Flowers of Spring

Hello Friends!

I love the seasons, each in their turn, each with their own special attributes and merits, but sometimes I think this is my most favourite time of year in the garden. We joyfully greet the return of the light with longer days; we welcome the arrival of some gentle warmth as the sun climbs higher each day; and we await, with eager anticipation, the daily changes in our gardens.  Trees and shrubs are in full leaf, and all the countless shades of green provide an oasis of calm as Summer waits in the wings. The precious flowers that brought colour, joy and hope during late Winter are now a distant memory, the fierce heat of Summer days is yet to come, and now the gentle breath of Spring brings the jubilation of a floral symphony in colour and scent.  Birds flit and fly, seeking out grubs that take shelter on the stems, and underneath the leaves, to feed their growing broods that soon will be seen as they fledge into a new and waiting world.

Here's what's blooming, and scenting, in my cottage garden today.

Capturing a Golden Wedding rosebud before it opens, with a spectacular orange flare that is not seen once the golden petals open.

A very special, old fashioned, highly clove scented pink. Did you know that this flower apparently came to Britain with the Norman Invasion, an opportunist along for the ride, and that the name of the colour pink is actually derived from this very flower? So, the flower came first!

Oriental poppies in the most beautiful coral shade, surrounded by purple geraniums, what a contrast, making each other pop, a delight to see this combination. Notes have been taken!

The rosa rugosa, filling the corner with blooms of delight, and filling the air with a deep, rich and spicy fragrance, second to none.

Borrowing from next door's garden! Why not? This beautiful laburnum tree, the pendulous drops of brightest golden yellow sway and dance in the breeze, bringing colour and motion to my garden!

The clematis continues to delight

and you know me, when the Oriental poppies are in flower, I just cannot resist snapping the incredible display of stamens and pollen inside the bloom. I think Gertrude Shilling would wear this with pride!

and a last glimpse, for today, of the divine Oriental poppy "Coral Sea" bobbing in the breeze above the geraniums.

A garden is a joyful place to be. It is a place to work hard and reap many rewards; to sow and plant; to simply potter or dig and delve; to learn patience and appreciation; or to sit, relax and enjoy the reward of your work while sipping a Pimms.  I am not growing food crops at the moment, but they will come again in time. For now, I am repairing my garden,  growing for pleasure, for the simple beauty of plants and flowers that bring me peace, joy, solace and hope.  In this time of grieving, restoration and healing, I am planning a very special addition to my garden. It is a thought in progress, to create a Friendship Garden in which will be plants that I hope to garner from friends, either cuttings or seeds, and of course include the plants that have been gifted to me and my parents over the years.

Until next time
Deborah xo