At Last

Hooray for sunshine at last - with the slightest touch of warmth. Torrential showers yesterday with warm sun has lead to a sudden surge in growth - lush green growth that slugs love.

I had a busy planting out day...dahlias, cosmos, snapdragons, bells of ireland, more cornflowers, lavender, calendula, echiums, annual lupins (Pink Fairy & Sunrise), annual gypsophila (elegans deep rose), the kitchen sink.

The veg garden is still so behind - will plant out rest of peas and beans tomorrow, and direct sow some more bits and pieces.

Now is the time to sow biennials, I'm quite excited as the beds are starting to fill out, the alliums are bursting forth, the peonies are in bud. Yippee!

It's Been So Long

I can't believe it's the middle of May..really can't believe it, with January temperatures and the flowers all at least a month behind, I found it hard to pull myself out of bed this morning. Four degrees, north winds and rain - so cold and wet but by lunchtime, the wind dropped, the rain stopped and the sun came out. What a difference....so I ploughed on and cleared all of the pots at the back of the tunnel, throwing out the no hopers and winter casualties, refreshed those that looked healthy enough to either plant out or sell. I then cleared the tunnel of the rest of the annuals that need hardened off - set in a sheltered spot and brought back in overnight. I need everything out so that I can start sowing my biennials - don't even ask about the veg garden - I'm waking in the night with a jolt at how pathetically behind I am in the veg department.

This evening I had a walk around before heading home..........things are really starting to grow, at last, especially the weeds...say no more.

Shady Shenanigans

I have fallen in love with shady gardens, I think it's a novelty thing - the vast majority of our garden is open and sunny but recently I've developed a few shady areas. Any excuse for new plants, although mostly I have pinched bits and pieces from elsewhere - sweet woodruff, aquilegia, foxgloves, ladys mantle, japanese anemones, ferns and some bulbs that I had in pots. I also want to move some lily of the valley. 

I have three epimediums in the garden - Sulphureum, warleyense and rubrum - they are all beautiful - you have to get close to the flowers to really appreciate them...they are low maintenance - cut the old leaves away in late winter, don't feed them, just lightly mulch with leaf mould and wait....day by day I can't help but check on their progress - the flowers emerge from the base of the plant and unfurl as they open....so delicate. Plants For Shade is a great website to inspire you when planting a shady area.

This lovely photo is from Edrom Nurseries who also specialise in shady plants and post to Northern Ireland.