Beautiful Day and Then some

Today might have been our summer! The thick Haar of yesterday was nowhere to be seen as we awoke to clear skies and balmy temperatures. I had a very productive couple of hours sowing seeds. I pricked out some of the poppy seeds which was a massive faff so I only did about a third of them. I also sowed a tray of white cosmos to fill the vacant space in the propagator. In the longest raised bed I sowed pockets of Cornflowers - hopefully I won't accidentally dig them up before I know they are there. I also sowed a window trough, the large plastic pot and a line in the bed of mixed salad, with my intention being to fill the space in the middle of the pot with Beetroot later in the year. I also planted out my sweet peas - Dancing Queen at the back and Lovejoy at the front.

Some of the shoots coming up from below are really freaky looking - the mind boggles when looking at this one, I think it's the Crambe Cordifolia.

 It's a really exciting time of year with the promise of what will come and unlike the last 2 springs which followed on from harsh winters, the garden hasn't taken so much of a beating this year and most things appear to be coming back. The spring flowers have also worked a series really well - the crocuses led to narcissi which are now followed by snake's head frittillaries which are now my favourites - look at the pendulous head, the delicate leaves and the cross-hatching on the petals..

 
I'm definitely a not winter person, I understand that we need it and can appreciate the beauty of a lovely winter's day but I need to be able to be outside and feel the air on my skin to be truly content. The lighter days lift my soul and I feel I can accomplish so much more.

Is it normal to feel so protective of seedlings? Maybe my non-existent maternal instinct is reserved for plants and animals? Anyway, the sweet peas have been steadily germinating and being transferred to larger pots and taken small trips outside. Today there are only a few pots still inside under plastic bags with most of them sitting on the windowsill getting used to the new temperature. I'll bring them in if the temperature is meant to drop below 1 degree but I'm scared they will die! Several are so strong I have given them stakes because they have begun to exhibit a desire to climb by unfurling little grippers. This is a clear indication that they are almost ready to be planted so I'd best bite the bullet and start hardening them off. The ladybird poppies have also sprouted - there are so many of them and they are tiny so they won't be as easy as my dear sweet peas. Oh and I planted seeds for cat mint today and that's coming in the propagator. Lots to do at the weekend - yay!

Rain stops play... then doesn't.... oh yes again

Text book Scottish spring morning. Forty minutes ago I could see the top of my eucalyptus tree furling and swaying in bright sunshine and impetuous wind. The jasmine also sat in an impossibly bright sunbeam. In the front garden, narcissus lay bent and some broken on the rock hard earth after last night's mild gales. I thought some pottering in the garden might be in order, but then through the sunshine impossibly large drops of very cold rain blew into my face and Amos and I beat a hasty retreat.
So I've played cello and hoovered part of the house. This included cobwebs which I have started to spot in the brighter light of spring. I also finished The Curious Gardener by Anna Pavord which I have been enjoying. It's a compendium on short pieces perhaps written for her column in The Independent and arranged by month. It's my Wednesday and Thursday book and now I'm moving on to my Christmas present from my dad which I have been saving: Weeds by Richard Mabey. Woop.
I have also had an email from the plant people who have informed me that plants are in transit. Even buying garden plants can be an exercise in patience for those with a deficit of it even before the immediacy of modern life. Right now I am looking at my garden through the kitchen door, eating porridge and listening to the Civil Wars. Not a bad morning despite the changeable weather.

I love wellies. That might be an odd sentiment to be expressed at around 8pm but when you consider the wind currently buffeting my window frames it's entirely correct.
I used to sneer at wellies in the city and the some degree I still don't think they are appropriate for a jaunt or shopping with lady friends but they have definite value for other activities. Poddling about my garden of an afternoon there is nothing better than having warm feet encased in comfortable and shocking pink rubber. Buckets can be spilt, soil dropped and snails crunched (sorry but it's true) without that creeping sensation of cold seeping across your foot - might just be cold but you always feel it could be some unpleasant liquid. And maybe it isn't true but I feel I bounce across my deck and paving in them.
The reason I am musing on wellies is that tonight I just can't get warm. Having had a bath and eaten I am swiftly coming to the inescapable conclusion that bed is the only option. When I'm wearing the wellies my feet are always warm and dry whatever the chilly conditions are.

Spring is so exciting! Every where I look green shoots are pushing their way through the soil and it feels like winter is not long for ending. Mustn't get too excited though because there can always be a late surprise in Scotland. These are Delphinium shoots and to the left is Fennel which Dad brought up in a plastic bag last time they visited having pulled from the garden. I like having a bit of Devon here.

 Here are bluebells coming up round the side of the wimpy Acer. I have always been desperate to have bluebells in my garden because they remind me of spring in the North Devon woods and wandering over stony ground with weak spring sunshine filtering through the trees and carpets of bluebells proclaiming: "We are here!" So far I have been largely unsuccessful but this might be the year!

 Here is my Compassion rose starting to put out delicate leaves and reddish shoots. I'm keeping a beady eye out for the blasted black spot fungus which weakened it so much last year. Maybe a better summer for roses this year?

And here you can see the sweet peas are doing well in their steamy womb. Today I potted lots more out and they are currently thriving. I was trying to explain to someone yesterday about hardening off, but that swiftly became crazy innuendo. Amos is not impressed that his bed is being taken over by plants.