New friends

We made a new bird feeder from a hefty old branch and put it just beyond the deck so we can see it from the back door. These Goldfinches are regular visitors and are learning to stand up to the bullying bombing blue tits. The niger seed definitely attracts smaller birds; we've seen Chaffinch, Pied Wagtails and Goldfinch. It's better than watching the telly.

Spring seedlings

I sowed these Echinacea two weeks ago and they are already out of the propagator and in the windowsill. I'm going to put them in a bed with Bergamort (sown at the same time) and my purple elder (which needs to be moved - third time lucky) into its permanent home.

Gooseberries

This is the third attempt at locating these two gooseberry bushes. They were an impulse buy from my local Co-op. Every time I move them my mum says, 'You know gooseberries don't like to be moved'. They survived the last move so fingers crossed. If they survive, I promise I won't move them again.

Next project

I've ventured out this week for the first time in ages and it feels good to be back in the mud. I've already moved a couple of things around as we've had a lot of rain lately and not much frost. The ground is all soft, just a bit sticky for digging.

This is the next area to be tackled. I was going to get some whips (not sure what though) to put here but, on reflection, I might have enough things in pots to fill the space. The area is packed full of acquilegia that have been happily self-seeding here long before I arrived on the scene. There's a good mix of colours so I will probably dig them all out to get at the brambles and weeds then put them all back in again. The area looks good every spring but then fails after that when the weeds take over. I need colour for July onwards so I'm planning to grow some perennials from seed so that I can have lots of the same thing. I'm big on drifts of colour at the moment.

Plugging the gaps

This isn't the greatest of photos but the subject isn't too good this time of year. As you can see, the Eucalyptus has grown up high, taking its crown with it. This has left a gaping hole into next door - grim. It's not so bad when the quince (on the right) comes into leaf but for now I have moved a Potato vine that was hidden behind some hedging further along. I'm really not sure it's going to take as the main root was just like a dandelion - heading vertically down into the heavy clay. Being a foolish thing I lopped it off. Fingers crossed.

New year sprouts

Now then, this is more like it - new growth in the middle of winter.

Happy New Yew

I had a gap that I didn't like and couldn't help myself when I saw this little fella. The idea is that he creats a bit of winter structure where I have a lot of deciduous plants and some balance as I have a lot of dark evergreens the other side of the path. I'm thinking nice little dome shape next year.