After the coldest march since records began isn't it glorious to feel that spring has finally begun. I know it's a bit changeable at the moment, but gone is that biting cold we endured for so long, and when the sun does shine it feels like bliss.
The seventh of the month saw the first day for us, that suggested a real change was afoot. It even felt warm enough to enjoy our first outdoor lunch of the year. Such a lift to the spirits. As we sat, a great tit sang from the trees at the end of the garden, ringing out it's notes so loudly it seemed to cry; "Thank God for that! Now to make up for lost time!" Having soaked up some of the delicious rays Suesie and I couldn't resist it any longer; we gathered our beloved tools and gardened furiously!
The area planned for the autumn sowing of our new meadow, we've chosen to grow in the meantime, as a native cornfield annuals patch. Having already cultivated the area, the soil was dry enough to rake to a fine tilth, hand sow the mix, then lightly tread the seed into the soil. We then securely netted the area against cats and left the rain to do it's magic.
There's something so exciting about sowing seeds! intoxicated with the thrill of it all I couldn't resist the urge to sow a few trays of purple loosestrife, betony, and foxglove; seed that we'd collected from our own plants last year. These we placed in our newly purchased grow-house.
The seventh of the month saw the first day for us, that suggested a real change was afoot. It even felt warm enough to enjoy our first outdoor lunch of the year. Such a lift to the spirits. As we sat, a great tit sang from the trees at the end of the garden, ringing out it's notes so loudly it seemed to cry; "Thank God for that! Now to make up for lost time!" Having soaked up some of the delicious rays Suesie and I couldn't resist it any longer; we gathered our beloved tools and gardened furiously!
The area planned for the autumn sowing of our new meadow, we've chosen to grow in the meantime, as a native cornfield annuals patch. Having already cultivated the area, the soil was dry enough to rake to a fine tilth, hand sow the mix, then lightly tread the seed into the soil. We then securely netted the area against cats and left the rain to do it's magic.
There's something so exciting about sowing seeds! intoxicated with the thrill of it all I couldn't resist the urge to sow a few trays of purple loosestrife, betony, and foxglove; seed that we'd collected from our own plants last year. These we placed in our newly purchased grow-house.
Amazingly, most our plants have fared pretty well from the ravages of the cold. They've certainly been set back though. This time last year our frtitillarias were in bloom! Only a single shoot can be found at the moment. Pond skaters too have yet to reappear. But a pair of big water boatmen can usually be seen rowing lazily around plus a few water-skimming spiders, either on the surface or scurrying through the grassy edge. And on the 7th, what a joy it was to discover that a few tiny tadpoles had hatched! After all that snow and ice we were very worried for their survival. Today's peek revealed masses have hatched; much more than last year.
Flowers in bloom include; daffadils, dog violets and a carpet of gorgeous primroses. Garlic mustard seedlings have germinated at the foot of the bay tree, lilly of the valley is poking through and old man's beard is beginning to burst into leaf. Other sightings include a chiff chaff; one of the summer migrant birds, taking a bath in the pond.
It's exciting to wonder how the garden will unfold and mature this year, with established wildflowers spreading and maybe flowering for the first time, new ones to plant, and new features and habitats to create.
Flowers in bloom include; daffadils, dog violets and a carpet of gorgeous primroses. Garlic mustard seedlings have germinated at the foot of the bay tree, lilly of the valley is poking through and old man's beard is beginning to burst into leaf. Other sightings include a chiff chaff; one of the summer migrant birds, taking a bath in the pond.
It's exciting to wonder how the garden will unfold and mature this year, with established wildflowers spreading and maybe flowering for the first time, new ones to plant, and new features and habitats to create.