The joy a garden holds....

I sat in wonder as I watched the seagull, chase the heron, in the skies above the garden.

It is good to be still, to be at one with mother earth, and to feel the heartbeat of this garden.

I sigh when I discover the abandoned duck eggs in the bog garden. To be truthful, it is not a good place to nest....the ducklings would be vulnerable. I shall think about fencing this area next year. It will give the mallards a chance to breed here. I feel so honoured that they stayed for a while....they left a message.....the garden is a haven for wildlife.

I have located six bumblebee nests, I have marked each one.......they need to be protected. I am thrilled numbers grow here.

I am in my tenth year with the garden. I knew there would be a turning point for me and today it came. Silently, it crept up on me, as I walked through this magical place.

I have read numerous books on wildlife gardening. My collection is vast and fills an oak bookcase, BUT experience is the greatest teacher of all.

I have watched small creatures pass away and seen new life begin.

I have had successes and failures. I have laughed and cried.

This gardens runs through my veins and touches my very soul.

I love every part of it....including the stinging nettles that support the local butterflies, giving them a chance to breed.......

Here they will not be destroyed by the councils tractor that cuts the verges within an inch of their life. Mowing down the wildflowers that the wildlife depends on.

I sold ten plants yesterday......a chalk board at the gate called to a lady as she passed by. She bought nearly all of my 'king size' navy blue sweet peas. They have an amazing scent....I am sure she will be pleased.......

Sunday safari....ancient woodland.

Britain's woodlands wake from their winter slumber this year to a reprieve.

Plans to sell 258,ooo hectares of government-owned forests - a fifth of all woodlands in England - have been scrapped.

More than 500,000 people signed a petition opposing the proposed sell-off,

forcing the Prime Minister to abandon the consultation over their future.

Fears that the open access to these forests for walkers,

horse riders and cyclists could be lost,

that biodiversity may not be protected,

that forests would be sub-divided, or even chopped down,

prompted widespread condemnation.

Riley and Poppi are fortunate to have ancient woodland at the bottom of their garden.

In a few weeks the woodland floor will be carpeted with bluebells and other wildflowers.

Long may it remain so.........happy Sunday safari.

Polyanthus

Gold laced polyanthus began to appear in UK around the mid 17th century. They were one of the most noted prize flowers among florists. They have graced this garden for many many years. The previous owner tells me he can never remember a time without them.

Initially I was not overly keen on them, but over the years I have begun to look forward to seeing them. These shy little blooms have made their way along the path of the woodland walk. I like the clear lines ......I like the contrast in colour......in fact I now realise I really love gold laced polyanthus.

Is there a plant that captured your heart when you least expected it????

Gifts and wildflowers.

I celebrated my 60th birthday last week. I had not realised getting older could be such fun. My parents and mother in law bought me this beautiful bird bath.
It suits the bamboo garden very well.

Warmer weather has allowed me to spend more time in the garden. Division of plants are doing well and seedlings are growing. I am enjoying this project.

Wildflowers are a priority. Pasque flower is a native. She is a shy yet exotic beauty.......

now rarely seen in the wild. The name refers to Easter, when the large cup-shaped flowers unfurl on short stems from their hairy buds. They have five or six violet-purple petaloid sepals and an explosion of vibrant yellow stamens at their centre.

The leaves are bipinnate and feathery and the plant is covered in a fuzz of hairs.
Surely this must be one of our prettiest wildflowers??

Days are warm and sunny.........I saw two butterflies today, a peacock and a brimstone. Mallards and moorhen are regular visitors to the garden. Spring is here if only for a moment......mother nature often teases us during March and April, I am happy to play along with her.........

Things change in just a few days......

A week in Cornwall with Mr P was just perfect....wall to wall sunshine was a blessing. The first thing I do when I get home is walk the garden. I like to note the changes.

Daffodils are now in bloom, they do brighten dull days. Tete a tete work well here, ideal for an exposed garden.

Kilmarnock willow have broken bud. I can never walk by without touching them. Well they are very tactile, don't you think?
Cowslip are in flower ........memories of a friend who passed away. They came from her much loved cottage garden. They are very precious.........
I planted Helleborous Tutu last December. A Christmas gift from my parents. It is lovely to see her in bloom.

I am not disappointed.....she is very pretty. My collection of hellebores is increasing as the years roll by. They never fail to please me and will always be at the top of my list of favourites.

Queen bee likes Tutu......
She stayed a while ........
After visiting Helleborous White Beauty she made her way back to her nest.

It lies beneath an old oak tree. She is a clever bee......wild flowers bloom beneath the old tree in the summer. A perfect location.

"God almighty planted a garden.......and indeed it is the purest of human pleasures"........................Francis Bacon

Enjoy your garden........and count your blessings.