Looking Back.....

I thought I would take you for a walk today.......hope you are not too busy for a stroll.....perhaps a bit of fresh air will do you good. When we arrived here seven years ago this area was grassland. In my mind I had a vision. I wanted to create a mini woodland. It needed to have native and evergreen trees for the birds. Plenty of flowering shrubs for the bees. Also planting on the woodland floor for small creatures to run through or hide. The plants were so small when I started, I was never really sure whether my dream would materialise. As it happens it has gone way beyond my expectations.

This arch has ivy and Clematis montana mayleen growing over it. In the spring, the bronze coloured foliage will be covered in masses of pink flowers. The beautiful fragrance will hit you as you walk through the arch.

The woodland floor has much growing...and logs have been partially buried for stag beetles.....they are extremely rare here and only found in southern UK. So I live in hope. Ferns and Skimmia Japonica are doing well.

Hey, come and have a look at this. Now this is one of my favourite plants, Epimedium stellulatum. Small starry white flowers with bold yellow beaks will appear in early spring. This has done really well and has carpeted some areas......Oh joy.......

Primroses are dotted here and there, taking the eye forward........

to other more exciting blooms. Yes snowdrops are appearing slowly.....one here, one there......oh such joy.........

At the back of this area is some horrible mesh fencing. I have ivy, honeysuckle, and the lovely Clematis Armandii. growing through it...........this vigorous climber will produce fragrant white flowers in bold clusters in early spring. Slowly, very slowly, the plants are taking over and the fence is becoming a distant memory. Oh double joy.......

Holly, I love holly, I have planted both male and female here. There will be many berries for the birds in this area.......

I have many Cherry Laurel planted. The reason, I love them. They give wonderful coverage, plenty for birds to hide in. In late spring they produce spikes of white flowers (the fragrance of almonds).....my bees love them.......and the blooms will be followed by black fruits. Honestly could you ask more of a plant?

Bamboo have done well to. The plants are around three metres high now. Although they are not a useful wildlife plant I like the shadows they cast along the woodland walkway. I love shadow.....

There are far too many plants shrubs and trees in this area to show you them all. It has been a joy watching this area develope. I know every little bit of it, each and every petal, each expected bloom. I am slowly giving this garden back to wildlife. With great pressure being put on the countryside, changing farming methods etc....our precious wildlife is dwindling. Gardening methods also have an effect. The perfect blooms seem to have priority over a caterpillar feeding on its host plant. I can truthfully say I do not spray, not even with approved organic substances. My garden, I feel, is now balanced.....nature takes care of the problems......I am just the gardener who tends this plot.........oh triple joy!!!!