On a warm April evening..

The formal borders and the sundial in April

Mild panic hit me today. A combination of the pleasant, nay decidedly warm weather bringing all the plants on, a weekend away, and the fast-approaching first visit contributed towards a feeling of anxiety that we won’t get things done in time. I managed to fit a few hours planting in the evening after work (yes, I have another job) just to ease the anxiety. I was annoyed with myself as I’d forgotten to bring the little radio that keeps me company, but it was a beautiful sunny evening so I couldn’t stay grumpy for long.  Luckily, a peal of bells started up from the local church, St Margeret’s. Last night was evidently practice night. So, if you can picture this, I spent the evening working on the formal beds to a soundtrack of traditional English church round of bells, whilst swifts criss-crossing the lawns around me. It’s not a bad life!

Plans for the 'hot border'

This week, I planted out some lilies in the ‘hot border’, twelve of the variety ‘Red County’. Lilies are a favourite of the Professor’s. Another favourite are Gladioli, and I’ve chosen a rather luscious dark red variety ‘Roma’. They promise to be giant flowered, and they may well be too tall in the borders, but I thought I’d give them a try. The corms are fascinating to look at, and you can see where the shoot and the roots are bursting to come out. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and planted them in the wrong place, too close to the front of the border. Of course, when I tried to dig them up, I’d lost two of the ten. Oh well, maybe I can move them when they poke their heads up – the perils of working to a planting plan!

 Gladioli corms

I’ve also added another variety of allium to the beds, a small yellow-flower variety call Allium moly. All part of my mole-deterrent planting strategy, they don’t like garlic, you know. I think the number mole visits are down, but that’s probably more to with the two Mr O’s diligence with mole scarers (sonic devices that pleep at a frequency that moles dislike). In other mammalian news, there is just one rabbit left in the formal gardens. He’s a wily fellow. We’ve been using humane traps to capture them, and the release them onto the paddock where they aren’t the same problem. However, this one last chap has evaded capture so far!
We’ve had another flush of colour from our Manchester Christmas Market bargain bulbs, Tulipa ‘Couleur Cardinal’, a stunning post-box red tulip being the stand out flower of this latest crop. We’ve had now about five weeks of floral display in the pots, all for the princely sum of £5. We will definitely have to stick a reminder in the calendar to revisit the Christmas Market on the last day again, and hopefully pick up some more bargains!

Tulipa 'Couleur cardinal'

I’m wondering if our mowing contractor saw my last post on Medieval lawns. It would explain his no-mow technique on the bank of the of the sunken lawn. To be honest the little dicotyledon plants (broad-leafed plants some regard as weeds) that have had the temerity to flower along the bank look rather lovely in the evening sun.  I will miss them when Mr Mower chops their heads off!

Medieval lawn, perhaps?

It’s National Sunflower Planting Week in the UK, so if you have time, get out and plant a few seeds. You’ll have stunning flowers in a few weeks and the bees will love you for it.

Happy gardening!

Ladybird Su