I've been like a woman possessed since we got home from Mallorca & we've had all this wonderful sunshine. I've been busy planting seeds & begonias for my new baskets & taking cuttings in my little growhouse.
The biggest change to the cosmetics of the garden is the addition of some new gravel to hide the scruffy tarmac & drain cover which have been my main bug bear ever since I started the garden from scratch. I'm very pleased with the result & I think you'll agree that it is a big improvement. Have a look around!
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| This lovely creature was a recent birthday present from some dear friends & looks delightful at the base of my cherry tree especially when the solar lights come on at night. |
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| A newly painted bench courtesy of Mr Frosty |
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| The roses are coming to life & looking healthy & full of promise |
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| My mini alpine garden with resident Buddha |
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| The strawberry pot all planted up with ivy leaf geraniums with will look a picture when they all flower. |
I think we were all lulled into thinking during that gorgeous spell of warmth & sunshine that spring had arrived & winter was behind us. Wrong!! As we all know that wind started to howl & the rain lashed. I think we can be cautiously optimistic now & the garden is certainly springing to life. I'm out there at every opportunity & to the neglect of other things like the housework (!!) & even my other love, my crafting.
I actually counted my pots & containers yesterday which are increasing by the day it seems-big mistake.....I'm up to 85 at the moment. Actually make that 86 I bought another this morning to house the standard fuchsia I'm nurturing. Of course that doesn't include the 3 hanging baskets which I've just planted up either & then there's.......oh dear! I'm going to regret this when it comes to watering every night, still my eye is on that prize again this year!!
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| New fuchsias |
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| Fairy corner |
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| My roses are looking good |
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| New patio sweet peas |
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| New bird bath in my revamped cottage garden |
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| I'm so pleased with the new look the gravel has provided
Spring is around the corner & I'm just itching to get out on my garden now. I have great plans for it this year too!! I've never been a fan of hanging baskets but...watch this space!! There are a couple of areas just crying out for them. I just have to persuade Mr Frosty to put up some brackets for me!
Yesterday I took delivery of a dwarf cherry tree, a dwarf variegated holly tree, a viburnum (that one was free so should do really well!) & 2 climbers- Campsis. These have brightly coloured bell like flowers & you see them in almost every garden in Mallorca. I invested some of my prize money from the Exmouth in Bloom competition in a lovely new glazed pot for my cherry tree. All my new plants are Mr Frosty's birthday present for me - well a bit early!!
We've been having some gorgeous sunshine so I thought I'd take a few photos of my new plants & some of my spring flowers- this is for you Angela!
Wow it's been a great year in my English garden & I'm absolutely thrilled!! With the great summer we've had the garden thrived & my flowers were spectacular this year. I was amazed when I was awarded not one but two first prizes in the Exmouth in bloom competition as it was the first year I had even entered (Best Container Garden Best Small Garden under 12ft)
I was coerced into entering by my neighbour Steve who had been the previous winner for many years (sorry Steve!) & I'm so excited to have won. Here's my garden this year & if you scroll down & look at last years pics there's quite a difference!         2013 My second passion after crafting is my garden. I've always loved to grow & nurture plants & flowers. I come from a tradition of gardeners, both my grandfathers were keen gardeners & I spent many a happy hour as a kid hanging around allotments & proudly tending my very own lettuces, carrots & flowers. In latter years I had my own allotment which I shared with my own Dad & that was a very special time in life never to come again. Now I tend 2 gardens, my English one & my Spanish, one totally different in their challenges. Of course my Spanish one does have to be virtually self reliant as I'm only able to give it some attention when we visit our house when ever we can but it's amazing how it survives. My English garden is still a work in progress as we have only lived in our house for 2 years & I started the garden from scratch as I did the Spanish one. My English garden is quite small but enough for me to manage with a dodgy back & wonky hips & besides there's my crafting too isn't there?
My English Garden
 ENGLAND -APRIL 2013
Finally I got to get out there today to have a good tidy up. The ground is so wet but I at last got to plant my 3 new roses, can't remember their names but a white, a bright pink & an orange. Love roses, they do their best for you without too much hassle. Of course they get their problems like black spot, rust & greenfly but nothing a regular spray won't keep under control (yes I spray- so there!). Apart from that just some feed & a regular dead head session to keep them flowering all summer & autumn. There's nothing I love more is to go out there with my secateurs on a summer's evening when the heat of the day is dying down & just gently potter & water. Bliss! Bring it on!
Here's a look at the garden so far
 Looking a little bare & uninteresting at the moment but watch this space!!  My Japanese Acers are just coming to life  An unwanted visitor !  My little "pop-up" greenhouse. This area becomes my gravel garden later.  My patio roses & Clematis are under way at last 
I even have my own little shed - every girl should have one!!
Well that's all for now- ooh my back! Time for a cuppa I think!
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