Sunday safari

I have gardened organically for as long as I can remember. Bees are my friends I still remember so well the first morning here. The shock when I opened the shed doors. A chemical cocktail greeted me.

It can take up to ten years to rid a garden of chemicals.

I am in my ninth year.
When I capture a Blue Tit with a caterpillar in it's beak, all is well with my world.

We pay for plants, and seeds. Wildlife is free.

Each creature has a purpose.

Poppi is helping me rid the pond of blanket weed. We put any creature back that we find. I am teaching her to respect the creatures that share our planet.

She knows more than I realise. It is in her.........she follows the same path as her Grand-mother.

Happy Sunday safari.

Mystery solved

Well the mystery is over. The plant by the pond is comfrey, as many of you suggested.

It has reached dizzy heights and it's pretty flowers are now drooping over the pond.

I have grown comfrey for around ten years now and wonder why this had me foxed.

I have never seen one this large. I suppose it is in the perfect spot. I know that comfrey like moisture and of course the pond will supply that......
The bees will love the blooms......and this plant is dripping with them.
I am assuming this is rough comfrey.....which used to be widely grown as a fodder crop for cattle. Those of you with an eye for colour, would you call the flower blue, purple or something different?

It is a keeper, apart from the fact I will never get all the root out, and to be truthful I cannot be bothered......the bees will love it. I think next spring I may divide it and plant one the other side of the pond to balance things a little.

We had a frost again last night. I cannot believe at this time of year we are still having such low temperatures. It has only reached 9C (48F) today. The wind is coming from the north and it has been raining ice. 'Oh to be in England now that spring is here'

Hope things are brighter with you.

Chilly Monday......

Growth is good, despite the chilly weather.

May is such a busy month.

Borders to keep free of weeds.

Checking that plants are not carrying disease.
Hops are starting to climb the obelisk.

Chives are a plenty. I like to chop the flower heads and add them to salad.

Cytisus x praecox 'Allgold'......Broom is not one of my favourite shrubs but the bees love it.

Persicaria bistorta superba........I have fallen in love with persicaria and have added some large specimens to the garden. I am beginning to understand the importance of statement plants in a border.

Clematis Miss Bateman.......I have a passion for clematis. I would say I am almost obsessed.

Clematis montana var. rubens........I am adding more and more climbers, many will scramble through shrubs and trees.

Exochorda x macrantha 'The Bride'.....a gift, and very gratefully received.

'Blenheim orange' apple blossom......the old girl is at last in bloom. For me, she steals the show.

Tulipa 'black parrot'.....in the autumn I plan to plant 'angelique' amongst them.

Iris 'bold print'.........the first iris to bloom. There are many waiting in the wings. Rabbits loathe them, so they will be a wonderful addition to the garden.

And finally, last week I gave Poppi three trays of wildflowers from the greenhouse. I left her alone in the garden to plant them wherever she chose.

It will be fun waiting to see them grow and bloom.

Please note the watering can........she most certainly is a fun little girl........

Slowly the garden is taking shape......

I seem to have found an answer to the rabbit problem. A few weeks ago I noticed the plants surrounded by red campion had not been touched.

This pretty ancient meadow plant does well here. Over the next few weeks I shall increase my stock.

Our native sweet woodruff is massed in a bed......
it gives off the most wonderful aroma.

Mourning widow is one of my favourite native plants. It self-seeds gently, coming up between shrubs and among other flowers.

The flowers are deep maroon, almost black.

White nettle is often considered a weed, but not in this garden. It is very attractive to insects.....I love the gaping mouth and the little platform on which the insects can alight.

The bee fly is back. Here you can see quite clearly it's long proboscis for sucking nectar from deep flowers.

The orange tip clings to Dicentra......it is a windy day.

Garlic mustard grows in the copse. It is the larval food of this pretty butterfly.
The floor of the woodland walk is greening up.

Wildflowers will soon be in bloom.

The garden is very slowly taking shape....there is still much to do. I have planted more natives in this area.

Mr P made the obelisks for me last year. The two at the front will be covered in native hops. The two at the back will each have clematis and english honeysuckle climbing them.

This bed has box hedging planted at the front. I have put so many plants in this bed that I have forgotten just what. I do know that alliums, coneflower, persicaria, lupins....there are also three obelisks in the bed, which will have clematis climbing them. As they fade white sweet peas will take over.

This area still needs some work....there are several conifers that have been ringed and need to be removed.

I don't think I have ever posted the front garden. This is where Nella goes if there are vulnerable creatures in the back garden. I would not like her to hurt the hedgehogs, young fledglings etc......

There is a new bed around the three conifers in the centre of the photograph. This small area contains......blue lupins, bearded iris, lady's mantle, and wildflowers.

Just look at plantus giganticus......it is taking over.....ugh.

Look you can even see it from the other side of the pond. I have planted a silver birch each side. They will give dappled shade. I shall net the water feature in the autumn to stop the leaves going into the water.

And finally the copse....slowly the trees are leafing up. Although the beech trees are still wearing their winter coat.

This neglected area is a wonderful habitat for wildlife.

Apart from the paths, I never cut the grass or remove weeds. It is left for the birds bees and butterflies. Most of the insects shown on safari are found in this area.

Well that is how the garden looks at this time. It is a long job and I must confess it has worn me out at times. I will not be around for safari next Sunday as Mr P is taking me away for a three day break.

I will visit your lovely blogs during the week......