What a grey day for the end of March!
There were the odd glimmers of sunshine earlier, but sadly I didn’t manage to take my photos then, and by the time I got round to taking these, the light was very flat.
The photo above shows the Drive Bed which has a mix of inherited multi headed Narcissi (which are so top heavy they tend to collapse), seed grown Erysimum ‘Ivory Giant’ and newly planted ‘Thalia’.
Below, the Swing Bed has been cut back and nearly all of the roses pruned. As previously, I’m concerned I’ve cut back the ramblers (outside posts, Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ on the left and ‘Snow Goose’ on the right) too hard, too late, but they’ve always bounced back, so fingers crossed!
This photo makes me think I really should add some sort of shrubby planting in these beds to keep some structure over winter, but what?
There’s are a patches of ‘Jenny’ Narcissi here,
with tulips to follow.
The ‘Minnow’ Narcissi are just starting to flower in the troughs and the Stocks (Matthiola Incana, at the back) are looking much more established having been transplanted as diminutive cuttings last year.
In the Veg Patch I persuaded the son to do a bit of weeding and plant out the broad bean ‘Stereo’ seedlings. I also asked him to take some photos and this is what he came up with:
And proof to family members who find it hard to believe he really was helping:
Whilst in the Grass Bed the ‘Peeping Jenny’ Narcissi are perkily peeping at the Duver, I’m rather concerned that many of the grasses (Stipa tenuissima) are less than perky, indeed I think a number have been lost over the winter. I’ll wait and see over the next few weeks but will then need to either replant or think again.
The Mid Century Bed has been rather taken over by self seeded Euphorbia. I think these will have to come out, but at this time of year there isn’t much else going on, so I’m leaving them for the minute.
You may have noticed in the background a tree in front of the greenhouse. This greeted me when I returned from London on Thursday. The OH had bought it during the week from ‘some guy with a van load of plants’. It’s an olive tree, and whilst a very handsome specimen, I have no idea where on earth it’s going to go. Hmmm.
Round the corner, the tin bath has taken a nasty knock from the recent weather and as well as losing the Chocolate Cosmos, and some of the Pelargoniums, I think I may have lost all the Osteospermums and Gazanias.
See much happier picture from January below:
The eagle eyed will spot a significant absence from the picture below. The Melianthus Major, which normally forms the backdrop for the Bronze Bed photo, has been cut right back. The Narcissi ‘Cragford’ are as floriferous as ever, but no sign of the ‘Yazz’ which follow, and were already flowering this time last year.
In the Oak Bed plenty of Hellebores are still flowering strongly
In the greenhouse everything is almost exactly as it was a month ago.
The Winter Sunshine Sweet Peas still haven’t been planted out
and pretty much the only other seeds planted to date have been the ‘outside’ sweet peas.
I don’t know what I’ve been up to, but I clearly haven’t been gardening. Looking at last year’s March post makes me realise just how behind everything is. Partly that’s the weather, but it’s also the lack of time I’ve spent out there. And that’s not going to be helped by being away for the next three weekends.
Perhaps three weekend’s gardening can be squeezed into Easter Monday?
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter, with as much, or as little gardening as you like!
With thanks to Helen at the Patient Gardener who hosts EoMV.