Monday 25 May 2015

Slowly moving forward......in search of summer.

 I love corners.     A microclimate, where the heat from the house keeps plants warm on cold nights.     Clematis, hydrangea and a pretty annual (whose name I cannot remember )
 Beneath the kitchen window......an olive tree, white cosmos, fuchsia and agapanthus.     Cannot wait to see them in full bloom.
Planters are looking good.    I have six of these on the deck.
The weather has been so changeable, so each night I cover them with small poly tunnels.   It has worked well.
 I am always scattering seeds at the end of the gardening year.
Honesty has appeared here and there.   I love the white, so was pleased to find this one at the end of the garden.   Lovely at dusk.
 Red Campion dominates this garden in  late Spring.   A favourite with bees and night flying moths........and me :)
 Rosa rugosa beneath the old hawthorn tree......the scent is amazing in this area.   The combination of rose and hawthorn fragrance is beautiful.
 Planted the hanging baskets.....concentrating more on the container this year.     I love the black velvet petunia.....actually feels like velvet.
Sadly one of the first trees we planted here has departed.     Beautiful salix integra.....it will stay for a while.     Dominic likes to try and climb it.    I shall decorate with balloons when it is party time.    For the moment, the bird cage full of plants makes an attractive addition.................

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Columbine, the cottage gardeners favourite...........

 Many years ago  I used to visit an elderly lady.    She had a dog called Cindy. 
 When she became ill, I used to walk her dog.     To thank me she would make me a cup of tea and produce some home made cake.
 Then we would take a very slow stroll around her cottage garden.
 It was a pretty garden, and at this time of year would be full of Columbine.
 Whenever I see this favourite cottage garden plant, I always think of her.
She was a sweet old lady and left me with some wonderful memories :)

Thursday 14 May 2015

Persistent rain

 It is raining............and it is cold.    All  day I have waited for the rain to ease, but it is persistent.   At lease it will fill the pond with fresh water.
 The old hawthorn is covered in blossom, it weighs heavy on her in these conditions.    I can see the climbing rose at the top of her crown.   Wedding day, waiting in the wings.
 Everything weeps.................
 Well not everything :)   mahonia, new leaves, they always looks so beautiful when they are young and tender.
Tellima grandiflora (fringe cups) is a pretty woodland plant, small but beautiful......can you see the dandelion seed?

The weather should be warm and sunny tomorrow..........perfect.

Sunday 10 May 2015

Sunshine, bubbles and blooms................

 It has been a beautiful day.  Decided to get up early and empty the greenhouse.    Full of annuals and perennials that I divided in the Spring, decided they needed to be in the garden.
 Begonia (non stop) white is a favourite.   Last year they bloomed from May through to October.
 Everything seems to be growing so quickly, including weeds.    I feel at the moment that I am losing control of the garden:)

 First clematis to bloom............
 Wisteria and honeysuckle..............beautiful combination.
To  end the day Poppi and I had fun blowing bubbles..........

Been a great weekend...........

Thursday 7 May 2015

Warm sunny day..........

 The mason bees are pairing.........
 Trees and hedgerow in full leaf...........
 Camassia and cranesbill beginning to bloom........
 Ferns in full flow.
 Containers slowly fill with annuals.     Pelargonium and Nemesia vanilla lady, will fill some of the troughs on the deck.    I am keeping it simple this year.
 The old apple tree is just beginning to bloom.    She is a show stopper at this time of year.        I am totally in love with this tree.
Looking forward to warm summer evenings...............can't be far away :)

Tuesday 5 May 2015

Bad hair day.........

 It has been so windy today,
even the robin had a bad hair day............

Sunday 3 May 2015

Auricula

 We moved to the farmhouse on a cold wet January day.    I remember looking at the field, that was supposed to be a garden and thinking 'what on earth have I done'
In the corner of the field (garden) was a huge poly tunnel.    Tattered and torn, sheets of plastic blowing in the wind, my first thought was 'It has got to go.'    After a few days I decided to go take a look.    Inside were pots full of soil..........I decided to wait until Spring, to see what emerged.    In the corner were pots of Auricula.   I kept them.    13 years later I have quite a collection.   
 Initially I was not keen but I must say they have grown on me.
 The scent is lovely and the flowers very pretty.    
I can hear you ask 'What was in the other pots'
Plants to numerous to mention.......many have been planted in the garden.   I had an open day in that Spring, family and friends came and helped themselves to the plants I did not need. 

A local farmer was kind enough to remove the poly tunnel........it is but a distant memory :)