Today was one of sunshine and shirtsleeves.
While Jackie worked on the Oval Bed I carried a few trugs of refuse to the compost bin, and a few cans of water to the Head Gardener. It may seem hard to believe that the plants need watering at the moment, but we have not received rain for a while.
We have bright magenta aubretia.
Bees are very much in evidence. Interestingly they seem to prefer yellow flowers, selecting that hue from this pot of tulips, particularly ignoring this
pale pastel specimen nearby.
Celandines have nestled beside one of the
two pots of tulips
brightening the Rose Garden.
We have a number of creamy yellow primroses
and golden cowslips.
Hoping that some would successfully germinate Jackie had buried clusters of wood anemone corms around the beds. We now have numerous clumps.
She is even more delighted to find the first blooms of her new camellia Jury Yellow.
Various euphorbias are also flowering.
Overhead, the copper beech still bears bare branches
The winter flowering clematis Cirrhosa Freckles continues to adorn the iron gazebo;
while summer snowflakes defy the season.
Jackie also photographed snowflakes with daffodils;
honesty which promises to be prolific;
new shoots on a pink carpet rose;
backlit honeysuckle leaves;
and her own perspective on the Rose Garden.
Nugget put in a few fleeting appearances, showed no interest in the worms the Head Gardener was unearthing, and declined to spare the time to pose.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s splendid chicken soup with crusty bread from the freezer. The soup consisted of the compost base made yesterday with plump chopped chicken breasts, crispy bacon, peas and sweetcorn. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank Mezquirez reserva Navarra 2013.
Love the sun & flowers! Stay safe and well my friend.
And you, Cindy. Thank you very much.
Your garden is very lovely, Derrick! The chicken soup and bread sounds delicious. 😊
Thank you very much, John
You and Jackie clearly have plenty to keep you exercised in the fresh air and sunshine – with beautiful results too!
Thank you very much, Anne.
I do love the colour of the euphorbia! And glad to hear Nugget is out and about, though terribly busy. A pregnant missus will do that to you. I was relieved you didn’t call the soup ‘compost soup’ for that has a distinctly untasty ring to it, despite the fact it is morally, ethically and wholesomely good for you! <3
Much appreciated, Pauline. 🙂 X
I can’t believe how far ahead your garden is of mine. We just have tulips coming out, and I can see a shimmer of green on bushes and trees. I love the tulip pots. Great colors.
Thank you very much, Bridget
Thank you for wonderful guided tour of your garden, Derrick.
What a warm lovely heart lifting post, thankyou for the brilliant pictures too.
Thank you very much, each of you.
Thanks very much, Rupali
Looking at your precious pale yellow camellia prompted me to revisit and enjoy https://youtu.be/pu7zWrIMV_g
Flowers are simply beautiful
Thank you very much, More
You’re welcome
Love those potted tulips and that soup looks good! 🙂
Thanks very much, Barbara
Yes to the tulips! I love how she put lower flowers in there with them. Beautiful.
🙂
The garden is looking fab and that soup looks particularly tasty. We too had soup this evening.
Look at spring springing! Divine call colours and the joy of digging up worms for hungry avian pals. What a good life.
Thank you very much, Sue.
Well I certainly timed my trip to The Forest badly. What a glorious display. I bet that pink tulip will be visited when it opens a bit more. The lady who came to collect the bee swarm a while back told me bees don’t particularly like black and they see red as black.
Thanks very much, John. At least Nugget posed for you. 🙂
He was a bit too fleeting for my eye.
Shirtsleeve gardening weather! I wish it were so here today. It is cool and overcast with rain in the forecast for the next week. Your flowers are beautiful, Derrick and Jackie!
Thanks very much, Lavinia. It will be colder at the weekend.
I was all set to compliment you and Jackie on the beautiful tulips, but then I got totally distracted by the chicken soup. It looks so good! And it has bacon!
🙂 Thanks very much, Liz
First things first…Jackie’s chicken soup looks soooooooooooooooooooooo delicious! I’m with Liz, chicken and bacon…YUM! Okay, the flowers were stunning, too. 🙂
🙂 Very many thanks, Jill.
Spring has scarcely begun, and your garden is already splendid! Stay well, and look after The Head Gardener!
Thank you very much, Diane. You, too.
You have nurtured such a beautiful cottage garden in the sunshine.
Looks splendid.
x
Thanks very much, Melanie X
😊
If I gardened in a white shirt the result would be truly horrifying. I can’t believe how quickly the ground has dried out. There are even cracks appearing here. Clay. Hate it. Last week it was still a quagmire. Now it’s like concrete.
Keep safe, both of you.
And you both, Jessica. Thanks very much.
I thought the same thing. I’d ruin that pretty shirt immediately.
That pot of tulips looks good enough to eat. You had much better weather than us today.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal. Ours is due to go off at the weekend.
Derrick, what a joy to see your garden come to life again this spring!
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
Looks like a great day. I still love the tulip pots–and of course anything primrose as well. Between that garden and the meals you eat, you’re in paradise, Derrick.
I am. Thanks very much, Lisa.
The tulips are wonderful. They were a standard spring flower when I was growing up, and I still enjoy seeing them. It’s a little too warm for them here, although some do try to grow them. It’s a chore, though, and not one I’d be willing to undertake.
You have so many natural plants that you don’t need that chore, Linda. Thanks very much.
Yes, the tulips are wonderful! I guess Nugget has plenty of variety to choose from with spring being here.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. We think Nugget is busy 🙂
🙂
I would love to live in your garden 🌸🌸🌸😉
Thanks very much, Ribana 🙂
When this is all over, we could put up a tent on the grass for you!
Thank you very much 🤩 That will be great 🌸😉
There is an eternal Cherry Blossom festival in your garden, thanks to the Head Gardner and her Lieutenant. Nugget seems to have entered his youth…
I think you are right Uma. Thanks very much.
I loved the garden tour, so many beautiful flowers makes me want to come down and sit in your garden!
I made my veg and ham soup for lunch yesterday thanks to your inspirational Compost Soup!
One day, when this is all over maybe, Sue. Thanks very much.
You always seem to spur me on to find out things, Derrick. I wondered about bees and soon found out that they have FIVE eyes and can see ultra-violet (I had dim memories of that) .The ultra violet makes patterns on flowers and can help them find pollen.
All about what bees can see, what colour they can’t see and wasps too at
ttps://schoolofbees.com/can-bees-see-in-color/
It’s not life changing but shows what clever little bees they are !
Amazing, John. Thanks very much.
Sunshine and colour always makes us feel better doesn’t it. Lovely! Stay well Derrick.
It does. Thanks very much, Miriam. You, too
We are in need of some rain, too. However, our tulips have not opened their buds yet and the Honesty doesn’t have have any flowers. The chicken soup looks good 🥘
Thanks very much, Helen
When I was a kid, the doctor told me I was allergic to bees. He warned that they are attracted to perfume (of course), body odor and the color yellow. So there you are, your yellow follows proved it.
Thanks a lot for that, GP
Great pick-me-up to see your beautiful, colorful garden. That soup looks delicious! Stay safe and well.
Thank you very much indeed, Joanne
Everything looks so lovely and tender and fresh. I think spring is my favorite time for flowers. That soup looks delicious!
Thank you very much, Laurie. You don’t have to put meat in it – as you know
Beauty, peace and great food. What a great combination!
Thank you very much, Jina
Your garden gets prettier every year. Beautiful job!
Thank you very much, Jodie. We are pleased you have come along with us to know that. X
Oh, I remember the days of dirt and a few bricks.
🙂
Such pretty flowers, Derrick! Congrats to you and Lady J.
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Such colors and textures. Love those tulips! Are celandines the same as marsh marigolds—or related? They look so similar.
The Head Gardener says the Celandine is a type of buttercup, the marsh marigold a caltha – so not related. Thanks very much, Cynthia.
That soup looks delicious.
It was, Lindsey. Thanks very much
It looks like a heart warming meal🙂
Indeed. Thanks very much, Sylvie
🙂
what I admire the garden and in particular the tulips which I love enormously
They remind me of the ones my father loved to grow in our garden when I was a child
I’m so pleased, Yoshimi. Thank you very much.
Oh what utter gorgeousness! Your garden is such a prize and such a reminder of what love and hard work can achieve. A special shout out for the soup …. I can smell is comforting aroma from here. 🍲
Thank you very much, Osyth
Do take good care of yourselves. These are difficult days.
Thanks very much, Micheline
Great flower photos, and great-looking soup.Thank you for a cheerful visit. 🙂
And thanks a lot too you, Quercus
🙂