A STROLL ROUND THE GARDEN

Well it seems ages since I asked you to pop by and have a drink with me. So as a bit of a belated birthday celebration why don't you stop and raise a glass and take a look around the garden.

Wasn't it a chilly night here in Suffolk last night. I'm glad I'd tucked all the tender plants away in the shed and greenhouse.It was a real herringbone sky this morning..click and take a closer look at that cloud just above the treeIsn't this Iris a beauty...just perfect......

and the first of the Senetti flowers is out. I love the colour of this one.

Oops...just realised I've had the Morning Glory seeds soaking for two days; you can see their little roots starting to emerge...pour yourself a drink while I get them potted up.......

These black tulips are living up to their name...Queen of the Night

and the little Leopard's Bane we bought at Roys is flowering..........

I'm so glad the slight frosts haven't affected the Camellia flowers too much..........

and the two tone colour of the variegated perennial Wallflower is really unusual.

Don't you just adore the new red shoots of the Pieris

I'm so thrilled that my experiment of overwintering some Canna in the ground has worked; there are quite a few of these shoots coming through.

Ukbob has just recently bought a Lady Boothby climbing Fuchsia. We've had ours a few years now and it's just starting to shoot.
This is a relative of the Gunnera; but this is an "ickle" one; the leaves only grow to 4 inches at the most in our pond.

I'm so glad this fern is coming through; it's Ursula's Red ................

The begonia baskets are doing well.................
the first sign of a flower bud already!!!

I must plant these Anemone De Caan corms.....I just poke my finger in the soil down a couple of cms and pop them in.
Gosh we've even got some buds on the Acer dissectum...never had those before!

These are the Strawberry Spinach seedlings I've got to plant out. Scarecrow has given me a link to some great information (which includes a warning!)....click HERE to read it. Oh and you must visit her hubby's The Frugal World of Doc blog when you have a moment.....I'd highly recommend it...there are recipes, toys to make and lots more
Ruby is looking so much better than last Autumn...her move to the front garden has suited her.

I know it was in a photo recently but I just love this Cerinthe.........just look at the colour of it's "flowers"........
Hack's Red is still flowering well....it's in a pot...no room in the soil and is getting a bit leggy...I'll give it a prune when the flowers are over.....

Oh I didn't realise how late it's getting...the sun's going down

think we'll call that it for today. See you next time and HAPPY GARDENING!

SNAP HAPPY

Managed to get out and about yesterday so made the most of it and took a few photos. The first two were taken as I pushed Mick to the shops; a couple of sure signs of Spring. I'd love those blue Irises in our garden.
When we got back from the shops, although it has seemed slightly warmer the ice on the pond cover had still not completely melted.Though it hadn't worried the frogs who had laid a new batch of spawn.Looking around the garden I realised that we are now starting to accumulate a few different Narcissi which range both in colour and size. This photo is of our smallest and largest.
I know I've been trying to resist photos of plants that are just shooting through the soil; but had to take this photo of one of our Peonys....I love the colour of the red shoots.
The Pulmanaria is starting to flower; these blue flowers will fade into shades of pink.
The Epymidium flowers look almost jewel like
as do "Rubys"Our Camellia buds are swelling...not long now.......it is in the shadiest part of our garden, by the kitchen door and NEVER receives any direct sunlight.

Mick's Hack's Red is starting to flower, It struggles a little in a pot but seems to be doing well.

Our Pieris are in pots too...all that feeding last year with potash and acid feed has paid off.

Another "shooting" plant.....the pink Dicentra is already showing its buds
And this little bedding begonia that has been outside through two winters now has managed to survive the cold snap of the last week

Really couldn't resist another Pleione photo; the buds actually emerge from the soil.

and last but not least; isn't it incredible how plants will pop up where you least expect them. This Violet is growing in the gap between the wood of the trough.

As we have no visitors this weekend I'm hoping to get time to pot on some of the seedlings I have growing. When I sowed them I was short of compost so the seed trays are not full; I think the seedlings could do with some more growing space now.....I'm going to enjoy this job...even if I do have to do it indoors.

FANCY A WALK?

Look at this!!!....it's finally stopped raining and blue skies ahead. We can't stay indoors in this weather so no tea today.







We'll take the hip flask just in case of emergencies!

That's good the sun is slowly creeping down as far as the pond. The frogs will like that.

I don't believe this...the phantom rubbish dumpers have been at work again! The dustmen haven't taken it so I guess it's going to mean numerous phone calls to the Fly Tipping Dept. to get it cleared.

Must have a look at my friend, Sue's Camellia. She is very proud that hers is out before our white one. Guess who pointed it out to her though!

Her trough of snowdrops and hyacinth is doing well too.









So nice to get out into the open air.











And look at the sky now..........lovely!.........and feeling quite warm.









I do like nosing at other people's gardens





Nice heather in bloom over this wall.









Looks like the council are taking down more trees. I know it's a shame to see them cut down but when the council planted them umpteen years ago I don't think they'd allowed for growth. There have been a lot of problems for some houses as the tree roots are getting into the footings. I'll point out the one outside our house when we get back home.





They are ruining the pavements too. Not very wheelchair friendly!

Look at this cat snuggled up in the Forsythia; almost missed that.











It so difficult to get along these small pavements with all the brambles sticking out. If they grow much more - which they will- poor Mick's legs will be cut to ribbons. I may have to start carrying secateurs with me. You may laugh but we know from last year that these brambles never get cut back.




Now this dumped rubbish would be handy if we could get it home. Just imagine that filled with chamomile or thyme. What a fragrant garden seat that would be.







These little daffs are coming out nicely; last year they got mown off before they came into flower. Heartbreaking!








They may be a lawn grower's nightmare but I love seeing Daisies in the grass.








Really warming up now; and this last stretch home is all UPHILL.








Phew that's handy. We spotted Manda on her way back from a meeting at Nicole's school. Just in time to do the uphill push.

Now you see the tree next to the lamp post......that's our front garden and house to the left of it. It's a council owned tree on council land but we have to pay extra house insurance because of it!

Well thanks for joining us. It was nice to have company. Let's hope the good weather continues; may get a sit in the garden soon!

Don't forget to pop over to Claire's; she is growing herbs for the Great Pip Challenge and is having some good results.