Clematis Armandii

Today I spent my birthday gift vouchers on this wonderful plant. It is an evergreen Clematis and flowers in March. I have planted it against the gazebo and it will intertwine with a lovely yellow rose. A big thank you to those who bought my birthday vouchers, as you can see, I have a wonderful present.

Spring Buds

The Flowering Currant is always one of the first to flower

Buds developing

The Clematis is now in leaf an the flower buds are appearing

Perhaps the Daffodils will open today !

Forcythia beggining to open.

Goldfinches were seen in the garden this morning!

Equinox and Hanging Baskets

The sun rose directly over the Creamery on the day of the Equinox. Such a beautiful sunny day, I hope that this is a precedent of things to come.

I planted up the hanging baskets in readiness for Summer. I have tried a new system this year for four of the baskets. I have bought circular sheets which have seeds impregnated in them and these are just placed on top of a nearly full basket of soil and then covered over with a thin layer of soil. The other three hanging baskets I have done in the usual way with plugs of plants. I have planted them in mono colours of red, yellow and purple consisting of trailing Petunias, Begonias and Verbena with Geraniams at the centre of each. I look forward to seeing the results. I have also planted Livingston Daisies and Allysym for the rockery.

More Crocuses

Bright yellow splash in the orchard

Crocuses under an Apple tree in the orchard

Crocuses, Daffodils and Bluebells

A lovely shade of mauve

The Lupins are starting to grow

Toadspawn and Partridges

Great excitement as Toadspawn was found in the "turtle pond"

Waiting to be fed

Phil on the hill again

Purple is the Colour

Wow! A new colour mix. The bees must have pollinated a white Crocus with Purple pollen

Self seeded

Crocuses in the Belfast Sink near the garage

Yesterday 3 Ladybirds were found in the bathroom. How they got there I do not know. One was black with red spots and the other two were red with the usual black spots.

Phil the pheasant has been paying us at least 3 visits a day. I hear him first thing in the morning crowing on the hill. He reappears after the seed has been put out for the birds at about 8.45am and then at about 4.30pm he returns for a last scratch under the bird table
outside the kitchen window. He is so magnificent and it is such a privileged to see him so close. His colours are so beautiful in the evening sunshine and he appears to glow.