No Mow May?

This week feels as though summer has arrived with its hot, dry weather. The reminder it's still Spring is the tree pollen! I couldn't resist a few photos of the flowers in bloom at the moment. With the start of no mow May it's worth being a bit more flexible with the dates, this year's early Spring has meant leaving wilder spots earlier for earlier emerging insects and nesting birds. 

(If you can't cope with an entire lawn of unkempt grass, try leaving longer areas under trees or mow lots of paths. Or just plant some insect friendly flowers in your borders or pots.)

Spring Sunshine!

The return of longer and drier days has seen plenty of jobs to catch up on in the garden, from cleaning out the birdbaths and bird feeders to clearing the vast amount of sticks fallen from nearby trees, deposited during winter storms and mowing the lawn back into some kind of shape. (I always check to see if a frost is due overnight and don't cut if it is.) The return of blossom, daisies, dandelions, early flowers like wallflower, rosemary, wood violet, primrose and pulmonaria is good news for bees and insects. Look out for butterflies like brimstone and skipper emerging from hibernation.

To catch up on the wildlife in the garden follow my YouTube channel here.

Spring blossom and daffodils flowering in the garden at the moment.

 

 

Fresh for Spring, find art cards, small gifts and household decor in my Etsy shop now.

New pack of four handcrafted cards based on my pastel sketches of tulips.
Blank inside for your own personal messages. 

The Gardener's Pocket - A great way to say thank you or send your love to your
garden-loving friends, family.

Pretty mini flower mandala, hand-stitched onto paper, perfect for brightening up desks
or bedrooms for a moment of mindfulness in your busy day.

In the garden today...

 This was meant to be a post about what is flowering now in the garden but I was completely side-tracked by birdwatching...

Bluetits hunting for insects...

Jackdaws feeding. One bird drops the seed to the others waiting below.

Sometimes it feels like it isn't me doing the watching!
(sparrow, jackdaw, blackbird)

Flowering in the garden now are lilac, Californian lilac, knapweed, early climbing roses, clematis, Mexican orange blossom, bluebells, forget-me-knot, strawberries, snow-in-summer, heather, daisies, dandelions and white clover.

Spring arrives with Pasque Flowers & Pots of Seeds

The sudden spell in warm, dry weather has meant lots of growth in the garden and a chance to get out and get on with a bit of weeding and tidying up after such a long lockdown winter.

These Pasque Flowers are a lovely welcome sight for Easter.

The fierce frosts destroyed this old pot but the pansies it held survived, clearing up the pieces, I found this makers stamp with its pretty little flower motive intact.

Peacock butterflies have been emerging in the sudden heat this week, I guess from hibernation, a delightful distraction.

Indoors, pots of seedlings are taking over the windowsills, this week the heat beginning to make them too leggy! I've quite a few 'free plants' outside this year as well, as self seeders start to emerge, feverfew, love-in-a-mist, ox-eye daisies and strawberry plants and the warm temperatures have also meant the chance for a bit of sketching in the garden!

Wishing you Happy Easter.

Springtime in the Garden

 Happy St. David's Day!

After a weekend of beautiful blue skies & warm temperatures the little daffodils in the garden have bloomed, a lovely sight after a dismal winter. I have spotted bumble bees, honey bees & a brimstone butterfly over the weekend, along with more garden birds making the most of the sunshine.

Spring means it's time to reach for the seed tin, check what seed is still viable from last year & work out sowing times. I use a moon phase planting calendar to help plan timings. For germination, especially if sowing directly outside, it seems to help. There is a full moon towards the end of March so will aim to sow outdoors by then, if no frosts are forecast. 

I have bought some new flower seed for this year, Helianthus annuus 'Sonja' for the bees, some Mexican Marigold for companion planting, Phlox drummondii 'Creme Brulee' to fill in the borders & Brachyscome multifida 'Blue & White Mix' to use in pots for the patio. I found a few self-seeded foxgloves growing well & a few strawberry runners which have survived my neglect & the fierce recent frosts, these welcome free plants are always a bonus. 

 

Garden Stroll...