Old And New

 As the days warm up and frequent showers fall on the garden dormant plants that been sleeping over the winter come back to life.This is the Peony Sarah Bernhardt that I could not remember if I had moved it.She had moved about six inches away from where she was before.I hope that this plant flowers this year.It is marked out by a green wire cage which will help support the big leaves.I love the ruby red colour of the newly grown stems and leaves.I have high hopes for this flowering plant.

 In the pot where I planted the white Tulips the Japanese Painted Fern is regrowing.I thought it has died off over the winter.I was pleasantly surprised to see its fronds uncurling from the base.It is hard to photograph with the soil background!

 Cats Dicentra is another plant that dies back every winter and regrows each year with a vigour.It has already got some heart shaped flowers on it.I have to wait for more to grow to get a closer picture of the jewel like pendulum under the heart.

 Between the conservatory wall and the fence there are two Honeysuckles growing in a pot up some Trellis.I had no flowers from these last year so I'm hopeful they will flower in a month or two.Honeysuckle is a wonderful smelling flower and attracts Bees and insects.

 The Frog is now hung up on a hook by the brick wall.He is showing a little rust and his limbs have been battered out of shape a little.I am an avid Frog collector and I love his design.

 I was busy today sowing more seeds.This time I sowed Purple Haze Carrots, and a pot of Coriander.I sowed Basil,Chives,and Russian Tarragon a few days ago.I cleared the old Strawberries from this herb planter.The new Strawberry Amelia plants have gone into the revamped compost.The old Strawberries were cleaned up of old dead stems and planted into the sleeper bed.I hope for masses of juicy red Strawberries in time for Wimbledon this July.One has grown the first flower of the year already.I bought some plastic balls which will hold Canes to make a cage structure to hold the netting over it.

 This plant is from a Braeburn Apple Pip I sowed last year.It is very vigorous.I am trying an experiment to see how long it takes for it to make apples.This will go to the allotment if it keeps on growing as a long term project.

 I ordered some White Pine berry plants from Crocus because my Wilkinson's free ones died in the snow and ice.These are established plants with good root growth.They are now planted in a planter alongside the greenhouse,just under the Pear Tree.They will grow white Strawberrys that taste of Pineapple.Im dying to see what they taste like.

 I have been musing for a while about getting some Bamboos in pots to break up the monotony of the fence.I wanted some vertical planting to add some interest.I have medium sized Roses,Hostas, and a few willow wigwam structures.I read that Black Bamboo can be grown in pots,and can be split once they fill the pots up.Today as i was in the garden the delivery man brought the Strawberry plants in a box,and these three netted Phyllostachys Nigra's.

 They are now sat in front of our heavy slabs with new sticks to try to keep them upright.I assume the Bamboos will stiffen up.

 They have these lovely dark stems that rise up to the green leaves.

They make a lovely whooshing noise as the Yorkshire wind goes through them.I hope Cat likes my new purchase!
  The April rain has already fallen onto them.Once I finish working this week I need to go shopping for more potting compost,and three large pots for the Bamboos to live in.It has been a good day for old plants,and the arrival of new plants.