The day the planes stopped

Volcanic ash has grounded all planes in the UK for the last couple of days. We've had beautiful sunny skies though and today the weather was lovely. My tulips look amazing. i didn't really get to appreciate them last year as it rained about a day after they came out and the petals fell off. But check out these beauties.

The garden got its first mow yesterday as well.

its tulip time

we've had a cold few rainy days but the sun is out today and so are the tulips...

Daffodils came out Tuesday

Its been even longer....

Well I didn't manage to post much last year (I wonder why?!). Z and I spent a few days in the garden in summer but not as much as I thought. I did a bit of tidying up at the end of the year but not much. It has been a long cold snowey winter. Today was the first day that I've been out in the garden. Its been 11 degrees and sunny today but its been below 5 degrees for most of the year so far. All the bulbs are much further behind this year than last year.

I did lots of tyding up today but not got any photos yet. The snowdrops are out and some crocuses literly came out as I was in the garden. As I was clearning I found lots of shoots though so we should have some colour in a couple of weeks.

The snow caused one casulty - the orange smelling bush at the back by the hot bed. So I'm really going to have to do some work on that bed this year.

Its been a while

I haven't updated this for 3 months! Been busy and not done much in the garden. It looks great from teh lounge window but there are some big gaps in the garden.

In the cottage bed the foxgloves and aquiligas worked well earlier in the year and the fennel has done really well and the penstemon is good. But the delphinums didn't come up at all and there is a big gap where something else failed (lupins I think). The lavender looks a bit messy and the pinks weren't happy at all this year. At the front I planted some lobila which has (as always) done well. The cosmos went in very late and aren't as good as last year. 2 lily bulbs that are still in a pot have done really well and have looked fab for the last couple of weeks. the coreopis at the front hasn't come up at all. The rose looked pretty in May and June but had no flowers in July. Ther is a really big gap at the back which could do with another shrub or bush. A late flowering rose might work.

The hot bed has just not worked at all. The poppies looked great for about 2 days. The lupins and corepois haven't come up at all and left a big gap. The heleniums are a bit weak. The red hot pokers came out for about a day. The rudbeckias are just starting to come out but don't look nearly as good as last year. I bought quite a lot of annuals to go in this bed and the slugs got them. I grew some sunflowers in pots and the slugs got them as well. So this bed just looks empty and a mess. I was going to get some achillea to go through this bed but haven't. I wonder if the site is sunny enough. But they are meant to be drought resistant. Maybe lots of these would be a good idea. This bed just hasn't worked really and has a big gap at the back as well as at the front.

The bed along the side by Joe's house has been quite successful. Really could do with another 6 or so heuchera. I should def divide the ones I have in spring or autumn to finish this bed off. The hydranger I added last year did well. Maybe a hydranga could work at the back of teh cottage bed. I'd like a purple one with a mix of big and little petals.

The fern garden at the back just does not get enough water. I need to move the dogwood to teh hot bed and move a couple of the ferns that are by the fence forward. One of the laurels at back has died - I assume not enough water and the Japonicas are def not getting enough water.

Didn't mange any lawn care in autum or spring and its now covered in clover.

Planted 3 tomato plants and they certainly haven't done as well as last year. Just beginning to get some toms now. The strawberry plants did well earlier this summer and we had one good crop of salad leaves as well as some from mum.

Tried not to spend to much on annuals this year. Have a few fushias in blue pots and 1 hanging basket that look good. Not had a chance to plant up pots for front steps or the silver containers.

All in all - must do better next year! This autum need to feed the beds and the lawn. In the spring do some dividing and moving of plants and plant up seeds for toms, potatoes, salad etc.

Start of May

Nearly a month since I last posted and the garden has changed. The tulips came out and then it heavily rained so most of them were only out for a week or so. The purple ones in the cottage bed have forget-me-knots growing round them which really works as a combination.

The clementis at the back of the garden has come out this week.

The aquilegia have started to come out.

The grass now needs cutting every week and could do with a bit of lawn care. Last year I dug out all the weeds but haven't had time to do that yet this year. The shed needs a bit of a tidy up and then I can find the lawn care stuff.

A new edition to the garden is the bear little L was given as a birth present and it just needs a name...

Tulips

My spring garden is looking good. Lots of Daffs still out and some of the the tulips are out as well now. There should be 50 yellow and 50 red - the yellow are doing slightly better! And then the purple and pink ones in the "cottage" bed.

My dad cut the grass this week and I did the edges today. I also cleared up a few more leaves and deadheaded the daffs that have finished.

The weather has been pretty warm over the last couple of weeks with some really sunny days - today included. In fact we even sat in the garden for a bit today - all three of us.

And the rest of the garden

daffs daffs daffs

Yeah - spring in my garden.

The weather has been lovely the last couple of days - 14 degrees.

All that bulb planting is paying off nicely.. check out the daffs!

28th Feb

Cut the tops of my hydrangeas today and cleared away a few more leaves. There are bulb shoots everywhere now - Spring is definitely with us. Some daffs are now out in pots. the two pots were in a sheltered position by the house but I've now moved them to where I can see them from the window. There are some at the end of the garden that should be out soon.

Here are some pics of different bits of the garden...