IT'S MONKEY TIME

Well, it is monkey flower time.

Down by the pond plants are flowering - mimulus (monkey flower) has spread to good effect as have both of the primulas - the earlier flowering pulvulurenta (I hope that is spelled correctly, I certainly cannot pronounce it), and the soft yellow of the slightly later veris.

Both seed and I will save seed to, I intend, end up with a river of candelabra primulas by the stream and pond much like the RHS has at Harlow Car.

There are, of course other flowers - the astilbe that R does not like, (there is a national collection at Holehird, the Lake District Horticultural Society's garden) loosetrife, both pink and red, yellow irises, both

plain and variegated and so on.

As to the inhabitants of the pond the tadpoles seem almost reluctant to turn into frogs, the whirligigs whirl and the pond skaters skate. Water Beetle larvae eat everything moving and caddisfly larvae hide in their little houses. The stream has freshwater shrimps and other crawlies.

Now, we have at least 6 compost heaps around the garden, most just mowings, and you would think this would be ideal for grass snakes and slow worms but not a one has been seen.

I have heard that the blackbirds in the south are having a tough time.

I can lend you a few - we have plenty.

I can especially lend you Blackbird the Barmy who is still waking me as dawn comes - and dawn comes really early here - sort of just after sleep comes!