Wednesday 13th April

I escaped work on time today allowing me to catch the last of the sun in the Magic Garden sitting in a surprisingly mild feeling wind. Ben-cat joined me while I had a cup of tea. The daffodils are going over now with the wind & yesterday’s rain hastening events. The Magic Garden is greening up rapidly though and bare earth is becoming more of a rarity.

I’m currently thinking about painting the fence and having bought a couple of tester pots tried them on spare bits of wood left over from the fence. The colours are smoke grey and arctic blue. I’ve painted the back piece of the rocking chair in the grey and think this will be the end choice.

The other maintenance task planned for sooner rather than later is to re-gravel the paths. I can hear my back complaining already! Hopefully the weather will play ball over the Easter weekend - its allowed to rain while I work but some sun on Easter Sunday would be a real treat.

Damp

Today was disappointingly wet given I was not at work but it was probably good for the garden. In amongst my food shopping I bought some osteospermums from the supermarket - they were lovely plants & should be white and blue when they flower. I decided to put them straight out in the Magic Garden during a dry period. I used the white ones underneath the rowan tree and the blue ones to fill in gaps along the sides of the south path.

Ben was surprisingly keen on being outside mainly to sit on the arbour seat & watch me as I filled up the cold frame with seedlings / young plants. I did a little weeding. I left the self seeded aquilegia in place.

Dandelions

Ben had the run of the Magic Garden today while I was at work. He wasn’t initially impressed with the idea but he had found the biscuits in the summerhouse so he must have had a happy snooze in there too. Beyond refreshing those biscuits and putting the hedgehogs’ food out, I spent only a few moments outside in the dark. I was pleased to note that the dandelion, that I probably should pull up, outside the patio doors is in full flower.

Dandelions are also known as piss-in-the-bed owing to its diuretic effects from dandelion tea. Its used for lots of other herbal medicine but with little evidence.

I tend to allow dandelions to grow, partly because it would be pointless to do otherwise but also because I know that both bees and butterflies appreciate their early blooming. There are lots blooming along the road verges at present which is always cheering to see. Ben was just glad to come in for a nap.

Palm Sunday

I had a satisfying afternoon in the Magic Garden clearing the border along the fence between my neighbours and me. It was mainly about clearing excess geraniums and weeding. I tied in the climbing rose a bit more and further along a honeysuckle and the ivy. .

I have tidied up the patio a little and am now thinking about what vegetables and salad to grow in the troughs.

I found a wee violet in the Magic patch next to the arch. It is so very delicate.

I enjoyed a few minutes just watching the dunnocks.

Saturday 9th April

My social life took priority today but I still took a bit of time to sit in the Magic Garden and watch the birds at the end of the day. The wood pigeons and collard doves are in amorous mode at present. I am always struck by how much bigger and greedier the wood pigeons are with their constant calling of ‘Eleri said’

I love all the daffodils but I think the yellow ones with orange centres are the most ‘daffodilly’ in the Magic Garden although the white ones are special too.

The hellebores are still lovely but are going over now & some are a bit scruffy. They will soon be swamped by other plants as the herbaceous perennials are getting going. Last year’s bedding is coming on well now too!

Friday evening

It was rather special to arrive home early enough to sit in the Magic Garden in the sun, admittedly with rather a lot of layers on as its still chilly. The sun was full onto my garden rocking chair and the summerhouse is my evening refuge as the season goes on for this reason.

Ben is re-discovering the various potted catnip plants around the garden as well as continuing to ‘cultivate’ the ones in the back corner.

Wet day

Today it was wet until late afternoon so it was mainly a day for other activities but I did have another seed sowing session as well as looking after the cuttings and seedlings that I have already. The first sunflowers are just coming through and I have just sown a new set of sunflowers in an ever optimistic approach

The sunflowers are both in tribute to the people of Ukraine and to remember my father. He never knew that the last sunflowers he sowed flowered spectacularly - the first time he had succeeded in Badachro. I similarly have always failed but am very determined this year.

The rudbeckia I pricked out are doing ok although they need more light. The swan river daisies are going to be the next needing pricking out.

At the end of the day it stopped raining so Ben & I went out to play.

Day Off

I took a day off today and have to confess that beyond going for a long walk by the sea I did very little else but I did sit in the sun in the Magic Garden although it was distinctly chilly owing to the wind. I love the way each day at the moment the garden is waking up.

The apples are nearly all coming into blossom. I found this almost white snakehead fritillary in amongst those next to the rhubarb.

The weeds are also up and running, quite literally in the case of the stinging nettles. These are in the back corner and to an extent I allow them to grow as I think they have a role in the Magic Garden and in being good for caterpillars. They are perennial and would be difficult to eradicate but I do try and stop the patch getting any bigger.

I’m less tolerant of sticky willy (goose grass) which is more prevalent than it used to be. I dislike Petty Spurge too as its a euphorbia and hence produces irritant.

Tuesday 5th April

It is supposedly mild today but its felt chilly to me all day with the wind coming off the sea. Ben wasn’t that keen on being outside either. I caught a glimpse of blue below the wee blackcurrant bush next to the arbour seat and hiding amongst yet more dusky cranesbill were little sweet violets (Viola odorata)

In the back corner there is already dusky cranesbill out & both the red & white valerian are showing signs of coming into flower too by the pond

Ben adding his editorial comments!

On the other side of the pond the spirea is beautiful & the broom is already yellow with potential.

Sweetpeas

I love sweetpeas with their delicate scent & pretty flowers - a love that my sister shared and so I always try to grow some in her memory. I tend not to be terribly successful with the annual ones but have go a couple of perennial ones in the back garden that always romp away. This year though I’m making a determined effort to have some annual ones and yesterday I planted out some of this year’s sowings. Monty Don put his out on Friday’s Gardeners’ World so I’ll blame him if this lot fails! I do have my fallback collection which I won’t put out for a couple of weeks yet.

I was pleased to find that they had survived their first night and first gusts of wind, rather better than the white daffodils have done. There are three sorts I have planted out half of my Spencers mixed, a new one to me ‘Breath of fresh Air’ and a single colour ‘Blue Velvet’.

Sunday 3rd April

Its been chilly here today although the sun was out this morning. I got on with more planting out and simple maintenance in the Magic Garden.

Meconopsis alba

Erysimum ‘Apricot Delight’

Meconopsis baileyi

I planted out the blue & white meconopsis plants into the back corner having filled up with some ericaceous compost to provide acidity & added in a gallardia to addd some bright yellow in later in the season. I’m pleased with how the ‘wild’ corner is coming on as a proper herbaceous border. I planted a second erysimum, that I had been tempted into buying when I went to get more seed compost, under the rowan tree.

I tidied up the Thyme zone planting in replacement thymes, cleaning the paving stones & putting down new white chippings. It rather emphasises the need for more gravel for the pathways and I need to find red chippings too.

Sunny Saturday

It has been a lovely sunny Saturday if somewhat cold. I am tired so have had a quiet day enjoying the Magic Garden with Ben. I emptied out the cold frame of the aquilegia I sowed last autumn, more foxgloves & red achillea (Cerise Queen). The latter are destined for the front garden as I have a large one in the Magic Garden already. I’m thinking of putting the foxgloves along the back fence. I’m hoping the aquilegia will bulk up quickly to match those already in the garden.

I sat in the Magic Garden to enjoy the sunshine in my garden rocking chair looking across the garden. Ben was quite keen to be around me while I was outside although I think some of that was optimism about when I might be persuaded to feed him.

The cold frame is currently stuck in the side passage & I was surprised that Ben thought it made for a good place to perch & relieved he is not any heavier. There is a tub of tulips round there & I was surprised that one was out, even more so as it was white rather than the red & yellow flowers.

April 1st 2022

I’ve had a bit of a bad day, starting with waking up to snow this morning. Fortunately this seemed to be a dusting in the garden and on the roads even if the car was rather well coated. For various reasons it was well gone 7 pm before I left work so I feel a bit cheated on fresh air. Ben is not overly impressed either. I’m hoping for a good sleep tonight and at least some sunshine tomorrow, or a bit of dry during the day tomorrow.

When I have been out and about recently I have been eyeing up other people’s gardens. My bird cherries have some way to go before they have enough blossom to match. After I told my mum about the flowering currant I’ve been jealous of for most of March she suggested I try striking a cutting. Its in an abandoned pub’s carpark so I might see if I can take some this weekend while I’ve the idea still fresh.

Ben is more interested in the treats than the Magic Garden tonight.

Thursday 31st March

Today has been bitterly cold with frequent sleet, snow & hail showers but with bright sunshine between. I took a photo from the top floor to try & give an arial view of the Magic Garden. I hadn’t realised how wide my intersecting paths have got but I am pleased how few areas are bare in my tapestry of plants.

I did some weeding and filled the bird feeders but that was the extent of the outside work today

Ben worked his way round from sitting on the hedgehog house in the sun via the arbour seat ending up sitting in his weeping willow pot willing me to be inside rather than outside. He does watch the birds while he’s in the Magic Garden but in reality is quite scared of many of them especially the blackbirds & not unreasonably the herring gulls that plague us from spring to autumn. One of our blackbirds has got quite friendly and allows me to be quite close in the garden.

Working Wednesday

I spent a long day at work having arrived in sleet and judging by my wildlife tracker camera it rained / sleeted for much of the day. However when I got back home at 7 it was to dry & relatively clear weather. I was pleased to find the solar lights are working even if its difficult to give a good impression of how it looks. The Magic Garden is lit from outside by the security light at the corner to my neighbouring supermarket.

My sweetness are somewhat erratic in their germination and I think that I may need to sow some more. I potted up some foxglove seedlings from the garden yesterday to add the collection of geraniums I have potted up. This evening I have sown some more catmint of Ben and nicotiana

Cold Tuesday

Today has been mainly grey and chilly with some dampness over night but despite this, the feeling of spring is still very much with me. In the Magic Garden there are changes everyday as the perennial plants start putting on growth. Today I was pleased to see that the native hedging bareroot plants are beginning to show signs of coming into leaf as are most of the fruit bushes and the apple trees. The wee hydrangea plant looks happy too. Last year’s osteospermums are beginning to come into bloom too.

Prunus avium Bird Cherry

Blackcurrant Ben More

Foggy Monday

Today was a very long day as I didn’t escape work until gone 7 pm. Even with the clock change it was pushing it a bit to be light when I got home. In fact it was foggy which was a bit surprising as it wasn’t in town - true sea haar. I was instantly cheered up by looking into the Magic Garden & seeing the white daffodils almost glowing in the foggy greyness & the solar lights were coming on.

Mothering Sunday

My Mum used to get upset if we sent her cards that said ‘Mother’s day’ as she insists on what she considers its proper name of Mothering Sunday, the middle Sunday in Lent when you get a day off ‘fasting’. I used face-time today to show her the Magic Garden & she was delighted to see it in the afternoon sunshine with its collection of daffodils and the cat.

I finished moving the fruit bush pots & apples to line down the side of the garden. This has created space on the patio. I have also moved the tiered troughs against the fence. Ben is not impressed as this had become a snoozing spot

I spent lots of time out in the Magic Garden today with some on going maintenance as well as new plantings. I tidied up the Thyme zone clearing the seven stones & checking the thymes. I have replaced two and suspect I will need to replace 2 of the others but time will show if the tidied up plants can come again. I need to put fresh stone chips down round the sundial. I weeded out around the sundial and as far out as the first pentagon of lights.

In the back corner I planted some bare-root perennials today - I’m really pleased with how this corner is coming together.

Spring Saturday

Today has been a beautiful sunny day, if not terribly warm. I spent a lot of the afternoon in the Magic Garden and Ben spent most of his day out with me. I sowed broad beans (dwarf Sutton) in front of the curly kale and covered them to hopefully stop them being dug out by Ben or others. I moved most of the fruit in pots along the side of the garden to start creating some space on the patio.

Ben has enjoyed the sunshine. I did go for a longish walk but otherwise it has been a day at home. I never seem to have enough time to do all I want though or get all the plants into the garden or the seeds sown. It was rather wonderful to have my washing dry on the line today - it will smell of fresh air and spring

The sun has made my pulsatilla open out and the bumble bees seemed to be particularly attracted to it. I think I will have to get more of these as it has really cheered up the little ‘rock’ garden for spring.

Friday 25th March

Being back at work meant that I left home in spring sunshine shortly before 6.30 am and came home as it was going down at 6.30 pm. I walk a mile & a half to the metro past some lovely gardens, some scruffy spaces and in amongst the local trees some lovely daffodils.

As I came in and Ben met me on the drive, a wren told us off very thoroughly. It took me a moment to find it but the silhouette is very distinctive. Ben was a little disconcerted that I was more interested in photographing the wren than immediately letting him into the house & getting his tea.

On the way home I was thinking about tasks for the weekend. I need to make a decision about painting the fence. So far I have not done much about securing the climbers except for this rose. I have forgotten what it is called but it is reasonably vigorous & produces lovely pink roses from June to December. I’ve pruned it harder than usual & tied in to produce horizontal stems which encourages flowering.