I took a few photos of my garden last week when we were having a very long dry spell, since then we have had some much needed rain. Below is a photo of a blue clematis alpina which is against the fence, it’s my favourite clematis, of the ones I have anyway. There’s also an acer/Japanese maple on the right just coming into leaf.
The patch below is the first area to come into flower as it’s where I have most of my snowdrops, but the narcissus, primulas, cherry blossom and heathers are flowering now.
I feed the birds all winter but will be removing the last of the feeders when this one below is empty. The birds don’t need supplements over the summer. The tree the feeder is hanging on is a pear tree, very late in showing signs of growth but it has since begun to blossom.
The photo below would have been quite nice if I hadn’t inadvertently left my weed bucket in view! On the far right is the remains of what was a giant cherry tree that I planted just a couple of years ago, it grew about 20 feet inside a few years, you wouldn’t think it was possible. Anyway, I realised it was going to be far too big for our garden so it has been reduced and the bark cut all around it as it was impossible to move it. I plan to keep the skeleton of the tree to grow my rambling rose Rambling Rector over it. It also produced loads of suckers from the roots. Whoever thought it was a good tree to sell to the general public was off their head. Very few gardens can accommodate a tree which apparently grows to 100 feet, something that the sellers kept quiet about! You live and learn. There are far too may trees in this garden, which I knew was a mistake, but I wanted them all, sheer greed. They are mainly small fruit trees though – apples, pear and plum. Fingers crossed we don’t get a late frost as we did last year and all the buds turned black and fell off.
I had to trace the tree roots and pull them up where possible, that made a complete mess of the chips at the path and around the table which is to the left and out of view below. I thought it might settle down itself but it hasn’t, so that’ll be next on the agenda for needing attention. Since taking these photos the garden has been cleaned up and my brown bin is full of garden waste, but there’s yet more to do. A garden is always a work in progress!
It looks lovely! I have really been longing for a garden recently but for now I’m making do with a large pot full of herbs on the kitchen table.
ireadthatinabook,
I think I would go nuts if I didn’t have my garden to potter around in, especially at the moment. I hope you get a garden of your own at some point in the future – or an allotment.
Your garden is stunning, Katrina! I love it when you share it with us.
The story of your cherry tree reminds me of when my parents were sold a river birch from a professional landscape company, it was a lovely tree and the birds loved it but it rapidly grew to be too big for their yard, it was a rather sad day when it had to be removed. We still have a grumble about the idiocy of the ‘professional’ who planted it.
Christine,
I am now very wary of what people working in nurseries and garden centres say about any plant as they just want to get a sale. It was very sad having to hack away at that cherry tree especially as it had blossomed for the first time last year but there was no way we could have let it keep growing at that rate.
Hi Katrina,
Oh what a treat, what a superb pleasure to be invited back to your garden!!!
I love it so! Maybe you should set up a fund for your garden appreciators’ contributions! So worth it. Love the photos! And I’m so glad you finally got some worthwhile rain.
Judith,
That rain was desperately needed. We’ve even had moorland fires in some parts of Scotland, started naturally or by bits of broken glass left lying around. I’m glad you enjoy the photos of my garden so much.
It’s amazing what a transformation you have done in the garden. I remember the photos of the bare patch of grass. Nature really is a marvellous thing.
Jo,
Thanks. It is amazing how quickly everything has grown – some things too fast!
Your garden is just lovely, as always. It looks like a lot of work, but I am assuming you enjoy gardening and you certainly know a lot about plants. That clematis is especially nice.
tracybham,
Yes I love gardening, ever since I helped my dad with his when I was only 5. It keeps me fit although I think all gardeners get fed up with having to deal with weeds, this garden is very weedy because we back on to a bit of a wilderness.