End of Month Review - April 2012

"April was dry.  April was very dry.  We had virtually no rain in April at all.  The ground is cracking in places and yet the garden is coping remarkably well."  The opening words from my End of Month Review for April 2011.  Well, that is certainly not the case in April 2012.  We have had rain nearly every day for the last two weeks and more.  This rain is needed, some areas have serious drought issues and there needs to be large amounts of consistent rain to restore water levels.
I often write my blog a day or so before I publish.  This is largely a time-management thing, it means I am not fretting if I want to write something but think I have not the time.  I also like blog writing on Sundays and rainy Sundays like today are perfect.  It gave me a quandary though, should I photograph the garden tomorrow when it is due to be sunny, or use rainy photographs.  Well, it was not much of a quandary, as said above April has been wet, it would be misrepresentation to use only sunny photographs.
The front garden is largely green at the moment.  The good thing about the rain is the green-lushness that it has created.
The gravel garden is looking lush too.  Everything is growing really well at the moment.
This is one of my favourite views of the garden from the house.  I see this from my conservatory window.  There are nice splodges of colour and as one of my most established borders, it is doing very well at the moment.
The poppies and cerinthe are coming on a treat.  They self-seed well and create wonderful combinations.  The tulips are working with them perfectly at the moment.
The border near the pond is quite new, mainly planted since last Autumn.  It is doing quite well aided by the annual wall flowers and the tulips in the older part of the border.
The dahlia border, which this time of year is the woad border, is coming on ok.  The woad is not yet in flower yet this time last year was full throttle.  The recent cold has really held things back.
The woodland border is a sea of forget-me-knots and is now accented with my crab apple 'Rudolph'.  This is such a beautiful tree, dark red foliage and deep pink blossom.  Can't wait for it to fruit!
I have wanted a crab apple for a while, so I am pleased that it is doing so well.
My other apple trees are also now in blossom.
The Bramley is covered in blossom and it usually is covered in apples.  I look at each flower as potential apple crumble....
 
In the wild garden the bluebells are now opening.
Usually I am mowing paths through the grass this time of year, but it is too wet at the moment so the paths are disappearing.  The yellow splodges are Tulipa 'Sylvestris', it is doing very well this year.
The main formal lawn is in need of a cut and this photograph does not show the rampant dandelions running amok through it.  I am not actually a 'lawn person'.  It's grass, I mow it to keep it looking reasonably neat and then every Autumn I dig more of it up.  This is now the largest stretch of actual lawn I have.  I'm thinking that it will be more path and circular bit by the end of the year.....
The prairie borders are coming on, but need more stipa tenuissima in them.  I will have to sow some more seeds.
Sam's corner is looking better.  This is the grey very shady bit between the conservatory and the utility room.  It gets sun in the late afternoon and is a bit of a useless space really.  Sam now has a few pots and a new friend.  Not sure what to call the friend, I think it should be Eric so that I have Sam'n'Eric but not quite sold on that yet.
I finish on the pond.  My pond has never been this full.
My pond overfloweth!  This is a great thing and makes me happy.  It was never full last year, I worried about it nearly all year.  The other exciting pond news is that I spotted a smooth newt in it the other day.  This made me very happy, I love that wildlife like my pond.  I have called the newt Tiny (because he is my-newt).

Thanks as ever to Helen for hosting this meme.

Comments

  1. Hi, your garden does look sooooooooo green, I can almost feel the rain and damp. I shouldn't worry to sow seeds of Stipa tenuissima, they should self seed everywhere and you can just edit out those you don't want! Christina

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    1. Thanks - the rain has been very welcome! I hope the stipa do self-seed around - I think I made the borders a bit on the large side really.

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  2. Here in Aberdeen, March was hot and dry, April has been cold and very wet, ah well hope May is better. Thoroughly enjoyed the look around your garden.

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    1. Thanks - yes I hope May is better too - I will still want some rain, but some warmth and sun would be very welcome.

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  3. It looks very lush and green - lovely. It's funny what self seeds in different gardens. I have been raising cerinthe from seed in the greenhouse and planting them out in the hopes of lots of seedlings for a couple of years and still nothing, zilch. Poppies by contrast are all over the place!

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    1. It's mainly this year the cerinthe have started self-seeding a lot - I had to buy seeds for a few years to get them going. Maybe yours will just suddenly decide to go for it.

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  4. Hoorah the pond is full finally - lets hope it stays that way for a while. Your garden looks very big compared to mine so I dont know how you manage it all. Lots of lovely splashes of colour coming through

    Thanks for joining in again this month

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    1. Thanks - it is relatively big for a town garden yes, but every year it gets a bit easier as the borders settle in. The more I plant the less room for weeds there is :)

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  5. I think lush is the word at the moment - never seen so much fresh looking greenery. I was never a fan of Tulips but have changed my mind over the last couple of years. Their structure and colour are ideal at this time of year.
    Perhaps Tiny will bring some of his friends over to your pond :-)

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  6. Your garden is beautiful! And I am in awe of your crabapple. I had a seedling which did not make through the winter, however mild it was. I will have to try again.

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  7. I love your garden, I am a huge fan of native, wild plants mixed up a bit with some more "statement" style ones...loving your forget-me-nots and Crab Apple...

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