The Sun Shines so it's Gardening Time. 20.5.09

Gardening

In spite of a rainy start, this afternoon the sun shone. It was really warm, too and I had to go and change my thick gardening trousers for a thinner pair. These are in worse condition than the others and have rips on both knees. More patches!

Jim has left me again, off to the UK for a meeting on Friday and to visit family, so there could well be one or two Poppy photos in the next day or so. He has just rung me and sounded a bit fed up. However, before he left, he gave me instructions on what I could plant from the cold frame. I did quite a bit of work before the planting. The grass around the edge of the front lawns was long, so I tidied that up. Part of the front rockery was really weedy so I cleared that, put some potting compost in it and planted some 'garden flowers'. Jim has sown them from seed so we're not sure what they are. It'll be a fun surprise.

Then I moved over to the 'semi-wild' bed which is just by the path up to the vegetables. It has lots of primula in it and primroses, loads of aquilegia and other odd bits and bobs. I weeded first then planted some of the 'wild flowers', also sown by Jim. I can recognise that some of them are poppies but I'm not sure about the rest. More surprises.

The path up to the veg plot had very long grass either side of it, I mean, about a foot long. So I managed to find a pair of shears and cut it all down. It looks so much better. I did take the odd photo of course:



They look a bit thin and scraggy but should firm up now they've been planted out.











The grassy path on the right is the one up to the vegetable patch











The grass on both sides was as long as that shown here on the right! That has gone now, as has the pile of builder's rubble. I'll take another photo tomorrow if it's fine.






I also did quite a bit of work on the compost heaps. They have become very weedy on the outside, so I pulled all those out and the honesty, which has finished, so now we have a lot of ready compost to put on the beds. Compost we can actually get at!

I came in at 10pm eventually! A quick dinner (yesterday's leftovers) and here I am. The back survived today but I might have a soak in the bath before bed to ease it a little.

ATCs

I received 2 ATCs from Cris, Artist in Oregon this morning. They are lovely, as you can see:



If you click on the picture, you can enlarge it and see the details.






It's so exciting to look in our post box and see what goodies have arrived from all around the world.

Builders

The builders have been working for the past 3 days. They are about to render the outside of the extension and the guttering man is also supposed to be coming tomorrow and the electrician on Friday.



Joe is putting wood around the windows and doors in readiness for the rendering - look at that lovely hawthorn on the right.







Flowers

With the sun shining, I took some photos of the flowers and I hope you enjoy them:



This little rockery plant spreads like mad and is covered in tiny blue flowers











rhododendron. This really doesn't like our soil and the leaves have yellowed, but the flowers are still gorgeous. This is the first to open










The dark sambucus 'Queen of the Night' is growing daily. The lupins have flowers coming too. The pale, circular leaves at the front are on The Judas Tree










talking of the Judas tree, this pea like flower is almost out. Maybe I will get to see one after all
















Jim recently bought this bottle brush shrub. We have one in the UK and it's gorgeous
















This is our medlar tree. It has strange fruit and you are supposed to leave it until it goes soft before you eat it. You can also make medlar jelly. This year it is covered in flowers












Medlar flower

























I love the glossy leaves of the pittisporum. The green ones will turn purple later in the year











The pink azalea is still flowering












This is a wild strawberry and came originally from an old school friend of mine who lives in Suffolk. I love the pink of the flowers











These two acers are a picture together




















The delicate flowers of London's Pride are a delight


















This huge bee was resting by the cold frame














I couldn't resist a photo of the alchemilla mollis after the rain











These tiny heuchera flowers still attract the bees. I think they are so pretty


















Common or not, this geranium flowers where nothing else will survive










This is also a perennial geranium and has rather unusual cut petals. Jim doesn't really like it as he things they look raggy!











The lovely Hilary from down the road called today. She didn't want her photo taken. I can't imagine why, she is so slim and attractive



















This really does need enlarging. Do click on it. You will then see the bee snuggling down at the bottom of the one on the right! They are white cornflowers




I wasn't so pleased to see this wasp on the flower head. It's a little early for wasps.

















We brought this ornamental thistle from the UK too. Here's a montage of the flowers, plus the odd bee gathering pollen




That's it for today. It's a funny time of year, the bulbs have finished and the flowers are on their way, but some of them not appearing yet. It has been lovely to see so many insects around today. Butterflies, bees, hover flies and moths, plus little beetles scurrying along the ground (and across my floor in here).

I can't believe it's 1am, it feels like about 11pm. I hope the sun is shining where you are.