End of Month: March 2015

 

 

I love this time of change!

The view from the kitchen door improves daily as the bulbs come into flower and the perennials come to life. 

 

 

 

I have tidied this bed but obviously the sun improves the view too!!

We have blackbirds nesting in the laurel, robins in the hedge and collard doves, wood pigeons, goldfinches, great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, green finches and dunnocks visit the feeders daily ..... and the squirrels!

 

 

 

The daffodils and primulas have added cheer to the back of the garden.  I had a bit of a problem with the large honeysuckle growing over the far fence today.  We have had 60 mph winds and it came away from the fence and trellis.  It was really heavy and fighting me as I tried to tie it up again.  A neighbour's fence blew down last month ... it cost £500 to repair so I was conscious of not putting too much strain on the panels.  Fingers crossed it survives the next few days of strong winds.

 

The front of the garden has taken up quite a lot of my time and attention this week.  It began as an unsightly mess!

 

 

 

Just removing the dead leaves helped but I added some primulas to the half barrel, moved some of the larger aquilegia from the allotment to improve the display in June and scattered last year's poppy seeds.

 

The lane itself is now in my sights.  I have a couple of neighbours prepared to help dig up the bindweed and I have 30 packets of wild flower seeds to sow.  I began the transformation by tidying up the bit outside my house.

 

Here is a half and half photo showing a bit I have done and a bit to do.

 

The lane belongs to all the residents Derry Lane.  The original hand written house deeds of 1865 explain that the land belonged to John Derry and on his death the plot was divided into four areas with seven houses built: one for his daughter and six for tenants.  The lane gives access for "horse carriages, visitors and servants" and residents share the cost of its upkeep. 

 

 

Everything planted under the hedge has grown from cuttings from my garden.  Aquilegia, sedum, corn flowers, blue geranium, snow in the summer, oriental poppy, achillea and daffodils are all doing well.  Can't wait to get the wild flowers growing.

 

Visit Patient Gardener for more End of the Month views.