I’ve got some lovely images from group members for these daily lockdown posts, but I thought that today, I would just take the chance to show you some pictures from my garden, or I won’t get round to doing it! Here we go.
This is one of the Spring highlights – the Daffodil path.
It sits at the edge of the orchard, next to the parts of the garden that I’m trying to bring back from something that could hide a whole herd of tigers – you know what I mean! The upper part is my new rose beds, with more and more anti-rabbit cages appearing. The bit in the left foreground is the edge of my very new yin/yang bed – so new that it’s still waiting for some plants.
This is Prunus cerasifera, in the front garden. It’s lost a few main branches in recent years, with storms and snow, and there’s a worrying bracket fungus on the trunk, but it’s magnificent for about 7 days every year. It’s just gone over now, but there may be fruit in August.
There’s a handy little seat at the top of the back garden, made from a moribund plum.
A basket of sheep’s fleece hanging from one of my washing line posts – and yes, the birds are taking it, which is what it’s there for. Ignore the bricks and the sheeting – there is more work to do!
I ordered some bulbs and such from a place that was new to me – an estate in Scotland. My order included Crinum amoenum, which turns out to be out of stock, but they’ve substituted Crinum powellii. I think these are bigger than the ones you get in the average garden centre! They’re enormous, for £2 and some pennies each.
And, finally, here’s some Nature Table homework for members of the gardening groups (and anyone who wants to join in). Here are two plants – the picture was taken yesterday – and they are plants that are commonly confused.
What are they?
To ease you into this impromptu homework thing, I’ll just say that Christmas meets Easter. Let me know your answers.
Edited to add: The one on the left is a white Easter cactus, Hatiora gaertneri, cultivar unnamed. On the right is a Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera ‘Novembro Brazil’. For the sharp-eyed, ‘Novembro Brazil’ is a single plant in the pot, whereas the Easter cactus is one of about 6 cuttings, mixed Hatiora and Schlumbergera, which is why there are pads of different shapes. They need repotting, but they’ll have to wait until the garden centres open again and I can buy some potting compost – which may be months.
The Pleasure Gardener 