A swarm of bees in April

Apparently our bees are close to swarming; is that because we have had a garden full of nectar since our winter garden open day in mid February or because it has been unseasonally dry and warm, perfect I guess for gathering stores?

My brother in law near Plymouth tells the same tale about his bees.

Is it weather or availability of nectar or both? Can you to distinguish the two....except to say we do have a rich store of flowering plants from late winter through to mid autumn.

The Romance of Spring

I really cherish the bulbs of late April with tulips such as dusky Negrita, perfect with pale blue pansies or the emerging foliage of purple heuchera. Add double pink 'Angelique' to the mix and you have a marriage made in heaven. Another favourite is creamy green Tulip 'Spring Green' (seen here); not easy with white, its too subtle for that, but really beautiful set amidst the soft felty foliage of foxgloves.

Then there are still lots of daffodils such as 'Pipit', 'Bell Song', and soft salmon 'Roseworthy' (seen here) giving such a glorious show, added and abetted by the lime green foliage of golden feverfew, or Bowles Golden Grass.

We have an open day this Sunday; just hope the weather is kind between now and then so that our visitors can enjoy the show.

The Great Escape

I love growing bellis daisies (double) in baskets and pots at this time of year and enjoy planting the pinks, reds and whites but, most of all, the pinks. Well to my delight they have self seeded in the lawn nearby. Now my husband does not relish daisies in the lawn, single or double! So just before the lawns were cut last weekend, I picked these flowers and have been enjoying them on the kitchen table. Hope more flower before the next cut!

Spring's Sprung at Last

The week of warm sunny weather has brought great advances to the garden and to all my many pots with fritillarias and hyacinths now flowering wonderfully. Both are excellent longterm choices for containers, coming back year after year. Wild primroses and violets make an ideal combo with the snakeshead fritillarias; all native plants together making this a super idea.

We are spoilt for choice with hyacinth colours; but whether white, pink, blue or mulberry, variegated London Pride makes the perfect topping for a hyacinth hanging basket and will flower its heart out in May, and then retain a quiet dignity until its peak again the following spring.

Blooming Delicious

Edible flowers? Blooming delicious!From lemon-flavoured daisies to peppery pink dianthus, edible flowers are more than just decoration.

Emine Saner guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 31 March 2010 21.00 BST Article history
Kathy Brown's early spring salad with primroses and violets.

Quite an article.....my garden here at Stevington is bursting with white, pink and blue scented violets as well as beautiful wild primroses.....all so tasty and just right for easter salads, and cakes and roulades etc!
We next open on May 2nd.....see my website for details of all openings.
www.kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com