County Gardening

It’s been a lovely and cool May so far, with enough rain to keep the soil moist and the grass very green and growing very quickly! Lower than normal temperatures also help prolong the spring bulb growing season, with daffodils being a prime example. Although a few of the early blooming varieties (Tête-à-Tête, Ice follies) have faded, this past weekend had a dozen or so other ...

A friend who lives in a more southern clime messaged me yesterday asking if the tree leaves are fully out now…oak,maple, chestnut…ummmm nope! The hardwood forests and tree lines are still quite leafless, although buds are expanding and, in many cases, have broken. The cooler than normal temps mean spring bulbs last longer though, and grass and dandelions certainly don’t mind!...

It seems I don’t have an orange vase in the house. I do; however, have this delightful orange travel cup in the kitchen cupboard. It’s not an ideal shape but it’ll do the job of showcasing these splendid Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ which have just started to bloom. It can also serve double duty in acting as today’s prop! I added a few fragrant Hyacinth stems and now I’m able ...