Spring into Ireland - Extending Extension

OUR GARDEN IN SPRING...

It's been so lovely today, even more of our spring flowers are opening already. More narcissus, crocus, celandine, snowdrops and daffodils. Vinca major has made an appearance too, though a bit tatty. I have been getting to the bottom of the bank I was clearing at the side of the vegetable plot. It looks so much better and will let much more light onto the vegetables. My back has suffered a bit but it's usually ok again by the following morning.

At the bottom of the bank is a way through to the willow plantation and if you turn left, to the arboretum. This path has always been a bit muddy but now is almost impassable. I have started to build a path to replace the mud - watch this space. I know I only took photos 2 days ago but I have more today, the flowers all look so pretty. They do look better enlarged, click on them and you will see:





More of the narcissus have come out. They look so cute with their bobbing heads.
















An early Vinca Major, a bit tatty but a lovely colour









3 new snowdrops. It rained overnight so they have jewel like droplets of rain on them. This is my new desktop picture





The little bunch below seems to be growing daily














Not a flower yet but the first leaf of one of my very favourite plants, Alchemilla Mollis. The new leaves appear through the old brown rotting ones of last year from velvet buds.







Broom's welcoming yellow is all over our land

















This celandine, along with others, is now in full flower. I love the heart shaped leaves, some of which seem to be variagated.








Forgive me for more crocus photos, but they came out so well. These are really large ones for crocus.













How unusual is this shot? Like little treasure troves, guarding their secret contents.










This beautiful bright yellow primula seems to have appeared overnight.
















Finally in the garden I came across this shining copper red grass. The ones behind have had a haircut!





The red reminded me that while Jim and I were looking out at the bird nuts today, there was a gorgeous red squirrel wrapped around them. I reached for my camera but BlackJack spotted it and scared it away. They are so much more attractive than the grey ones and quite a bit smaller.

EXTENTION

The extension, having not moved for ages a month ago, is also growing daily. Jim and I have walked around in our 'rooms' and I'm getting very excited now about actually living in them, though I know it will be a while yet. The photos below show from floor slab to the state of play today. Oh, and our very pleasant Blockman is called Declan:































Declan on the right in the 'sun room'













Jim outside my patio doors! The window you can see will become the door to my room.














The Great Wall of Doorus and Jim's shadow















Declan balancing on Jim's shoulders?












Jim went into town today and bought a super collection of bulbs. He knows I hate planting them so that will be his job. He bought some beautiful gladioli, dahlias (corms), some lilies, mixed montbretia and some of the dark red montbretia, 'Lucifer'. (Leatherdykeuk - Jasfoup beware).

We are both uplifted by the weather and the speed of the building work. I am off to Spain (Porta Banus) on Monday until Thursday to visit my youngest son Ben, who has a bar there. I'm quite excited about that too as I last saw him for a few hours on my 60th birthday in September. It was his birthday on the 18th February, 25 years ago. It hardly seems possible. The wonderful thing is I now keep in touch with a lot of his old school friends through Facebook. They are all grown up now and making their way in the world. Finally, a photo of a celandine that was too bright so I played with it!