I shouldn’t be so competitive with nature. But isn’t that the essence of gardening, trying to cultivate our little spaces into our dream places. My dream space is filled with fresh spring flowers, scented roses, glorious summer abundance gently fading into the warm hues of autumn, leading to the bare trees and swaying grasses of winter. Aah, perfection, which of course, we all know, is not possible.
This week I have laughed at the ‘disasters’ that have befallen my garden. I realised that my asparagus was being nibbled by the slimey ones as it broke through the soil. It is now sheltered by plastic bottles, not attractive but it seems to be effective and fulfils the three Rs. Elsewhere a self-seeded euphorbia wulfenii has curled up and died, no doubt the endless rain was just too much for it. Last week Fred mentioned that he had an ailing hebe. I have a daphne going the same way. I read that slugs and snails do not trouble with foxgloves, the hairy leaves being not quite to their taste. Here they have munched them with evident enjoyment, leaving only the the coarser ribs of the leaves for show. But these are small set backs when compared with the lush greeness that is emerging. Nature takes it’s course, but I rise to the challenge and find ways around these troubles. Here’s my six successes for the week.
One
It always difficult to decide when the camassias are at their best but I have chosen the first flowers, which opened last week, as a definite high point of the gardening week.
Two
‘Queen of Night’ tulip has opened up and joined the tulip festival. One of my favourites and reasonable as a returning flower.
Three
I have a habit of losing euphorbia wulfenii, and so I tried out a more damp loving variety – euphorbia palustris. It’s not as mighty a plant but so far it seems to be happier in my garden conditions. It should reach about 90cms. You can see the struggling wulfenii version in the background.
Four
I am celebrating this one flower of iris germanica. I have others in bud but the slimey ones seem to be winning here. They are puncturing the leaves with what I am positively going to describe as lacey holes and then biting through the stems just below the buds. But I am celebrating.
Five
The sun persuaded this pink tulip to fully open and take in the warmth. I empathised wholeheartedly.
Six
Apple blossom. Glorious, what more could you ask for?
I declare the result a win! Ignore those irritations and love the beautiful new growth. The weather is improving and like that pink tulip we can embrace it. Last week’s mystery was answered. It was a cherry laurel seedling kindly donated by a neighbouring garden. I have left one in place to see how it does.
I’m ready to plant out my red onions from their modules and I’ve sown a few more flower seeds. I bought a new plant which will either replace the daphne or the euphorbia. It’s a low growing weigela. I’m struggling now to resist buying another rose. My default purchase when I have space. I am challenging myself to be more imaginative so any suggestions for shrubs would be much appreciated. Have a great gardening weekend and do join Jim for his ruminations with the other SOSers.
n20gardener 
How about getting something scented like a mock orange or a scented Deutzia?
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Good suggestions. I’d like to go with a scented shrub. Thank you
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I was also going to suggest a mock orange, wasn’t Monty singing their praises on Gardeners’ World last night?
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On my list to catch up with Monty! Thank you.
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Mock orange isn’t easy in some soil. I failed 2 times. I hope you find something that will suit. What is this tulip in the foreground ( in front of the Queen of Night?)
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It will be either Barcelona or Violet Beauty. They shouldn’t be stripey, perhaps they have crossed. Can they do that? Or could it be tulip fire? I might have to dig up the stripey one. I will think carefully about mock orange – but the scent is appealing.
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I don’t know. I notice that sometimes the stripes disappear little by little over the years for certain tulips.
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It is a pleasure to see apple trees blooming, . . . now that I am done pruning them! Once they begin to bloom, I can not prune them. I finished what I needed to prior to bloom.
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The apple blossom is beautiful and Queen of the Night is such a lovely colour. I wish some of my dark tulips had appeared. I must plant some more. Someone told me once that slugs and snails don’t each Foxgloves and I remember begging to differ. I’ve a shredded one in the garden right now.
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The shrub we have most of after Camellias is hydrangeas, though I don’t much like the standard mopheads. H. serrata if you’ve got shade, or H. paniculata are great plants.
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Thank you. Hydrangea would work in one corner definitely.
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The apple blossoms are beautiful as are the camassia. I am planning to find some euphorbia that will succeed in my garden. My gardening philosophy is to enjoy the successes and move on from the losses.
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It’s a good philosophy. There are so many euphorbia to choose from I’m sure you will find something. I do like the scent of melifera but it is on the tender side.
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The S&S have been having a great time this year. I can’t believe the devastation of the narcissi and it’s been far too wet to use nematodes. Beer traps are successful though and if you don’t want to waste good beer, then yeast in water works too. Mindst you I need a lot more than two traps!
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I keep forgetting about beer traps! I find plenty of them hiding beneath the sanguisorba ‘Tanna’ and I have been very thorough about checking under pots and the quantity of odd bricks I have around the garden!
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The pink tulip is perfectly ringing in Spring!
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It’s a great shape
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