IMAGES CAN BE ENLARGED BY CLICKING ON THEM – TWICE IF NECESSARY
Ronan the Boilerman fitted a new thermostat to our hot water cylinder tank this morning. That means we no longer scald our hands and have to turn on the cold tap every time we want to wash them.
Jackie spent much of the day weeding and planting.
Once The Head Gardener had prepared it, I covered Elizabeth’s bed with compost. It took eight bags.
The gradual burgeoning throughout the garden can be seen, for example, along the Brick Path – and, yes, Jackie has smuggled in another owl since this was las displayed –
and along Margery’s Bed, in the foreground of which a geranium palmatum has pushed its way into the light.
We have varieties of tulip,
including tulipa saxatilis lilac wonder;
daffodil;
and aquilegia.
elegant leaves stretch their fingers out from this Japanese maple.
Pulmonaria crops up everywhere,
attracting equally hirsute bees clutching petals as they suck the nectar.
Butterflies, like this Small White flitting from honesty to honesty, are also back,
as are poppies, one of which, like Peter Pan, has lost its shadow.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s choice Ferndene Farm Shop chilli pork sausage casserole, mashed potato, carrots and Brussels sprouts, followed by chocolate eclairs. The Cook drank Hoegaarden, whilst I consumed more of the madiran.