I went out into the garden about 8pm. yesterday evening. It was delightful. Quiet and peaceful, the light was wonderful, making the garden look quite different from earlier in the day. We had taken a walk, first thing across the local nature reserve and the May or Hawthorn blossom was certainly out although there was a really cold wind and I was glad I'd added an extra layer under my jacket.
Later that morning I went out and took photos of the plants and flowers that have made an appearance over the last few days.
The Tamarisk tree is moving towards its fluffy pink phase. The Peony in the back garden has two flowers open already.
The one in the front garden is still in bud. Geums, Aquilegia, Bistort and Astilbe are doing well. Also the Clematis Montana and Mountain Cornflowers. Sweet peas are beginning to climb and twist around their supports and Rhubarb, Gooseberries and Strawberries are also doing well.
The shrub above (not sure what it is) was buzzing with bees, we counted at least a dozen on there.
No rain forecast for the next few days so some watering will have to be done. The water butts will need replenishing soon as we've used some of the water to top up the pond.
Wow that's fantastic, so much to see and enjoy, you must be so pleased to see everything at its best, a real treat and just what you are looking forward to in the middle of Winter when the garden has shut down for the season. It's been so cold here today, I'm back to jumpers! 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you CK, the garden is looking okay at the moment but I'm not sure how long it will last unless we have rain. Cold here today, my lightly padded coat came out again:)
DeleteThis time of year is so rewarding in the garden. I think everything is very advanced this year. B x
ReplyDeleteThank you B. It is a lovely time of year and I'm sure the peonies are early to flower this year, I usually associate their flowers with June:)
DeleteYour garden is looking fantastic Rosie and it sounds productive too :) We had to buy some new strawberry plants this year but they have settled in well and have plenty of flowers. For the first time in years we have grown sweet peas this year too. Your tamarisk looks absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Caroline, we have too many strawberry plants, last year we moved some from the garden into pots and they are doing well too. I love the Tamarisk, it was in the garden when we came here twenty nine years ago and it was a big tree then, it must be about forty years old, if not more:)
DeleteThe shrub looks like a cotoneaster. (If it is cotoneaster horizontalis, it is invasive and planting it in the wild is banned. More information can be found here - https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/trees-and-shrubs/cotoneaster.) A bit more research might be needed to identify it fully. I used to have a cotoneaster which was loved by the bees, but that was a different variety. However, it started to die off so I dug it out and have got a rose and salvia in its place.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellie, I followed your link and also looked at other sites and I think, although it is a shame, that the plant will have to go. It just appeared a few years ago so I'm guessing a bird brought the seeds in. They could just as easily transfer them back into the wild and one site said that the berries could be toxic to animals and as we get lots of cats, squirrels, foxes and badgers into the garden, it could cause some damage. Thank you so much for letting me know what the plant is:)
DeleteYour gardens are so lovely, Rosie. Mine seem so haphazard when I see pics of English garddns.
ReplyDeleteThank you Granny Sue, the photos hide a multitude of grass and weeds but at this time of year everything looks good:)
DeleteSuch a lovely garden…and your rhubarb looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sal, the Rhubarb does do well every year and we end up freezing some and giving it away as well as enjoying crumbles and etc:)
DeleteI think the shrub is Cotoneaster, we've had a bumper rhubarb crop too.. and that little geum is a favourite of mine.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris, yes it is a Cotoneaster, Ellie (above) kindly identified it for me and it sounds as if it is a bad thing to have in the garden, it's a shame as the bees love it. I love Geums and the Orange ones are a favourite, we have yellow and pink too:)
DeleteYour garden is looking peak beauty Rosie! What a beautiful place! x
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, it does look at its best at this time of year, even with all the weeds which can be useful and beautiful too:)
DeleteYour garden is looking an absolute delight and everything is growing really well for you. My favourite is the beautiful peony. It is a real stunner.
ReplyDeleteThank you Beverley, we have three of those peony plants, all from one that was in the garden when we moved here nearly 30 years ago, they have been moved several times. They bring back memories of my childhood garden as we had the same deep red ones there:)
DeleteIt looks beautiful. I love this time of year, when the gardens are really starting to take off. X
ReplyDeleteThank you Jules, it is a lovely time of year. Everything seems to be flowering at the same time this year because of the warm weather I expect:)
DeleteWhat fabulous photo's. So many pretty flowers, My Iris are starting; but it doesn't look like I have as many blossoms this year, as I have had in the past. Your garden area is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandy, the flag iris are in flower now everything seems to be opening up early this year:)
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