And So March Goes Out Like A Roaring Lion ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ The old adage of which I spoke some twenty nine days ago did not come to pass ~~~ for March, which came in like a lion, is leaving us with the power of a full pride of roaring lions as winds of strong gale force sweep across the country, battering us from every angle and bringing much torrential rain for many ~~~ my poor camellia "Debbie" is doing a very merry dance in the corner ~~~

Before I forget ~ as I am very wont to do ~ I'd love you to go visit an wonderfully charming entry in Susan Branch's Blog called "The Elf, The Gnome, and The Naked Leprechaun" and as you scroll down, look for the incredible tromp~l'oeil painting by the very talented artist Margot Datz.  Isn't that amazing?

I did promise an effort to return to the garden, and it is taking great effort this year to leave my books and mugs of hot, steaming tea and cakes, my warm and cosy fireside, so here is a gentle ease back into the gardening saddle ~~~

Debbie the Camellia has done very well this year, full of bright and beautiful pink blooms, cheering up the end of Winter and helping herald in sweetly, soundly sleeping Spring {who has yet to realise that it is her time to shine} ~~~ maybe her nose is out of joint at losing an hour as the clocks sprang forward an hour this weekend ~~~

I love the complexity of the petals as they fold in and around each other ~~~

and there are many tightly closed buds that will ensure many more weeks of this splash of colour in the corner ~~~

I love how these ones cascade through the deeply dark and glossy leaves ~~~

how others peek from behind ~~~

or push their blousy way to the fore ~~~

So pretty ~~~ I'm getting all swoony ~~~

however they behave ~~~

there is nothing shy or retiring about this shrub full of ballerina pink tutus !

A magnificent display ~~~

Did you know that the camellias we grow in our garden for their beauty, structure, and colour are related to the very same camellias that are harvested to make my, and maybe your, favourite beverage?  Tea! 

I have another camellia too, this one flowers later and so is only just coming into bloom. It is red, so quite a contrast, and here are some of the flowers that have opened ~~~

Is it any wonder that another name for this beauty is the Rose of Winter?

The sharper eyed amongst you will notice that the blooms and leaves are quite different between the two, and you can read a little about Camellias here on the RHS Website.

There was a sweet surprise waiting for me in an abandoned border ~~~ a small clump of the most magical double daffodils!  Aren't they just the most magical blooms ever for Spring {although everything is pretty magical about Spring} ~~~

The unsightly stalks behind are the remains of last Autumn's Wind Anemones that gave a magnificent display of white flowers, bobbing in the Autumn breezes ~~~ 

With the forecast of strong winds and heavy rain, I picked the flowers which were already showing signs of distress, for the stems are not quite strong enough to support such a heavy bloom, and brought them inside. I am delighted to say that they have already lasted four days indoors, which I really did not expect them to do, for they had been in full bloom for over a week in the border!

The moon is waxing in the evening sky ~~~

and the days are lengthening noticeably.  Soon I will be able to snatch a few hours in the garden during the evening too! What bliss that will be ~~~ Why! I do declare I think I love gardening best of all as the sun is setting to the west ~~~

The lawn has been mowed for a second time, with a lower cut again. My neighbours have told me to cut back anything of theirs that overhangs my fence, so earlier this week I set too and attacked their sycamore saplings and ivy that is turning into the tree kind. My garden waste bin was full to overflowing and I had so much waste that I cannot compost that I was relieved when a neighbour offered me a lift to the Community Recycling and Refuse Amenity Center {also known as The Tip} Another neighbour offered me space in his garden waste bin as his was less than half full, so I have successfully removed almost everything.  I have thoroughly cleaned underneath two blackcurrants and a gooseberry and now must make decisions over the future of the blackcurrants.  Piecemeal clearing has also commenced in several borders. Spring is definitely on her way ~~~ and I must be ready when she gets here!

Remember that 

~~~ A Gardener's Work is Never Done ~~~