Thursday, 21 April 2016

A Spring garden

 It has been a changeable Spring.      One day warm and sunny, the next grey and cold.     Lots of rain.........
 The garden has coped well considering.     The smallest flowers appear to be the toughest,
 putting on a good show regardless.
 Plenty of nectar for the bees.
 At this time of year I tend to ponder........
 wondering what the following season will hold.


But for this moment I will just enjoy the birdsong, the hum of the bees and a tiny blue butterfly that keeps dancing around me as I take my photographs :)
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23 comments:

  1. Lisa at Greenbow21 April 2016 at 08:31

    So good to see you Cheryl, or at least your garden. Such beauties of spring surely do lift the spirits and make the heart sing. We are a little behind in rainfall. Crazy spring this year. Cold, hot, cold hot with a bit of rain thrown in so you don't fret much. Today it is just perfect. Had a bit of rain and the flowers are popping. We are past the tulip stage. Just a few of the late narccissus are blooming, cammassia, Kerria shrubs etc...I could go on. Lovely.

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  2. Lisa at Greenbow21 April 2016 at 08:32

    Oh the lilacs. I have a white one and a purple one. Blooming their hearts out. Smelling heavenly.

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  3. Cheryl21 April 2016 at 12:00

    Thank you Lisa.....
    a beautiful time of year.....the garden is just beginning to come to life. Lots of blossom and buds.....

    Lilac is beautiful, I love the scent wafting around the garden.

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  4. Ohmydearests22 April 2016 at 01:09

    Oh so nice to see a post from you, Cheryl! Your garden is looking so pretty! And to be fully in the moment is the best! Have a beautiful day!

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    1. Cheryl22 April 2016 at 07:51

      Thank you Jandi......being fully in the moment is certainly the best thing for me :)
      Have a lovely weekend with your lovely family.

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  5. Sallysmom22 April 2016 at 07:29

    It's wonderful to see a post from you. I love your blog. You are an amazing photographer. Your flowers are always beautiful and this year it is especially nice to see them since the voles did a number on mine this winter.

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    1. Cheryl22 April 2016 at 07:52

      Thank you for such a lovely comment Sallysmom.....

      Oh dear, pesky voles............

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  6. Amanda Peters22 April 2016 at 13:35

    Really nice to hear from you, your garden looks lovely.
    Amanda xx

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  7. elaine 22 April 2016 at 14:11

    I love this time of year when the garden starts to burst into life, full of blossom and bulbs and colour. We have had some lovely days almost like summer when I have made the most of every single bit of sunshine - but today was the complete opposite, cold and gloomy. You have some lovely plants in flower I love those delicate pale yellow flowers are they epimediums, beautiful. Remember those flowers you sent me (the name escapes me for the moment, similar to a primrose flower) well they have survived the winter and I have re-potted them hoping they will put on a good show for me in memory of a dear blogging friend.

    Everything at home is stalemate at the moment whilst everything is still drying out, a longer process than I was anticipated, because they came and ripped the ceilings down it is rather like living in a dark cave, we feel a bit like squatters in our own home - hopefully in a few months time it will all just seem like a bad dream. Take care and happy gardening.

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    1. Cheryl24 April 2016 at 03:21

      Hi Elaine,

      It is cold today, more like February. Just walked Nella and it was more a labour of love than anything.
      The pale yellow flowers are Erythronium Pagoda. A pretty little woodland plant that is quite vigorous. It is spreading along the woodland walk and is a joy to see.
      I hope your Auricula do well. You should see flowers buds low down in the leaves now. Just to say for next year, I find it is best to keep them in the same pot. After flowering I take them out of the pot.....shake off the soil, and divide if necessary, then put them in fresh soil in the same pot. This has proved to be very successful as I always get an abundance of flowers. I do hope this helps xx

      It must be awful Elaine....my heart goes out to you, it truly does. It will pass my friend......and will be one of those memories we never forget.
      Hang on in there
      xx

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    2. elaine 24 April 2016 at 06:14

      Thanks for the tip Cheryl - do you keep yours outdoors all year round. Mine are in the greenhouse at the moment but I suspect it will be too warm for them as the weather gets better - I am looking for the right place outdoors to show them to the best advantage.

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    3. Cheryl24 April 2016 at 08:13

      I keep mine in the greenhouse in the winter.....they do not like to get wet for long periods. I have thirty plants, as I divide them each year I get more and more. They are on auricula stands (as the Victorians used to keep them)
      If you keep them in the greenhouse they will be fine as long as it does not get too hot. The advantage is you will smell their divine scent (and it is divine) When flowering is over put them outside in the shade, back in the greenhouse in winter. Bit of a chore but believe me the flowers and perfume are beautiful.
      For a position in the garden remember they are alpines, so in their natural habitat would grow on top of mountains.............

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  8. elaine 22 April 2016 at 14:13

    ps. I have just remembered those plants were auriculas - my brain seems to have gone walkabout - I hope its not senility setting in lol.

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  9. FAB22 April 2016 at 15:28

    Cheryl .. A lovely set of images of what I call the 'little treasures' that lift the spirit at this time of year.

    I still have a good showing of Hellebore's interspersed with some colourful specie Tulips while the hardy perennials are providing a varied green carpet. Most of the early butterflies seem to be struggling with the chilly temperatures but I've also seen a Holly Blue flitting through.

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    1. Cheryl25 April 2016 at 07:44

      My hellebores are looking a little worn now, so it is time to cut them back. They have put on a fabulous show this year.

      Woodland flowers certainly lift the spirits....bluebells in the local woods are spectacular.

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  10. Lowcarb team member23 April 2016 at 04:58

    So lovely to see this post from you Cheryl ...
    I do hope you enjoyed your blogging break.
    I do like the new look to your blog too.

    The seasons come, the seasons go - and they always give plenty to do, but to see and enjoy the rewards is a treasure for us all.

    Have a lovely weekend

    All the best Jan

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    1. Cheryl25 April 2016 at 07:45

      Thank you Jan.

      It is gardening that keeps me sane :) I do not know where I would be without it.

      Have a good week......

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  11. Rose23 April 2016 at 05:23

    This is my favorite time of year, as you well know, Cheryl. Seeing all the color pop up in the garden after a long gray winter revitalizes me. It's a time when little blooms are much appreciated, as you say. Just yesterday I noticed blooms on an epimedium here, something I might overlook during the larger blooms of summer. We've had an up and down spring, too, with big fluctuations in the temperature from late February till now, but I think spring has finally settled in. All my tulips have been blooming this past week, so you know I have been a happy gardener:) So good to hear from you again, and hope all is well with you!

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    1. Cheryl25 April 2016 at 07:47

      I have been very disappointed with the Spring weather......it has been too cold. I know you love this time of year but my heart is still with Autumn :)
      Whenever I see tulips I think of you Rose.....Mr P loves them to and he is not a gardener. I plant them just for him to be honest. Mine are all in pots this year to deter squirrels and rabbits from cropping them. Can't speak too loudly in case they hear but it seems to be working :)

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  12. Rose23 April 2016 at 05:23

    I forgot to add how much I love the tulips in your header--beautiful colors!

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  13. Snowbird28 April 2016 at 14:00

    Oh, what a beautiful combination of priceless jewels.xxx

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