As April comes to a close (and it is hard to believe we are a third of the way through the year already) the garden continues to erupt despite the unseasonable weather. It’s still chilly some days, though I have had a much drier week and been able to get outside and do some gardening. My aching back is proof! The Bee and Butterfly bed is getting a revamp, so currently a bit of a mess. I’m digging out things I no longer want and trying to eliminate the Cinquefoil at the same time (impossible task) and then I need to wait until the foxgloves I sowed last year flower, before emptying the bed completely. Until then I have made a start on repotting a lot of neglected plants. And although I swore I wouldn’t use online nurseries this year I have to confess that I have ordered a few perennials to replace some of the losses over this awful wet winter. At least now I have a better idea of what does survive in this garden and I try and avoid anything that is particularly attractive to the S&S.
As you can see from the header photo, my Paul Scherer tulips are still going strong and unaffected by the weather and when the sun isn’t shining on them they look almost black.
Jim of Garden Ruminations is our host now and as a former nurseryman has a lot more than the SOS happening over on his blog so well worth following. As always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls then please pop over to his site where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world. See here for the participant’s guide.
Cornwall in Colours 
That is a fantastic view of stormy skies across your garden! Your Borage looks wonderful… no sign of buds on mine yet.
My borage is a monster!! 😱
Lots of moving plants around here too, but not today because it has poured with rain since last night. We used to have lots of borage but the development of the pond and the area around it meant that most had to be removed. However, I did shift a couple of seedlings to a new area where I hope they’ll take off and keep the bees happy. Love the colour of ‘Bleu Aimable’!
Bleu Aimable is an interesting colour, but the flowers are tiny. Not sure if that’s normal.
I’ve had that happen with tulips before, can’t remember if I had some idea why, but it didn’t feel as if it was normal.
Older bulbs sometimes have smaller flowers, but these were new this year. I won’t be buying them again.
I think I’ll have to keep an eye open for a £5 Clematis in our local Asda – although perhaps by now in this cost-of-living crisis the price could have increased? I hope the flowers are beautiful for you! I love Cerinthe, but it never self seeds for me and I haven’t sown seeds during the past few years. I like the photo of the Tulips in its background setting. It’s a pity the weather has been so awful – not much has escaped damage with winter/early spring – though the Paul Scherer tulips are looking great.
Best bargain I’ve ever found! The flowers are very good and lots of them. I have noticed that several other clematis buds have actually been eaten too. Never seen that before. Possibly tiny snails as I have seen snails on them in the past. It seems nothing is safe.
I haven’t seen that either, you’re now sending me out to check mine! 😳
There doesn’t seem to be an end to your tulips! It must be great to have them in your garden for such a long period. Talking of your garden … love that last photo (and your garden)!
You may have sussed by now that spring is my favourite season and I aim to make the most of it by having a succession of bulbs from early dwarf irises through to Dutch irises – though I don’t have many of those this year. I usually have loads of tulips, but cut back this year because the weather was so awful last spring the tulips didn’t do very well.
Love the long view of your garden, what a stormy sky you had! Also like all your tulips, they make a lovely display.
I didn’t buy as many tulips as usual this year as they were disappointing last spring due to the rain and wind. Same again this year, though some of the older ones have proved to be remarkable robust! I do miss not having pots and pots of tulips.
Love your flowers and your garden! Thanks for sharing!
I always like to see wider views of your garden, Jude. Woolworth’s plants often used to perform like your Asda clematis, didn’t they?!