Problem, challenge, opportunity (II)

A lot of work ...

Well, so much for my plans to concentrate on weeding and sorting out the veg plot beds.  For some time we've been planning to widen the path along the back of the house, on an area which is, or more correctly has been, a flower bed; we're finally about to go ahead with that, and the builder is coming much sooner than anticipated.  So the focus is now on clearing / weeding that area before he starts, a lot of work against a deadline!  The builders will dig out the area, but there are things in there - couch grass and vetch among others - that need careful root removal if they're not to reappear in future years between the flagstones, and I'd rather do that myself to be sure.  The bed has been left pretty much to its own devices in recent years, in anticipation of the building work, and there isn't much in there that needs preserving.  There's a lot of brunnera, seedlings of the Brunnera 'Jack Frost' which might just lie outside the paved area, though I've taken divisions from it and planted them elsewhere in the garden, so the parent plant can be removed (if I can get it out!), a couple of aquilegias and the big patch of red wallflowers (I'll take cuttings and dig them out, as late as possible as the bees are enjoying them).  Sadly we will have to remove all the hellebores that have self-seeded between the existing flagstones, including my favourite H. argutifolius, although there's a seedling from that now located in the front garden.  I will also have to bite the bullet and remove the very old, blackspot-ridden climbing rose on the back wall - probably not before time either.  The ground slopes away very slightly from the house, and I originally built a low drystone retaining wall in this bed; I've started to dismantle it, exposing a large population of slugs and snails, some of which I threw out onto the lawn where the song thrush gratefully disposed of a few.  I also found a little toad hiding in there, and re-homed him under a large patch of ivy where I hope he'll be safe.

There is an opportunity associated with the work, however: a new bed alongside the new path will be further away from the house and its shadow, and - although east-facing - will get sun for much of the afternoon, much more than the old bed did.  An opportunity for some sun-loving plants!

Fortunately the weather is continuing dry; it has been a very dry April and I've had to do some watering of pots and veg seedlings, but it means that I can work comfortably outside and the soil is easy to work.  Temperatures have fluctuated between a pleasantly warm weekend (meals outside in the summerhouse) and, today, a chill that had me revert to full winter working clothes including jacket and warm gloves.

Tulip 'Orange Emperor'

Tulip 'Exotic Emperor'

The tulips are continuing to come out.  I'm very pleased with 'Exotic Emperor', a lovely creamy white with a few green markings on the outside, and 'Orange Emperor', a vivid, luminescent clear orange with the same green markings; both are sturdy plants with full, bold flowers.  The other pots are still in bud but coming on nicely, and there are a few odds and sods (from last year's pots) in odd corners, including some 'Havran', 'Couleur Cardinal' and 'Angelique'.  There are still a good few daffodils in reasonable shape, and the path along the hedge is lined on one side by honesty (Lunaria annua) and on the other by doronicum - a fine colourful effect.  And the orchids are starting to push their leaves up through the lawn.

Honesty and doronicums

The pulmonaria underneath the winter honeysuckle seems to be a favourite of the local sparrows, who were happily pulling the flowers off one day.  I don't mind as the plant is barely visible anyway.  We've had a very active lot of birds, some (blackbirds, song thrush, robins) taking food away for youngsters.  A pair of pied wagtails appeared one day (normally we only see them in the garden in the direst winter weather), as did a pair of mistle thrushes, attracted by the old apples put out for the blackbirds; long-tailed tits still come from time to time and all of our usual birds are very much in evidence.  The bluetits are indeed nesting in the nestbox, apparently undeterred by our being in the summerhouse.  There may also be a wren's nest down in the bottom hedge area as we've seen one there quite a lot.  With the weather being so dry, the water is a big attraction for the birds, and there has been much bathing in the pond - although the level is dropping so that may not continue for long!