Borders get a tidy up
What a treat to wake up to birdsong again – one particularly loud and cheerful blackbird positions himself at the top of a fir tree in the corner of the garden to serenade us each morning. Added to the mornings and evenings getting lighter by the day, it really feels as though spring is on the way. No matter what the weather’s like, I’m trying to spend some time each day in the garden. I’m currently working my way through all the borders. Dead stems on perennials can now be cut back and I’m using a narrow rake to pull away leaves that have been blanketing the borders since autumn. Even just an hour a day makes a huge difference to the look of the garden and it’s so rewarding to uncover the emerging shoots of spring bulbs. The first snowdrops naturalising in grass are in flower with many more pushing through daily. The idea is to have a carpet of snowdrops and crocus under the trees in the spring area, and I hope this year it’ll start to resemble the picture I have in my mind! Cyclamen are also now starting to flower and I’m so pleased to see the first buds on the hellebores. I’ve received my allocation of seeds from the Hardy Plant Society seed exchange. I was so excited I immediately sowed a couple of things and can’t wait to start the rest off. I’m awaiting seeds from the Cottage Garden Society seed exchange too, so have washed plenty of small pots and half seed trays so there won’t be any delays once the seeds arrive. I’ve also sown plenty of sweet peas.
Tales from a Country Garden 