Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is?

Oh what glorious weather we are having! Spring has sprung finally and there is nothing better than the forgotten pleasure of the big golden ball in the sky warming your cheeks while inhaling the smell of freshly mown gardens around you.

I really do love this time of year. Winter means a little titivating and pottering about but the real work has begun and now it’s all steam ahead in the garden.

So this is how this last week has gone…

Happy Days

Seeds are sown, happy little buds start to emerge and a spring clean of the garden furniture anticipating the days of sitting out in the sunshine ahead.

I also managed to get out into the garden and take some photos this week. That hasn’t happened in a while.

My favourite, our Magnolia tree is in full bloom, I took lots of pictures because it only takes one good frost and disaster; their fabulous pinky blooms are gone.

I have just discovered this week that you can apparently EAT Magnolia flowers?? It is said they are gingery to taste, but as yet I can’t quite bring myself to eat my most prized possession in the garden.

From Small Seeds…

The seedlings currently showing themselves in my overfilled greenhouse are Sweet Peas, Stocks, Papavers, Antirrhinums and Scabiosas. In addition to flowers I have brussel sprouts, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots emerging

There are yet more to surface.

Potatoes Revisited

Also, after the (not so successful) attempt to grow potatoes last autumn, I have revisited this endeavour and have sowed some first and second earlies. Ever the optimist, let’s see how we get on. My potatoes have been chitting on my lounge windowsill for a couple of weeks. Have noted the date on my calendar as first earlies take about 100 days and second earlies, two weeks later and I am bound sure to forget when they will be ready.

Onions, Shallots and Garlic

My onions and garlic are looking good. Cannot wait to harvest these. You have to look out for them starting to fall before they are ready. They kind of bend and lay over I believe, so obviously not anytime soon as they are still bolt upright at the moment.

I am also happy to announce that the red Dogwood cuttings I took look fabulously happy. I don’t know that this necessarily means they have developed any roots yet but I am ecstatic that they haven’t just withered and died!

No-Dig Bed

The phenomena of the ‘no-dig’ bed is everywhere and I have embraced it with an albeit small bed to start me off.

Country Living explains the layers to a no dig bed; layers of cardboard, organic food waste or compost, straw, manure etc. The Hugelkultur method also sees a layers of rotten logs and plant debris.

This is the method I have gone for. Kind of. It’s my own concoction but I am sure that is the beauty of it, that you use what you have and you save the soil underneath your layers with their warmth and micro organisms that live within there.

I got to finally drag out the compost from the bottom of my compost bin. How amazed was I to see actual properly composted material in there. I started my bin last year and to be honest, apart from filling it, I haven’t turned it or stirred it in.

So that went on plus a topping of shop bought compost.

A certain puppy loved the look of it too, jumped all over it having an absolute whale of a time! I think her face says all you need to know.

Today In The Garden

So the weather is to pick up again this week, enjoy the sunshine, enjoy your garden, however big or small and let’s all delight in what Spring has to offer.