April foliage

On the last day of April 2009: Some of the eye catching foliage in the garden in April.

The emerging fronds of the Lady Fern, Athyrium filix-famina

This is one of many perennial ferns I have in the garden. It's preference would be to be in shade but tolerates its sunny position at the foot of the steps upto the circular lawn.

Astrantia major 'Sunningdale Variegated' with golden feverfew

The leaves of this Astrantia positively glow in the evening at this time of year. They become more subdued later in the summer as the white flowers start to appear. With all Astrantias: cut back close to ground after flowering. This will give new foliage and a late show of flowers.

Golden Feverfew self seeds through out the garden. Any sign of the plain green variety are pulled up.

April flowers

On the last day of April 2009: Some of the photos of flowers in my garden during April that I haven't included in other April posts.

White snakeshead fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris alba)

This Fritillary grows in the grass under the Rowan tree where I just leave it be. It gets included in lawn mowing routine only when it has finished flowering. I also have the basic type of Snakes Head Fritillery.

Tulip 'Queen of the Night' in front of a grass with a red potentilla at its feet.

This plant combination has changed in the two weeks since I took this photo, with the potentilla sending out taller flower stalks.

Spirea Arguta 'Bridal Wreath'

On the other side of the grass from the last photo, this shrub was planted last year. As it grows I will remove the grass and look at what I can underplant its arching stems with.

Leopard's Bane (Doronicum orientale)

Another photo from two weeks ago: the Berberis the Dorinicum is planted in front of is now in full flower (as can be seen here). The orange and yellow planting group is added to by a parrot tulip which is just coming into flower.

I will take a photo of the group as a whole over the weekend when, hopefully, the tulip will be fully out.

Apple blossom and other April smells

The forecast was always touch and go for us today. Windy and overcast all day. Time spent in the greenhouse pricking out seedlings where more than one had mistakenly been sown in one plug. Also sowed some cos lettuce.

The late narcissi start the month off from a strong perfume point of view. At this end of the month the Daphne by the back door (photo is here) vies with the Apple blossom. Last week the Daphne was the strongest as the apple blossom was still in bud.

What a difference a week makes! The apples are in full bloom and fill the garden with scent despite the strong wind. I have six apple trees that are grown as esapliers providing a screen between the main part of the garden and the vegetable patch. One day I hope to come across the list of the types of apples I planted, some 15 years ago now. I can only remember two of them - 'Katie' and a Russet.

Apple Blossom

Malus 'John Downie' (Crab Apple) in the front garden

The Berberis can't compete, at the moment, unless you are up close to it!

Berberis x stenophylla (Hedge Barberry)

The Berberis grows as part of the back hedge. We inherited it with the garden and it was some years old then. It gets cut back when we prune the hedge over the summer months.

Planting plan: along the back of the house

Very windy today, and has been for a few days now. Some rain overnight. Heard the first cuckoo today, although others have reported hearing it a week or so back.

Along the back wall of the house there are two borders which face SE so get the sun until mid afternoon. With the patio to the front of each border plants can overflow the boundaries - within reason.

The smallest border, more of a planting pocket as it is all of 1m square, has one of the water butts on one side of it. Growing behind/over the butt is a variegated Jasmine: this Jasmine is slightly tender but appears to have survived the hard winter. Two Rosemary plants should mask the front but aren't obeying orders. At ground level Hypericum reptans - an alpine variant of St John's Wort - and a light pink Diascia that peeps through the rosemary during the summer (normally sold as a hardy annual, I replace if it doesn't survive the winter).

The main border is about 7m long by 2m deep - the depth is an average as the front edge is staggered.

I have roughly divided the description of the plants I have in this border into blocks. It is by no means as rigorous as it sounds with many of the plants repeated in other 'blocks'. It also makes it sound larger - but this is the easiest way I can see of describing it without a picture. Photos to follow later in the year of course!

From left to right (when looking at the house):

- The first planting block is not very deep. On the wall growing up a trellis is the purple vine vitus vinifera 'Purpurea' (grows to 6m tall) through which the late flowering Clematis viticella Venose Violacea (hard prune in spring) grows. In front of this there is Philadelphus Manteau D'Hermine. The daylily 'Sammy Russell' overlaps between this area and the next....

- The second block steps out a bit further into the paved area. At the back Echinops Ritro with Astrantia Major 'Hapsden Blood' and the deep purple Geranium pheum in the front. The last two are just coming into flower. The glorious Geranium 'Ann Folkard' scrambles through the whole of the two middle sections during the summer. Self seeded golden feverfew add additional gold highlights.

- The third block was backed with Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) last year. This is a binennial plant that has self sown in the past - no signs of seedlings as yet. Gladiolus byzantinus (common name Sword Lily) is centre stage early summer surrounded by Astrantia Maxima, and more hardy gernanium (pink flowering) later on. The Eryngium I planted a few years back showed its form for the first time last year and the growth is showing strong and promising for a good display of its blue heads for this year.

- Rosa 'The Fairy' is meant to be a low growing variety (75cm with similar spread). Mine is a 15 year old specimen that stands at closer to 1.5m. It blooms all summer long and last year had a few flowers on it at Christmas! Chives and the species osteospermum (hardy in my garden) front it.

- The last block, closest to the back door, has Euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen' growing up the wall (it grows as a shrub but willingly grows upwards when placed against a vertical structure). Daphne tangeutica (in flower now and scenting the air), Penstemon (similar colouring although not actually 'Heavenly Blue') and a splendid hardy deep pink Geranium that I must get the name of from my mother front it.

Daphne tangeutica backed by Euonymous 'Silver Queen'

To do in this border in 2009:

• Find replacement for Clary Sage if they do not appear.
  
• If Clary Sage does flower then collect seed from it.
  
• In autumn split the Astrantia Major 'Hapsden Blood'


• Plant an annual that has brick red colouring in it to stop the Daylily standing out so much. OR split and move it next year.

Sowing and planting in April

Weather today started off very unpromising - strong cold easterly wind - but developed by early afternoon into what was forecast, a sunny day with light wind.

Tiarella 'Braveheart' newly planted into the space cleared amongst the spurge

Tiarella is a member of the Heucheura family. I have much admired the small spikes of flowers in other gardens in previous years and now, finally, can admire them in mine!

In the greenhouse

Last weekend I sowed:

- Sweetcorn Conqueror. I tried these last year and they weren't happy with the wet windy summer we had. Seeds left over, so I am trying again and hope for better sucess.

- Courgette Defender F1

- Runner Bean 'Scarlet Emperor'. Sown in the cardboard inners from loo rolls

- 'Summer flowers' a freebie from a UKTI event I attended. A picture of a sunflower on the front but the seeds inside (embedded in a paper circle) look too small. Always nice to have a surprise... I think.


Today I sowed:

- Cosmos. I am taking part in a Gardeners Which? trial for this variety of Cosmos and also for a new mini squash (to be sown at the end of the month).

Just after the start of April I also planted summer flowering bulbs/tubers into large pots

- Dahlia Canary Fubuki - Height 130cm/52" - a tall yellow variety

- Dahlia Purple Haze - height 70cm/28" - picture shows more fushia pink than purple

- Dahlia Chic - height 40cm/16" - 'peony' yellow flowers with dark foliage

- Eucomis Bicolour, the Pineapple Lily - height 50cm/20" - flowers July to Sept - not frost hardy (as for dahlia really)

- Tigridia Canariensas - height 30-60cm/12-24". Plant 3" deep, 2" apart. Needs lifting and storing overwinter

- Leucojum Astivum Gravetye Giant (Summer Snowflake) - height 30 cm/12". Bought these bulbs in the autumn and never got round to planting them (they should be in flower now). Hope they will forgive me and flower next year!

In the flower borders
Today: Tairella - see above! Saxigrage in front of the Daylily 'Sunnybells'

In the Vegetable Patch

One row of Spring Onion 'White Lisbon' and another of Carrot 'Nigel F1 Hybrid' between the red onions. I have room for a couple more rows of each.

Two half rows of Beetroot 'Boltardy' and Turnip 'Golden Ball' in between the parsnip rows.

I will update this post over the next 2 weeks so I have one place to refer back to for April!

Last of early spring flowers and going potty

The weather today has been as predicted - early light rain and cloud clearing to a sunny afternoon. Two of the three waterbutts are full. The third isn't, which makes me suspect a blocked drain pipe, and the pond is still a good inch plus below full. The House Martins have a lot of repair work to do on their nests so do hope that there is enough mud around for them.

The arrival of the House Martins made me aware of the last of what I would deem early spring flowers. The last of the Narcissi in my garden are the most perfumed.

Double flowered late flowering narcissi

Very last blossoms on Amalanchia lamarckii (Snowy mesipilis)

Amalanchia is my favourite spring flowering shrub, one of the reasons being that it has an added bonus of red autumn leaves. It can grow to a small tree - mine got moved as part of the redesign 5 years ago and pruned back heavily at that time. It has stayed shrub height ever since although I would love for it to be a small tree again!

The first of the photos of the mid spring flowerings is a pairing I particularly like - pure green and white. Taking it made me aware about how the Hosta leaves had rapidly appeared in the last few days. I have a number growing in pots that have overwintered against the house wall. Lo and behold the pot grown hostas were even more advanced than the one below, so my main task today has been to top dress all pots and move those that have been in shelter further out towards their summer placings.

Dicentra Spectabilis Alba (White Beelding Heart/Dutchman's Britches) behind variegated Hosta

in the small bed to the left of the pond

The Dicentra is happy in light shade but also in full sun, which is where this grouping is, as long as it stays moist. It dies back after flowering (mid-late summer). Penstomen 'Garnet' then covers the area. Dicentra needs a 'do not disturb' sign on. Its brittle roots do not lend well to splitting or moving. In theory you can take root cuttings in spring.

I think the Hosta is named 'Francee'. At the least it is very similar. It survives the sun as it will be shaded by Solomon's Seal, Penstemon and ferns within a few weeks. Being so close to the pond this hosta is protected from slug damage by the resident frogs and toads. The pots with Hostas and Lilies in them have a ring of copper tape just below the rim. Very effective!

My big tip for Hostas - to retain the leaves as the main feature remove all flower spikes. If you don't then the plant will lose vigour much earlier. Hosta flower spikes last well as a cut flower.

The House Martins have arrived!

We have had some decent rain today - finally. The water butts should be full again by tomorrow and the pond getting close to being at a decent level. Don't think I have had such low levels in both in April before.

Turned over the compost heap yesterday: it has also been suffering from lack of rain and was very dry in the centre. I will check it again this weekend and add a watering can of water if it is still dry.

An exciting week for the bird life in the garden: the first House Martins arrived back on Wednesday! Each year we have at least 6 nesting pairs under the eaves at the back of the house. Their chatter and aerial acrobatics more than compensate for the mess they make of the window sills and ground under their nests.

The bird feeder attracted new visitors:

-a pair of Siskins at the start of the week. Such a pretty bird, more delicate and vibrant in colour than the greenfinch

- a pair of what I am sure were Lesser Redpolls a finch with a red patch on their heads. I tried to take a photo of them and ended up frightening them away :(

A relatively frequent visitor: the Greater Spotted Woodpecker enjoying the 'fat balls'

Spurge out

Gardening in shorts (no one was watching) and first bbq of the year today. AKA nice weather!

Tackled the narrow bed at the foot of the hedge at the back of the garden. The chickens added encouragement for the first part until they got bored with the lack of worms attached to the weeds I was throwing them.

Then moved to the bed under the silver birch (mentioned in a number of earlier posts but photo in this one) to remove some of the spurge that has spread beyond where it should be including into the ferns that are now beginning to unfurl.

Tulip 'Fur Elise' in front of an ornamental grass

Last weekend - as in 4/5th April - lawn feed and weed

Some rain finally. 'Some' as in the weather forecast was for torrential rain but we only got a light overnight shower. 'Finally' as in the ground is parched; on heavy clay this is not good.

Although Mr B is, in theory at least, in charge of the lawn I took control of the spring 'feed and weed' to make the most of the first rain for weeks. Used Evergreen's complete formula and scattered on Friday 3rd April. Could have done with more rain to water it in and I can still, some 10 days later, see some of the granules. The first four cuts of the lawn after application will be put on the field side of the hedge as mulch and to avoid adding weedkiller to the compost heap.

Forcer off rhubarb and first stems harvested (twist off rather than cut btw!)

Springing bursting out - in yellow

The colour that is most associated with spring!

Epimedium Sulpheureum

The display of flowers and new leaves are the main reason for cutting back the old leaves. Always glad when I have remembered to to this.

Dwarf Narcissi 'Tete a tete' in the border against the back of the house

Daffodils and spurge under the silver birch

Those nodding heads!



One of my favourites - common primrose

Forsythea

Spring bursting out all over - in blue

Forget-me-not self seeded at the edge of the bed under the silver birch

Scillia



Bi coloured Grape Hyacinth