Day 25 of the 100 day project
Today is a classic example of a British April day. This morning started sunny. Ian was going to Manchester to prepare elder son's garden for turfing. We had been intending to go and work together but the forecast was for rain and showers and I was pretty sure that my improving cold did not need a morning digging in the rain. So I stayed home and, contrary as an April day, the sun kept shining. I decided to walk down to the river as part of trying to reclaim my pre-winter fitness. It is easy to go down but a long old slog up and if I want to continue to climb hills I have to continue to climb hills.
Over the garden gate the wind is blowing the sun and clouds about and the birds are singing.
I walk down quickly, listening to birdsong, noticing the wood anenomes starring the sides of the path. At the bottom of the hill the highland cattle are out, drowsing in the sun.
By the side of the river, still fast and full, the kingcups are shining. Their yellow could almost be too much except that in spring yellow is the right colour, the colour of sun and new life. I walk back up without stopping, a bit warm and a bit out of breath but that is good.
Then I decide to go to the garden centre to buy some more long lasting wallflowers for the lead planters. I often use Erysimum Bowles mauve and they seem to love container life. They flower and flower and need very little attention. Our local garden centre has had a bit of a makeover. Some of that has had good results in that the small cafe is now a large and very good cafe and the range of plants has increased. The downside seems to be that the price of plants has shot up. I had wondered about buying yet more foxgloves. I love the white ones. I just couldn't bring myself to pay the price they were asking for them so I came home with my new wallflowers but without the foxgloves. A few years ago I would have grown all these from seed but I seem to have abandoned growing from seed as part of having to turn my back on the garden (see blog from day 11 of the project as to why!). Maybe I need to think about that and decide whether it is worth the price of buying plants rather than seed in order to have the right number and to be able to cope with our not being here all the time. Seeds need attention and with all our children and new grandchildren spread around the country I don't want to feel that I can't spend time with them all because my seeds need me!
But here are the wallflowers, apricot orange for a change, waiting to go in the planter.
April in Wales is a changeable month. The sunshine of this morning has been blown away and rain is lashing against the windows. No wonder it is all so very green. If it dries up for long enough I shall go and put the new plants in. In the meantime I shall give some time to my Welsh homework. How did I ever find time to go out to work? It seems like another life.
Over the garden gate the wind is blowing the sun and clouds about and the birds are singing.
I walk down quickly, listening to birdsong, noticing the wood anenomes starring the sides of the path. At the bottom of the hill the highland cattle are out, drowsing in the sun.
By the side of the river, still fast and full, the kingcups are shining. Their yellow could almost be too much except that in spring yellow is the right colour, the colour of sun and new life. I walk back up without stopping, a bit warm and a bit out of breath but that is good.
Then I decide to go to the garden centre to buy some more long lasting wallflowers for the lead planters. I often use Erysimum Bowles mauve and they seem to love container life. They flower and flower and need very little attention. Our local garden centre has had a bit of a makeover. Some of that has had good results in that the small cafe is now a large and very good cafe and the range of plants has increased. The downside seems to be that the price of plants has shot up. I had wondered about buying yet more foxgloves. I love the white ones. I just couldn't bring myself to pay the price they were asking for them so I came home with my new wallflowers but without the foxgloves. A few years ago I would have grown all these from seed but I seem to have abandoned growing from seed as part of having to turn my back on the garden (see blog from day 11 of the project as to why!). Maybe I need to think about that and decide whether it is worth the price of buying plants rather than seed in order to have the right number and to be able to cope with our not being here all the time. Seeds need attention and with all our children and new grandchildren spread around the country I don't want to feel that I can't spend time with them all because my seeds need me!
But here are the wallflowers, apricot orange for a change, waiting to go in the planter.
April in Wales is a changeable month. The sunshine of this morning has been blown away and rain is lashing against the windows. No wonder it is all so very green. If it dries up for long enough I shall go and put the new plants in. In the meantime I shall give some time to my Welsh homework. How did I ever find time to go out to work? It seems like another life.
My brother and his wife have also changed their gardening habits to cope with children and grandchildren living in three different countries (yes, not counties!). It seems to be the way of things now. I never go anywhere (!) and love growing from seed, but not everything. I will happily buy some annuals for instant colour. It is lovely to plant, though, and watch things grow. I don't think any gardener loses that.
ReplyDeleteThree countries! Wow. I shall count myself lucky. I suppose we have two countries, Wales for us and the families of the two daughters, England for the families of the two sons. Mind you, one of my English friends said innocently when elder daughter was moving from Oxford to South Wales that I must be so pleased she was moving closer. It was actually quicker to get to Oxford than the present drive from north to South Wales!
DeleteWhen I saw that first picture, I gasped at its beauty. You live in a lovely, lovely area.
ReplyDeleteI started my seeds in March but they have not grown well and are spindly. The other day I went to a new, super-sized nursery that is run by the super-farmers, the Amish. Their plants were big, healthy and inexpensive. Between the potting soil, the seeds and shipping costs, I think that I spent more on my seed plants than what it would have cost me for the ones they were selling. I will stick with what I have and hope for the best, but will rethink my efforts for next year.
Thank you. It is a very beautiful area and we don't take it for granted! I love the sound of the Amish nursery. I bet the plants are very well grown!
DeleteI'm just pathetically grateful if anything grows at all, however it starts off !
ReplyDeleteAnd I have to buy tomato plants because summer's not endless here .
We need to start tomatoes very early here in the house. Ian does it as he is in charge of veg! If we don't get them going in February we end up with a lot of unripened crop even though they grow in the greenhouse.
DeleteWales and Ireland share the glorious greenery and the weather plays such a big part in it. We had a similar day yesterday but also frequent showers of massive hailstones added to the mix. Not gardeningl weather at all.
ReplyDeleteWell at least we have been spared the hailstones!
DeleteSo right about hills. It's the same with stairs.
ReplyDeleteI've been pleased with Rocket Gardens. They get me past the tricky stage of germination and repotting but I still feel as though I have done most of the gardening. My tomatoes started from seed are almost certainly doomed to failure this year.
Must have a look at rocket Gardens.haven't come across them before and they may be a good answer !
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