After almost three weeks away from the Priory, the difference on my return is marked and, for late March, the garden far more advanced than usual. (I shall do a post soon about my walk across England. I have rather a lot of photos to sort through). I feel a little overwhelmed with how much there is to do.
Edging and planting; herbaceous perennials still to move; seedlings to sort and more seeds to sow; the borders full of weeds;
and mowing. Moss in the lawns has ballooned and the mowers scalp it at this time of year – which isn’t a great look.
But at least the daffodils are in full romp
though as many were here before my time,
I mostly don’t know variety names.
It was a treat to return with them at their peak. Rather like a warm welcome.
The weeping willows are coming into leaf and about their feet many more daffs are still to flower.
I can tell you what these varieties are. Out on the drive I planted two crescents: in the foreground is Narcissus obvallaris – the Tenby daffodil – and behind, N. Cragford.
One of my favorite shrubs, Osmanthus burkwoodii is flowering,
though you could hardly tell from a distance. Only close up do you notice the pretty little flowers and lovely, strong scent.
And unblemished by frost the little Magnolia stellata has also kindly waited for me before flowering. (Incidentally, does anyone know whether there is a dwarf M. stellata? This one is only four-foot tall and hasn’t grown any bigger in almost six years).
It has been a good spring for primroses and the bank beneath the greenhouses has more each year.
Leaving the bank unstrimmed until the autumn is helping too.
And, for the moment at least, there is no duckweed in the east pond and I have my deep reflections back.
Here’s an unpleasant story for you. We discovered (whilst guttering repairs were underway) that five years ago some lazy idiot of a plumber joined up a waste pipe carrying gutter water to the pond with the soil pipe from the master bathroom! And so, for several years raw sewage has flushed into the pond. Unbelievable but true. I’m hoping with that disgusting discovery remedied there will be less ‘nutrients’ in the water and the duckweed won’t return quite so virulently and smother the water lilies. It might also explain why I have seen no fish in this pond for a couple of years. (And I’m trying not to think about the amount of time I have spent in the water in wellies, waders or boat).
On a happier, final note – Margaret’s two rams (Cyril and Digby) each have their own huge field. They are separated by a gate because otherwise they would fight. Indeed a couple of years ago Digby almost killed poor Cyril.
And yet, with all the ewes now ‘served’ and alone once more they seek each other out. How endearing. Flocking rams, eh?
Can’t live together, can’t live apart.