Springtime in the garden, in pictures

Tuesday 6 May 2014

My previous news round-up was ‘Summary of a summer‘. I can summarise the intervening winter very quickly: it was very mild. We’ve had some very harsh winters recently — cold enough to freeze parts of the river Ouse in 2010. In those winters gardens round here, including mine, lost plants not tough enough to survive temperatures of -10.

By contrast, I barely noticed this winter as a proper winter, and tender plants I’d normally think of as bedding plants for one summer survived the whole thing without any special protection. There’s a borage plant out there which remained untouched by frost and is now in flower again. And I picked a rose in bloom on 3 January.

So, some photos of the garden as it drifted comfortably into springtime. These photos are from early April to early May.

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View from the kitchen window, 4 April.

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… and just over three weeks later, the same, with everything greening up and filling out.

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Even more tulips than usual, hurrah.

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Close up, looking up, tulips again. Not sure of variety as couldn’t find the label. But having a definite leaning towards lily-flowered shaped tulips in bright colours, as bright as possible. And these fit both requirements, whatever they are.

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But nothing wrong with green and subtle things, especially the ferny unfurling things uncoiling. This too is a seasonal highlight, in the shadier parts of the garden.

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And not far away from the fern, spotted on the fennel, tiny thing.

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While quietly a dove waits. Perhaps a descendant of Colin Dove.

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19 April 2014, two doves. One snoozing in the bird feeding tray. They’re more like pets, really, these days. They sit around lazily waiting while I feed the cat and then feed them.

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So many generations of blackbirds, over the 17 years being here, tending this patch. So many fledglings fledged. Above: blackbirds in the nest, three days ago. This nest wasn’t particularly well hidden and I could see their beaks sticking out when standing by the back door. They’ve emerged now, sturdy and strong, already up in the tree branches.

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