Flowers in the House

Jane at smallbutcharming is hosting April's Flowers in the House. The hot summery weather has brought out so many flowers early. It's nice to have a selection to pick even if it's just a stem or two of something, or a flower that won't really last more than a couple of days.

2 jugs of forget me nots (Mysotis). I have had to pull them out to make room for sweet peas. I still have lots in the garden but this was the best clump.

This blue and yellow jug has been great for the blues and yellows of spring.

Bluebells

The warm weather is more like summer with temperatures around 10c above average for this time of year. This is probably why I am able to write about bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in April instead of May.

My neighbour and I went to Winterbourne House and Gardens. We did a photographic workshop there last year but the bluebells had gone over. We took lots of photographs then had lunch in the garden.

Borrowed views

One of the advantages of living on a hill (even in a suburb) are the views. We are not overlooked so one of the best views is the sky. This is from my kitchen door.

This photograph shows the different trees I can see from the kitchen. This view is glorious in autumn.

To the left is an apple tree

Back to my garden. Everything is growing quite fast now. 

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Geisha Girl'

This Chaenomeles is one of the first shrubs I planted. I picked a sprig for a vase.

Viburnum plictatum 'Grandiflorum'

Viburnum plictatum 'Grandiflorum'

I like the way the buds of this viburnum start green then turn a creamy white as they open. Nice textured leaves too.

Working in the garden

We have had some glorious weather over the past few days making it feel more like summer than spring. I've been able to make the most of it and catch up on some jobs in the garden.

The shed and beehive composter have had a coat of 'Wild Thyme' paint

 

Seedlings have been potted on

New flowers have appeared

Mysotis 'Blue Tower'

Brunnera 'Jack Frost'

Erysimum helveticum

Flowers were picked for a jug

 

I spotted the first butterflies; Peacocks (Inachis io), Orange-Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and a small unknown blue.

Spring

Everything in the garden has responded to the warm sunshine and rain. My partner took this photograph of our Rowan on 31 March.....

.... I took this photograph today, 3 April.

Acer Palmatum 'Suminagashi' buds

My next door neighbour has a beautiful plum tree in her garden. I can see it from my bedroom window and it's one of the highlights of Spring.

The birds are gathering nesting material from the garden. This cheeky pigeon has finally worked out how to get the fat out of the coconut shell on the Viburnum. His beak is covered in fat.