There have been the occasional forays out into the garden over winter but I have been mainly gardening from my armchair or computer. That’s all about to change and it is important to make the right start. It’s time to limber up, get those muscles going again and really importantly, stretch them out after your gardening session. Take care of your back! The warmer temperatures lured me into the garden and here is what I found.
One
It’s not all flowers and veg out there. I uncovered this creature whilst turning over a pile of turf that had been left to rot down. He was buried under the soil and he quickly pushed his way back down again. It reminded me that the wildlife have pretty much had the run of the garden over the winter and I need to go carefully as I start to make my presence felt.
Two
The landscapers who laid the path left some free gifts. I have two pieces of 6 x 2, which I am sure I will put to good use – or they can join the rest of my ‘might come in useful one day’ collection. I do have more immediate plans for these sections of re-enforcing grid. I’m going for the industrial chic look and will use them as supports for a climbing rose. I will let you know how I get on.
Three
The hydrangea buds are bursting forth. I think I’m pretty safe to cut back the old flower heads now, but I’m going to leave it another week – after I’ve seen what the next beast brings.
Four
Sweet pea update: Gwendoline is just coming through, Black Knight is about an inch high, Midnight Blue is definitely making a show but Anniversary is a non starter at the moment. All were sown on 15 February. My pot of autumn sown sweet peas need to be planted out but I’m trying to get hold of some hazel poles. Request made, response awaited.
Five
The mahonia in the front garden is about to shine forth. The bees love it, the smell is great and it is one of the few yellows that I like in the garden.
Six
By contrast, a yellow I’m not so fond of: the forsythia. I find it just a bit too much to take en masse. But a few branches in a vase are a definite statement of spring.
For more news of spring explore The Propagator’s blog. I spied a lovely tulip bud there. Happy Gardening: In the UK it’s time to spring forward with the clocks!
n20gardener 
That metal grid looks just the job for climbing plants!
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I have a metal grill that was left by the previous owner. I use it to climb my peas… Otherwise stunning capture of this toad verrucous!
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A great post! Advice on taking care of your back came a little late for me as plunged back into lifting etc before remembering my back had got very used to chairs in the recent bad weather. I am a huge fan of metal grids just like yours and buy them to support sweetpeas and climbing beans. They last forever and I really like the way they look. Easy to move around too.
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Thank you. Do you just push your grids into the soil or tie them in to something? I am thinking of some bamboo canes to give extra support.
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I love a toad, makes me feel better about my looks. Also reminds me of Philip Larkin. Love your “Corten steel” plant support. Very Chelsea.
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Yes Larkin has a good turn of phrase. I think the supports will be the only vaguely Chelsea thing about the garden!
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Gosh, you’ve had to be patient with those sweet peas! This is the first year ever I’m not growing any, and I’m missing them already. I completely agree with you about forsythia. Lovely in other people’s gardens, but too much for mine!
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Yes, they did take their time. I planted them just as the cold weather set in again! And the gh is not in the warmest of spots. Still I think even Anniversary is making a show now. Relief. Planting scheme would have to be rethought!
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The general rule for planting sweet peas seeds here is that they be in by St Patrick’s Day (I haven’t done mine yet) so we’re planting them at more or less the same time. Isn’t that odd.
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That does feel strange. Do they cope well with high temperatures. Here they can get mildew if they get dry.
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Sweet peas seem to do quite well here. The temps are going down now, although we do have a week of 30C maximums ahead of us. The nights are now much cooler.
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Is a mudgee garden something specific?!
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I can understand why you wondered that, but Mudgee is the name of the town I live in.
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Aah, thank you. And I realise now that, of course, you are going into autumn. So your sweet peas will be late season colour! That’s interesting.
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Yellow is one of those colours that strikes people differently. Some folk actually loathe it. I’m the reverse to yourself re mahonia & forsythia, but I think it’s the flower size, rather than colour. I wonder why your toad isn’t out courting?
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Finally getting round to reading and replying to SOS. I’m wondering where my toad really lives! Surely not just in the soil?? I’ll keep a lookout for a partner!
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I like the steel grid, you’ve given me an idea….
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Toads seem to lurk in the strangest places in the garden, don’t they! We found one in a plant trough before – gave Mum a heck of a fright when she picked it out, thinking it was a large stone lurking in the soil!
They close a road nearby for the “annual toad migration” (otherwise they get run over trying to get back to the breeding pond each year), so we tend to get quite a few on the allotment after that point.
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I wonder how far they go for a pond. My garden is wet but we don’t have a pond. Fascinating.
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I love toads so great to see them in the garden, can’t beat yellow in the garden at this time of year, just brightens the garden up, excellent idea with the grid, I have used them in the past for growing peas up, clematis and indeed roses works really well👍👍
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How do you fix the grids? I feel I need some sort of frame to give rigidity. Is pushing into soil enough?
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Ahh I hammered in the 4ft pins with a loop on the end in to the ground and wired them to the grid, I did cut them down to 3ft for the peas, did work well
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Hmm. I think I’m going to try bamboo canes. I’ll play around a bit!!
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I want a Toad in my garden! Nothing better than seeing a Hudrang a in bud…
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Goodness! You have a dinosaur infestation! That thing looks quite large.
My forsythia is finishing bloom. I posted a picture of it earlier, just to show off. Yes, we do have them here. They are rare, but not unheard of.
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It was right by my foot so I could get very close to it! You must be nearly into your summer!
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Spring just started, although the weather will be in the low 70s for a few days.
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Sounds just perfect 😎
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More rain here with more snow in the Sierra Nevada would be closer to perfect for this time of year. Once the rain stops, we may not get any more until next autumn.
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I wish I could send you some of ours. Feels like non stop rain for a week and more to come. I hope you get a top up soon.
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We have a chance of rain at the end of next week, and we sometimes get rain later, but this could be it for us.
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Great toad pic! Love how he’s blending in with the soil.
I was going to cut off old hydrangea heads this weekend, but now you have made me think twice. Are we going to have to wait until after the Easter weekend to really get going in our gardens this year?
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I’ve just looked at forecast for London and it is greatly improved – rain not snow! So if I get a dry moment I think I will be cutting off the hydrangea heads this weekend. But I think I’m going to leave planting potatoes for another week…maybe! We are all teetering on the edge aren’t we.
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