February 27th 2016

Spring’s in reverse!

We’re still being battered by gales and heavy rain. The ground is saturated, so I’m unable to start digging the vegetable plot, although I have managed to weed the strawberry bed. I’m pleased to see the rhubarb I moved last autumn is coming into growth. I’ve planted garlic cloves into modules to start them off and we have potatoes in trays to chit. This year we are growing ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Lady Christl’, which is a new variety for us. Spring bulbs are flowering in reverse order this year. The daffodils have been blooming for weeks, followed by snowdrops, and now at last the crocus are coming through!  We could do with some sunshine to open their flowers. Deep blue Iris reticulata are flowering in the front garden and this year I’ve grown some in pots too, which are brightening up the greenhouse.  A pretty single flowered camellia is also blooming and more hellebores come into flower daily. Seeds from the Hardy Plant Society seed exchange have arrived and I’m getting pots and trays washed in readiness for sowing. I’m keen to get started, but I’ve learned from past disappointments that it’s better to wait until light levels improve. We’ve put up new trellis panels for the rambling roses. They’d got completely overgrown over the last few years so we have cut them hard back and tied the remaining stems into the new supports. We love watching all the wildlife that is attracted to our garden, although some is more welcome than others. We’ve enjoyed seeing flocks of small birds at the feeders but it was a rare treat to watch a badger mooching in the lane just outside the garden, although he didn’t actually come in.