The garden is blooming despite – or maybe because of – the torrential rain over the last few months. What bliss it has been to get outside over the Easter weekend, and start enjoying my little courtyard again.
The star of the show is undoubtedly my amelanchier larmarkii tree. In full blossom for just a week or so, this is just a brilliant addition for height and interest. I bought it last year to celebrate the installation of our brick path, and I have looked after it very carefully. Regular watering over last summer, a mulch in the autumn, and a feed and mulch again in early spring. So far, so good, the blossom has been really wonderful, and we love being able to look at the tree from our kitchen. If you don’t have a view, you have to create one!
Spurred on by the amelanchier success, I really wanted to try another tree. I’m talking to gardening experts all the time for work, and I hoover up their tips, and jot them down in my notebook. Crab apples are often mentioned as suitable for smaller plots, so I have been thinking about adding one for a while. I consulted the experts at Frank P Matthews tree nursery, and I was told that ‘Everest’ is a beauty, as she has lovely blossom, good autumn colour, and lots of little red fruits which cling on to the tree through the winter. So you get lots of interest through the seasons from one small tree. I was kindly gifted my tree from Frank P Matthews, which is a Worcestershire-based nursery. A 2m tall box arrived by courier in early March. I’d already bought a huge terracotta pot in the B&Q sale over winter, so I was all set to plant. I used John Innes No.3 compost, and added some blood, fish and bone and a bit of peat-free multi purpose compost too.
A few weeks later….this is what’s come through…the bees are already buzzing around it.
I’m so pleased with it, and can’t wait to watch it through the seasons. A really strong and healthy tree, and I would recommend the company for well-priced stock.
It’s tulip time again, and although I didn’t splash out quite as much as in previous years, I do have some lovely flowers from past and new bulbs. These ‘Ballerina’ are thriving in my little cutting patch at my parents’ cottage. The tulips had a previous life at my house in containers, and then after a season, I put them in the ground. They clearly like it, as they’ve multiplied and look so pretty. Mum and Dad are delighted!
I had enough tulips to cut some for a jug, which is amazing. Usually I just leave them to be enjoyed in situ.
Talking of spring blooms, I had a lovely invitation to look at the Dazzling Daffodils display at Hever Castle a few weeks ago. Around 250,000 bloom in these beautiful gardens in Sussex.
I really recommend this as a day out. It’s quite a drive for us, so we stayed with some friends in Kent.
This is the area known as Anne Boleyn’s Orchard. Henry VIII’s wife grew up here and had a happy childhood by all accounts.
Here are some early tulips sneaking into the picture!
Back home at Easter, we had a relaxed few days pottering about. A parkrun, a family lunch, a sunny walk and some baking. I made a lemon cake and hot cross bun brownies.
And of course no Bank Holiday would be complete without a car boot sale to go to! I picked up this very handsome white planter, unrecognisable in the mud, but transformed into the perfect home for a few early herbs.
I had another vintage find recently, too. This wasn’t a bargain, but it is very beautiful and just the right colour for my garden.
It matches my jumper, too! Pure coincidence, of course.
I’ve got some exciting small projects on the go outside, including planting up my new raised bed, and installing some new garden furniture. But more of that another time. I hope you are enjoying the milder days and the occasional dry one. I’ll be back soon with more garden updates.