Warm Spring Sunshine

Each season I find something that makes me happy.  In spring it's the speed at which everything comes together.  The sun becomes brighter and warmer, the days longer.  The birds fill my heart with their song, the leaves unfurl and as each flower swells and bursts open, I cannot imagine wanting to be anywhere but in the garden.  

These three photos show just how quickly acer Aureum leaves explode from tightly wrapped buds when the warm spring days arrive. 

In the Yen Garden, crimson rhododendron flowers are about to bloom.

The pruning of this Japanese cherry blossom, prunus serrulata Kanzan, has paid dividends as it is now smothered in sugary pink, nectar rich clusters that are a magnet for bees.

Above, acer palmatum Sango-kaku is now in full leaf, as is the rich deep tone of what we think is a. dissectum Garnet. 

Sitting beneath the wisteria laden arch that leads to the Yen Garden, sat a large green glazed pot containing cannas.  Today I dug these up and repotted them into a smaller container of the same design. 

The larger green pot is required for a greater purpose, which be revealed at a later date.

The increasingly rare sighting of our very own Bumblebee. He doesn't often venture into the garden, however the lockdown has caused many folk to behave in unusual ways, and the wildlife are thriving as a result!

In the meantime, The Man That Can has been a busy bee also.  Last week I removed the rotting log roll from either side of the arch on the patio.  This week, TMTC has removed all the concreted stones along the edge of the left hand side and along the Long Border.  This has created a trench of around 7 or 8 inches in width. 

He then filled the trench with a mixture of old compost and top soil, before removing the rotting log roll. In the coming weeks I shall bring some of the lower growing plants forward into this new space to blend it all together.

Hard work over for now, it's time to enjoy the garden.  A pleasure for all the senses. 

Taking a breather

The weather has improved a little and the sun has inspired bulbs to emerge and bloom all over the garden.  

I'm taking a couple of weeks off work and it's so comforting to hear the birdsong in the mornings, from the tawny owl in the neighbour's eucalyptus tree before dawn, to the urgent chirping of the sparrows as they squabble over the prime positions on the feeders. 

As I take Ellie for a walk, I am so aware how lucky I am to have fresh air to fill my lungs with.  I'm a country girl at heart and never happier than being outside amongst nature.  I guess I have a little something in my blood as I come from farming heritage.  I reckon if I won the lottery, I would buy a house further into the countryside - perhaps on the edge of a village.  I don't think I would go the whole hog and have livestock but a small wood would be just perfect.  

I can just imagine sitting on a fallen log, listening to the birds and watching the sunlight filtered through the leaves moving in a gentle breeze.  Ahhh. And relax...

Gardening never stays still.  There's always something to trim, tweak or titivate.

Clematis Armandii has almond scented flowers. This has definitely found itself at home in the Terrace Border and with this warming sunshine, will soon be smothered in blooms.

Time for the cornus spring snip.  The vivid red stems are cut back hard to ensure next winter's display. 

In the Yen Garden, rhododendron Christmas Cheer is in full swing.  It clearly wasn't fazed by being moved into the ground last spring. 

The wisteria already has swelling buds all along the stems.  Last year we had a single flower and oh boy did that bring pleasure to the senses.  The plant has had a light winter prune to shorten the previously pruned stems (using the 7s and 2s process).  The very ends of some of the training stems had died back so they also received a nip.  This year I reckon the wisteria will reach the other side of the pergola.  Then it will be a case of filling out and keeping it healthy (and hopefully increasing the amount of blooms).

Pausing for a moment in the tranquility of the Yen Garden, the cherry tree also has new buds swelling.  Below the cherry is the young acer Sangokaku showing off its vibrant stems.

Over in Mugwart's Retreat, clematis Alpina Constance is waiting in the wings for its moment in the spotlight. 

Spring is almost upon us. I can smell it.

Winter or early Spring?

The sun on my face and the birds singing suggests that spring is almost here.  In the garden it's a balmy 13c...however the realist in me poo-poos the very idea that winter is over.

"Ne'er cast a clout til May be out".  Clout meaning clothing and May actually refers to Mayflower, or hawthorn in what was thought to be the original version and when exactly that is can differ enormously depending on where in the UK you live. 

Since its February, winter therefore it still is.  But as its mild, a few jobs were in order.  Firstly the Acer in the front garden was in need of attention.  

When we moved here in June 2013, almost all the trees were removed.  The front garden was pretty much impenetrable due to overgrown trees and shrubs.  The Acer was actually cut right down at the base and the stump had an x cut into it, which the tree guy said would kill it.  A year later, like a phoenix it rose up once more and we gave the tenacious tree a stay of execution on the understanding it had to be spectacular.  It didn't fail.

Winter is the best time to prune most trees (a particular exception are cherries which are pruned in summer).  Last week a large branch was removed from the staghorn tree, this week the "phoenix" acer had its turn.  All the twiggy bits were removed from the lower stems to begin to shape a multi stemmed tree.  Then any crossing branches and a couple of thick stems were cut out that were growing out at the wrong angle.  Now we'll let it leaf up and look at it again.  If any further branches need cutting out, we can make a note for next winter.

Next up, we removed all the dead foliage from beneath the bergenias (along with any slugs and snails that tend to hide out in their dark, damp bases).

The old foliage from the hellebores was also snipped off to help prevent leafspot.

Better late than never, well rotted manure has been mulched around all the roses (apart from r. New Dawn which are still in containers on the terrace).

We had friends from the Midlands visit yesterday so went to a garden centre for a cuppa and a slice of cake.  I was coerced into purchasing this new Acer Sangokaku.  Honestly, talk about twisting my arm! 😉 

It'll look amazing in the Yen with the bright red stems picking up the red details in the pergola and the red winter stems of cornus siberica.

And now we have 15 trees!