Spring is sprung....well almost

My pansies just keep growing........... and the slugs are no where to be seen Hurrah!  I have three little pots which Sophie put together for me.

This hanging basket is over a year old and has not stopped blooming...all the way through winter as well.  I have not got a clue why or how it has managed this but thank you garden centre for selling me a plant that I can not kill!!

Cheerful little Forget-me-Knots.

I love dandelions at this stage, so delicate.

My clematis is in full boom and going berserk.  Last year it did nothing so this is a bit of a build up.

Another Sophie creation.  She is getting quite good at this gardening lark!

There is more that is starting to "Spring " in to life but more on that later on.

The garden is finally getting there, just a few more cut flowers and bright colours, after 15 years of trying I have managed to work out exactly what I can and can not grow.

Take care all.

xx

The Guy's are back!

They started opening up Friday afternoon and the rain  last Saturday seemed to stop everything.

Then on Sunday most of them burst out in their full glory!

Welcome back guys, summer has now truly started and I am now going to look forward to the masses of other flowers to burst open!
Take Care.
xx
PS I am reeeealllllly pleased with the first picture which I took after the rain had stopped.

Home grown - Summer Flowers

Ever since visiting Hardy's cottage as part of the National Trust many years ago, I have always wanted to try and have a cottage style garden with lots of flowers which are suitable for cutting and having indoors.

Well finally this year I have grown some pinks that are now ready for cutting. I added the plants last summer and left it as much as possible and this year they have gone mad and I cut the above this afternoon.

I have also planted some other plants this year which will not really flower properly until next year.  I have added many that are bee friendly which should help my apple trees as well.  We have painted the house this last half term and sorted out some other little jobs in the garden so that hopefully if we have a nice summer we can  sit outside and enjoy it.

Today it has been very hot, in the shade it was 29 degrees and 40+ in the sun so under an umbrella I was marking and it made it go much more happily.

Tomorrow I need to put some plants in that I bought this  weekend but I wanted to give them a thorough water first due to the hot weather.

So another week at work but it is now the 2 week countdown before our school trip to Spain with 46 students and 6 staff!

Watch this space.

Hope you all had the lovely weekend that Cornwall was able to enjoy.

Take care.

xxx

BBC CountryFILE - Grow Wild Seeds

Recently we watched an episode of Countryfile and they were promoting growing wild flowers in gardens.

So I sent off for a packet of seeds and the other day they arrived in the envelope above.  I got really excited and today I am going to dodge the rain and sow them.

On the back of the packet it says that I should hopefully get:

"a mix of annuals and perennials such as

 corncockle, corn poppy, meadow buttercup and red campion.

So please keep your fingers crossed and I will let you now what happens in a few weeks time.

Happy Sunday.

xx

This is more like it!!!!

Some flowers are now starting to bloom in the garden such as this Aquiligia.

I pruned my lovely clematis a few weeks ago, thinking that I had left it a bit late but look what I found yesterday!  Lots and lots of lovely flowers.

I am hoping that I will be able to take those green covers of the gaden furniture at some point. Lovely blue skies and plenty of warm sun meant that I got my first outdoor dried wash of the year!!  Love the smell of washing hung outside.

This is one of my favourite plants in the garden and it bloomed a few weeks ago.  The hard rain last week nearly finished it off but quite a few flowers are still intacted.

Sophie's play house....opps I meant newly named Design Studio... is looking good after a cold winter.  Everything is now growing quickly and flower bubs are fit to burst open.

These two fellas are looking after everything for us and spin round every now and then if the wind picks up.

This Azalea did not do very well last year but has already made an effort to bloom.

I was hoping that today was the first of several days but tomorrow is uncertain.  Anyway, a sign of things to come.

What sort of day did you have?

Let Your Garden Grow............

After I lost my one woman battle with the garden slugs last Christmas I made a New Year Resolution to stop trying to grow veg and turn to flowers instead.

The weather has been awful for us humans but by golly has my garden loved it!!!

The above honeysuckle is in its 2nd year and has by far the most flowers on it this year.

Lovely delicate petals.

Beautiful shaped flowers.

Of course my beloved Ox-eye daisies.

Borage, which the Bees go mad for!

We planted Pinks for the first time this year and have had some lovely blooms.  We hope they will spread over the coming year.

I have always had good success with Geraniums.  Sophie brought one home from school to grow and measure and basically keep a diary on it as part of her science lessons in Year 3.  Well it is still going and blooms all year round!!  It loves my kitchen windowsill.

Our Leeks did not do anything at all but the flowers that are created if you leave them are a perfect ball shape made up of lots of little flower heads.

Very unusual flower.

My little herb garden is happily doing its own thing as well.  Can not eat it fast enough.  The hydrangeas, Hollyhock gift, hanging baskets have survived past the 1st of August as well.  So the rain has been good for the garden and my first season on my flower garden project is off to a good start!

The Bees love it and so far I have found plants that the slugs do not seem to be so keen on.

I also love my little camera, taking pictures of plants is really enjoyable.  Some of these pictures will be made into cards as well.

xx