Easter-ish round up

I didn't manage to post these photos before Easter, so though I would do an Easter-ish post. Above are the butterfly cakes with additional chocolate mini eggs which disappeared very quickly!

These were some of the cards I sent out this year and thoroughly enjoyed making them.

This card was for a friend's birthday and she really likes the slow drawing patterns.  

This morning, on my meander round the garden, I saw my old friend the unnamed fringed tulip.

A small Choisya 'White Dazzler' which I bought a year ago is flowering happily...

...as is Magnolia 'Fairy Blush'. I really should give this a bit of love and care - it has been somewhat ignored recently.

Finally, this morning the blueberries were a-buzz with bees, so hopefully we should get another good crop of berries later in the year.  We are due some hot (for the UK at this time of year - up to 27 degrees centigrade, which is ten degrees higher than usual for the time of year) weather this coming week, so I will be planning the watering regime for the pots carefully so that I make best use of this precious resource.

Apple Blossom and other late Spring flowers

The blossom on my little patio apple tree has been lovely this year.  It looks as though I may get a good crop although a lot of the developing fruit will fall in June (the 'June drop').  I will also have to remove some if the branches are pulled down too much by the weight.

Magnolia Fairy Blush has been lovely again this year, with the delicate lemony fragrance wafting about on a sunny day.  

It was moved to the patio when we had the scaffolding for the roof up and there is no room for it to go back in its original place now as we have a log store in that space.  I will have to re-jig the patio a bit to fit things in and still allow us space to sit!

The Camassia Blue Candle  have also been lovely.  I now have two big pots of them and will have to spread them into more pots in the autumn.  

However, I think I may try a few in the shady border, where the moisture is a bit more reliable, as they don't like being in pots for too long, as flowering may diminish.

I have three new Camassia plants which I didn't think were going to flower this year but two of them have buds.  They are Camassia Silk River and have lime green buds and a white flower.  I shall be watching them with interest and will post a photo in due course!

Winter frosts

Having been thoroughly spoiled by having such a lovely mild Autumn, the sudden return to more season appropriate weather has caught us by surprise.  While it isn't that cold in the UK compared to other countries (such as Canada), it certainly feels cold to me.  We have had our first frosts of the winter and the cold weather looks set to continue for the next week.  Above are a salvia and a palm.

I was slow with my pot insulating this year, lulled into a false sense of security.  Last week saw some frantic activity to get the most sensitive plants protected.  Above is a rose bush.

Another rose bush, this time in the border.  The frost does make everything look that little bit more magical.

Another rose bush.

We have been having some work done on our roof and guttering - "Who told you about guttering?"(for my friend Rachael and any other Victoria Wood fans out there) and I have had to move the plants that are usually by the back door onto the patio.  They are not sheltered so much there and I am not sure some of them will come out of the temporary move unscathed. Above is Magnolia Fairy Blush, one of those plants.  I hope they will all be OK until they can be moved back...

The garden in May

The garden has exploded in colour and growth after the recent rain.  It is a joy!  There are quite a few photos in this post - I just can't help myself when there is so much to look at.  Above is rhododendron Tinkerbird and her flowers have opened seemingly overnight.  

What you can't get from the photos is the delicious jasmine scent from these flowers and the scent wafts around our little enclosed garden when it is sunny.

The flowers are so pretty with their delicate flush of pink.

This is a real Spring view - apple tree, bright green foliage and tulips.

The lewisias are coming into flower too.

My favourite Ballerina tulips after last night's rain.

The pink fringed tulips which I didn't plant, but which have flowered on and off for the last twenty years.

This narcissus (Pheasant's eye, or Narcissus poeticus recurvus) was one of my Granny's favourite flowers.  She would be so pleased that I am such a keen gardener.

Granny used to walk to collect us from the bus stop and walk the mile or so home.  She was a fount of knowledge about wild flowers, shrubs and trees.  That is a wonderful memory which I treasure.

Aquilegia or Granny's Bonnets. I think this is a self seeder from another plant further up the border. 

Self-seeded bluebells, but such a lovely blue, I am very happy for them to be there.

Tulip Ronaldo, still in flower, looking lovely with the raindrops.  

These have lasted really well this year.

Raindrops on roses, well, raindrops on rose leaves.  This is Olivia Rose Austin.

Another lewisia.

Finally, (well done if you have made it this far) here is Magnolia Fairy Blush.  So pretty, so reliable and really needing a bigger pot now.

White flowers with a tinge of pink, just like the rhododendron at the start of the post.  I love this time of year! 

Star plants in early May

 Here's a round up of star plants at the moment.  Above is Magnolia Fairy Blush, which has a gentle lemony scent and gets a bit neglected by me, if I'm honest.  For most of the year, it has green leaves and is just a backdrop to other things, but then comes into its own for a couple of weeks in May.

 Even in the bit of rain we had, the buds and flowers still looked beautiful.

 They are have a delicate pink shade and are well named.

So pretty...

...and photogenic!

Tulip Danceline from last year and now in the border, doing a very good impression of a peony.   

 A pretty combination of tulip Ballerina and my new little apple tree.

 The pink fringed tulip which has two flowers this year.  This is a mystery tulip but seems to keep coming back and very welcome it is too, with the splash of cerise.

 Finally for now, Clematis Rosy Pagoda which flowered earlier but still delights with its fabulous seedheads.

A good value plant.  More star plants to come...

Early May in the garden

 Despite the rather cool weather for this time of year, the garden is blooming.  Above is Magnolia Fairy Blush, grown in a large pot.  It isn't the most interesting of shrubs during the year but the flowers do make up for it.

 They are so pretty and slightly lemon scented too.

Some of the tulips are still in flower - this is the mystery fringed one.  I didn't plant it, but after a gap of a few years, it has started to bloom regularly, so is very welcome.

 Ronaldo, Ballerina and Queen of Night...

 I do like this combination.

 One of my lewisias is flowering too...

 It has some apricot shades amongst the pink.

 Star plant is Rhododendron Tinkerbird again.  Lots of flowers and when the sun is out, the jasmine scent is beautiful.

 Pink buds opening to palest pinky-white flowers.

One of my many favourites at the moment!

Camassia Blue Candle is also in flower, although the lower flowers are going over.  I didn't keep on top of the watering this Spring and Camassias don't like to dry out, but it looks like I have been forgiven.  I probably do need to divide these bulbs this year as the pot is getting rather full.

 Beautiful pale blue and lilac shades.  Lots to enjoy and the alliums will continue the display in a few weeks.