June 2nd

First stop for the bees

Just a few days of warmth and sunshine have made such a difference and plants around the garden are bursting into growth.  Blossom on both the amelanchier and cherry trees has been fleeting but beautiful.  Apple blossom is coming out and I’ve seen bees visiting the flowers.  Malus ‘Princeton Cardinal’ has beautiful pink blossom set against deep red leaves.  It’s highly scented and as it’s close to the beehives, it must be one of the first stops for the bees.  The spring area of the garden is looking good.  We’ve spent some time remaking the path and have spread the last of the woodchip along it.  Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’ is prolific here, always attracting many species of bumble bees.  Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ is spreading through this area and their flowers have been wonderful this year.  We’ve started picking asparaagus.  What a tasty treat!  The rhubarb is also growing well.  We forced one small plant and just managed to rescue the lid before it got pushed off by the strong growth of the stems!  Pots of sempervivums overwintered in the greenhouse, have been put outside in a sunny spot and tulips growing in containers are looking cheerful in the sunshine.  After a winter completing many hard physical jobs in the garden, I’m now relishing weeding and rediscovering all the ‘old friends’ growing in the borders.  Regardless of the cold winter, I don’t think there has been too much damage to plants.  I’m hoping dahlias left in the ground will have survived under their compost mulch.