Sorry poor picture - low light and it was raining. Hopefully, may be able to get some photos of the frogs in action tomorrow.
I put out the moth trap a couple of times last weekend - 2 Common Quakers and a
Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) (New for Year)
We bought this pot of red daisies as a joint Valentine's Day present and the daisies are still flowering well.
Our neighbour's camelia is flowering profusely whereas
we have just one flower on our red one and one flower on the white.
I bought this Euphorbia a few years ago and, although it did well for a year or two, it then "disappeared" so I was pleased to see it re-appear this year. Although from the look of old seedheads on it, it must have flowered last year too. Feeling rather unobservant!
There are lots of daffodils in flower.
The Hellebore I bought last year is still flowering
as are Snowdrops.
Primroses have been flowering since before Christmas and
Primulas have now appeared too.
The bluebells we inherited when we bought the house in 1978 are coming into bloom.
Lungwort is still in flower - I have another plant further up the garden which flowers later in the year.
Grape Hyacinths are appearing.
B's attempts to eradicate couch grass in the wildflower meadow do not appear to be going well :( He planted loads of Yellow Rattle in the autumn so it will be interesting to see what, if any effect, that has. I have a horrible feeling we won't get many wild flowers this year :(
Still no sign of any butterflies in the garden and no droneflies yet. I have seen a few bumble bees whizzing past the kitchen window and a Blue Tit has started taking nesting material into the nestbox with a camera.
I hope everyone has a lovely Easter.
I am off out to buy some bottled water as B is attempting to repair a leaking hot water pipe (which suddenly got a lot worse yesterday) in the bathroom and we currently have no running water :( The water I put in jugs and kettle etc. is rapidly being used up. So much for making a Simnel Cake today!
I find it amazing to see Bluebells coming out in March, indeed any time before the mid-April seems amazingly early to me!
ReplyDeleteLoved all the flowers on show in this post, and fingers crossed that the Yellow-rattle does manage to bring the grass under control. I would like to turn much of our lawn into a wildflower meadow as well one day.
Good to see that more moths are continuing to appear and fingers crossed that the weather remains kind for the frogs and the frogspawn. Hopefully you will have lots of tadpoles and froglets come summer.
Have a wonderful Easter and best wishes to all :-)
PS. Hope the water leak is fixed by the Easter weekend!
Thanks very much David. I don't believe I have ever seen Bluebells so early - I always thought of them as a May flower but we seem to have go out bluebelling earlier and earlier each year certainly in April!
DeleteI will keep you posted on the wildflower meadow. The whole of the top of the garden we used to have as a vegetable and soft fruit plot but when D and E arrived it just got too time consuming so we planted a mini woodland area and the wildflower meadow in front. Initially it was a wild grass and flower mix but grasses took over so we dug it all over (again) and planted just wildflowers and it was wonderful for years until the dreaded couch grass got more and more of a hold :(
No sign of any frost on the horizon so hopefully the frogspawn will be fine (hoping the heron doesn't return!).
Thanks so much for all your good wishes.
Still without water :( Kitchen looks like a bomb site as Brian had to make a hole in ceiling to reach joint otherwise he would have had to take the bath out. Not a good time to go wrong :(
Best wishes to all Caroline
Have a lovely Easter too David.
DeleteSo pleased you have got some frog spawn, not had the trap out this week, still very cold on a night with clear skies. Been at work for seven most mornings, up at five thirty so wouldn't have much time. Just hope it gets warmer by the end of this moth.
ReplyDeleteFlowers are looking lovely and I have some Euphorbia, cut it right back last year and it's grown back ok.
Bought more seeds this year, Stock 'Night Scented' will be the next batch to sew..
Have a lovely Easter..
Amanda xx
Cold here over night too - not bothered trapping again since last weekend. Gosh you get up as early as my daughter does some days.
DeleteHoping for some warmer weather soon too - so dreary many days. I might try Night Scented stock again - must admit I never noticed it bringing in many moths but we planted it in the front garden so I didn't check as often as I should. It smells divine :)
Just been to the nurseries to buy my friend some plants for her birthday and got a good book (for me!!) on bees half price will post some photos soon - probably on this blog where family don't hopefully tend to visit - lol! :)
Have a super Easter.
ps Also bought a rather lovely bee mug with the anatomy of a bee on one side and that of a beetle on the other! Will have to tell B to buy me a small Easter egg so I can have the mug as a present as well. He will moan though as we already have too many mugs! Will post pic of that too :)
DeleteYay for the Hebrew Character! They are very pretty moths. Exciting to see the frogspawn and I love the froggy photos on the post that is newer than this one - I'm just commenting the once to make it easier for myself. I also found some bluebells just starting to open in my woodland - it seems very early, doesn't it? Glad the leaky pipe is repaired. Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much :) I like Hebrew Characters too :) It does seem very early for Bluebells - they seem to get earlier every year! Happy Easter to you too :)
Delete