Today was 30c and the last days have been mid 20’s.  Too hot for April actually.  You need something cooler for the things that are out and that you are growing in the veggie garden.  But I’m not complaining.  The sort of days you dream of during our long, grey and depressing winter.

Above are some photos of the bluebell wood just down the road, all out now and a sea of blue.  Next an orchid that self seeded itself, a cowslip that has seeded itself in one of the paths,  and last, but by no means least an articula that is growing in an old tree stump.

When we first came to the Morvan (in 1997) I kept thinking what is the blue I see through the trees and then I twigged, bluebells.  Living in Holland, in the west, it is all reclaimed land so no real nature as you know it in other countries.  I was delighted to find wild daffodils, anemones, cowslips and bluebells growing in profusion.

It is a beautiful time of year, the various greens of the bushes and trees looking so very fresh and all the blossom trees from wild cherries and plums to apple plus magnolias.

 

 

What I love about April is that one minute there is virtually nothing and the next, you turn round, and there is the peach tree fully out plus the magnolia is in blossom.  The magnolia is not that big but it was absolutely tiny when I bought it for a euro!

April did not start well but the last two days have been beautiful, lots of sun and warm.

The hepatica and primrose above contrast well.  There is also a small portion of a plum tree that is so full of bees we should have a load of plums, provided we don’t get a frost of course..

Lots of work to be done to clear all the beds.  Today I have been working in the vegetable garden and planted potatoes, broad beans and beetroot.  So far I have garlic (some planted in the autumn and some a couple of weeks ago), onions and shallots.

Yesterday Roger came over for the first time.  Roger helps me in the garden.  He used to work in a nursery so is a total source of knowledge plus has a beautiful garden of his own.  He cut down all the grasses whilst I cleared up the beds in a stretch of the garden we call The Avenue as it is a fairly straight stretch with trees on either side of the planting.  The photos at the top of the page show it a couple of years ago.  Once the plants start to grow and flower I will update the photos.

 

 

 

Well, here we are at the end of March.  It has been a long grey one with some bursts of sunshine.  So not much to photograph but I did find the above photos.  Some hellebores and a lonesome anenome.   Hopefully as April progresses lots more will spring up.  I do have four pots of tulips in the greenhouse which are growing well.

tomorrow is forecast to be 6c but next week goes into double figures.  Just as well there is lots to do in the garden.

We are getting a fair few rainbows in the last days, rain and sun tends to do that!  We have typical March weather at the moment – all the seasons in one day..  but enough periods of sun to be able to get some work done in the garden.

The wild daffodils are all out and there to wander amongst, provided you know where they are..

Look familiar?   This all fell overnight.  The weather forecasters are promising it will all go away over the weekend!

Then I hope the daffodils will come out and the crocuses will open again.  I am hoping March will bring me lots of beautiful photos to share with you as the month unfolds….

It is extremely cold, the next three nights will be at least -13c and the days -3 or -4c.  Let’s hope that March will be somewhat more spring-like!  It is hard to get photos when it is so cold.  The daffodils are all ready to come out but at least they realize it is not wise!

l

The snow and ice disappeared yesterday thanks to the rain and on a tour of the garden this morning there they were…