The last newsletter had us departing for Wisley the next day. We did and it was an amazing place. 200+ acres of gardens of every imaginable type and style. Go to www.gardening-enjoyed.com to see a longer review and a few more pictures. Being the rather bent and twisted gardener that I am, I found one of the most fascinating items to be a background item. A Beech hedge that ran behind and between many of the gardens was, to me, a horticultural marvel. There were, of course, thousands of bulbs in bloom. 
I should never complain, and I’m not, about a job that has been very well done. But! The designated daughter did such as admirable job of tending to the seedling bed that I now have a daunting transplanting task in front of me. Marigolds by the hundred. Wherever will I grow them. Peppers, Tomatoes and Eggplants I have already started on and am trying to be ruthless. I know that I have no need for a dozen of each variety but it is so difficult to compost all of those extra seedlings. The cold frame is already starting to look full. If the weather would just warm up the onions etc could actually make it into the garden and free up some cold frame space. Maybe I need a bigger cold frame???
At the first glimmer of warmth I will be out in the perennial beds cleaning them up and trying to work some compost into the soil in between the rapidly growing plants. The trick is to get the compost into the soil early enough in the season so that you can still see the spaces between the Peonies and Dayliles. Has the compost pile even thawed to it’s centre. It’s composting activity should keep it warm enough but we will find out in the next day or so.
I can just feel the pent up gardening time and activities just waiting to burst forth under the first warm spring sun, like a Crocus that seems to pop out of the ground on the first warm day. It’s enough to make your blood run green! 111 Trent St. W. Whitby |
We should be careful about the things we ask for. I mentioned that the Daffodils stay in bloom a long time in England because of their rather long cool spring season. It appears that my Snowdrops and Crocus and bulb Iris are having a long blooming period in my part of the country as well and for the same reason. Despite the unseasonably cool weather, I’m amazed at the growth that the other bulbs and early perennials are displaying. A couple of my new Peonies are putting up several bright red noses, promising great things to come in the next months.