Friday, 20 May 2011

fresh air friday

 Thanks for your get well wishes
I'm sure I'm not alone with this cold thing,
the flowers are blooming for me today
and not just in my garden :O(

I cannot stop taking photos this week,
so I shall let you peruse my choices 
and discuss after.






 Another fantastic display of lupins this year
(all grown by seed!!)
I thought the white one looked like 
Gaudis cathedral in Barcelona!

feeding time at the zoo!
 This plant self seeded by my front door,
the flower was a lovely purple thing,
but these seed heads..well?!
They are about the size of a tennis ball,
any ideas?
I have been enjoying the garden for sure this year!
I'm really very excited at how things are 
changing for the better year on year.
And I cant wait for even more maturity.

Stuff I've done this week:

Pruned shrubs to shape and to invigorate growth.
Tied in growing ends of the grape vine.
Planted out butternut squash.
Eaten lots of peppery salad and turnips.
Sprayed aphids with washing up liquid solution.
Fed rhododendron, ericaceous liquid feed.
Pruned new plum tree
(normally done in June, due to silver leaf disease
my garden thinks its June so meh!)
Thinned out apples.
Covered strawberries.
Pondered...watered...relaxed...
sniffed

18 comments:

Juliab said...

Garden is looking fab as ever. Hope you are feeling better very soon. My youngest is at home with me today as she has got this cold too - I think it is a bad one as she usually soldiers on through all the colds she gets. Have a great weekend. x

Diane said...

You are so Barbara Good from "The Good Life". I love your garden. xxxx

Nicky said...

Clare

Glad you have been so busy but having done all that when did you fit in relaxing?? I have given up with lupins as they always got covered in aphids - love yours though so may have to give them a try in new flower bed! Monty Python springs to mind 'Your lupins or your life!'

Hen said...

What fab lupins and from seed too, now I am very impressed!
Have a great weekend.
Hen x

Simone said...

Your garden is beautiful clare. You have been busy! Despite the flowery pictures I show on my blog my garden is looking rather unkempt as the hens have ravaged the grass!!! I hope that your sniffles soon clear up and have a lovely weekend!

gillyflower said...

Lupins are gorgeous - sounds like you have been very busy in the garden this week!
Glad you found a bit of time for something more restful!
Gill xx

Vintage Tea Time said...

Your garden looks a delight - love lupins; mine are no-where near as far on as yours. Hope you're feeling better by now. Abby x

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Your garden is looking lovely Clare. I'm afraid we've come home to horrible weather but I can't believe how much my lupins have grown in my absence! Seems to be a very good year for lupins. :)
Vivienne x

Jennifer said...

My goodness, you are surrounded by beauty! Isn't it fun to watch a garden mature?

Thanks for your comment on my blog today... I'm glad to have found your blog as well!

Jennifer :)

Unknown said...

Fab garden, the flowers are beautiful! How cute is the little birdie!

Pomona said...

You have been so busy - hope the sniffing improves!

Pomona x

{Love, Love, Love} said...

I had the same flower appear in my front garden a couple of years ago and have assumed it to be, albeit a very pretty one, a weed. I had to start pulling them up as they were a bit invasive left to their own devices. Hope you feel better soon x

Serenata said...

Hello poor miss sniffles, hope you stop sniffing soon. Your garden is looking fabulous. My lupins are starting to flower as well :-) You've reminded me I must cover our strawberries tomorrow. Better put it on my to do list. Our cherry tree has been decimated by the pigeons :-( so I am doubting there will be any left on the tree to grow into proper sized fruit.

Have a great weekend Clare

Lisa said...

With all that hard work done in your fabulous garden this week I prescribe a couple of glasses of Pimms taken whilst sat in your garden chairs under the umbrella whilst admiring those statesque lupins!
Lisa x

Patty said...

Being from Oklahoma and Kansas, those are what we called "milkweed", because when the stem was cut a milky, sticky fluid ozzes out.

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Those lupins look fabulous! They are one of my favourite flowers in the garden. I wish the slugs didn't like them as much!
Isabelle x

greenthumb said...

Loved your photos of your garden mine is going to rest for winter.

Poppy said...

The garden is looking beautiful Clare. I love lupins......

Lou xxx