I have high hopes for the next few weeks. Temperatures look likely to be above freezing over night and although it all seems a little dry #neverhappy it does feel as though the growing season is underway. The self sown calendula seeds on the veg patch are germinating and so I have sown some outdoor carrot seeds. I’ve had a cloche tunnel on the ground for a couple of weeks now and will leave the cloche over them until they germinate. I am going to wait another week before I sow parsnip seeds outside. I’ve also taken up the suggestion from The Nostalgic Gardener to join in with Piglet in Portugal and Fred to grow the remainder of my potatoes in a container. They were the smallest of the lot so I have pushed my luck and planted four into a large pot. Here’s this week’s six:
One
Tree seedlings are also popping up everywhere and here’s any arty photo of the three main culprits.
Two
My favourite skimmia – Lime Green – is flourishing. This is a really good space filler on the north facing side of the garden, It is at the western end so it does enjoy some afternoon sun.
Three
In the front garden the mahonia is in flower. This one jostles for space with an hypericum and was in danger of being crowded out. With some gentle pruning I’ve managed to get it to stand a little stronger against the bolder hypericum. Who would have a thought a mahonia could be muscled out?
Four
I’m trying not to moan about the cold but really! The new growth on the Japanese anemone has taken a bashing. These are just behind the skimmia but clearly not benefitting from any shelter. This side of the garden is raised about a foot above the lawn and I wonder if that means it catches a little more wind.
Five
On the opposite side in the sunshine and at a lower level, this sanguisorba ‘Tanna’ has formed a good sized clump – after three years. I was on the verge of giving up on it and its nearby colleagues but perhaps this year there will be a strong display of flowers.
Six
I have to visit the cheery tulip/thalia border again. This week the white tulips have begun to open up. I really do enjoy this calming yet cheerful border. The white variety is ‘White Triumphator’.
Six on Saturday is a wonderful gardening meme hosted by The Propagator – I hope you can find a moment to stop by his site and see what’s on offer this week. Enjoy!
n20gardener 
Good luck with your potatoes, hope it works! Here the first leaves have appeared but I still hide them because the night frost can hit them. Pretty foliage of sanguisorba under this sun!
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Thank you. I’ve read that I need to add extra layers as the leaves push through so they only have a shallow covering at the moment. Next week could see them move on!
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That skimmia is lovely. I’m looking for a plant to fill a spot vacated by a suddenly deceased azalea in a north facing border. It might be just the thing. Thank you!
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My pleasure. I like it in this border. I bought a well established one because I wanted immediate impact! It’s about two years in the ground now.
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Ah, so someone else likes white too!
What are those seedlings? I pulled up a few bigleaf maple seedlings while still dormant so that I might use them somewhere else. I happen to like the tree, and they happen to be appropriate to the landscapes here; but there are not many situations into which we can add anything larger than small trees.
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Haha. I was being lazy with the tree seedlings! The trees around here are mostly ash, chestnut and sycamore. So I am guessing that’s what these are. I have hundreds of them, especially sycamore. I do find myself planting more and more white in the garden. The green white combination is very appealing.
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They look like ash and maple, although the middle seedling does not quite look like ash. I just explained to someone in England that what is known as sycamore there is maple here. Otherwise, Japanese maple would be Japanese sycamore.
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I did not know that our sycamore is your maple. How interesting.
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Actually, . . . our maple is your sycamore. . . . and you got your chocolate in my peanut butter.
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Your skimmia is very attractive – our neighbours have one which has been really catching our eye. I think I’m going to try growing potatoes in pots this year as they take up too much room elsewhere.
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And the potatoes will be so much easier to dig up! I always leave some in the ground my mistake and then have them popping up through the beans and carrots next year.
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Pingback: Garden Diary: Let’s Focus on Vegetables and Herbs – Piglet in Portugal
The thalia and tulip combination works very well. It’s one I was thinking of trying next year with Purissima , but the white triumphator is a great choice.
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I am going to try Purissima next year with the hybrid hellebores. The shape of Purissima is very appealing.
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Good luck with the potato experiment. I think you’ll be pleased with the results 🙂 The cloche is a good idea to protect the seedlings. Your tulips are lovely. I really must get some for next year. I much prefer them to daffodils as looking through the SoS blogs the tulips do have the greater variety.
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Re tulips v. Daffs. I’m one of those who find most daff yellow too bold. Tulips are so varied- spoilt for choice.
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Good luck with the potato trials! Mine are showing leaves and like you I will add more compost on top so there will hopefully be layers of potatoes, that’s the plan anyway! Love your tulip and Thalia border, the colours blend beautifully.
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Pingback: Garden Diary: April Vegetables (part 2) – Piglet in Portugal
Probably not looking properly but couldn’t see where to add a comment, so I’m using this reply. First wow leaves already! And the. Oh dear blight already? I hope the later plantings do well. No sign at all from mine so far. I’ll report back via SOS.
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