welcome to my little suburban oasis, filled with flowers,fruit trees and vegetables
Showing posts with label lily of the valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lily of the valley. Show all posts

Monday, 2 May 2016

When is a weed not a weed?


lamb's lettuce
 Trapped inside with my continuing cold virus, I've become increasingly annoyed by the weeds running wild over the patio and paths. So today I decided they needed to be tackled.
There's plenty of the obvious sort of unwelcome plants there - grass, dandelions and such - but our patio had to try to be different! I found sycamore seedlings from the 'helicopters' that fly into the garden in autumn, self-set lamb's lettuce, oregano and lemon balm, strawberry runners, forget-me-nots, dog violets, aquilegias, and even lily of the valley spreading its roots under the slabs!
forget-me-not



Most I've tried to remove but some of the flowering 'weeds' I think deserve to stay for a while.
lily of the valley
dog violet and aquilegia


Monday, 4 May 2015

May flowers

 It's not been the best week -or bank holiday - weather-wise but the rain has kept the garden growing and although much colder than a fortnight ago there hasn't been enough frost to cause a problem.
There hasn't been much wind either so the cherry blossom is still hanging on and looking lovely.









Under the cherry tree, I have kerria japonica and honesty flowers clashing colours,





and, mostly hidden by them, the first flowers on Solomon's seal










 The other side of the lawn has a group of bright red tulips,

more honesty,


and whitebells









The veg patch borders are covered in forget-me-nots









and the fences are covered by leaves on raspberries, flowering currants and 'real' currants, and montana clematis which isn't quite flowering yet










 
Underneath, bluebells are hiding. I've tried to plant them in shady spots similar to their natural habitats - so under currant bushes, next to large flopping plants or in shade cast by buildings



















One apple tree is still in full flower, though another is only in bud.







First signs of lily of the valley.



Friday, 16 May 2014

Nearly Summer....

Summer's on the way with huge floppy oriental poppies...


..self-set aquilegias in every shade of pink, rose, purple and white...































...huge peonies just opening..


















The flower beds are edged in a frill of London Pride







and hiding under the taller plants are sweetly scented lily of the valley







There's always one unseasonal flower though - a really early flowering kaffir lily