The temperatures, for the past week, have been far too cold for the time of year.  Yesterday it was 12 c, and down to 5c at night.  All the tomatoes are still in their pots and not planted out.  They are huddled in the greenhouse together with the courgettes, cucumbers and squashes trying to keep warm.  I did plant out two squashes and a courgette which have not even grown!

I am certainly not complaining about the rain, the garden needs it but it also needs some sun.  The peonies and oriental poppies are a thing of the past, the rain did them in.  We have even had hail on two occasions.  Everyone here dreads hail, it  destroys everything

However, the garden is still looking good.  It is now full which is good in this climate as it helps the plants survive the drought as they stay moister.

One very large plant that doesn’t mind the weather is Aconogon ‘Johanniswolke’ .  It even survives the drought.  Grows to 1 meter 50.

I started out with one plant but have since split it several times.  It stays where you put it and doesn’t run all over the place.

As May is almost ending, the garden is looking colourful.  There are irises, lupins, roses, peonies

but most of all oriental poppies.  I realised after I had said that I thought I had three colours of poppies this wasn’t true.  I had forgotten the white poppies, which in fact are the first to flower.  And, as promised, Patties Plum on the right.

 

You can order your garden however you like but sometimes nature always knows best.  Plus some general views and a cat!

 

Yes, there are more.  This time the hardy geraniums which are underplanting for the more showy and taller plants.  They are planted throughout the garden.  Mostly self-seeded and in various shades because of that.  Without them the garden would be a lot more work because they keep the weeds down plus also help to retain moisture.  It would also be bleaker without their frothy presence.

I always thought I had three colours of oriental poppies, pink, orange and Patties Plum which is a lovely mauve shade and not yet in flower.  Then today I found a red one.  I had always wanted a red oriental poppy but had never succeeded.  A friend gave me some seed so I sowed  that and nothing.  Then I bought one three years ago and again, nothing.  I have moved it three times and it appears to like the latest location because it has started to grow though it won’t get flowers this year.  And then today there it was.  It is not in a particularly good spot and before it flowered I was going to pull it up, then I saw it had a flower bud so decided to let it flower.  Thank goodness I did.  So exciting.  It must be from the seeds I scattered eons ago.  I can’t move it as they do not transplant well so I will have to create some space around it plus give it some feed.  Anyway here are three, Patties Plum to follow.

I promised you some rhododendrons so here they are together with some Japanese azaleas

I particularly like the second to last.  I always said I didn’t like purple/mauve rhododendrons but I do like this one.

The one below is in the bit of garden by the lane that runs past our house.  Yesterday I was there tidying a bit when a quad bike pulled up to admire it and coincidentally a pair of walkers where also passing (all carefully ensuring we kept the required distance as we are still in partial lockdown).

So to cries of, il est beau, they went on their way.  Today, two quad bikes pulled up.  The one from yesterday and some friends.  How many tomorrow one wonders!  Mais
il est vraiment beau!

We all have some unsung heroes in our gardens and one of mine is Centura Montana.

It blossoms well before most other things, continues to blossom for a good six weeks and, if you cut it back, blossoms again later in the year.  It also self-seeds.  All over the place.  So dead heading is essential unless you only want Centura Montana in your garden!

We had a tap that leaked so we had to turn the water off at source.  The main water tap is in a concrete basin, together with the meter, near the gate.  Normally it is barely visible except for once a year, July, when I hurriedly have it cleared so they can read the meter.  Otherwise we get fined and there is nothing like the threat of a fine to get something done.

Once opened we found five of the black and yellow salamanders.  Such a surprise and I hope we didn’t disturb them too much.This is not one of the five, as I didn’t have my camera (or phone) but one I took previously.

At long last we have some rain.  It has also gone colder which is not so good given we are still in lockdown but we badly needed the rain.  It will rain through the weekend and then back up to temperatures in their 20’s.

My Russian olive trees (elaeagnus angustifolia) are flowering.  I have one in a pot near the house and one up at the back of the veggie garden.  Their flowers are multiple and very understated BUT they smell utterly divine.

The light pink tree peonies by the house are out as is the darker red one.  They don’t like rain which is unfortunate!  Also a plant I bought last year which I moved and is doing well.  I liked its lemon coloured flowers but have forgotten its name.  It looks to be related to ranunculus.

the veggie garden is doing well and with no frost predicted for the next 14 days (including the Ice Saints which are May 11-14 this year) it should continue to do well without me scrambling to get everything covered up!

First picture is of the garlic, onions and shallots with broad beans in the next bed.  The second one is a different angle and shows potatoes as well.  And the third picture shows radishes, beetroot, spring onions and salad leaves.  The netting is to keep the cats off!

Talking of which here is Ginger in a not so cultivated bit of the garden!

Some general views across the garden towards the steps to the veggie bit

The rhododendrons are all coming out so more of those next time.

Last but not least two more snake sightings, baby adders this time.  I hate snakes.

The camassias are now out, I have several large patches of them plus my Welsh poppies have started to flower.  I got the seed from my sister and her poppies were yellow but in my soil they are orange.  They can be either colour.

And the tree peonies have started to flower.  This is the first one and hadn’t flowered for a couple of years.  I’d forgotten how gorgeous the colour was.  My light pink one is almost flowering.

And good old centura montana.  I started off with one plant and now it is throughout the garden as it self seeds everywhere.  I don’t mind as the garden is big enough though if it does get too much I pull them out.  It flowers twice, once in spring and the provided you cut it back again in late summer.

Some lovely dwarf irises from my friend Roger’s garden.  As we can’t see each other due to the lockdown we are swapping photos.  All my dwarf irises are purple so a nice change to see these lovely light blue ones.  Roger’s garden is at a lower altitude so he is about a month ahead of me.