This is a section where members can send in short weekly reports of what’s happening in their gardens – what’s growing – what’s not – wildlife – plans for future planting, landscaping or anything to do with their gardens, large or small.
March/April 2020
Karen P (28.04.20)
Thalia 
Narcissus 
Auriculas White 
Auriculas 
Primulas 
Orchids 
Tulips 
Wisteria
This past week in the garden I’ve been feeling a mixture of gratitude for the glorious weather, whilst at the same time desperately wanting some rain. The lovely creamy white Thalia have been brought to an early end, as have many of the Daffs and the few Tulips that I have, by the unseasonal heat. The Auriculas and other Primulas are flowering their heads off nicely and thankfully the anti-Vine Weevil treatment last year seems to have paid off.
The fledgeling Wisteria is looking lovely, if small, and I’m really looking forward to it putting on some growth this year to tie into the supports put up in much anticipation. The Hostas are looking promising, although the dreaded slugs and snails have already made their presence felt. I have a Rhododendron and large Azalea in pots and both have colour just showing now in their plump buds. I’ve given them a feed and mulched them with some homemade compost.
Given that it very much looks as though I’ll be staying home for an extended period and therefore away from the temptation of garden centres, I’ve been taking cuttings of various Pelargoniums in the hope of having lots of colour anyway. I noticed that an annual bedding type of Verbena and a Bacopa have made it through the winter, albeit now looking rather forlorn, and so I may try to take cuttings from those too.
Indoors, the Orchids continue to amaze me – six of the eight I own came into flower at about the same time many weeks ago and continue to provide the dining table with a row of exotic and much-appreciated colour.
Now, if the weeds would just kindly pull themselves out, the pots water themselves and the disarray that is my garden overall tidy itself, I could put my feet up. As it is, I’m off to some jobs ………..
Helen M (08.04.20)
Celandine 
Milkmaids 
Dandelions 
Blackthorn
What a difference a week makes! Glorious warm sunshine and new life everywhere. The Celandines in the damp ditches are glowing. But I’ve learnt not to invite them into the garden as they bring along all their friends and are very hard to get rid of. The Milkmaids are flourishing in the ditches, too. There are lots of country names for these flowers. I think another is Lady’s smock and yet another is Cuckoo flower. It looks as though the blackthorn has been really abundant this year. So there’ll be plenty of sloes in the autumn to flavour the gin for Christmas. There’s something to look forward to. Dandelions make a good drink, too. Dandelion wine is one of the first to be made in the year. According to tradition, they should be picked on St George’s day – 23 April – round about midday when the sun is out and the petals are open and dry. Maybe in the weeks to come, I’ll dig out the flower press and revive a hobby. Or perhaps there is a demijohn and some airlocks in the loft… Cheers!
Karen D
The Daffs are looking glorious just now, although the wretched slugs seem to slither up at night and nibble the flowers. I have a ‘happy accident’ combination of plain yellow Daffs with their heads in a red Chaenomeles in full bloom, which is a joy to behold. A tub of Fritillaria is doing its thing – the chequerboard pattern never fails to fascinate me at this time of year. The Sparrows are busy doing their pairing-up-wing-fluttering dance with one another and the Thrush becomes bolder every day, asking for, nay demanding, food by sitting on the bird table and peering menacingly at me through the kitchen door glass, cocking her head! She and the Robin have even taken to ambushing me at the front door as I step out, so I find myself carrying bird food wherever I go. The greenhouse contents of held-over Pelargoniums and Fuchsias seemed to have survived in the main and I can just see the beginnings of tiny growth buds popping up on a tuberous Begonia. The young Wisteria, to which I have not yet given its winter prune (shame on me), is budding up nicely and, finally, the absolute height of excitement, the Magnolia which was given to us as a gift last year has one solitary, glorious, if lonely, flower on it for the first time!!
I’m taking a lot of solace from the way nature just carries on regardless.
Helen M
Occasional thoughts from the garden
It’s as well nobody can see me in the garden. I wear a body warmer, coat, scarf, thick socks and a bobble hat down over the ears. I’ve run out of warm greenhouse jobs and have to brave the
Two fence posts have broken in this vicious wind and a large bough in the oak tree has snapped and become trapped above our heads.
But on the bright
This is Berberis Darwinii
Helen’s pots 
Solomon’s Seal and Epimedium 
Campsis Radicans (stick) 
Kingcups by the pond
The pots are still colourful, too, and the bed under the oak is trying hard.
I was dismayed to find that my lovely bed of Solomon’s seal has rampaged through a pink Epimedium. That’s going to take some sorting out.
I’m ashamed of this stick. It was the most floriferous Campsis Radicans last year, so why did it die? Most things survived and are thriving.
The Kingcups by the pond.
Shirley R
Some of you may know that I moved about a year ago and my garden is on the edge of a wood. I never seem to have much time and have to do my gardening in bursts of energy when I can, but I love my pots and containers. Mostly though, my garden is untidy and tatty! I purposely put my report after Helen’s to show ‘How to Garden’ followed by ‘How Not to Garden’.
Buddha Garden 
Nut Tree? 
Primroses in the grass 
Russian Vine up tree
Currently, there are primroses as my garden enters the woods. My ‘tete-a-tete‘ daffodils were tiny, beautiful little rays of sunshine and soon the bluebells and wood anemones will carpet the woodland floor. In the Autumn I created a little garden in the hollow bottom of an oak tree, which has 4
My little nut tree is in bloom again. Any suggestions on what this is Helen? It’s a small nut tree but I’ve lost the label.
I have loads of plants to repot, trim, give ‘mouth to mouth’ to and generally hope they will survive. I really like succulents and whenever I can, I try and pot different types. I am going to try and plants baskets with them this year and decorative pots.
Being close to the woods, we have many different birds and animals visit – foxes, squirrels (4 each day on my birdfeeder and seedbox!) and occasionally rabbits. Two bluetits are nesting in my birdbox which is certainly not camouflaged. Regrettably, my camera is not good enough to zoom in on the birds and squirrels.
Carolyn J
Primroses in the orchard 
Rosemary 
Rhubarb 
Raspberry canes 
Old Green Gage
31st March:
Had a good week as we can finally begin to walk on and work our very heavy clay.
The primroses in the orchard don’t mind the cold and obviously love a bit of sunshine.
The Rosemary bush is also in full bloom and the bees thoroughly enjoying it.
Our Rhubarb is thriving and we have had several delicious meals already, and some stashed away in the freezer.
The raspberry canes have been tidied up and tied in place awaiting another bumper crop. This year I am trying a raspberry beetle trap and will be hanging that in place within the next week or so.
Hoping that this cold weather will not damage the blossom and fruit set on the Old English Gage.
Lots of seeds sown and cluttering up the airing cupboard and all the window sills, luckily no visitors to see it all. Have even sown some radishes and rocket in the ground but think they may take a while to surface under these chilly conditions.
We are lucky as we have a whole growing season ahead of us. Poor New Zealand friends are heading into Lockdown with winter looming.
Saw today on their websites that local nurseries are offering deliveries.
Happy gardening
Mary M (6.4.20)
Thank goodness I have a garden, especially now! It’s a lovely time of year, so much happening. Daffodils are beginning to fade – the tall ones certainly suffer from the winds. My Cherry tree is in full flower this week, keeping the Bees happy and the Camellia is still producing blooms for some time yet.
My garden was created by Helen Rogers, the previous owner and you can see the object of the garden was to produce and continue to show something in season throughout the year. I have added a lot, changed and removed quite a lot and wonder what she might think of me!
The garden I have is in three parts, front, side, and small back. Depending on the weather one can be quite sheltered from winds or even shaded in the heat.
The front garden is quite open facing N W, and I have lost a few things in the cold blasts we have had. Also, previously the land was a farm, and a lot of chalk comes up when you are digging.
The large tree – a Cherry unknown variety – flowers later in the year, full of small flowers but becomes completely white, and the Choisya which is under the window also white which is in
I’m no gardener, and I have learnt a lot from our Gardening Club, which proves that a lot can be learned whatever ability you have.
Having only a small plastic greenhouse, it is now full of seeds and small ready plants for pots and hanging baskets. Plenty to do to keep me busy.
So we should all have well-stocked gardens, well kept, and we must look forward to the day when we will be sharing them with a cup of tea or even a tea party!
