It is glorious, warm, sunny, at last - at last!
But will it last - not much hope of that in this country. Yet, while it lasts it is wonderful, short sleeves, old hat, sun cream, drink outside, family here - C and P - what more can one ask for.
A wood pigeon has just passed the window with a beak full of dry grass for its nest in the ash tree behind the house and the tree sparrows in the house martin nest chatter and scold me as I pass.
I have cut back the grass around the shrubs on the lower banking disturbing a frog which landed on my shoe. Tortoiseshell butterflies and wood whites have appeared in numbers. I have heard a few bees - all bumble bees - no honey bees.
What were empty swathes of soil are suddenly full of growth.
I have planted out the butternut squashes and covered them with netting supported by piping. I have sown rocket in the gaps and courgettes in pots.
Where there is a space in the flower beds nasturtium and calendula seed has been put and wild flower surface sown on the rough ground near the asparagus. (6 spears up so far).
I have realised that the camassias planted on the top banking in the grass are a dark blue when I wanted the larger pale blue. Must make a mental note for the autumn but I shall probably forget.
And what can one say about oriental poppies - splendid, gaudy, vulgar? Red and green go together so well.
Last autumn I collected a lot of aquilegia seed and have just found it in a brown envelope. So, up to the wood and scattered it about. As they are biennial plants next year will tell if it worked.
Time for a cuppa - just been up onto the hill behind the house and enjoyed the view south to the Fylde Coast and the whole of Morecambe Bay like a carpet, east to the Pennines and Ingleborough, north to the Lake District mountains and west to Kirkby Moor.
The garden is in one of its magical phases, flickering light through the trees, gentle rustling in the new leaved branches, every green a different green.
Two blogs in two days - too much? It is just that the garden is so full of everything at this time of year.
And, to cap it all, R got mentioned on Radio Cumbria this morning.
To find out why visit http://cawthwaite.com.
A wood pigeon has just passed the window with a beak full of dry grass for its nest in the ash tree behind the house and the tree sparrows in the house martin nest chatter and scold me as I pass.
I have cut back the grass around the shrubs on the lower banking disturbing a frog which landed on my shoe. Tortoiseshell butterflies and wood whites have appeared in numbers. I have heard a few bees - all bumble bees - no honey bees.
I have planted out the butternut squashes and covered them with netting supported by piping. I have sown rocket in the gaps and courgettes in pots.
Where there is a space in the flower beds nasturtium and calendula seed has been put and wild flower surface sown on the rough ground near the asparagus. (6 spears up so far).
I have realised that the camassias planted on the top banking in the grass are a dark blue when I wanted the larger pale blue. Must make a mental note for the autumn but I shall probably forget.
And what can one say about oriental poppies - splendid, gaudy, vulgar? Red and green go together so well.
Last autumn I collected a lot of aquilegia seed and have just found it in a brown envelope. So, up to the wood and scattered it about. As they are biennial plants next year will tell if it worked.
Time for a cuppa - just been up onto the hill behind the house and enjoyed the view south to the Fylde Coast and the whole of Morecambe Bay like a carpet, east to the Pennines and Ingleborough, north to the Lake District mountains and west to Kirkby Moor.
Two blogs in two days - too much? It is just that the garden is so full of everything at this time of year.
And, to cap it all, R got mentioned on Radio Cumbria this morning.
To find out why visit http://cawthwaite.com.
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