The swallows have arrived, surely earlier than usual, or does it just seem early because it’s still so chilly? Peter clocked them first on Thursday, wheeling in a flock of 40 or so overhead. A few peeled off and settled on the telephone wires and the rest flew on, as if some invisible, airborne bus had set our birds down at their stop, waved them off and driven off with the rest of the passengers.
Some welcome they got, as they were followed a few minutes later by a deafening hailstorm which laid half an inch of hailstones the size of marrowfat peas across the entire nursery. Still, no damage done.
The garden is slowly coming to life, as are our customers, wrapped up against the cool wind and finding a welcome refuge in the re-opened tea room, which Cathy Bell and her team adorned with bunting, fresh coffee and home made cakes for the Easter weekend.
A reminder that we’re hosting a plant fair on Saturday 10th April, 11am to 4pm – there will be 8 other nurseries from around the north west so do come along and see what you can pick up. Half price entry to the garden if you buy a plant from the plant fair.
And I’m going to make a prediction – that the bluebells will be in flower as usual by the third week in April. I think their flowering is governed more by the timing of the tree canopy opening above them and day length, than air temperatures. I think another cold spell would delay both, but it’s now forecast milder for the next week or so so I think we’re back on track.
That’s it for now, folks. Pictures next week….
Update on ‘Dead or Alive’..
– Fatsia japonica – more dead than alive.
– Fig trees – significant die back, I think.
– Arisaema consanguineum – corms in pots dead. Hopefully the ones in the garden have made it, but if not I have some healthy seed from last year that I’ve sown.
– Dierama pulcherrimum – looks dead in pots, the ones in the garden look alive, but I’m not sure yet.
– Arisarum proboscideum – all in pots dead, all in garden fine.
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