The makeover of the front garden is proceeding at a snails pace because of all the bulbs that were planted over the years. I have to wait until they flower and the leaves start to die down before they can be lifted and potted up. The task is almost completed now with just a few tulips and Romuleas left in the ground, all the others are safely tucked away in pots for their summer rest. The problem now is that space is at a premium with every nook and cranny filled with some plant or other in a pot waiting for a new home.
Some of the stone from the front garden (which looks like a desert now without the plants), has been used to make a waterfall in the back garden. This was necessary to hide the new ultra violet light filter which was much bigger than I had expected. As the pool is raised eighteen inches above ground level, it was not an easy task to disguise the filter which had to be raised four feet high before it would work properly. Nevertheless with a little ingenuity and a lot of experience the end result is quite pleasing even to my critical eye. Elsewhere in the garden things are moving apace as the days get longer and a little more heat in the sun, although it is still below normal for this time of the year. The cyclamen have all been moved out into a north facing cold frame to prolong their growing period with cooler temperatures. The seedlings have to be kept growing through the first year to get a decent size tuber and must be kept cool. They would not survive the desiccation of a dry summer in their first year.
The Telliums have done very well this year especially Rivale, which flowered profusely with some very nice pink forms. Some two-year old seedlings even managed to produce the odd flower which is most unusual, as trilliums a notoriously slow to get to flowering size. They must like my growing conditions.
The revamped camellia bed was a treat with woodland anemones and Pulsitilla in various colours along with Anemone blanda, Erythroniums, Snowdrops and a few Narcissus which extended the season until the end of April. They have now been supplemented with azaleas in various colours from the front garden which will extend the display for another few weeks.
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