New beginnings

I've sadly neglected this blog over the last year, but if there's a time to pick it up again it's now when the garden is coming back to life after the winter. Yes, I'm too late for snowdrops, the first sign of spring; the year has moved on too quickly, and this year hasn't brought the late snow of 2018.

Here's a pictorial round up of what's in flower at the moment



weird and wonderful snake's head fritillaries












early blossom - forsythia, flowering currants, the dwarf peach tree (which rather oddly has flowers in two shades of pink this year), and the over-the-fence bird cherry

and polyanthus in various colours from purple and deep red to these pale pinks

Away for a few days

 We were away for three days last week, and the changes that have taken place in the garden in that time have me stunned.








 The most noticeable is the huge wild cherry which although outside the garden forms the backdrop to it When we went away there were only a couple of buds opening - now, after some gorgeous sunshine, it's in full flower.







On the inside -the flowering currant has leaves as well as blossom and is hiding the fence nicely.

Lots of new flowers have opened - wallflowers, forget me nots, pansies, dwarf Red Riding Hood tulips with tall Appeldoorn tulips just waiting for one more day of sun.

 The peach tree is now covered in blossom - so hopefully we'll have home grown peaches in summer

 In the greenhouse, a handful of tiny seedlings have grown into ready-to-pick salads

and even the rhubarb has put on a spurt of growth.










The weeds have been springing up too, and I spent Sunday morning trying to clear the paths of sticky-bud, unwanted forget me nots, sycamore seedlings and baby nettles.  So far I've left the self spread strawberries in place but even though I'd like to keep them the path isn't a good place for them.

Easter

 Easter weather turned out rather gorgeous - two days of feeling like summer had arrived!

The front flower beds are filled with daffodils, while forsythia and bergenia are making a bright splash in the back garden

There are buds on the apple tree and blossom on the peach next to the kitchen wall

 Polyanthus still flowering, in all shades

 grape hyacinths/muscaria

 flowers on the self-set flowering currant

huge patch of bergenia

hyacinths

April veg

 It's a busy time of year right now (though sometimes with gardening ALL times of year can feel busy!)

I've been getting the veg beds sorted out with leeks and spring onions set and winter salad leaves pricked out (look very carefully, they're in the area between the two seed packets)

The other side of the path has some ready-to-bolt winter cabbage, with chives on the left and garlic to the right.

Another area, around last year's rocket, has radish and more rocket set.














At the back of the garden, the rhubarb is doing well











and the fruit trees are showing early signs of flowers to come

apples...











red currants











and the peach tree already in flower




window sills are full of cucumbers, squashes, courgettes

 tomatoes, aubergines and peppers 

and there are trays and trays of early veg waiting to be moved into the allotment - these are tiny beetroot plants

Wrapping up warm

 With a frost forecast for tonight, it's time to wrap the garden up warm and snug.

A couple of nasturtiums have survived over winter in this wall basket - and I'm determined to keep them alive through a last cold spell.

 This bubble wrap is covering a mini peach tree. Frost isn't normally a problem for it but it's just come into flower and if they're frosted there'll be no chance of fruit.

And all the seedlings in the greenhouse have covers over them.They should really be ok but popping a propagator lid back on or covering with bubble wrap takes hardly any effort and may make a difference.

Spring Equinox

 Yesterday was the Spring equinox, so now we've officially left Winter behind. In typical weather fashion, the day started dull, cloudy and windy, and turned wet so I mostly admired the garden from inside and took photos today now the sun's returned














 Spring has sprung this last week with lots of later flowers appearing

hyacinths that started life a long while ago as indoor potted plants





forget-me-nots

 the first dog violet




grape hyacinths in a wall basket

 and even blossom on the peach tree














The polyanthus are flowering away still, trying to take over the front garden with an older variety

 and newer sorts, mainly garden centre 'rescues', in all colours in the back garden

There are daffodils in flower everywhere

 hanging over the paths

by the rhubarb patch

and in among the raspberry canes

 forsythia is brightening up the back garden and kerria japonica the front with yellow flowers

and there are patches of red from lettuce seedlings, 

newly 'rescued' bellis double daisies

 a bird-set flowering currant











 and a very unseasonal kaffir lily

and the rockery is smothered in a riot of colour.