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