During the colder months, I had a rather large purge on old, unproductive plants that wouldn't earn their space as cutting plants, so I do have rather larger gaps than I have had for ages. All the more space to plant in - hurray! I also have empty strips round the edge of the lawn where I widened the border whilst waiting for spring to arrive. Into these have gone stocks, snapdragon and sweet william seedlings and I've also direct sown some larkspur and sweet rocket into this newly revealed space. The new bits have, however, needed the addition of plenty of manure, compost and leaf mold because as is typical of lawn 'underlay', they were full of rubble and old manky things. The things I've planted there so far seem to be thriving, so hopefully the spaces will be no more in a couple of months time.
Bare, well dug soil is all very neat and tidy, but I love it best of all when not a jot of earth can be seen and everything is covered in rambling, scrambling plants which knit together to form lucious leaf and flower tapestries.
Tulip 'Dolls Minuet' with lungwort and sanguisorba leaves
Euphorbia bursting out all over
Honesty, primulas and the finely cut leaves of Japanese maple 'Dissectum'
The great thing about photographing the garden is you can frame these beautiful little patchwork squares and treasure them. It also allows you to avoid the bald bits which lurk just outside the viewfinder! Right then - off to do some more sowing to fill them up with more knitters - if the seeds don't blow away in the gale force winds which are howling around today.
