March has been kind, more of a lamb than a lion, but apart from the occasional wander around the borders, tutting at the weeds and the deadness that needs cutting back, I have done nothing.
I did, however, recently buy a piece of artwork from The Affordable Art Fair in London that I thought you all might enjoy.
A ginger cat, of course.
But I find that, I turn my back for a few weeks, and suddenly the left border is coming to life!
Firstly, you may remember that I dug over a portion of the left border, where it was most damp and sodden, to incorporate some sand into the soil to deal with the problem. Dug over, took out the existing plants (apart from the clematis at the back), and put them back in, digging up most of the tulip bulbs in the process. Or so I thought. No, they seem to be coming back. That is fine, I'm not overly concerned as they were beautiful, although in the end I wasn't sure if they were really in the right place. I shall see what colours remained to poke their heads above the soil - the mix was white and purple.
Next I find that the blueberry is looking very robust, with new growth aplenty. I am very pleased about that, as last year it was something of a damp squib. A handful of blueberries at best. That could be because of the removal and replacement, but this year looks very promising.
I see that the poppy in front of it is looking very healthy and lively. But oh dear, look at the weeds ...
Moving along, I find that the rose it putting forth much new healthy growth. I'm extremely pleased about this as I cut it back quite severely in the autumn. I'm not a rose expert by any means so I really wasn't sure if I did the right thing. Frankly, I hoped I hadn't killed it. So I can breathe a huge sigh of relief. And the geranium in front looks marvelous as well - that will be a mass of gorgeous purple flowers soon.
The lupin is looking very well, and the usual suspects are poking through - the lady's mantle, the pinks, and the euphorbia (and the weeds).
And oh my, I am thrilled with the hellebore.
So without further ado, it is time to open the shed, get out my tools, and do some work! The sun is shining and it's quite a stunningly beautiful day.
