The year started dry and mild and chilled noticeably. We’re told an artic dome is expected this weekend, which sounds a tad brisk for my liking. It does mean that the early signs of seasonal spring have been held back from previous years and we have had a fair bit if rain lately, which isn’t a bad thing to keep the aquifers full.
The early plants – crocuses, snowdrops and hellebores – have faded, though the hellebores have managed a little extra. And primroses and some others have kept us amused
And while the daffodils are now well advancing and the fritillarias and tulips making statements, they have some way to go to reach full speed.
Tree blossom, in the guise of early cherry and magnolias are behind where they were last year and the year before but we do have some making progress alongside some heathers too.
And the lawn has been perky enough for a cut, though it will probably be another three weeks before we go again. I’ve ordered and aerator and four tonne of lawn dressing for Easter when the spring preparation work will commence. This year, with the family wedding set now for August, covid permitting, means I will ignore the siren voices telling me that a lawn is the worst sort of gardening abuse a man can inflict on his plot. One of our TV gardening heroes here, Monty Don has basically rubbished the trimmed lawn as being an ecological disaster, up there with dead coral reefs, microplastics and four stomached ruminants. Sorry, Minty, next year maybe I’ll revisit what I do but this year the planet will have to spin on its axis, rather than progress.
And all the while, Dog does a’sniffing go….
TanGental 
Dog is obviously your garden inspector. I’m sure he approves of your lawn even if Monty Don doesn’t. And surely a lawn is better than the concrete gardens people seem to be plumping for nowadays?
I’m keeping my lawn, too. It’s had its first trim of the year. I do think people need to see an expanse of nicely kept green to boost spirits. Besides, what are the alternatives? You can concrete your garden, or turn it all into beds and paths, but that’s a lot of work in the upkeep and people don’t have the time any more.
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I think he recommends letting it go to meadow but sadly I do like my chequerboard
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It’s okay to mow your lawn. On Woman’s Hour this morning Pippa Greenwood said Monty was talking rubbish ( not those exact words ) especially as having any kind of garden is so much better for the environment than concreting the space over!
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Well good for her. I will take some comfort in that.
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I join you in continuing your quest for a lawn. Mine is just beginning to wake, and I’m poised to be its everlasting slave. I will be looking for signs of spring this week. The freezing temperatures slowed things down quite a bit. Your garden looks terrific.
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It’s waiting to burst any time
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Ours is a combination of soil temperature and light duration. Nothing I can control. (darn it)
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So much color! It’s lovely to see. We are dreadfully dull and quite cold even now. Dog would be perfect to give our yard some life AND provide warmth! Come hither dapper Dog!!
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He’s wrapped around my knees as I type and yes, he’s the perfect foot warmer
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Dog is always my favorite part, although your garden is spectacular. We have daffodils here galore (although not where I am living, which is a mud and dust and noise pit), with cherries and pears in bloom!
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Cherries next month for us. The magnolias will be out in a week
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Oh boy, spring has sprung. Always like the English springs. Everything grows there!
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Dog looks amazing 😊
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Lol so does the garden, as does the glorious coloured Pelican in photo number three.💜💜
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He’s part of the staff, charged with protecting the frogspawn
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He is stunning 😍
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Your garden is splendid, Geoff.
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Thank you. Lots of colour to come I hope
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Coming along very nicely. Excellent photos of a superb garden
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Aw thank you.
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Your garden is significantly ahead of ours, which is partly to do with the north being fractionally colder, but probably more to do with the considerably larger amount of effort you put in. As always with these posts, you inspire me to try harder, although this time, you’ve given me an excuse–I’m following Monty’s advice and avoiding all acts ecological destruction!
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Bloody Monty. I now have to rethink the wild flower meadow component.
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Some may think the lawn to be too harsh on mother nature. I think this your expression is a delightfully royal take on the instruction to subdue the earth.
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Ha yes. If Adam had focused on his lawn and not the fruit trees just think where we might be now…
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A gardener who cannot bend to the lawnish whims of the wedding planner is no gardener at all. 🙂
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Thank you for that. I am in hock to these nuptials… god bless ‘em, every one.
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Gorgeous, Geoff!
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I’ll refrain from posting any pictures of ours, since we’ve only just had a warm day this year. It’s interesting to me to see that we plant the same sorts of flowers and shrubs here, probably due to the English ancestry of so many of Utah’s first European residents.
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Could be. Or that those settlers sent them back and they became adopted species!!
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