Along the river, over the hills, in the ground, in the sky, spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm, new life, new beauty, unfolding, unrolling in glorious exuberant extravagance, spreading, shining, rejoicing everywhere.
John Muir
I’ve said how much I was looking forward to getting on with working in the garden. Well it’s been a busy month.
And a cold one! Looking back at photos from this time last year, we were soaking up the sunshine. This April could hardly be more different. Frost and even snow (just in time to threaten death and ruin to our magnificent magnolias). Low temperatures and – the only thing it has in common with last year – nearly an entire month without April showers.
Some sharp sand and a rubber mallet please
When we step outside our comfort zone and do rugged DIY, Simon prefers to send me in to get the necessary supplies. He thinks this lessens the risk of embarrassment in front of builders merchants. Apparently I, the little lady, can get away with a lack of knowledge that the rough tough men would laugh at in him.
Little does anyone know how much internet research I do before I start ordering the gear as if I know what I’m talking about.
What’s the sand for? Laying paving stones. We needed to add a step and some stepping stones at the edge of the patio we released from the box hedge prison last month.
We also had a classic desire path, where people (including us) avoid the last zig (or maybe zag) in the driveway and cross the grass on the way up to the house. To be fair, there are stepping stones at the bottom that lure you in, but half way up they aimlessly branch left and right, leaving no choice but to trample the grass.
Well not any more – we’ve sunk a few stepping stones to make it more like a real path. We’re pretty proud of our new hard landscaping skills.
Tea’s beautiful cousin
I don’t much like tea. It’s only bearable if I drink it “p*ss-weak”, to quote a friend. But, leaving aside the questionable merits of Camellia sinensis, I’m definitely here for the other kinds of camellia.
There are 7 of them in the garden, each one a different colour or form. I have no idea what the individuals are called (there are 250-odd varieties out there!), but I love the intense colour they’ve delivered, starting in March and roaring through April.
As with magnolias, I’ve been a camellia-sceptic, but as with magnolias, I’ve changed my mind.
Is it possible to get excited about compost?
Apparently the answer is yes. There are 2 big, sturdy compost bins down near the front of the property. We’ve been digging loads of the good stuff out of one side while filling the other at an alarming rate. The only question is why the hell it has to be so far from everywhere? I guess it’s good exercise.
The darling buds of, er, April
Yeah okay, Shakespeare was probably talking about the may tree, not the month, but still.
It’s wonderful to watch so many leaf and flower buds just waiting to burst. And sometimes they sneak up on you. Trees that were just tight buds one day seem to be all about the leaves and flowers the next.
To be continued
April has been so busy and so plentiful that it deserves 2 blog posts. April part 2 will be with us in a day or two.
For now, here are some of the flowers and ferns that have emerged during April.
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