DAMSONS OR FROST

 Here we go, blossom out on the cherries, coming on the plum and damsons and so on - amelanchier, pear and apple to come. But will there be a frost and little fruit. I suppose there is always loads of rhubarb.

And our new gardener has been, dug out the errant buddleias by the septic tank and pruned back most of the rest.

Rosey has been raking off the banking and most of the lawns are mown. Her replanting of the primroses has worked well and there are wood anemones nearby.

We are just back from a wedding in St Andrews, Scotland and approaching Longtown near Carlisle saw two swallows - the year moves on. Saw one flying past here today. The pheasant and his ladies are still around, the greater spotted woodpecker is hammering away in the wood.

Camellias are now suffering flower fall especially after last night's gale and the same is happening to the magnolia stellata.

And the daffodils go on and on, under a cherry and by the path to the pond.

Elsewhere we have anemones and splendid hellebores - yes this is the white one.

Pinks as well as whites - the hyacinths we have been given at previous Christmases go out and Tom's flowering currants are a waterfall of colour. Not all hues come from flowers, the shoots of the paeonies and the leaves of the cercidiphyllums are a bonus at a time of white and yellow.

 

Now, weed I hear the cry and yes the lesser celandine does spread itself but when the sun shines and the flowers open they light up. And other weeds - the bluebell leaves are coming, the hedge parsley and wild angelica, yellow flag iris and red campion are getting going. Mind you the wild flower meadow looks like a sea of reeds - so damp - I suspect it will be a flop but we must wait and see. The lawns are sift and spongy with moss but then I have always said that they are really mown meadow - well, that is my excuse.

But the stars of the moment are the flowering trees like the prunus shirotae.

I would go out but it is raining AGAIN!