Paint Box Colours

   Cat planted all the Rose pots last year with spare Pansy plants.They have over wintered and now are blooming away like mad in a paint box explosion of bright colours.Each flower has a unique pattern and colour, testing the Nikons sensors to colour.

The purple and white Pansys have striking petals and the colours look like a face.They are cheeky garden spirits.I love the yellow centre with just a hint of red around the yellow eye.                     

  This one has a burnt orange colour, contrasting to the green leaves below.

 A red Pansy with a dark centre.

 The Red and Yellow pattern with red patches on the lower petals.These are lovely plants and have been growing away with not much help from me. On Gardeners World a grower suggested cutting them back hard in the summer, so they flower sporadically over Autumn and Winter, and then explode into colour the following Spring.It is like a firework display under the Roses. A multi coloured dance troop, support flowers before the main event of the Roses flowering.

   The Hostas are growing away fast now, they seem to develop even bigger leaves than before.The top dressing has inspired them to grow healthy leaves.They are bordered by baskets, willow wigwams, and The Lady Emma Hamilton Rose.The Cherry Tree Mertons Glory is on the far right with the newly developing yellow Cherries.

The first Strawberry flower growing in the sleeper bed.I need to construct a frame to put the netting over the fruits when they develop.I have four different Stawberries growing. Two in bags( Amelia Jane, and Mara De Bois), the raised sleeper bed which has mostly Elsanta and other unnamed Varieties being grown before we bought the house, and the White Pineberries.
  The rain and sunshine has caused the plants to start growing towards the sky.they have been flat to the soil for the winter.
 There is a Bramley Apple Tree, Gooseberry Bush, and Raspberry canes growing besides the Strawberries. A mini soft fruit oasis near to the Rose bench.
  There are nine days left untill the 100th RHS Chelsea flower show.I will devour the BBCs coverage of it and admire all the gardens. Im looking forward to seeing if Prince Harry goes to his charitys garden.Apparently they sold all the tickets within a few days.They put it down to public interest in his garden.
 Gnomes will be allowed for one year only.I have my Grandads gnomes in the greenhouse.They are old, and worn thin.I love the cheekiness of them.They are not to everyones taste however.I am still looking for some Pink Lawn Flamingoes, much loved in Florida.The garden is already full with a cat,a Crocodile, the classical female Statue, various Frogs, and a weather beaten metal Buddah.They add some uniquesness to the garden.
 I mentioned on twitter earlier that the Chinese Tree Peony has a second flower bud. The first one is losing the papery casing covering it.I am excited.It will be the plants third growing season, and we have not had a flower yet..
 The Rhododendron Sappho is opening its first flower too in the pot by the backdoor.I'm excited about seeing it rebloom.I bought three Rhodies. One is growing in the front garden (the Purple Splendour), and the Sappho in the pot. The third Rhodie looked diseased and died.
 The Peony Sarah Bernhardt is also growing lots of flower buds for the first time.It is also the plants third season.These exotic plants are teaching me patience, and the joy of seeing a plant flower for the first time.
  All the Roses have new leaves and are looking healthy.I used some powdered Rose food this year, and will do when they have bloomed.The Wollerton Old Hall, and Moliniux look good.The Hybrid Tea Queen Elizabeth has such delicate small green and red leaves, compared to the Lady Emma Hamilton.
 The Rose Gertrude Jekyll is also looking healthy growing through the support ring.I hope she blooms lots as i love the scent and pink flowers.The nations favourite Rose according to a recent poll.
 I want to buy an Iceberg Rose, which I saw was on the Chelsea flower shows plant of the centenery. They have picked a plant for every ten years, and the public get to vote for their favourite.My Streptocarpus Harlequin is on the list too.I had an Iceberg Rose but had to leave it behind when we moved.I answered a question about it on email and feel nostalgic for it.The trouble is im running out of places to plant more Roses.I need to win the lottery to buy a house with a bigger garden!
 Despite the rain I love venturing out to see what has grown on, or bloomed.

Nine Colours Of My May Garden

   I took lots of photos today in the garden, and finally worked out how to shrink the photos to a smaller size for the blog posts.I think this is a Wild Viola that has self seeded in the Hosta pot.you can see the lilac petals and hairy throat.It is about the size of my little finger nail.You get the full effect bent down low to see it flowering.It will be shaded out soon by the unfurling Hosta leaves.

 In the square pot on the small patio coffee table the orange Geum is beginning to get ready to flower.There is a big Geum Mrs Bradshaw growing in the sunken border just besides the path.

 The Chinese Tree Peony has one big flower bud, and that is starting to open up.It is boxed in by the mad growth of the Dicentra.

 From small beginnings this plant has grown massively.It is maybe three times the size of a few years ago.Every autumn it dies back to the ground and miraculously sprouts from the earth in March.It is now festooned in pendulous heart shaped flowers.

 I love the graceful leaves and the way the flowers sway in the wind.

 The Aquilegias are getting ready to flower too, under the fading green and white Tulip. I love the contrast of colours.

 The Kerria is ablaze with colour with its yellow and white pom pom flowers.It has masses of green stems covered in these flowers.Its like an air stream of yellow sunshine.

 The free Spalding Bulbs have flowered.The exotic lovely looking Tibetan Peacock Orchid. The third bulb has just leaves at the moment.I will be interested to see how they grow once the flowers have finished.I think the leaves make another pseudo bulb separate from this years, and that is what over winters in a frost free place ready for growing on next March.

The Japanese painted Fern has regrown from the centre of this pot.I let lots of moss grow to insulate the fern, and to stop it from drying out.It looks beautiful with the multi coloured ferny leaves.
  There is so much growing.Its hard to know what to photograph.There are still more photos for me to share.The May garden is full of jewelled flowers.
 I will watch Gardeners World soon on you view. They are coming from the Malvern Spring Flower Show.
  I re potted my two types of Cabbages, Noelle and Wingedstadt.I planted the Presto Blue and White Petunias in two hanging baskets.I potted up the newest Petunias Blackberry Sour F1 with purple and lime green flowers.I hope the baskets will be contrasting but pretty to look at.
 The only plants I am waiting for is the Night Phlox.They will join the Sweet Peas, Lilac Tree, Honeysuckle, and Nemesia Vanilla scent to fragrance the garden near to the Rose bench.
 My Fryers Rose Scent Sation has finally grown some buds on the cut stems.It has me worried that all the Roses have leaves and it was just bare stems.I'm pleased to see the pink buds swelling along the stems and the base.It needs good growth of leaves to put energy into more root production.
  In the Greenhouse there are lots of trays of Vegetable plants growing on.I have about four weeks to get them to the allotment before i go to New Zealand.I am gardening against the clock, and will leave Cat instructions for me three weeks away.
  The May sunshine and showers have invigorated the garden.There is a real energy, and you can see developments every day just walking around and looking.

Sunday May Day Weekend

   Its the Mayday bank holiday weekend.The sun was shining today and I spent the morning re potting the greenhouse Vegetable plants that needed their own space. Cabbage, Kohl Rabi, two lots of French Beans, and two Chili plants.These Tulips glow when the sunlight illuminates their petals.

 At the Spring flower show I bought two New Hostas. Both in exotic new colours for our collection. One has ghostly white leaves (Hosta White Feather), and the other has yellow leaves with speckled red stems (Hosta Fire Island).These will contrast with the various greens and blues that we have growing in pots.

 Amazingly this year the Merton Glory Cherry Tree is festooned in Cherry Blossom.I hope I can eat these delicious yellow Cherries. Alas the Morello Cherry is all leaves and no blossom!I wander if they trimmed off all off last years growth that would have had this years cherries?

 The Cherry blossom is white with lime green centres, and smells of warm almonds.The Bees should pollinate them hopefully in these sunny days.

The wet 2012 has rotted a lot of the Tulips and Asiatic Lily's.This White and green tulip has amazing colours.There are only two growing in the garden.I cannot remember what the name is.The second one was found growing amongst the Dicentra.Green and white petals look cool against the primulas, Buttercups, and Aquilegias.
 I'm working the next two days.I hope it is as nice as it was today.

Flower Show Eve

 It was a lovely sunny day earlier.I went to the allotment first to sow all the vegetable seeds that need to be sown in situ at the allotments raised beds.There were bee's and butterflies flitting around the plot.I came home later and took some flower photos.
 The Astilbe has regrown from the soil near the pond.It is a deep red colour at the moment which will change to green once it matures.the frothy flowers will look good by the pond.The Marsh Marigolds are in flower too.

  The unknown plant flowering by the greenhouse.I love the sweet smelling flowers.An ant kindly walked across the flowers for me as I took the photo.

 These delicate white flowers are weeds growing in the moss covered pot of the Japanese Painted Fern.I love the contrast between the white, and the cool green.There is a bulb growing out on the left hand side and don't know what it is until it flowers.I plant so many new things year after year its hard to keep track.Especially plants that die back into the earth over the winter.

 The pink Hyacinths that are were indoor flowering have now flowered outdoors.They are a lovely candy stick smell.Sickly sweet but Delicious.

The sunken border is awash with colour of Primulas,Tulips, and the greens of the Geraniums and Aquilegias. The Dark leaves of the Sambuca float above the colour.
 Tomorrow is the first day of the Harrogate spring flower show.The cold snap has meant it really is springtime.I look forward to seeing all the new things that are there, and all the old favourites.
 I will buy a few plants and sundries I bet to make the garden even more beautiful.I'm looking forward to seeing if they have obtained 2000 pop bottles to make a full size greenhouse with just garden canes and bottles.
      http://www.flowershow.org.uk/
I enjoy the feel good vibe, music, food, and flowers.It feels like the start of the gardening year.

Day Off Post

 I spent a relaxing day today cooking a lamb dinner, messing around in the garden, re potting some plants, and looking at all the new growth appearing all over the back garden.This lovely burnt orange Tulip began to open today.I love the contrast against the peacock blue primulas.

 The Tulip has streaks of green running along the petals.These are beautiful flowers that appear like brightly colored jewels in the green of the sunken border.

 The Daffodils that flowered late seem to have gone over rather quickly.The wind and the birds have damaged some of the stems.They look pretty nodding in the breeze.

 I finally planted my two Clematis into the Honeysuckle pot.One on either side should give purple and pink flowers beneath the Honeysuckle and climb over the bare lower woody stems.

I had some Bunny Tails seed heads from last years grasses.In the winter I planted them in a pot and left them in the greenhouse.It has grown into this lovely clump of Bunny Tails.the inflorescence's look like a rabbits tail.They will make more seeds on these flowers.I can perpetuate them from one year to the next.I re potted it today to see if i can make the clump larger.
 I used my worm compost from the Hungry bin to re pot the Tomato Brandy wine.Fifteen plants are now ready to grow away vigorously.I re potted the Tomato chocolate Cherry that I bought from Hampsons. I tried to grow them last year and failed dismally.
 I potted the Petunia Presto plants (white, and blue) into individual pots.I want to grow them on  for a month before they get put into the hanging baskets.
 I have a lot of Sweet Williams in the baskets at the moment.They are tough and have survived the wet 2012, and the cold start to 2013.They seem to be perennials.
 The sun was shining today for a while and it felt like spring.The garden is gathering pace, and the plants are eagerly growing in the warm sunshine.We had a few passing April showers too.
 I will draw for the bulbs tonight and post them to the lucky winner.I thought more people would have wanted them.
 All the photos have been taken on the new camera.I am slowly getting used to it.The garden has so much growing that i have a ready supply of subjects to photograph.

Flowers And Bees

   The days are getting longer and the flowers seem to be blooming in earnest now.This first photo taken on the new Nikon camera is Pelagonium Lotus Land.It looked very sickly over the winter but has revived in the spring.I bought the scented Rose Of Attar, and Lotus Land at a flower show.I love the delicate salmon pink flower with orange stamen.

 When I was working two boxes came through the post. Fothergills have dispatched my twenty Petunia Presto plug plants. White and blue for the hanging baskets in the garden.

 I bought these beautiful Pansy's the other day called Orange Duo.I love the bright vibrant colours.I have not decided where they are going yet so they are sat on the patio table.

 The Marsh Marigolds have begun to flower.I have four plants growing around the edge of the pond.They are beautiful marginal plants, a British wildflower of riverbanks and stream sides.They are so delicate looking, like chunky buttercups.

 The shed mouse was out and about today eating fallen birdseed on the concrete path under the grey plastic chairs.He sat for an hour nibbling fallen Niger seeds.

 I planted the Heather a few days ago and the local Bees have already found their way to it.A spring nectar source.

 I saw about five Bee's today flying about.the garden has a good selection of flowers for them to feed on after their winter rest.

 The Heathers are sat next to a blue Fir tree, and the resurgent Geranium Cranes bill.It has grown really well since the few days of rain and sunshine.

The last photo shows the Dicentra Spectablis (Bleeding Heart).It has bushed up massively after the rain.It will grow up between the Sambuca Nigra.
  There is still two days left for the free bulb prize draw.The lovely exotic looking Tibetan Peacock Orchids are waiting for a new home.Email me your address details by 5pm Sunday .
  The Petunias need potting on to grow a bit more before being planted. I have Gladiolus, Anemone De Caens, Freesias, and the Pansy's to plant on Sunday.I hope the weather will be good to get to the allotment to sow my seeds, and for the garden to plant all the above.

Spring Spung and Sun

 The sun was shining today and after a good nights sleep I felt fine.There was a strong wind blowing the garden around.Half my Daffodils are prostate now after the wind has blown them over.The warmth and little rain has made everything grow in a few days frenzied action.

 The Dicentra has gone from a few buds growing from the soil to a good clump of leaves. The Geraniums in the sunken border have suddenly grown rapidly.The recent rain shower then sunshine encourages new growth to speed up.
 I bought more garden things today.I am lethal in Hampsons or Wilkos at this time of the year.I have a card and will use it.
  I bought some solar Tiffany lights, some Gladiolus, Ranunculus, and Turtle Head flower plant.I bought two trays of Pansy's for the garden and baskets.White, and the Tri Color one photographed.I also bought Spring Onion and Japanese Spring Onion seeds to grow on the patio.
  The greenhouse has started to germinate all the seeds that I have planted in the sunshine.The only two not germinating is the Jalapeno Summer Heat, and the Tomato Gardeners Delight.
 Even the second wave of Cabbages have begun to germinate, and the slow growing Celeriac Monarch is regally germinating (at last!). It really feels like Spring has sprung.