May

And then suddenly it was May.

I can only describe the terrace's condition as... LUSH.

The unseasonably good weather in April and into May has meant that some of our perrenials which typically begin flowering July, have already started. This is ofcourse is a delight. Shrubs that have previously struggled with a damp and cold spring and the into unbearably hot and dry conditions have had a real surge of growth this year.

Not only has it made a difference to the plants, it's been particularly enjoyable spending time in our green-space during lockdown. A brief repreive from our home-workstations and being stuck indoors.

One thing I will have to do to keep them going, now that they are ahead of themselves, is feed and dead-head religiously. I fear that by the end of June many things will have already gone over and begun slowing down prematurely. Dead-heading and feeding should keep this at bay, fingers-crossed.

Also looking decent are the enclave of trees. The birch, cherry and rowan putting on between 50%-100% of their original size since the beginning of the growing season.

Swap White Oak is less eager, but looking healthy and sporting the beginnings of it's first branch. The only way is up, as they say.

The more mature horse chestnut and ginkgo's are proving to be ever more beautiful year on year. The former giving the terrace a incredible feeling of height and a taste of seclusion.

One thing I didn't anticipate with the horse chesnut's new spot this year, was it providing much needed dappled shade to the container pond.

As you know, our site is super-exposed to the worst of the sun and wind, and not nearly enough rain. This often takes its toll on the pond and encourages a lot of algae. So much so that the water turned pretty much to a green soup last year. The water was all replaced at the beginning of this year, hopefully giving it a new lease of life and for the plants that live inside it.

They say that introducing water to any garden is an instant wildlife magnet. While we aren't enjoying pleathora of creatures (which is for the best!), we are being visited regularly by a couple of magpies who like to drink from the pond as well as dip pieces of dry bread in to then enjoy for their supper. My husband in particular is fascinated by them. Whenever they arrive either of us shouts "BIRD!" to alert the other.

I have to admit the moment you begin being visited by the birds and the bees, it feels like you're doing something right as a gardener, provding something rather simple but crucial to nature's survival.

Just today we also saw our minuature waterlily, Nymphaea Pygmaea begin to flower. They really are tiny but all the more special for it. This was taken after I'd removed the particles of bread left in the pond... a small complaint served to our feathered friends.

The annuals we began growing from seed are coming along nicely. It has been a mixed journey so far.

The nastertiums were a quick success. Two seeds in each pot although interestingly only one sprouting in each. The insurance here obviously paid off.

Next we have poppies (mixed), just recently pricked out and potted on.

Followed by sweet peas - not as many germinated as I'd have liked but we have a good 5 plants which we can enjoy this summer.

Unfortunately we had to re-sow our cosmos. I believe it was a mixture of sowing too deeply and old seed which led to those being a complete dud. Row three here are the replacements (newer seed) which were sown much more thinly, and obviously much more succesfully.

Finally I've sown some Rudbeckia (still only seed leaves currently) for some late summer colour, possibly next year at this rate. We also have in the mix, some young apples.

There I was, chowing down on a Pink Lady after my lunch a few weeks ago and spotted that the seeds in the core had already begun germinating. Who am I to deny them the priviledge since they seemed so eager?

Further research indicates that Pink Lady are self-sterile, meaning that fruit will not grow if flowers are pollinated with pollen from the same variety of tree. Not a tragedy, we can still enjoy these apple saplings for a few years before we set about providing it with a pollen partner, with a view to harvest apples from them.

I suppose most of gardening is experimentation. The current circumstances of lockdown have prompted many of us to try our hands at growing our own, even by growing on the bases of spring onions and celery on our window ledges, with fascinating results.

Elsewhere in the garden we are walking a knife's edge between lush and unkempt. This shrub (Arbutus unedo 'Compacta') has struggled in previous years growing both slowly, and what new growth it did provide me with, was attacked viciously by moth larvae. This year however, with a mixture of (I think) amazing weather and my vigilant control of the moth larvae, we've enjoyed a surge in growth of lovely lime green leaves.

Reminding myself (because I had begun ignoring this particular shrub because looking at it made me sad) this shrub is better known as a 'Strawberry Tree' producing 3/4 inch berries, the taste of which is apparently reminiscent of apricots and guavas. Will let you know if this is the case when or if we get any!

The Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop', a dwarf variety, is already at flowering stage a good 6 weeks or so early. I've never seen this particular planter so busy so it's fantastic to see some extra care and attention paying off in this part of the terrace.

Two final highlights include our Continus or 'Smoke Bush', just beginning to smoulder as the flowers turn to feathery seed-heads, along with this delicate Alpine Geranium.

The Continus has flowered incredibly this year compared to normal. That said, I can't help but be dissapointed that in the last 5 years we haven't seen a great deal of growth from this shrub. It suffered a break in Year 2 which meant that part of the plant was lost. It has just about recovered but lost a great deal of its height in the process. Who knows? Maybe when this shrub is in the ground in the future it may well spread it's wings.

Dissapointed with myself slightly in that I haven't found the time to contribute much to this blog recently, after such a strong start. I've found myself busier than ever with work, despite being at home so much. I suppose a great many people now working from home will be struggling to strike the balance like I am.

The good news is that I have a lot of posts on lots of different subject matters planned out, it's just catching myself in the right mood to sit infront of the laptop which has been the hardest part recently.

Atleast I have the garden to escape to!