Refuge from a mad world

A sunny weekend was just what was needed as an escape from an ever madder world, and a chance to distract myself by sorting out the garden.   Despite an occasionally chilly wind, the first little daffodils in the windowbox came out, set off by the blue crocuses (‘Blue Pearl’), and the pulmonarias sheltering in the lee of the north wall have also started flowering, in time for the early bees which have been making an appearance. 

Colour in the windowbox

I was able to make progress in the veg plot.  The last of the brassica plants were cleared; there were two rather nice savoy cabbages, both taken to the kitchen, while the rest of the spent plants went to the new compost ‘bin’.  The alkanet plants were also dug up, providing further useful green material for the ‘bin’.  It was an opportunity to spread the mushroom compost that has been sitting, waiting, up against the garage wall since last autumn, but which I hadn’t been able to deal with; better late than never.  The veg beds are looking a little better now; just waiting for this week’s rain to soak the compost mulch, let it settle a bit, and I can then start sowing broad beans etc. 

A few surprises seen from the dining room window this week: first a male greenfinch visited the patio, followed shortly by a male yellowhammer with his bright yellow head, investigating the shrubs; then the next day a treecreeper was checking over the plum tree while a brambling called by.  Four birds not often seen in the garden.