The darling buds of May

At last something that is flowering is visible from the kitchen windows. The right hand side of the garden, hidden behind the garage, has looked wonderful for a while. The left hand side brightened with the daffodils I planted for this year, but since their demise we’ve once more been back to nothing much, beyond increasing greenness, & even that’s been slow going.

Finally, with the warmth of the sun last weekend, the apple tree burst into blossom. Last year it never bloomed, so now we hope the flowers stay on long enough for the fruit to set – it is rather windy so hope is required. We’re hoping too it is a self-propagating variety that has been planted. Otherwise I’ll be on the lookout for a mate to it, so we can get apples in the future.

When you walk up the garden, you become aware there is colour & life there, and certainly potential as the summer comes on.

On the pergola there is a lovely deep purple clematis. However, the flowers are so small they disappear into the greenery when viewed from a distance.

 A couple of red primulas have self-seeded themselves into the garden. They’re hiding behind more bushy plants. I’m tempted to move them to the walled garden at the back. There bright redness could joyously welcome us as we turn the corner into that part of the garden.

Still further up there is an area of fence covered with pink clematis but again it’s not visible from the house – too far up with shrubbery intervening, concealing them.

Spanish bluebells have self-seeded in various parts of the garden. Although I do quite like them, I tend to regard them more as weeds as they spread so quickly, taking over the whole garden. There are so some white ones at the very far end of the garden.

More colour is on its way to the left hand side. The lilac tree is covered in buds which will open any day now. It seems to be far more prolific this year as it settles in to its new home.

I always find the re-emergence of life into a garden after the long winter months exciting. I just wish a bit more was visible, at this time of year, from the kitchen window, as so often that’s as far as I get. I’m trying to get ideas as to what else to plant to fill this seasonal colour vacuum. Something is needed.