Before gardening this afternoon went to see the amazing R B - 80 - in Coniston. Happy birthday R! He paints great little (can you have great little?) pictures of boats and ships.
Back to the blog.
This afternoon decided to attack the boggy bit whilst R weeded around the candelabra primulas - which are self seeding as planned.
I dug a hole three feet square at the top of the squelch and BINGO! Water could be seen welling up from the bottom. So, is this a spring or an old drain that has become blocked? Do not know. Dug a ditch to the stream and hopefully this will allow the surrounding area to dry out.
Quiz for B from Ilkley - do you recognise this growth?
It is not a real mushroom - all right you can see that - but was given to me by B. The stem has rotted away with the years but the top remains.
Looking out of the study window I can see the Allium purple sensation - about a dozen. However, last night reading Montagu Don's book on his Jewel Garden etc he talks of a thousand tulips and alliums a year!!!!
Back to the garden - the last 2 ash trees are just coming into leaf - at last.
The willow tunnel has been in full leaf for ages as seen in this pic. The tufty stuff in the foreground are the same willows that have been cut back to give young green stem colour in the winter.
Have I done the Chelsea Chop?
No, it is not a dance nor a way of dispatching annoying gardeners, it is a way of postponing an herbaceous plant flowering. Chop back now before flower buds appear and you will get later, if smaller, flowers on, e.g. Sedum spectabile. It is called the Chelsea chop because the originator kept lambs and they were sweetest if . . . . . well, no, it was just that the time of year to do it was when Chelsea Flower Show is on.
Must try and grow a hat like Princess B (it was B was it not?) out of my contorted willow. I wonder if Philip Treacy would be interested.
Now there is an idea.
Why cannot one grow a hat - you can grow a loofah.
Perhaps the princess could wear a loofah on her head next time?
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