RAMBLING 'ROUND THE GARDEN

Well, plenty of rambling as usual.

I water the rhubarb and it rains. It pours with lightning and thunder - cause and effect?

Look at this, only a couple of months ago here was nothing here except a leafless white lilac. There is also white hesperis everywhere - scented sweet rocket. Another name, for the pinkish variety, is Dame's Violet. I got some seed from Sarah Raven and whizzo!

Chelsea Flower show is upon us and, this year, I have not chopped back my sedum spectabile etc but remembered to tie them in to a central stake. We will see if it works or the plants just do the Chelsea flop as per usual. The paths in the wood are looking more pathlike and I am going to experiment with the rough lawn area. paths will be mown with the small mower set low and on mulch. The rest will be mown with the big mower set high and we will see. I am thinking that I will save seed from the bluebells, red campion and pignut and sow this amongst true white birches. Perhaps I could follow this with Ox-eye daisies.

I have just been to see how much old sleepers are and found that they are about £30 plus - and I need about ten at least - and that does not include the thought of steps down to the new pond.                     (:-( )=

Why do smileys lie sideways? 

The green flowers are naturally sycamore - I muttered about them before as poor man's laburnum and such stuff.

These are the six white birches in the far garden where I may (pricey) plant another dozen or more.

The red candelabra primulas are in full swing with an odd creamy one. The yellow are about to come out. The orange ones seem to have gone and a new sowing will be needed after the pond is done.

I have just taken out the old tulips from the pots and bagged them up in old plastic sacks (thank you Sue) in some compost. Holes were put in the sack bottom for drainage and now we wait for the foliage to die down. Then the fat bulbs will be cleaned and put somewhere dry until the autumn. The small ones can be thrown away. (Or you could plant them in a disused corner and wait a few years fro them to fatten up.) Sue has given us a tray of seedlings including white cosmos. A concerted effort will be made to not let the slugs and snails have them this time.

We are about to have our second meagre meal of asparagus - not happy veg. May have to scrap them.

A bit about birds - we may have two cock pheasants and partners, long-tailed tits nesting somewhere nearby, kestrel overhead, collared dove steadfastly siting on her beam, swallows nesting in the stable next door but NOT here, tree sparrows making a din and mess at the gable top in their purloined martin nest and so on. And the cock chaffinch outside my window is still singing all day - now for nine weeks - some voice box.

Finally here is my lovely willow avenue again.

'Nuff said.