Walkie 'round the garden....

[Mrs Ava]

It has been such a lovely bright weekend that I have really had a good look around at what is growing in the garden and things have all started to sprout now.  I have mecanopisis, both blue and white and they have put on amazing amounts of growth so I am hoping for flowers this year.  My Pulsatilla is still weeny, but growing...maybe next year it will flower for me.  My blousy perennial poppies are getting bigger by the day and I can't wait for them to flower and aquilegias are everywhere, which isn't a complaint.  There are big buds on my 3 apple trees and 2 cherries, altho I didn't see any on the pear tree, the fruit bushes in the garden that I was planning to dig up, then didn't have the heart, are covered in flowers and the strawberries in the playgarden and looking green and lovely so will hopefully do the business for daughter number one.  All in all, everything is growing well and looking wonderful, EXCEPT, not a hosta in site!  Now I am not hosta mad, but do appreciate their lush leaves against the other plants, and I do like their flowers.  I have looked closely at the soil, and as yet, they are not revealing themselves.  Guess I am just being impatient.....after all, I would have thought, even if the slugs were grazing them, some would peek through!

[Mrs Ava]

[Tulipa]

Your garden sounds lovley, but just wanted to let you know there is no sign of a hosta here yet either!

[slugcatcher]

EJ
Your garden does sound very nice.

Just to let you now I have just been and had a look and the Hostas are about half an inch through the soil in my garden. I am in Lancashire and they get the early morning sun if that makes any difference
Ron

[wardy]

I went to the south coast for the weekend and I noticed how further on all the trees, shrubs and flowers were from those in Derbyshire.  No sign of magnolias, wallflowers or girl thingy willow up here.  Down on the coast everything is blossoming.

[Mrs Ava]

The Magnolias here are looking wonderful.  One day I will get myself one!  We are quite behind as the crocus are just begining to go over and some of my daffs are still in bud!  Had a good root around again this morning (re-edged lawn, scarified it, airated it, top dressed it, seeded it, collapsed in a heap!) and still not a hosta in site!!!!  Hope they come up soon!!!!

Thanks for the kind words about the garden.  I love it but a designer I am not.  I just adore growing things so in they go.  Colours clash, tall things are at the front, small things at the back, you have to clamber through a massive grass to get at the loganberries, but I have really made it my own, and it is a lovely size for the kids to romp about in.

[aquilegia]

EJ - garden design is overrated. My theory is that gardens should evolve and change, not by geometrically plotted before hand on paper. I know if any of the top designers looked at my garden, they'd say it's a mess, it doesn't flow, the colours clash, big things in front of little things, everything crammed in (I hate seeing bare soil), etc, all the sins you've committed. But I love it! I love hidden things, it's like a real surprise when you find it. I'll finish my rant by saying a garden should reflect the personality of its creator, not some pre-described rules of someone else. My certainly reflects me: it's chaotic, ramshackle, slightly nuts, but beautiful (well, maybe not the last one!)

Anyway - I think your garden sounds lovely!

My hostas aren't up yet either.

[moonbells]

oops just posted a similar thread having totally failed to see this one. Blindus battus strikes again - sorry!

moonbells

[Val]

 I didn't realise they died down in the winter :D. I put some in for the first time last year and as they looked very eaten in the autumn I assumed they'd gone forever...Well I might get them back after all. 8)

[Amazin]

I agree whoeheartedly with Aquilegia. My design? I want a garden where no matter where I stand, sit or hobble, I can see or smell something I like, and that's what I've got.  Every plant a wanted plant!