NEARLY MAY

One joy of gardening is visiting other gardens - last month we went to Holker Hall to see their daffodils and hellebores. 

They also had developed some interesting topiary a la Levens Hall.

There is something about in the garden, the blackbird is chattering its warning. It could be the stoat or a neighbour's cat? The buzzard has just passed by mocked by two crows. I have moved one of the nesting boxes as they are all still empty.

 

The pulmonarias, purplish and white flower on forming ground cover and we regularly count the cowslips - how many now? We have given up counting primroses, the abacus is too small. Most of the daffodils are going over, a small clump in the shade under one of the cherries lingers on. So, dilemma, do we dead head or not? Dead heading means all the energy from the leaves will go into the bulb for next year but those that will naturalise from the seed need the head left alone.

And then there are the bluebells in swathes in and at the edge of the small wooded area.

Our scented rhododendron we bought in Matlock is flowering and filling the garden with its gingery aroma.

Elsewhere the skimmia is covered in bees and there is blossom on the weeping silver pear and the feeble cherry R bought many years ago from a Netto. I keep thinking it is time to put stout of its misery but - perhaps next year?

 

We are eating asparagus and, of course, rhubarb. 

The monstrous geranium that A and P gave us is flowering outside the kitchen door - purple flowers and stems.

Now, R dislikes celandines in the flowerbeds - unlike me and I do not object to the odd daisy amongst the self sown forgetmenots.

We are also in a semi drought state and things are very dry so some watering is necessary though we had a light frost last night so I am wary of tender plants going out yet.

The wheelbarrow is broken 😟.