WHITE AND A SMALL BIT OF GREY

I am still recovering from wonderful scones I ate two days ago - thank you Barbara. I need half an hour in the Gym and water for a week to balance the calorie count. But they were superb.
Then I took R to see, well rather listen to the Courtney Pine Band at the Coro. (Coronation Hall in the local town). Sound blasted and stunned - some virtuoso playing.

Back to gardens -
So, I am talking white, in the month of May, when the track up to the house is bounded by hawthorns dripping in petals like snow. The May blossom has been wonderful this year.

And then, when one gets close up it only gets better. The energy required to shove out so much must be staggering - it is such a pity the fruit are not as luscious. Imagine if the berries were like small Victoria plums - sweet and juicy straight from the branch.

Out in the garden the left hand side of the lower banking is now a haze of Hedge Parsley - though with it being a wild plant, weed I hear some cry, you have to be a bit careful or it can spread everywhere. In fact, this year, I am surprised by the number of hogweed seedlings in the flowerbeds - a nasty plant that can burn you with its sap - but majestic in stature.

To the right of the paved area, by the path up to the wood is a white lilac. This has flowered a bit before now but this year it is splendid. Across the path the white Dame's Violet is falling onto the path. The rain has weighed it down. As soon as it starts to go over I will trim it back and move to another location. It has become very large and is really in the wrong place - hiding the oriental poppies from view as they are also coming into flower. 

Above on the banking are two cercidiphyllums (cerciciphylli?) and R thinks one should be moved. However I like to flout "rules" if I can - plant in 3s, 5s etc - and want to see how the two close together develop. (And I have just realised that the entwined willows by the pond will go when we excavate - Boo!)

This plant is an osteospermum - not fully hardy previously in our garden, it has survived the mild winter and is flourishing. There is a big one at the golf club locally and this has thrived for many years though they are nearer the sea and its warmth.

In the banking in front of the house is an area with very poor soil and here saxifrages like this one and London Pride grow happily.

The white of the cherries has passed on to the May and to finish on a grey note, the collared dove is still ensconced on her sticks on the beam above my bench. Not much of a nest, is it!

(I hear a cry - 'What mucky paintwork under the roof!'
Well, yes - but we have a man coming this summer to repaint - which causes all sorts of bird nest difficulties. And the colour in the image is wrong - something to do with low lighting - we paint with a Leyland double for Farrow and Ball Grey Number 91.)

Just had my cuppa tea so must go out and fill the bird feeders now. Wooly top on - temperature has dropped 10C in the last few days.

Well, I am English (albeit with some Scots and Manx chucked in) and we cannot go long without talking about the weather.