In the Garden

I thought I'd keep a photographic record of things appearing in and around the garden over the last few days.

 Bright orange/yellow tulips, we bought and planted the bulbs in autumn last year.  

 The cat from across the road.  He knew he looked good posing near the Forget-me-nots which exactly matched the colour of his collar.

A swarm of bees!  They were heard coming up the street such a loud noise!  Running inside,  doors were shut and windows closed.  I took this photo through the landing window they stayed a while around next door and then moved away.  I've no idea where they came from or where they went to.  There are some allotments not too far away perhaps someone has hives on one of those?

The morning after the bees had visited I heard a loud hissing noise and was just in time to see a balloon drop behind the trees at the top of the garden.  I grabbed my camera to capture it as it came up again but it stayed where it was and then moved away.  I never saw it  up over the trees again.  Perhaps it went the same way as the bees?

Foxy is a regular visitor to the garden.  She appears early morning and early evening when she seems to take a break from caring for her cubs.  I guess her cubs must be getting larger as she is looking a little careworn and dishevelled at the moment.

Next door's cat is also a regular visitor to the garden.  She would dearly love to catch up with a wood pigeon but even though they aren't very smart birds they have the measure of her.

The Clematis Montana is absolutely covered in buds and some are just beginning to open.  It's going to look wonderful this year.

The wild garlic is in flower next to the pathway near the shed.  The aroma as you pass by to the compost bins behind the shed is wonderful.  Each year we say we will try making soup or pesto from the leaves, perhaps we might manage it this year.

Rhododendron 'Dreamland' at the top of the garden.

The Aquilegia plants have spread so much this year and seem to have taken over various parts of the garden. You can see some London Pride growing by the Aquilegia another plant that spreads quite a bit.  I remember my grandmother's garden borders were full of it.

We may have to lose a few to stop them strangling the other plants but for the moment they remain.  I love their little bonnet shaped flowers.

Geums too are spreading and probably need splitting at some point.  Geums, Aquilegia and Hardy Geraniums seem to have taken over most of the beds at the moment.

The peony looks ready to burst forth in colour any time now.

The Pieris we moved from the back garden, where is was being overtaken by hardy geraniums, to the front garden is picking up and seems to be doing well in  its new home.

Wallflowers have seeded themselves against the wall of the house.  Below the Azalea we bought last year is in full colour after the warm bank holiday weekend.