Has Spring Sprung?...

Despite yesterday’s cold, wet, windy weather, today it’s positively spring-like, with blue skies and sunshine. The primulas are beginning to flower and the jasmine and magnolia are in bud.

The parsley, chives, rosemary and thyme have all managed to survive the winter and are providing some greenery. Crocuses are beginning to show the promise of flowering and the tete-a-tete daffodils I planted, which had already flowered on my kitchen windowsill, appear to be attempting to flower a second time.

The buddleia is as strong as ever and I’m hopeful for a decent show of blooms this summer. The baby bees remain safe in their house by the water butt.

There’s still a nip in the air, and there’s dull and wet weather forecast for the week ahead, but for now I shall begin to enjoy what appears to be the changing of the season…

MARCH 3, 2014  

Busy Bees...

Well, we’ve finally got some decent sunshine and at last the red jasmine has begun to flower, along with the thyme. The bees have been so busy making homes in my old baked-bean tin house I decided to make another one (this time with a small cardboard container, covered in selotape to help with waterproofing). Last year there were just 4 bees living in there but this year there’s an increase in numbers and I may well hit double-figures!

Annoyingly, this weather has brought with it the caterpillars that love to munch on the leaves of cherry trees. I keep removing them (carefully as they give you a rash) but my poor foliage looks decidedly ragged now.

My donated lobelias sadly didn’t make it so it was off to tescos for some last-minute purchases. Four trays of 20 mixed lobelias for just £10, which I thought was quite a good deal. Lets hope this lot fair better…

JUNE 7, 2013