New year, new signs of growth
I'm sitting writing this on Saturday afternoon having just taken a stroll round the garden, snapping a few photos as I went. The bird feeder is alive with activity with blue and great tits, gold finches, our regular pair of woodpeckers, a feisty Robin, pigeons pacing the ground for dropped seeds and, I'm sure, I'll see some parakeets later on. Squirrels are dashing hither and yon and I can't tell whether they are burrying stuff or digging stuff up. In any event, digging is involved! It has been a busy couple of "singing" rather than "gardening" weeks, culminating last Sunday in one of the most extraordinary concerts I've ever taken part in - Tan Dun's Buddha Passion, performed at the Royal Festival Hall to a capacity audience and in celebration of the lunar new year. That's where I'll start this week's six.
One: Chinese money plant in a special oriental pot
I'm starting indoors this week with this Chinese money plant, acquired from one of our local garden club members, and an oriental pot acquired in rememberance of a departed colleague. I hope you agree that they work well together. Chris, my departed colleague would have liked the combo.
Two: Snowdrop in waiting
Clumps of snowdrops are poised to open. It feels as though they have been poised for weeks but they now have some good height on so my possibly be out next week.
Three: Zorro in waiting
I'd feared the worst following both the crazy 40 degree heat and then the succession of freezes that we've had here in SE London. However, Zorro is looking healthy and is eager to shoot out fresh leaves on its gorgeous black stems. Fingers crossed that my regime to keep it blue keeps it blue!
Four: Sorbaria Sorbifolia poised to put on a display
Another survivor of the extreme weather. Again, I thought this was a gonner but not at all. Here it is poised to display delicate feathery pink-tinged leaves. There's a great description of the plant and its background over at the British Gardener's blog.
Five: Euphorbia characias
Two of my three Euphorbia characias plants look to have succombed to the extremes of weather. This, the third, seems fine and may have survived because its base is sheltered by some ground ivy. I'm not digging the stalks of the other two up just yet and will just hope that they perhaps come through. The plant is in leaf all year round and in the summer I have a nearby Geranium Rozanne which rambles through the Euphorbia, the sliver and white leaves of the Euphorbia mingling attractively with the blue of Rozanne.
Six: summer fruits awaiting
Strawberry plants are looking very healthy indeed and if I manage to keep them and the squirrels apart, I should have some lovely fruit later in the year with the added bonus that they, along with blueberries and raspberries can be picked fresh for breakfast. Nom nom.
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