Oh yes the garden is warming up, which brings out the pests. The clematis cuttings in the greenhouse have been eaten. I thought I had de-slugged the greenhouse after giving it a good sweep out in preparation for the new growing season, but no. Of course they find a way to wreak havoc. Pests are munching through the borders too, a new campanula has been razed to the ground, snails are the culprits here I think. I need to be especially watchful of the three dahlias in the greenhouse which have just put up shoots. Every year I say I won’t grow food for slugs and snails but once again I’m a fool. End of tales of woe, time for six good things.
One
Thankfully the tulips are unscathed and there are new ones to enjoy this week. ‘Negrita’ has been joined by ‘Spring Green’ which is one of my favourites and seems to be pretty good at coming back.
Two
Not so good on the re-appearing front is ‘Cairo’. I added in about twenty last year to coincide with the camassias. This year only two have appeared but I like the colour and the shape so I may well restock and have another go at building up a display.
Three
The geranium phaeums have opened. This is a sign that the garden is beginning to fill up, no doubt providing lovely cover for slugs but I won’t go there again.
Four
The first of the Germanica irises have opened, these are another Spring favourite, fleeting but such a great colour.
Five
New in the border this year, these are polygonatum × hybridum, or Solomon’s Seal. I did quite a bit of research into varieties of polygonatum but when it came to making a purchase the most interesting were out of stock and so the ordinary ones came home with me. They are in a shady northish facing spot and I was persuaded by the suggestion that they were thuggish and would spread. I ignored the note that said may be attacked by slugs!
Six
Trumpet fanfare for the last of the six. It’s apple blossom time and never have I had so much blossom on this apple tree. It’s a Braeburn on dwarf stock if I remember rightly. I inherited it from the previous owner who loved growing his own fruit. I have much to thank him for.
This week saw the planting out of the onion sets that I had started in the greenhouse and also the Pink Fir Apple potatoes. I’m holding back on sowing parsnip and carrot seeds as my soil still feels cold to the touch. Maybe the long weekend and the hint of higher temperatures will push me over the edge. The dead plants have gone and I’m looking for some hardy evergreens to replace the three pittosporums. The other spaces will be filled with some spare perennials for the moment. I’m moving the windowsill tomatoes down to the greenhouse this weekend. We have a bank holiday in the UK and the weather looks good. So it is with great joy I wish everyone Happy Gardening! I hope the weather is good wherever you are. Garden Ruminations is the place to go for more of the SOS gardens.
n20gardener 
It seems that slugs and snails are no longer pests? This morning on the radio, they were saying that they were endangered and that they had to be counted and listed on an Internet site. However, the garden is full of slugs and I have to fight every day, so that’s a good sign for my soil. The camassia will not be long here either and obviously congratulations for these beautiful tulips with the sun.
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Here the Royal Horticultural Society is also promoting the ‘not a pest’ theme. I’ve started adding mine to the compost heap or the green bin!
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I know what you mean about pesky slugs sneaking into the green house.
Those Iris are very pretty.
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Opened a drawer in the gh yesterday and found a snail! Maybe the culprit.
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Slugs are a nemesis. Let me also introduce you to the foraging deer in our neighborhood.
I have also had two feral cats nipping a native liatris which was sitting on a bench near the carport.
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Oh deer! I can imagine the damage they cause would be truly heart-breaking.
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Pigeons, snails or slugs – one or all of these are eating lots of plants this year and that makes them pests whatever the RHS thinks.
On a brighter note it’s lovely to see the iris beginning to bloom. They are one of my favourite flowers.
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They do seem to be everywhere this year! I daren’t leave a tray or piece of wood down anywhere!
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A lovely selection. I share your slug and snail pain. There seem to be more than ever this year.
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It has been unanimous of the pain of their damage!
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If only someone would inform the local hedgehogs about the slugs then we’d all be happy. Sadly no hedgehogs here nor thrushes 😕 your blossom looks lovely and I am impressed with your geranium phaeum photo. I have a similar one, ‘Samobor’ I think, but it is impossible to get a decent photo and ‘Lily Lovell’ seems to have disappeared.
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I didn’t know Lily Lovell – what a beauty she is, I hope she is just a bit late and that she does arrive soon.
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Had another look and no sign of her. I shall have to find another one.
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It’s not slugs and snails that demolish my Solomon’s seal, it’s sawflies. It’d be quite a stretch not to see them as pests.
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We’re lucky to have a frog or two & a visiting hedgehog who keep the slugs under control. That wasn’t always the case so I know how disappointing it is to see precious plants decimated. I hope the Solomon’s Seal escapes, it’s a lovely plant.
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I have a few toads but they seem to stay in the compost heap. I now take all my slugs and snails there and offer them up!
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Haha, love it!
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It’s nice to inherit a fruit tree. ❤ That iris and tulip photo, superb combination!
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Thank you! I am very grateful for the fruit trees, such a treat!
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Pink fir apple potato?!?! Is Dianthus, Abies, Mallus or Solanum? I can guess, but that certainly is an amusing name.
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I always have to check myself, but yes they definitely are potatoes!
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Beautiful Iris and I hope you have a bumper crop of Braeburn apples. There’s very little not nibbled by SnS in my garden.
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It’s difficult to grow entirely slug resistant plants. I would have a garden full of hardy geraniums I think!
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