Spring – Page 8 – Notes From My Garden

Easter Weekend

Published on April 8, 2023April 29, 2023 by Catherine23 Comments

This weekend we’re forecast to have blue skies and wall-to-wall sunshine. That doesn’t happen too often on an Easter Weekend holiday. I’m planning to spend the day working in the garden, but yesterday we had two young grandchildren with us. Swimming at the local pool took up most of the morning then home for lunch and out again for a pleasant walk in the local nature reserve where we even spotted two deer.

We stopped at the seafront on the way back because I knew the ice cream van would be there. The prom was very busy and I prefer not to be there when it’s like that, instead I’m happy to leave it to those who can only visit on holidays and weekends. The wind was very cold, though it didn’t dissuade some hardy folk from paddling in the water. But you can’t pass by the ice cream van when you have a four-year-old and a nine-year-old with you! After the ice creams were scoffed we headed back to our house where they played in the sunshine in the more sheltered garden until Dad arrived to take them home. It was a lovely day.

I hope you’re all going to have a lovely weekend with loads of sunshine!

But let’s get on with this Saturday’s six. First of all, we have Narcissus Tete Boucle. This is one that I haven’t grown before. Initially, I wasn’t too sure about it, but as the flowers continued to open my opinion changed. I’m smitten. I’ll grow this one again.

Continue reading →

Glorious Spring

Published on April 1, 2023April 22, 2023 by Catherine22 Comments

Perhaps it’s too early to label the Spring of 2023 as glorious. It’s been a miserable, cold winter, and spring got off to a poor start, but this week has seen a huge change in my little part of the world. The sun has finally returned (not every day – that would be asking for too much!) and temperatures have moved upwards rapidly! It’s great to have some real spring weather. Perhaps I should reserve that title until spring 2023 is almost over, for knowing my country as I do, we will have wild stormy days ahead, probably frost and possibly a dusting of snow, along with rain, sleet & hail! But today the sun is shining – and it’s glorious!

Continue reading →

The Learning Book

Published on March 18, 2023April 15, 2023 by Catherine6 Comments

Our littlest grandson has been trying very, very hard to understand the seasons. It can be a confusing concept for young children to grasp, especially when seasons don’t behave as expected.

A couple of weeks ago we were treated to a very sunny afternoon. We’d been through a long spell of grey, dark, wet and uninspiring days. It was like that when we left to collect him from the nursery that afternoon. But on the drive home, out came the sun and we made the decision to stop off at a local play park. It was by the sea and bitingly cold. I thought, if I can endure the cold wind for 10 minutes or so, that’ll be enough time for all of us!

When we arrived at the play park he asked,

“Is it summer?”
“Do we have sun cream with us?”
“Can I have an ice cream, please?”

You’ve got to love them at 4 years old!

Continue reading →

A Magical Mystery Tour

Published on March 11, 2023April 14, 2023 by Catherine8 Comments

I thought hard about buying the Itoh Peony ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ last year as it was a bit pricey. The photographs that accompanied the peony were so lovely that I eventually caved in to temptation and bought it.

It was a fairly small tuber, and its home was to be a wooden planter in a sunny spot. It grew well, the leaves were lovely and then buds appeared. I was so excited to see buds growing in the first year of planting! I watched it daily until that first bud unfurled. Well, I’ve got to tell you – I was so disappointed. The young flowers were a fairly rich magenta, and there was no sign of the lovely corals and creams on the marketing images.

Continue reading →

Weekend Jobs

Published on March 7, 2023April 14, 2023 by Catherine7 Comments

It was cold last Saturday, 4C, but calm with occasional spells of sunshine that made the garden more enjoyable to work in. The garden is undergoing a bit of a change, through necessity, and at the moment it’s not the prettiest of places. However, the winter gloom has given way to signs of spring as the borders turn green with emerging perennials and a few little splashes of cheerful colour here and there courtesy of spring bulbs and hellebores.

I’m longing for the day when the sun streams in my bedroom window early in the morning and I can hear the birds chirping outside. It’s always motivation to get up and get started with whatever happens to be on the agenda.

But back to the jobs that husband & I managed to tick off the list last Saturday. Two hydrangeas were lifted and replanted elsewhere. Six Hellebores were also dug up and moved to a shadier bed. Various perennials were replanted or moved from one area to another, and a new Exochorda ‘Niagara’ was planted. I’d love to think it would be covered in masses of flowers this spring, but I think it’s too young for that, so I’ll appreciate whatever flowers it offers up.

Continue reading →