Garden Wildlife

Norton Conyers is now awash with spring colour, but of course we are now almost too busy to appreciate it. Each week we must divide up the mowing duties, either on the tractor, using the hand mower or the strimmer, a beast I have used only once, there is still time for me to accidentally sever a really good plant so fingers crossed that practice makes perfect. The battle with the rabbits still continues but personally I think that they have won this year, they have managed to chew through the wire netting we placed around the hedge and now have many more hiding places in which to mock us from. Shandy flushed a big one yesterday, it was almost as large as herself but that didn't deter her, she chased it until nearly dead with exhaustion and then spent the rest of the day sulking because she didn't catch it. Meanwhile the blackbird in the dahlia crates has hatched some young, mum doesn't seem too upset by our presence but I dare not take a picture for fear of causing a problem. The rest of our time is spent hoeing whilst ever we can see bare earth, but at the rate the plants are growing now that will not be for long.

"I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs"
Joseph Addison

Must Have Plant!

Harrogate flower show opened on Thursday and the weather was stunning, by the time I managed to visit on Friday it was back to business as usual, as the crowds dodged heavy showers and tried to cram as many wheelchairs, motor scooters, pushchairs and flower trolleys as possible into the pavilions! Still I enjoyed the buzz of being with so many like minded people despite the lack of space. Purchases were made which included new Showa gloves, very good value at four pairs for £20, a lovely Acer palmatum Inaba-Shidare, the cutest Picea glauca Tiny and a great scarf with bugs printed on it.
But far and away the plant I coveted the most was this unusual Tropaoleum, but I must await the autumn seed catalogue before I can get my hands on it, roll on autumn!

"Covet wealth, and want it, don't, and luck will grant it"
Chinese proverb

An Amusing Oddity

I've been enjoying a couple of days off in the aftermath of the Easter holidays, the teenagers are back at school and Nogger is safely back in the office/pub giving me a rare opportunity to appreciate my own garden. I always enjoy visiting each and every plant to see what progress they are making, but every now and again you get a surprise when something that had slipped your mind quietly starts to do its thing. This is the case with Arisarum proboscidium also called the mouse plant because of its tail. What a fun little chap it is, Giles gave me a chunk months ago and it has sat unloved and unfussed over ever since, but that's just what it likes. I have a soft spot for such oddities probably because not many people grow it, maybe I'll find something equally unusual to buy at the Harrogate flower show on Friday?
"I feel comfortable in the presence of oddity. probably because I'm a little odd"
Martha Plimpton

April Activities

Please forgive the tardiness in blogging recently, but it is the Easter holidays and I've had a house full of teenagers and an over excited border terrier to entertain! Anyway back to an update on our garden activities, things are full steam ahead due to the glorious weather and we have planted the potatoes, Golden Wonder, Desiree and Setanta, seed sowing so far of beetroot, kohlrabi, rhubarb chard, carrots and parsley. The sweet peas are snugly ensconced in their wigwam and we have been overtaken by a frenzy of mowing and hoeing whilst we can still see bare earth in the borders. Shandy has fallen into a depression due to the lack of rabbits to chase, that's not because they are not there but that they have become experts at hiding, Giles has all but given up hope for this year but has gambled on one last attempt by leaving a pathway from the hedge and installing a drop trap, no luck as yet but I'll keep you posted. Finally we have stocked the sales area with wonderful seasonal hardy annuals and the garden is officially open for visitors, why not drop in and see us it's free and the gardeners are there on Mondays and Thursdays if you fancy a guided tour.
"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything"
William Shakespeare

Hidden places

Anemone de caen

You can tell spring is finally here as all of a sudden the garden is a flurry of activity. We have made the first plantings,the sweet peas are firmly anchored to their wigwams, onion sets in their modules, Jerusalem artichokes have been dug up and the choicest tubers replanted in the same spot (always a good idea as you always miss a few and will never get rid of them), and the broad beans planted in their rows. Shandy's rabbit total so far this year has reached a magnificent 10, but despite her and our best efforts we are still not rabbit free, unlikely to happen now that the plants are growing and providing plenty of hiding places. One of the favourite hidey holes is behind the dahlia crates so we have left them there to tempt in future victims, others have also taken up the offer as you can see from this blackbird nest so we cannot move them now!
We also had our first visitors of the year yesterday although we don't officially open until Sunday, the Grahams brought round a film crew who are interested in using the garden as a location, they seemed very interested in all the gardens hidden places, so who knows we may be the next historical hit!

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it"
Roald Dahl