Monday 23 March 2020

...and breathe!

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I posted in the garden blog. I suppose life got busy and I felt a bit like I was just repeating the same old thing each year and not saying anything new.

Now in the current climate of isolation and lock down however, the same old, same old is very much what I crave. Things are changing so fast each day that the slow, calm, constancy of the garden is something to focus on in the rising anxiety. I know I'm not alone having far flung family but I have parents in Liverpool and London that I can't get to to help and a daughter travelling in Australia who we are trying to get home - calm is what I need!

The smallest of silver linings is that this isolation coincides with the garden bursting forth with spring action! 
So in the spirit of sharing, and to help my own sanity, I'm back. I can't guarantee that I'll be reliable, interesting or particularly useful - but I am conscious how lucky I am to live in Cornwall surrounded by coast, and to have a garden to potter in (although frankly it needs a great deal more than pottering in at the moment!!!). My poor Dad lives in a small flat with no outdoor space at all and has been told not to leave for 4 months! Beautiful sunny days are so difficult for him - itching to get out.



So here's some colour from the last month or so - very much photographing around the debris of the winter and uncleared dead stuff, and even weeds now the sun is out!




My very favourite crocus - Vernus striped, planted last autumn and glorious for a day and a half between hail and high winds. Those stripes and those centres - they made me very happy either side of the front door!


The wonderful Clematis alpina apple blossom, flowering beautifully even though half of it blew off the utility room roof and had to be hacked away this winter. The day I shot this was the first day I noticed lots of buzzing insects - particularly on the Clematis.

Probably my very favourite things in the garden in early spring are Hellebores - hence I've got a few!

The previous post is last years visit to a local Hellebore Day at Bosvigo House and most of my collection come from there. I didn't get there this year - I can't remember why, but it was sad not so see their fabulous collection (and not to buy any more!!).

And lastly a close up of an Anemone Blanda - I didn't get many this year - just a few in a pot I'd forgotten about (this happens a lot with my spring pots) but their cheerful faces do gladden my heart.


I'm conscious that this post makes it look like we've had glorious weather down in Cornwall when in reality we've had precious few sunny days until about a week ago. One of the reasons my garden is looking so unloved is that it has been so wet that I couldn't get into it without compacting the soil hideously or creating a mud bath - neither of which is what I'm going for!!

Anyway, thanks for popping by and do stay safe and well.
I'll sign off with a picture taken this weekend as Twin 2 returned from Uni and we escaped for some fresh air to a deserted (almost) beach.

xx



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