It is essential, if I wish to keep mobile, that I keep moving. This is easier said than done when the weather is bad and once or twice during this winter I have been housebound for a fortnight or so. And then I have had to start again. The last few days have been one of these spells. Because the wind has been strong and our road acts rather like a wind tunnel I have often been housebound. So mobility wise I have gone backwards and there is little I can do about it. I try at least once an hour to get up and do something which includes mobility - make myself a cup of tea, walk through to my computer and switch it on and do something for a while, get up and chat on the telephone for a while, get my lunch (ie put the lunch my carer has brought for me into the microwave or the remoska. ) Outside it is almost dark and it is only 5.20pm.
After lunch I got all togged up - duvet coat, red woolly hat, woolly mittens. I went out into the garage (this in itself is a major operation for me,)and Priscilla and I set off. By the time I had pressed the button to close the garage door it became obvious that it was too windy for us. So instead, to break the monotony and to give us a bit of exercise and fresh air, we turned right instead, unlatched the side gate and went into the garden.
Sadly I can't get up the steps on to the top patio - so everything has to be viewed from ground level, but I could get the sense that everything is waking up. Osteospermum has never let me down and is happily flowering away in the long border. Here and there are wallflowers (can't remember putting them in - (D the gardener must have done it.) and the odd candelabra primula in full bloom. Not a lot but enough to make you think spring is on its way.
Round the back a viburnum is covered in blossom (not sure I have the right name here but can't find it) - bright pink and a joy to behold. My winter helebore - the Christmas rose - now has blooms - pure white and sturdy and right at the top of the plot my patch of snowdrops is in bloom. Ajuga reptans, which has spread alarmingly since the Autumn is making its presence felt. I hope that many of my bulbs are also coming up. There are several hundred in and I remember this time last year I couldn't see any and then one day there were green shoots everywhere so let's hope it is like that this year.
I came round the side of the bungalow and through the other side gate, shutting it behind me because it is a nuisance if left ajar in the wind. Walking along the front of the bungalow I had a chance to really look at my pots on the steps. A shrub bought me as a Christmas present has shoots, both tubs of violas have several in flower and a lot more in bud and a geranium which is taking its chance tucked up against the South facing wall looks to have survived so far.
And that was my walk for the day.
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30 comments:
One of my favorite Pat Posts, ever!
Everything is waking up.
Osteospermum isn't a familiar name to me so I looked it up - African Daisys, that like hot sunny conditions? The pictures are lovely but it surprises me that it grows where you are. Perhaps I have the name wrong, or there is a different usage here in the States. Always things to learn.
Congratulations on your garden wander - I try to do that daily if the sun isn't too bright for me.
ceci
Your garden sounds beautiful and will be even more so in the coming weeks. Even a short walk is better than none at all and at least you had some fresh air. We are more fortunate down here as the winds are not as strong, but still gusty enough to stop me in my tracks every so often.
That's more than I did Pat, so well done to you. I had a bad night so had to catch up a bit on sleep, so therefore another lazy day, not that I do much anyway. Hey ho!
Well, I think that as walks go, it was one of your best! How nice to see spring pushing her way in. Far too little of that here, unfortunately. I came across hellebores and bergenia on multiple blogs. I need to have some of these early bloomers. I was delighted to find they are available where I live!
Sounds like the perfect walk! You are lucky to have so much growth going on! My yard is still covered in snow!
What an excellent idea to walk in the garden where you were sheltered from the wind and where you could still enjoy all you could see in bloom, budding, or sending up wee shoots. That must have done your heart and soul good to see the signs of springtime not to mention the good exercise for the rest of you.
I've been sewing today but have my ironing board set up so I get up and walk there and back and over to the cutting table. Small distances, but good exercise anyway.
Hugs!
Oh lucky you to have candelabra primulas. I just love the look of them but sadly don't have a spot that is damp enough for them to prosper. Sounds as though you have quite a lot coming up and blooming. I will have to wait another two or three weeks or so to have much hopes of even the early snowdrops doing any blooming. I did see that some are peeking out but only just barely and they will need some sustained warmth to send out some blooms.
It's lovely to think that Spring is on its way. Are your workmen able to build you ramps so you can get up and down the garden steps?
No chance of ramps I'm afraid - its a steep flight of wooden steps. The ramp would be far too steep.
I always try to have osteospermum in my garden they are such reliable flowerers.
I recently acquired a recumbent exercise bike. Not hard on the back and easy to peddle while watching TV so it's not too boring to use.
You're a trooper when it comes to staying active. It takes will power to keep going . You've apparently got lots of will power.
You've done a nice inventory of all the plants emerging from their winter sleep. Your gardens sound beautiful. My gardens are still covered in snow. At 50 degrees today there was good melting. That said, tomorrow is predicted 20 degrees so I'll have ice on top of the snow cover.
You're right it's essential to keep mobile. Don't ever stop trying. You have several flowers in bloom and we still have a foot of snow!
Sending you fond best wishes for an early spring from Hawaii!
Good for you. That was an adequate walk, and you weren't carried off.
We have a lovely blood-red Camellia that has just started to flower. Our tiny patio garden has its moments!
That was a lovely walk! It is wonderful that you have so much blooming already. We won't see any blooms for a few months yet but I do look forward to them.
Well done you. There should be plenty to make walks into the garden worthwhile in the coming months, your gardener will certainly be pleased to know that you're appreciating his efforts. It's often crossed my mind that it makes little sense to design a bungalow like yours, which will obviously appeal to people who can't manage stairs, then build it in a place that necessitates having steps in the garden. So much for "planners"!
It's always reassuring to see the early signs of spring starting to appear. X
Anticipation of spring in all your plants. I remember going down to Devon I think and seeing whole banks of candelabra primulas amongst azaleas and also the blue poppy. All plants that did not like the limestone of Somerset but were incredibly beautiful.
With your own garden around your bungalow, you are never short of opportunities for walks if venturing out on the street is not feasible. So much to see and enjoy there! Photos would be lovely, of course.
I just can't figure out how to use my photographs on this new laptop. I will have I haveanother fiddle around when my friend S calls - she is a whizz on the computer.
I have no idea where the candelabra primula came from -it just arrived. it is amazing how long memories of beautiful flowers remain with us. Thelma speaks of them here, I remember mile after mile of cowslips on the side of a motorway somewhere.
Although my bungalow is now on an estate i was built some years before the estate. The owner of the land gave the plot in a field to his daughter as a wedding present. The whole road is built on a hilly site so every house has a sloping garden. There are good and bad things - it makes for an attractive garden but is harder to negotiate.
Thanks for calling in dear blog friends.
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I admire you so much, Weaver. I know I've told you that before but I just had to say it again! You rock, girlie! ~Andrea xoxo
It's a relief to see things coming up and blooming..even if they are a bit early.
Well done on keeping moving x
Even with all the wind, your garden seems to be happy. What great news to see the plants remembering it is Spring soon !
I think the uplift to your spirit from the walk around your garden was more important than the physical aspect of it.
And, by the way, your posts provide uplifts to the spirits of many readers! Thank you, Pat.
Sounds like spring is on the way in your garden Pat. Even though you didn't travel far, just having time to check out flowering surprises sounded like fun - and much safer than heading out in the blustery weather.
It reached 76F here yesterday and we actually sat out on the front porch for a cup of tea around 3:30 pm. The sun was so hot I had to move my chair to a more shady spot, I felt like I was getting sunburnt! Meanwhile, today is dull, dreary, and only reached 52F . . . . .and now I see it's raining lightly, which my bulbs will enjoy as they push through.
Please take care - and have a happy Valentine's Day.
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