Five Saturdays this month and this last week has been beautiful, though I was taken by surprise to see frost in the fields the other morning. Warm sun by day, but cold by night. And despite the sore back I just had to get out into the garden and do some planting and weeding and general tidy up. I have discovered that my garden is in a time warp. I go outside for half an hour and when I come back into the house I find 4 hours has passed. Four hours? How can that be?
Anyway, here’s what has been taking up my time.
- Tulips. Yes more tulips. Very early tulips as I wasn’t expecting them until next month. Last week I showed you some new ones. Today I have some that have been with me since spring 2017. So their third flowering in the same pot! I think I should remove them after this though and at least put some new compost in the pot. They are from Sarah Raven’s ‘Scented Copper’ collection which includes ‘Ballerina’, ‘Whitallii’ and ‘‘Bruine Wimpel’’. There are two Heucheras in the same pot as well as some self-seeded parsley.
- More tulips, this time a new variety bought because I fancied a change of colour from my usual orange, coppers and dark reds. This is ‘Apricot Beauty’ and when the first flower opened I thought it was a bit wishy-washy. Now that more are open and they are a day or so older I can see different shades in the colouring including a raspberry pink. I’m still not that excited about it, though it would be nice planted with some really dark ones like Havran or Paul Scherer.
- Step away from the tulips (for now) and have a look at the sunny wall where I have crammed in lots of rockery type plants to spread and cover the wall. Anthemis cupaniana (white Sicilian chamomile ) I think, was growing on the opposite woodland border wall, but was badly hit last year by the snow. Luckily I had planted cuttings in several parts of the garden and most have survived. It flowers for absolutely ages and looks lovely when smothered in daisies. Something (slugs I suspect) has been having a nibble of the petals.
- The lawn. I know, not exciting, but I thought I’d show part of what is left after my gravel garden project. And some people ask to see the garden as well as individual plants. This only took me all afternoon to mow and edge and… well I’m sure you get the picture. I am now contemplating planting Camassias and Fritillary in the triangular shape bit and thyme between the paving stones. Why? Just because I can. I need to try and remove that large grass under the Fatsia Japonica first though which might be tricky.
- Golden Elder (Sambucus nigra Aurea). At least I think that is what this shrub / small tree is. I have never seen any berries on it, but the little cauliflower like flowers are pretty and the spring foliage is colourful. I removed a crossover branch from the middle of it last week so hope that the shape improves. It has lovely pinnate, deep golden-yellow leaves which I will show you in a month or two.
- Not my garden, but the view from my garden through the flowering blackthorn in the Cornish hedge (not wall) and over the fields (currently with a very large bull in it) towards an engine house, fondly named Alice. Now you can understand why my garden is exposed to the elements and why I wouldn’t want to plant anything to spoil this view.
As always if you want to have a nosy around other gardens where there are bound to be more tulips to admire and desire, then please pop over to our host, the lovely Jon, AKA ‘The Propagator’ 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 
Beautiful view, beats mine which is the clubhouse of the tennis club over the back… What’s left of last years tulips.are through but the new ones are not yet on show. Next week perhaps.
Could be worse! So you garden to the sound of ‘thwack’ bounce ‘thwack’ bounce all summer long 😆
Yes! Very civilised really, occasional swearing aside.
Oh Jude such lovely photo’s. I have always like Apricot Beauty….
Oh Jude you are so right! I ‘pop’ into the garden and a few hours later my Hubbie comes looking for me! Love that mindfulness in fact, it’s needed after work! Your garden is looking great. That Apricot beauty tulip is gorgeous.
I am glad some people like the Apricot Beauty! Not sure I’d buy the pale shades again, next year I shall try out some whites or yellows for a change.
What a beautiful view and I very much like Alice! Your tulips are looking lovely and I may try to put some in next year……at least in pots! The last two weeks have been a disaster in the garden, when a new fence was put in. Every underground sprinkler, lighting, cable and internet line was cut. And the lines for the underground utilities were marked in red paint all over my garden. I won’t repeat what I thought of these professionals! That is nothing to all the plants that were stepped on and broken…….I was sick over it the first week and then they came back and took out the fence again and moved it to where it was supposed to be and you guessed it, cut the underground lines AGAIN! So, I will be starting over in my flower garden!
MIssed this comment! Sorry! That sounds like a complete nightmare. I do hope your garden can recover from the torture!
I’d put up with an exposed position for that view of the tin mine. My husband is Cornish and was born in a house built from stones from a disused tin mine. Good recycling that! Love all your tulips.
Thanks Katherine, the tulips are looking good this year.
A great view indeed. I agree it is good to see the garden as well as individual plants. I guess we’re a bit shy at this time of year as it can look a bit scruffy!
I certainly have some scruffy bits, and lots of self-seeding forget-me-nots that I am reluctant to pull out just yet.
I too, love tulips and I’m enjoying my new ones, along with many old ones which have reappeared. Too soon, I fear, and I dread a cold snap coming along. As it is, my damson blossom had a mere week in bloom before the terrible winds of last weekend blew them all ove the place and now I fear there will be few, if any, damsons this year. Back to tulips, I have a gorgeous deep yellow one this year but have lost the label, and a stunning orange with a reddish petal on the outside which makes me happy just to look at it.
Like all your photographs by the way.
Tulips are my favourite flowers, I just love all the wonderful colours they appear in and how they brighten up the garden. I don’t have any blossom trees so envy those who do, though it is so windy in my garden I don’t think blossom would last long anyway.