Simply..growing....

A lovely gardening day. Warm and sunny (though raining now as I write). Perfect for dividing and planting and moving established plants. I am simplifying - trying to be less 'fussy' - more of the things which do best and a sad farewell to some old favourites, but they are going to good homes in a local community garden, so not too sad....

,I planted lots of daffodil Thalia in pots to fill some gaps and although they are flowering at slightly different times this year I think they may flower in sync  next year. Geranium Patricia is ready to fill the space when the daffs are over.

I love the lime green foliage of geranium Ann Folkard and its magenta flowers and nice habit of lightly sprawling over other things without harming them. I have about 6 or 7 if these scattered throughout the garden.

This quite well-behaved bamboo (sadly I have forgotten it's name) was growing up through the horizontal branches of viburnum Maresii and spoiling it's form, so Jennie has moved it to nearer the yellow gate and given it it's own space. To make room we took out three veronicastrum which had the unpleasant habit of the dying of all the lower leaves while the flowers were still looking good. It had to go to the compost. Looking at the photograph I see that it looks rather scrappy but there are lots of new shoots at the base.

The new foliage on the Cornus controversa variegata is a delight (and the deer left it alone this year thankfully.

Geranium Rozanne is a great performer though I have noticed some of my older plants dying out in the middle. I may buy a few fresh ones to fill some gaps. It's the longest flowering of the hardy geraniums here. It's so exciting to see all the new growth.

I have five pots of white violas already looking summery on the front steps. Planted from a couple of 'six packs' they are a very cheap and easy option which will probably last for months with a little deadheading and not much else.

I am hoping the white lupins will be in flower by Open Day. The plan is to have five or six areas looking close to perfect and hope that I will get away with the in-between bits! We shall see!

Do you have a garden? Ot do you enjoy other peoples' gardens?

It really is a wonderful time of the gardening year - so full of vigour and promise.