Planting, pruning, pottering

Writing this on the train ten days later and I can’t see for the sun blazing into the carriage. Bring on the tunnel so I can actually see the computer screen. As my notes are frankly poor I have been diligently downloading pictures into daily folders; all in a desperate bid to try and remember what sort of planting or pruning or pottering (don’t get much time for that)   I did each day this trip. And naturally there are pictures where I have no idea how to place them. So a scattering of photo album entries will have to cover up this gaff. Here’s the first.

I think these images came from staggering about the property yesterday randomly clicking on things to try and record what stage they are at now it is almost May. The viburnum looks as fetching green as it will be when it turns white. And the blossom on the fruit trees in the orchard is better now that a few weeks ago.

The wisteria is definitely an end of May and early June beast. It seems to have been at this promising stage for ages. So too the roses in the courtyard. The Gertie Jekylls look so much more prosperous this year than at the end of the autumn. Pruning and tying and nurturing does pay off.
And my first alliums are up. This once shaded part of the garden is about to become problematic. With the canopy of the neighbouring chestnuts tamed, there will be plenty more sunshine to thwart my ideas of lush shade loving plants in this area. Well, that’s boasting, I had a few ideas but never went further than thinking of great swathes of Rogersias and such. So I fear it is to remain a bit of a trial bed (in more ways than one) for another season.

Unless of course my Agastache romp away. I have about sixty seedlings coming along, they need a few weeks more before I dare to plant them out. And even then there will have to be some careful planning. Right now I have lots of bulbs creeping about the edge (Ã pity you huddle-is about the extent of my design) – liatris spicata, these alliums, more lilies, mystery plants that were washed away in the rain last April and have survived the year in the ground. I’m not sure but some of these plants look suspiciously like joe pye weed. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful bonus. I took such effort to sow them last year, then had to put them out in the shade and elements for two weeks. During which time each pot flooded and I thought I lost the lot. I think there are poppies here too. But have to wait to see if they are not just actually boring old weeds.

Up at the top potager (ugly with its weedproof covering, so messily arranged) there is no mistaking the two main crops. Asparagus and raspberries. And my they do need taming. I forgot to ask Bernard to help me build the supports and get the wires in to help picking the raspberries later in the year. And he doesn’t seem to be in a handy man cycle right now. We must rejoice in the two weeks he was able to devote to our landscaping now that others (and his saxophone) claim his time.

What other news? I didn’t kill the mulberry in the courtyard with my early pruning. It is sprouting all about. So too the vines. Hate to think what sort of rising sap and mighty surge is happening to the vines down in the vineyard. Shan’t look, it will only distress.