My Little Garden 10th April 2021
Winter returned with a vengeance this week and threw hail, snow and frost at us. Garden meetings with friends and family were decidedly chilly and lots of plants that had been duped into thinking it was spring struggled to cope. As for the magnolia, it’s all over until 2022.
Arctic conditions apart, it’s been good to see the changes to the garden over the course of the week. Whilst some things are on their way out, late narcissi and tulips are progressing well. Just bring back the spring sunshine please.
It was hard to…
My Little Garden 3rd April 2021
My mystery daffodil from last week has been identified. Someone on twitter (sorry, I can’t remember who) kindly suggested that it might be Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’, which did ring a vague bell, and lo and behold when I looked at my receipts for supplementary (necessary / vital /critical) bulb purchases there it was in black and white. Mystery solved!
While we’re on the subject of daffs, I might as well make them the first of my six choices for this week. …
My Little Garden 27th March 2021
It’s been a funny old week. I’ve broken a trowel (sympathy required), tweaked my back (even more sympathy required) and bought a very expensive pair of gardening trousers (I don’t normally spend that much on a dress!) But I’ve seen my first butterfly of the season (no photo because I couldn’t find my phone in the hundreds of pockets in my new trousers) and there’s been a pleasing amount of spring sunshine.
I’ve also been to the garden centre and bought a pansy, amongst a few other essentials, which brings me nicely to the…
My Little Garden 20th March 2021
A whole year of lockdown has now drifted by and here we are on the first day of spring 2021. There are so many things to look forward to and even if we have to wait a few more weeks for some form of ‘normality’ to return, I am feeling very positive about the year ahead.
Every day seems to bring more signs of life to the garden, from the buds on the trees and shrubs, to the perennials popping up from their winter hibernation. The grass is growing as fast as my hair…
My Little Garden 13th Feb 2021
I have been spending quite a bit of money on plants this week. Something I’m always happy to do and mostly it’s been other people’s money, and plants for their gardens rather mine. It’s not a bad way to spend a wet and windy week is it? And it’s nice to know that all the perennials I’ve been ordering are being well looked after at Bluebell Cottage Gardens until next month.
Apart from plant shopping, I’ve been working on a couple of new designs which may well lead to more plant shopping in a…
My Little Garden 6th March 2021
It’s been a bit of a chilly start to March, but the mix of frost and sunshine in the first half of the week was just marvellous. Not so much the grey skies from Wednesday onwards…..
The lawn had it’s first mow last Sunday and looks so much better for it. I’d forgotten how much easier it is with the cordless mower I bought at the start of lockdown last year. Almost enjoyable, but then it is a small lawn!
I had expected a good rate of progress with the daffodils this week but…
My Little Garden 27th Feb 2021
Earlier this week, on the last Monday of February, the Downing Street Gang presented us with a roadmap which suggests that life may be more or less normal by the time summer is here. The thought of being able to meet up properly with friends and family again is fantastic, even surpassing the fact that golf courses will open at the end of March and the husband will soon be out from under my feet.
In the meantime, it is seven weeks (seven weeks!!!!)until I can get my hair cut, and the husband and…
My Little Garden 20th Feb 2021
In the last seven days we seem to have gone from one extreme to another. From freezing temperatures last weekend, to some very welcome warm(ish) sunshine during the course of the week. And now the wind and rain have returned with a vengeance.
Despite a busy week, I have been able to spend a little time in the garden and I’m really happy that all the bulbs seem to be breaking through as they should be. But I’m going to start my ‘six things’ this week with a rather sorry sight.
During…
My Little Garden 13th Feb 2021
It’s been a week of bright sunny days and freezing temperatures. No gardening has been done, but I have been catching with some clients about their plans for spring planting and it’s really good to have some outdoor work in prospect. It was also dry enough to take the youngest granddaughter to the park on Tuesday and to look for signs of spring in the nearby ‘secret garden’. …
My Little Garden 6th Feb 2021
On the first day of the new month the sun was shining, and I couldn’t resist a little trip out to photograph some signs of spring (or late winter to be more accurate). I ventured to the limit of what I feel I can call local, although that seems very much open to interpretation! The grove and woodland walk at Arley were very quiet and extremely muddy, but it was absolutely worth the effort to see the wonderful snowdrops and the hellebores. …
Garden designer, photographer and blogger