May 5th

Daffs earn me two first prizes

Our village Horticultural Society recently held its annual spring show and I was thrilled to win first prize and a rosette in a novice daffodil class, together with first prize for five miniature daffodils.  Society Chairman Derek Walker staged an impressive display of exhibition daffodils, giving us all inspiration for next year’s show.  The hard work continued in the garden as we prepared the raised veg beds for their first crops.  We spent a morning sieving compost to fill them, made easier using a large ‘sieve’ made out of wood and chicken wire by our son.  It props up over either a wheelbarrow or the trailer, then all we have to do is fork the compost onto it.  The sticks and lumps drop to the ground and the compost, or at least most of it, ends up in the trailer.  One of the dogs ‘lent a paw’ by digging in the compost heap and loosening it to start with.  He then lay on the heap which made life a little tricky, but between us the job was done!  Lettuce and broad beans are getting going in trays in the greenhouse.  It won’t be long before we plant them out.  A few warmer days have swelled buds on trees and shrubs.  Magnolia stellata burst into flower while M.soulangeana opened its deep purple buds.  My favourite shrub, Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ also has good flowers.

I’m particularly pleased to see native primroses and cowslips spreading along at the base of a hedge.  A close inspection reveals plenty of seedlings also in the lawn – no mowing for a while!  Rabbits continue to try my patience!  They’re now nibbling bark on the fruit trees, so I’ve put some stronger tree guards around them.