Any faint glimpse of sunshine (which I am currently defining as “not torrential rain”) and I am out in the garden now. This morning, before anyone else was up, I was outside, checking for signs of spring.
In my second son’s little patch of garden by the patio, several crocuses have come into bloom quite late and lend the border little bursts of joy.
In fence baskets just above, the heather is far from being in flower and yet, if you peer very closely, it has the most beautiful blush pink tints of colour to its foliage.
I planted little baby forget-me-not plugs around the heathers last autumn and can now just make out the clusters of miniature, dark blue flowers forming inside. I have placed dozens of these about the garden, especially around the playhouse where I think their small scale will work really well in my attempt at a “model village” style garden, and cannot wait to see them all come to life.
Meanwhile in the veg plot, the garlic is thriving. Garlic is one of the few veggies that always seems to do consistantly well for me. I was a little concerned that the red onions had not survived the winter rains … I would have expected the green shoots to be making an appearance months ago and I check them every day.
Today it is great news – finally, a sign of life. I suspect the others will not be far behind. This will probably work out for the best – last year all of the red and white onions all matured in the same fortnight and maybe this year they will be a little better staggered for us.
Another small worry was that the rhubarb had been moved since last summer. It was very happy in the old raised bed (now recycled as the new compost bin) and I had been warned by seasoned gardener friends that it might be a year or more until it reappears. Imagine my happiness in spotting these little nodules amongst the bark, beside the bridge, this morning.
I get right down at ground level and there is this year’s rhubarb, curled and coiled, very much alive and ready to unfurl.
As I turn back towards the house, the first two wild English daffodils are in flower. I go back inside and jot down all of the things that need fixing in my garden journal. This afternoon, we’ll be planting more seeds 🙂
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Beautiful closeups! We are so far from anything very green, so you are giving me hope. 🙂
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Thank you! I’m fascinated by close ups, plants look otherworldly when magnified 🙂 I hope you see green shoots very soon 🌿
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Beautiful garden—and so interesting how the rhubarb comes up!
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It is! I’ve missed it before because my rhubarb was beneath wild strawberries – this is the first time I’ve seen it like this 🙂
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There are some lovely signs of life. Once you have forget me knots you’ll not get rid! Theyre lovely though.
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You’re right there. I have a bit of a geranium invasion too 🙂
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Ah ha, I imagine they must be those awful geraliens come from another galaxy to invade our gardens
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Fabulous photos!
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Thank you very much 🌿
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Lovely harbingers of spring, my favorite season.
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I love autumn … but spring always feels so very much welcome 🌷
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Autumn is probably my second-favorite season, but I try to enjoy all of them.
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Agreed – and watching the seasons slows time down so nicely too 🙂
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Beautiful close-ups and you have captured every detail in sharp focus. I envy you (and your family) your raised garden beds. I can think of nothing more healthful than gardening by your young children, especially your autistic sons. I’m sure they get as much pleasure from playing in the soil, feeling nature at work and getting all those healthy microbes.
(They) say getting out in the dirt gives children a good immune system as they grow. Don’t know whether that’s true or not, but I believe getting out in Nature is a true healer.
I wish I had raised beds for my bad back pain, but I seem to manage well enough.
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Thank you Vicki 🙂 I’m a strong believer in children getting their hands in the soil (in my latest post my daughter is literally hands and feet in compost) which is lucky as I’m not sure I could stop all five at once 😀
We saved up for the sleeper raised beds after starting off with boards. The sleepers are great as the kiddies can climb and jump from bed to bed, as well as it being just the right height for them to garden 🌿
I’m sorry to hear about your bad back – I had a bad shoulder for a few years and it does get in the way of things x
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Spring is appearing quite nicely for you! Love the close ups!
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Thank you Nancy – I am fascinated by close up photos, they can make a tiny garden feel like a jungle x
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Beautiful photos. And I love all the new growth and hope – nice, as we are bombarded constantly at the moment with Corona doom and panic buying of toilet paper! Also I am looking forward to rhubarb recipes!
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Agreed – I’m a trustee for a community building so very much know what you mean about Corona speeding into all of our lives. At times like this it becomes so important to find a calm place – I was saying to my family that we are so so lucky to have our little garden. I hope all is well with you and your lovely life of travel and adventure will not be too impacted x
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All burgeoning nicely. Where was your little daughter 🙂
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Ah my little one was up all night teething so had slept in 🙂 The molar has arrived now – ouch! She doesn’t cry, but sings – it’s very surreal at 3am 😀
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I’ll bet. She is a stalwart. Teething is so painful.
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Spring is springing! I, too, missed your little daughter.
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Hi Laurie, I was just replying to Derrick that she had teethed all night and slept in. It was very odd to be gardening without her though. The tooth is through now and she’s back outside every day straight after breakfast 😀
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Yay!!!!
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Wonderful to know your Rhubarb has survived its transplanting, and yes the rain has been constant, with just a few Sunny spells… Lovely to see colours again in our gardens and good news the onions are now pushing through.. ❤
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Ah! Spring! Love the time when the world comes back to life again. The picture of the rhubarb opening was a treasure.
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Thank you very much! It turns out the Rhubarb had got dispersed throughout the garden when we landscaped, so I keep finding those little buds all of the place now 😀 x
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