Monday was nice and sunny and as the previous week had been very windy I decided to not go to art club but work in the garden while I had the chance, I was surprised at how dry the ground was so felt I could not move any of the many plants that need moving and/or dividing but the next 3 days changed that as tues-thurs was very wet and windy and then the week finished with 2 good gardening days so I moved and planted as much as daylight allowed, feeling pleased now I have got some of the work done, I finally was able to finish planting the raspberries and also the loganberry and tayberry that were in pots.
The free offer snowdrops I sent for arrived, I usually plant snowdrops in my front garden thinking I can enjoy them when there is little else in the garden but as they do not last I thought I must rethink and perhaps planting them in the dogwood border would be more suitable and to their liking.
Alistair recently posted about Skimmers, I have often seen these plants in the shops but didn’t know anything about them, nothing surprising there as I do not know much about any plants, anyway after reading I thought it maybe a plant suitable for my garden conditions, when in town last week the shop that sells some plants had just had a delivery of skimmers, so I bought a small one and decided to plant it in the dogwood border, I want to plant some evergreens behind the dogwoods when viewed through the kitchen window, I think the deep red/pink of the winter buds on the skimmer will look nice with the red stems of the dogwoods.
Although snowdrops don’t do well for me crocus seem to like my garden and last year when I replanted the blue grass I put some crocus bulbs between the grasses, I thought they would add a bit of colour early in the year and when the flower finishes the leaves would just blend with the grass, I am happy with this combination and intend to make more combinations like it around the garden, the idea to plant bulbs with similar foliage came from Donna of GWGT who posted about combinations in her own and clients gardens a couple of years ago.
I did quite a bit in the tweenie garden but I need to do more and hope to post at the end of the month. I can hardly believe we are over halfway through March and the spring equinox is just a few days away……
©Copyright 2013 Frances Caple. All rights reserved. Content created by Frances Caple for Island Threads.
Lovely flowers and so glad you had time in the garden…I look forward to when I can get into the garden finally.
thanks Donna, I can imagine you must be longing to work in the garden, not sure I’d like to be cut off from gardening for such a long time, Frances
Your last comment really rang bells with me. what has happened to the first half of March. Here we usually have some spring like days but mostly it has felt like winter. Combinations are the key to a garden that you will be content with, hope all yours work. Christina
thanks Christina, I’m learning and trying combinations in a small way, growing in little steps, March here so far has been switching from wet and windy to cold and calm, Frances
Well done for making the most of better weather to make progress in the garden – you can be well satisfied with what you have achieved. I look forward to watching your new plants develop over the season
thanks Cathy, I now hope to sow some seed this coming week, Frances
Reading how dry your ground was made me think of how I’ve learned that wind can quickly dry out your soil. A big surprise to me at first when we moved but now I’m able to take it into account when gardening. Love the Skimmia and I think it will look great in your garden. Wonderful foliage and colour.
thanks Marguerite, I do find that in some areas only the top inch or two is dry, the other thing it does is blow any mulch into piles and drifts, when I was planting the dogwood border some parts had no mulch other parts had a great pile, I spread it and dug it in a bit while planting and the weather watered them Saturday night ;o) Frances
Those red stem dogwoods are so pretty!
Lea
Lea’s Menagerie
thanks Lea, I love the coloured stems of dogwoods and willows, wouldn’t be without them for winter colour, Frances
I like the pink flowers behind the dogwoods, and the snowdrops will look vert appropriate there too, a good few hours gardening. Such strange weather, as if spring and winter are in a constant tug-of-war with no clear winner as yet.
thanks Janet, the pink flowers behind the dogwoods are the skimmer I just planted, there are 2 rows of dogwoods and I am planting evergreens down the middle, you are right about the weather, at least here in the west we didn’t have the snow east Scotland has, Frances
Glad that you have had some gardening opportunities and even sunshine. Love the snowdrops beneath your dogwoods, and the Skimmia should do well for you, fingers crossed.
thanks Sara, Frances
One really has to take every opportunity to work in the garden at this time of year.
Bridget x
definately Bridget, I have had just one day in the garden since writing this post, lots of strong freezing winds but so far we have escaped the snow, Frances