Pleno', 100 single snowdrops in the green bought right now cost £8.50 from where I usually buy them. In addition to all these I have showed here, I also have a few G. elwesii 'H. Purcell', already finished flowering and a few G. nivalis 'Sam Arnott', not yet fully in flower.

The Iris reticularis are flowering too, these were dug up after emerging, planted temporarily in pots, then put in the ground again and are now flowering. Tough plants, don’t seem to have harmed them one bit being treated like that. This is Iris reticulata 'Pixie'.

And these are Iris reticulata 'Harmony' and were growing in these pots last year too, I just tucked the pots under my garden bench after they were finished flowering and they have been standing there until late November last year when I moved them back on the path. I did wonder if they would come back again growing in these small pots and it seems they are OK with that.

There is more spring bulbs in my garden – the crocuses have been flowering sporadically since early January but now they are really taking off.

Well, that is, whatever’s left from what the squirrels have eaten! This area was packed with crocuses last year, there are a few still emerging but there will be nothing like last year here.

This is what it looks like when the squirrels haven’t actually taken the whole bulb, instead they nibble the new shoots just as they emerge and when the flowers come out they are damaged. Really sad, I must have several hundred crocuses in my garden looking like this.

Moving down to the bottom of my garden it looks like not much is happening here either – at first glance.

But there is! Lots of new Primula vulgaris on the way. They haven’t done so well during this winter, after nearly 3 years in constant flower I think they all need dividing and I have started to dig them up and split them, but with the amount I have it will take some time to get through to all of them. This clump is one of the newly divided, and it only took a couple of weeks for them to start flowering.

Down here at the bottom of my garden are most of my hellebores. Some has been flowering since early December and some are still emerging. This is Helleborus ericsmithii 'Winter Sunshine', sadly a favourite of the tiny slugs.

I have seen many ericsmithii hellebores online and some of them are very pretty, I think my 'Winter Sunshine' lives up to its name, it is rather pale and washed out in its colours. I think I will get a couple more to plant next to it with darker colours and patterns - maybe that will make this one look better.

Here is one of my oldest hellebores, a single Helleborus hybridus, 11 years old this year.

And this is Helleborus hybridus 'Picotee'.

And this little baby is my pride and joy right now! I used to deadhead my hellebores before, as they were hanging over the edge and onto the lawn. In 2011 I made big changes to the garden, got rid of the lawn and moved all the hellebores to where they are now. As a result, I let them all set seed and this is a seedling from the first batch of seed from 2012, now flowering for the first time. It is a baby of the hellebore 2 photos up, so it seems it will look exactly like its parent. I have several babies from the 2012 batch and some from 2013 too.

And this year it seems like I will be able to get as many seedlings as I want, this is a mix of all the different ones I have from seeds of last year, and it won’t be possible to tell what colour they will be until they flower, in 2017.

But back to things flowering right now, the first bud of Rhododendron 'Christmas Cheer' is about to open, this lovely rhododendron is also here at the bottom of my garden.

And the Grand Old Lady of my garden, the huge camellia has been opening one or two flowers for more than a month now, it doesn’t really flower until March so the main display is still a while away.

But there are hundreds if not thousands of buds just waiting for the right weather. This camellia got a hard prune last spring after it was finished flowering. I filled 5 big rubbish sacks full and the pruning has done it good, all the dead branches are gone and it looks more compact and even in shape. I have no idea how old it is as I inherited it with the house, but it could be as old as the gardens around here, which means it was planted in the late 50s or early 60. That means the camellia is older than me and I am 50 :-)

The tiny baby-camellia ‘Takanini’ is continuing to flower, now in its 4th month of flowering. It is really just a twig in a pot, but is growing steadily. This camellia will be a wonderful plant when it gets big and mature and covered in these red flowers for 5 months every year!

And just a glimpse of my nursery shelf, it is already groaning under the weight of all my pots, and I haven’t even sowed a single seed yet! Where am I going to put it all??

Over my seating area I have a 2 year old Clematis armandii 'Apple Blossom', it grew like mad last year, so much that I had to cut off 2/3 of it as it was just too big for this area. It grew further than this, all the way to the corner, and the weight of it tore down the second trellis it was hanging on. I had kind of decided to get rid of it as you can’t really prune evergreen clematis, if you do you won’t get flowers because the flowers come on last year’s growth.

Or so I thought....the clematis is now covered in these buds! They look just like the buds I had last year so my vicious pruning doesn’t seem to have had any detrimental effect after all. Maybe I’ll let it stay and just prune it every year. Perhaps my clematis hasn’t read the gardening book instructions – won’t be the first plant in my garden not to follow the norm!

My Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' is slowly getting into flower, it has spent more than a month from opening the first flower to looking like it does today, and still there are mainly unopened buds.

The scent is heavenly and I am so happy I finally took the plunge and bought one 2 years ago.

I still haven’t decided where it will be growing permanently so the poor plant is still in a pot, I think I need to make up my mind this year. Once planted that’s it, it is one of those few plants that really shouldn’t be dug up again. I also have bought 2 Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance',  seen here right in front of 'Aureomarginata' – they are destined for containers eventually, but are still small so there is no rush.

Some more flowers? There are lots of cyclamens about still, I like these dots of strong colour spread around the garden at this time of year.

The flowers are so unusual and they look good no matter how much it rains :-)

Some flowers are about to end, this is the last of my Viburnum 'Farreri', it has been flowering since November and is now putting on leaves.

And some are just about to come out, this is Chaenomeles 'Crimson and Gold' and when in full flower it is a spectacular seen. I didn’t notice the aphids on it until I got inside and got the photos up on my computer screen, but there they are – the aphids have arrived, spring is just around the corner, only 2 short weeks and winter is officially over here in London.

Please visit our host Carol at May Dreams Garden for many more February gardens around the world. That’s all for today, thank you for taking the tour with me round my garden, until next time, take care.

54 comments:

  1. Happy Bloom Day, Helene! It's springtime in your garden! At least that's what spring looks like in my garden when it finally happens. You have a lovely collection of Snowdrops. They look great in the teacups! And the Garrya is fascinating--from a distance and close-up.

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    1. Thanks Beth, it’s lovely here at this time of year, I hope we don’t get any snow this late – I am ready for spring now!

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  2. Your garden is so much further ahead than mine and it is delightful to see so many varieties of spring flower coming into bloom - I will just have to be patient. It is hard but I guess everything flowers when it is good and ready and the conditions are right.

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    1. You’ll get there when the time is right, we are a bit further ahead here in London and my garden is even earlier than most. Happy gardening!

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  3. Så mye fint som er på vei opp i hagen din nå! De doble snøklokkene er bare så vakre :)
    Jeg er veldig glad i Helleborus, og din 'Picotee' er nydelig! Jeg er grønn av misunnelse over din fantastiske Camellia ;) Litt av en størrelse på den!

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    1. Jeg har litt dilla på snøklokker, selv om jeg ikke bruker penger på de rådyre, det syns jeg ikke de er verdt. Det kommer mange flere fine helleborus etter hvert, har flere doble som ikke har sprunget ut ennå. Ja min camellia er ganske fin når den er dekket av blomster, hvis jeg ikke hadde klippet den ned jevnlig så hadde den nok vært dobbelt så stor!

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  4. Our garrya is in full flow too and the daphne is just starting to flower. Ours flowers in bare stems,

    I have to admit that I prefer the simplicity of single snowdrops,.

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    1. I have read that Daphne can be semi-evergreen, in my garden they have all kept their leaves so far.

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    2. My daphne is a different variety - mine has deeper pink flowers.

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  5. It was a joy to have a look in your garden again Helene, your crocuses and irises are already blooming. The garry elliptica is really stunning in your front garden, but I think your primulas in the windowboxes are very pretty too, they just are starting. You also have a nice assortment of snowdrops, but indeed the usual Gal.nivalis and 'Flore Plena' are cheap and as nice as the expensive ones. I think collecting snowdrops is a hype, in England even more than in our country.

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    1. I have read on blogs from America that collecting snowdrops is supposed to be a big thing over here in Britain – I can’t say I have noticed much of that, but perhaps I don’t read the right garden magazines :-) I have heard of snowdrops being sold for an absolute fortune, but I think that’s being done in other countries too? Anyway, I am happy with my ordinary, rather cheap ones, and the more unusual ones don’t cost much more than any other plant either. I am just happy the squirrels seem to leave them alone!

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  6. Happy GBBD, Helene! Lovely double snowdrops, I'd love to grow them as well. Cyclamens are really unusual, pretty white strip on edges.
    I also think that your rhododendron is very early, isn't it?
    And what about fuchsias? Are they healthy now?

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    1. I have two rhododendrons, one is called Dopey and it flowers in April, the one I have photo of here is a rather early one and usually flowers in February. It is too early to say what will happen with all the fuchsias, I won’t really know until perhaps August/September. I have to do another spraying of all the fuchsias in May and then hope for the best. Happy GBBD to you too, hope spring is not too far away for you!

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  7. Beautiful, each and every one!
    I especially like the purple and yellow crocus planted together - a lovely color combination!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
    Lea

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    1. Thanks Lea, I keep planting crocuses every year to make up for the lost ones but I think I lose more than I plant! Happy GBBD to you too!

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  8. Your Garrya is really eye-catching, Helene; no wonder the neighbors stop and notice it. I am just wowed by all your snowdrops, and that you remember which is which! As always, I'm just amazed at all that is going on in your garden at this time of year--hellebores, rhododendrons, Daphne....all just lovely. Happy bloom Day!

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    1. Thanks Rose, I am afraid my memory is not what it used to be so without my plant labels and the plant list I have on my computer I would be absolutely lost when it comes to plant names and where I have planted what in the garden! Fortunately I started my plant list straight away when I moved in (very organised gardener!) so it has been easy to update it every time I buy something new or get rid of something. Happy GBBD to you too :-)

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  9. Oh Wow you have a lot of snowdrops, and growing on those blue dotted cups are so wonderful. Of course they don't grow in our tropics, but the first time i saw them in natural habitat in the mountains of Turkey with crocuse, i loved them on sight. And your white tassels are extremely elegant and delicate, so fascinating.

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    1. Garrya elliptical is a very common bush here in Britain, you see them everywhere, what’s not common is to grow one in a container, I have never heard of anyone else doing that. They normally get huge, like a tree, so I did wonder how long I was going to be able to keep it there – but it looks happy enough :-)

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  10. Oh it is looking so spring-like there in your garden Helene. I love you Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' and the colorful iris and crocus are such a wonderful sight. It is always a pleasure to visit your gardens!

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    1. Thanks Lee, pleasure to have you visiting :-) I can’t wait for spring to take off properly, I need some good sunshine and some warm weather and so does my garden.

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  11. We had Garrya elliptica in our very first garden in Aberdeen, it survived but was never really happy with the Aberdeen climate. Now that I see how it looks in your garden, I am very tempted.
    Even in the month of February you have a great deal of interest in your garden, love all those Snowdrops, must overcome my thinking of containers being for annuals only..

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    1. Thanks Alistair, I use containers a lot because I ran out of space in my flowerbeds a long time ago. Many plants have been happy in large sized containers for more than a decade and the Garrya has had just one compost change, about 5 years ago, and then it got a bit bigger container. I never feed it, all it gets is water when the rest of the front garden gets watered. My front garden is east facing so you could probably say the Garrya is the least fussy plant you could grow in a container!

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  12. It was exciting to see the garrya, one of our California natives, doing so well and blooming so nicely for you. (Folks in the UK seem to appreciate our plants more than the folks here...) And your teacups...really wonderful! Happy bloom day to you.

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    1. Thanks, the Garrya is quite a common bush over here in Britain, favoured in typical public landscaping like parks and so on, they get so huge growing in the ground so probably not so common in tiny gardens like mine, but as you can see it grows well in a fairly large container.
      Welcome to my blog by the way, I tried to look you up to leave a comment on your blog but I can see you have no up-to-date blog you are writing on. If you have any other blogs you are currently posting on, please post the address below so I can pay you a visit back.

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  13. Your garden is a breath of fresh warm air Helene! (Here it is cold and snowy, so I will live in your garden for now if you don't mind :-) That Garrya is just lovely. Is it fragrant? Somehow it looks like it might be. And just love your snowdrops in teacups. I love snowdrops, but also don't quite "get" some of the pricing... the cheapest ordinary ones seem just as lovely to me. That mutant bellis is fabulous!

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    1. You can come and live in my garden any time you want :-)
      The Garrya is not fragrant – probably the only thing that would make it absolutely perfect. I stay clear of the exorbitant priced snowdrops, I could buy many plants for the price of just ONE single snowdrop so that’s not for me. But I do have one snowdrop on my wish-list that is a bit pricey, called 'Blewbury Tart' – it is just gorgeous. I haven’t had deep enough pockets to buy any yet….

      I kept looking at that mutant bellis every day when it first opened up, so funny. I wonder if some of the other flowers on that particularly plant will look the same :-)

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  14. Helene what a great treat to see spring coming to your garden already. I needed to see all these lovely blooms that are probably 2 months away here. Of course your snowdrops were stunning in those cups.

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    1. Thanks Donna, it is at this time of year I appreciate most living here in London with the climate I have in my garden. Winter is a rather short, brief spell of a few weeks and then the whole thing is over. Suits me rather well after having lived the first 35 years of my life in Norway :-)

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  15. Oh, aphids, yes. They also arrived in Birmingham, and I am thinking whether they haven't stayed since last year. I have them on my new rose bush.
    There is a lot happening in your garden, Helene, as always. I love the snowdrops and their little hidden beauty. I haven't got any in my garden, but it may be another plant to think about adding to the borders.
    And yes, I think the spring is just around the corner!

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    1. The aphids are overwintering as eggs laid the previous autumn on trees and shrubs, they just wait for a nice day to hatch and attack our plants. Some milder winters there are active aphids around here in UK all through the winter, like I had in my garden last winter. No matter how cold it is the eggs will survive and hatch when the temperature is right so we will never get rid of them. I had aphids on my roses in Norway too in the spring and I had temperatures down to minus 35-38 most winters!

      The best way to add snowdrops to your garden is to buy them ‘in the green’ right now, as plants in flower or even after they have flowered, they establish very well and are cheap. You can buy them online, most of mine have been bought that way. You need MANY to make an impact, I think I have bought around 600 the last 3-4 years (yes, six hundred!). Just search for ‘snowdrops in the green’. Or try this company, which I have used several times:
      https://eurobulbs.co.uk

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    2. Thank you Helene for your advice. I will also check out the website.

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  16. Helleborus hybridus 'Picotee' is beautiful. Squirrels are in the frame for the destruction of my (few) crocuses and irises too. Or mice. Or birds. I get so envious of those who manage to grow them successfully. Wildlife in the garden is definitely a mixed blessing.

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    1. Oh yes, mixed blessing indeed. I have just bought fine-meshed chicken wire and intend to make a hat for all the containers I have with lilies – no way am I feeding the squirrels with freshly sprouted lilies this year. I am also toying with the idea of making some sort of guard for the top of my fence so the rose buds can be left alone, not sure how I could construct that but I will have a go. The squirrels ate ALL the new shoots on the dark red rose on my fence last spring, only when the leaves came out and it got too difficult for them to walk on the top of the fence did the rose make a new set of shoots. I was furious, but what can you do? I will try at least!

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  17. Your garden always seems to be full of flowers, Helene. Every Bloom Day post is a revelation and an inspiration to those of us less blessed with color. Thanks for sharing with us.

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    1. Thanks Dorothy, I have plants in flower every single week of the year, I am so happy I am now living in a climate where that is possible :-)

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  18. It's all go down your way Helene, your whole garden is still very lush looking.
    Your bulbs really do pretty up your wee patch of London. Your Daphne is beautiful, I do hope you find the perfect spot for it, it will be worth it in the end.

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    1. I have thought long and hard about what to do with the Daphne, not sure what I will do, but initially I was planning to have them all 3 in containers, as it would be easier to move them around according to the seasons. I might plant them all in containers and then give 'Aureomarginata' a rather large container when it gets getting bigger – might work if I put it between other containers to keep the roots cool. Final size is 1.5 x 1.5m so it will need a rather big container to be happy but fortunately it grows slowly and it will probably take 20 years to reach that size!

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  19. Your garden never ceases to astound me, Helene. I'm nearly exhausted just reading about all the work you've done since last month. I'm also envious of all your bulbs, many of which probably wouldn't fare well in my hotter and much drier environment - sadly, my crocus are virtual no-shows this year and I'm blaming the unseasonably warm temperatures and the lower than normal rainfall. Your Garrya once again reminds me that I must find a source for this plant. Happy GBBD!

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    1. Thanks Kris, I have been hard at work in the garden the last month despite cold weather down to almost freezing – cold for London! But even if I just get an hour outside I get a bit done and I am happy to work in the garden with lots of clothes on, I know how to dress according to the weather :-)

      I am sure you will be able to find someone selling Garryas in your area and you have a big enough garden to plant one in the ground. Happy GBBD to you too!

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  20. Plenty of colour in your garden as usual Helene, it's looking good. The Garrya fascinates me as I am so used to seeing large specimens round here, they are one of the few shrubs/small trees that do well against a north-facing wall. I love Gertrude Jekyll, in fact it is one of the few roses I try to grow I admire it so much! Can't wait to see your newly planted arch come to fruition.

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    1. Thanks Rick, when I planted my Garrya in 2004 I had no idea it will still be alive and happy in a container nearly 11 years later! I thought it would grow out of it and slowly succumb, as I have nowhere to put it in the garden. Luckily, some experiments turn out quite well :-)
      I can’t wait to see my new roses in full bloom, hopefully they will bloom well in the first year.

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  21. What a neat plant your Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' is! Interesting that the plant pot serves to keep its size small. You'd think that it would get so pot bound it would fail to prosper. The snowdrops and especially the irises are so very pretty. Lucky you that winter is over in a matter of two weeks. We have a month or more still to go.

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    1. I think Garrya is one of those plants that thrive on neglect, and after all, many of the houseplants we keep are also big plants when kept outdoors in the ground in warmer climates, it’s the same principle really. Sometimes winter comes back with a sting in its tail here in London, we are not out of the woods yet but for every week that goes by in February we are nearer to warmer weather. The latest I have seen snow here is April. It was just a few hours and then it was gone. But still – April! Let’s not have a repeat of that :-)

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  22. WOW! Just a teensy bit jealous of your amazing bulb display. :)

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    1. Thank you, it’s all taking off from now on :-)

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  23. Wow, you do have a lot! Your Garrya elliptica is so interesting! I love all your snowdrops and cyclamen. It is impressive at how forgiving clematis are with pruning. They usually rebound quite nicely! Your archway is going be so beautiful with those roses. I've had my eye on 'Generous Gardener', even though I don't usually plant roses due to the thorns. It's such a pretty one! I'm envious of your lack of snow. Here I think we've gotten around 5 feet or 6 feet - all in this month!

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    1. I can’t wait to see my new rose bed in full flower, and I have always wanted to grow 'Gertrude Jekyll' however 'The Generous Gardener' was one I has not familiar with when suggested to me, but after looking it up I can see they will be perfect together.
      I hope your snow melts quickly and spring arrives soon for you!

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  24. Hi Helen, You always have so much going on it is overwhelming! How do you keep up?! I guess when it is a passion, you just do! I am excited for you having acquired a David Austin, Gertrude Jekyll rose. It was just a year ago that I learned about David Austin roses during a flower arranging class. Since then, I have always wanted one. Sadly, I have no more space. Gertrude Jekyll was one of the ones I was looking at and it's interesting because I just checked out some books about Gertrude Jekyll from the Los Angeles Arboretum's library and am learning all about her. The LA Arboretum has a wonderful Victorian rose garden. It's not very big, but their selections are wonderful and it is full of David Austin roses. There must be a way I can find a spot for one. In the mean time I will be waiting to see when yours bloom!

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    1. Thanks Danielle, I already have 3 other David Austin roses so I am really excited about these two new ones. Two of the other ones have been growing in containers for a couple of years and although they still flower I can see they now are ready to come out and spread their roots more freely. There are however smaller David Austin roses that are happy to spend their whole life in containers – perhaps something for you if you have no space in the garden? For example Darcey Bussell – already on my wish-list!

      As for how I keep up..to me, gardening is not really work, when I am out in the garden I relax and enjoy myself. I really appreciate being able to potter around in the garden all year round.

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  25. Your garden always seems to have something blooming, even in the winter. Mine is frozen solid. Love that camellia and your arch will be gorgeous covered in roses. :)

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    1. Thanks, yes it is at this time of year I really appreciate being a gardener in London. Over the years I have deliberately chosen plants that flowers during the winter – there is always plenty during the summer but after all these years I also have a lot in flower during the coldest months of the year.

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  26. The Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' is wonderful. And I love the snowdrops in the polka dot pots! My daphne is still in a pot, after more than five years. I actually repotted it to a larger container last year, in which it should be able to grow indefinitely. I am scared to plant it in our clay soil. It needs extremely good drainage, so a pot is best for me. Though I have seen them growing in the ground at a local public garden, so I am tempted. I would love to have a stand of them in my woodland garden.

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    1. Great to hear you have your daphne in a container permanently, what variety do you have? I plan to have my two 'Eternal Fragrance' in containers, but they have final height and width of 90cm and 'Aureomarginata' has a final height and width of 1.5m so my 'Aureomarginata' might possibly not be so suitable for a container – eventually. They are fortunately slow growers so I have plenty of time to decide on final position!

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