Everything has suddenly changed.



This was a month ago.



Now look at it!

My Rhuen is looking good and so it Spotty Dotty beneath it.

Some of my purchases for Malvern Show

A dolly tub to keep my potting compost in instead of having a plastic bag on show!

A lovely galvanised was tub with lid to store my grit in.

3 x Arum lilies for the side of my pond.

A good idea from Malvern Show

I think filling the gaps with slate is a wonderful idea.

On Kim Hursts stand these planters are a brilliant idea

More ideas for planters.

Malvern Spring Gardening Show

My favourite garden from the show.  I love this seat.  The planting looks as though it has been there forever.

The planting along the edge of the pool is wonderful

Malvern is my favourite 2 days out of the year!  The weather was horrible on the Thursday but the Friday was alot better. 

Woolerton Old Hall

Saturday 27th April I went for a lovely day at Woolerton Old Hall.  It was to celebrate the owners being there 30 years.  In the morning they gave a wonderful account of the last 30 years with slides.  We then had a very tasty lunch of Salmon and various naughty desserts.  In the afternoon we were free to wander around the garden and ask questions.  I asked what was John's favourite late flowering clematis (being as they usually have a wonderful display of them).   John said it was Black Prince.  I have since bought this!  It is a garden for all seasons and give me loads of inspiration.

Mascari Latifolium in its glory!

Beautiful combination

Bergenia, pulmaria, drumstick primula and primrose.

Compost

I have had my delivery of compost for the second year from Church Meadow Compost.

It proved very good last year.  It is made from sheep manure.  I had 2 cubic metres of mulch and 1 cubic metre of general purpose.  The mulch is wonderful as it is sterile and it keeps the weeds at bay.

Magnolia

My little Magnolia tree looking very pretty this year.

My other Magnolia also looking pretty.

Going, going, gone

First you need a cup of tea!

Then the job is done!  My tree surgeon son took down the fir tree by the pond in an hour or so.
All I need now is for my husband to remove the rubbish and pull the stumps out with our digger.
I want to plant a weeping willow there and a gunera by the pond.

A little experiment

I have quite a reputation for growing Rhodochiton or Chinese Purple Bell Vine!  Here is my creation from last year - a hanging basket with 3 plants in joining a pot with 3 plants in.

I will certainly do this again.  This year I am also going to try a bigger display.

I have selected this large pot plus a smaller pot and a clematis frame.

Trees

Two weeks ago I finished planting the small triangle on the side of our drive with ornamental trees.  I may add another one this Autumn.

Clematis

I have just fed all my clematis with Maxicrop seedweed feed.  I counted 52 of them!  I am sure I had more than this but some of them I have lost.  Three of the 52 do not look very lively and I have made up my mind to buy some good strong ones from Malvern when I go.  I shall choose group 3 ones so that they are flowering in July which is the month I aim to open my garden in the future.  I would like to buy
- Comtesse de bouchard, Diana's Delight, Emilia Plater, Rouge Cardinal, and Adundance.  I will pre-order some of these form Taylors Clematis and arrange to collect them from Malvern.

Is this the 8th April 2013 or 8th January?

 This is the view from our bedroom window on 8th April.  What a late spring!

This is the view from the Orchard looking out to Clee Hill, which is still snow capped after 2 weeks since it snowed very heavy up there.

This is my spring garden which should have aquilegeas and cassimas flowering by now.   Well at least something!

Spring is finally on its way!!!

Planting Rhubarb

Last week, before the extreme cold set in, I planted a section of Rhubarb cut off my main clump.  I planted it against the wall in my 'walled garden' below the Nectarine tree.  I am hoping it will like it here and hopefully in a normal season it won't get too dry.

I also planted (between the nectarine and the thornless blackberry an early Rhubarb called Timperley Early.
This one I have pruchased.

So this is Spring?



A very wintery outlook from our bedroom window this morning - 24th March!



The poor frogspawn was frozen again this morning. I wonder if they will survive?

First plug plants arrive

Last week I had some antirrhinum plug plants arrive.  The variety was Madam Butterfly.  They looked rather sad and a couple were damaged.  I have grown these for 2 years now and have found they make wonderful cut flowers.  I will plant them in one of my vegetable patches. 

Rabbit proof at last

Sunday 17th March 2013

Finally, after nearly 12 months, my garden is rabbit proof.  I had someone make me the galvanised trellis to fit our front entrance and used an old gate.  My son, David, very kindly put it all up last summer but never got around to putting the galvanised wire across to stop the rabbits.  Anyway, he finished the job last week.  It now proudly displays my old railway sign that my husband bought me for Chritmas.  I had seen the same type of sign near Perth in SW Australia last December.  He remembered and managed to find one on e-bay!

Various boundaries of the garden have been rabbit fenced at different times.  I now have a fence the whole way round!  It is the only way to stop them!  I had to repair a couple of holes that I found this week though.

Just as an extra note - these cyclamen look gorgious at the moment

Summer 2012 - A tour of my garden

My favourite part of my garden - The stream - showing off the lovely oak bridge my son David, made me last year.

My Autumn border with Rudbeckias.  Also showing part of my gravel garden.

This is my 'walled garden' or greenhouse garden.  This is my second favourite part of my garden.  I have spent many a happy hour working here on my veg raised beds made by my son Kevin and also potting up in my greenhouse.

This is a small patio area (the site of my old garden shed) looking down towards my vegetable garden and aviary.  The aviary houses 8 cockatiels and 12 foreign finches.

 The Conservatory and Patio

 The front patio showing off my arrangement of Chinese Purple Bell Vine

Or Rhodochiton.  This year I have an even bigger plan for this wonderful plant - watch this space.