The weather during the beginning of April was what you might expect - sunshine and showers. However the occasional hail shower, some very cold winds from the North, heavy frost and snow showers during the last week of the month told us we weren't quite finished with winter yet!
Although it has been too cold and wet to sow many seeds outdoors I have been sowing seeds in the greenhouse. The sunny days meant the greenhouse got very warm during the day but the frost at night really cooled it down. Despite the variations in temperature many seeds have sprouted - The variegated milk thistles are doing well and have been pricked out into individual pots. I know thistles are not everyone's cup of tea but I like the form and colour of thistle flowers so they get room in my garden. The plant has dark green leaves with prominent white veins (but are VERY prickly) and flowers are a typical purple thistle.
Other seeds sprouting well in the greenhouse include sunflowers, sweet peas and cerinthe (that I know the bees love)
Cerinthe is a lovely upright annual (approx. 60cm) with blue-green leaves and tubular flowers.
Many of the seeds in the greenhouse are now at the stage when they need pricking out - but it is a job that can be done in any weather!
When the weather has allowed I have been busy weeding in the garden - it's a never ending job isn't it? With a garden the size of ours as soon as the last flower bed is done it's time to do the first one again. While weeding it has been lovely to see the flowering spikes of leucojum (snowflake) and fritillary and our little cherry is covered in blossom. Some of the daffodils have gone over now so as I weed I am dead-heading those too. Sad to see their bright blooms dying, but think we must be positive, they will be back next year.
The blossom on the damson tree has opened fully this month along with the plum and pear.
Bumble bee queens have been spotted around them so we look forward to some fruit later.
Our lollipop bush (we call it that because of its shape, but it is a berberis) is covered in pale orange flowers and looks great, as do the tulips in their pots.
Many bushes are covered in buds just waiting for a few more consecutive days of warm weather before bursting, such as the forsythia and lilac. They might have to wait a bit longer for consecutive warm days! The bright red new growth of the paeony and the pieris are like flames among the greenery.
I have also sewn wild flower seeds this month - received from Kew Gardens to encourage planting for bees. We have made 2 small raised beds and sowed the Scottish wild flower seeds in those, outside in the garden. Interesting to see what we get.
Our own plot of wild flowers is busy sprouting seeds - by the hundred in some places! I shall keep a close watch to see what is sprouting before deciding which to keep and which to remove.
The rockery, and the rest of the garden too, are beginning to look good now - lots of spring flowers with lovely cheerful colours. Spring is definitely worth waiting for!
But then... just to give us a last reminder.... we had a hail storm that left everywhere looking as if it had snowed!
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