We are in the middle of a typical English Spring I would say -wouldn't you? Gale blowing, strong very cold wind and showers now and again. Heating just turned on for the evening, black clouds scudding over. I have forgotten who said April is the cruellest month but by golly he was right.
But the signs are there aren't they? The red dwarf tulips dotted around my garden - bulbs which came from very dear relatives (thank you J and J wish you could see them)- are in full bloom regardless of whether the weather is clement or inclement. And today - the silver birch tree which stands about 150 yards outside my sitting room window, has a faint tinge of green all over it. Yes, it is coming into leaf - I watch for it every year.
I was touched to get all your good wishes yesterday - thank you so much; they meant a lot to me. I have cancelled all my appointments this week (hairdresser, taxi, Ripon to have my ears and hearing aids checked) so I am at home all day. I am finding it rather dull in many ways I must say but I have to be sensible and take it easy don't I?
Does anyone out there have a perennial wallflower? I have never known mine flower so early - it is a mass of early bloom. They are not a long-lived perennial. I had a yellow/pink variety which flowered for two years but the second year was its swansong. This is the second year for my purple one - I begin to fear it may be the same. Any gardener out there (Derek?) who knows whether I can take cuttings before it dies without telling me? It might be called Epimidium - not sure. One of the annoying things about getting old is forgetting names of things like plants. I used to be a crack-hand at remembering but not any more. My father, also a keen gardener in his young days, used to complain about it. Perhaps it runs in families.
As it is almost time for Master Chef I shall away now to watch it. Take care until tomorrow when it promises to be windier still
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23 comments:
Yes it is typical April weather for Britain.
Pat,
I've replied via E-Mail
Glad you are home dear lady and please continue to take it easy. XXXXX
Eryseum i think its called.
I think it is Erysium Bowles Mauve.It is easy to take cuttings.They do tend to get woody.
Good to have a week of rest and recuperation. Your trees showing some green and all your Spring bulbs flowering sounds wonderful. The garden brings great joy and pleasure. Normal programming will resume next week. No doubt!
I hope you can find a pleasant pastime or two to see you through your week of rest. I am sure you will benefit from it later.
I think it is one of the trials of age which makes us forget the names of things. I used to know the latin names of many plants in our garden and it drove my husband mad! He didn't understand that they had so many varieties and latin names were very important.
I had a Bowles Mauve erysium and loved it. I didn't know they were short lived and thought I was responsible for it's short life. I need feel guilty no longer.
Cloudy with brief glimpses of sun, lots of showers and a strengthening breeze here, all day. It could be worse.
Didn't you get a book for Mothering Day? Seems like this would be a good week to lose yourself in it! Spring is such a hopeful season, isn't it?
I'm not a wallflower grower, but isn't it lovely that you can ask a question and, out there in the ether, someone will know. Hope you are taking it easy.
I am a perennial wallflower, Weave.
I read your blog daily and really enjoy every one. My mum and dad were Yorkshire born and bred and even though I was born there I was brought up in Peterborough I feel tht Yorkshire is my spiritual home, so I love blogs from people who live there.
You can easily grow the perennial wallflower from cuttings as long as you can find some non flowering shoots I try and and take some every year in case mine dies because as you said the do tend to be short lived. I find the flower themselves to death.
Keep up the blogging Jane
I am so sorry to hear of your fall. I'm behind on my blog reading and missed your post about it. Falling is never pleasant, and of course as we gt older it becomes more perilous. So I am glad to know you were able to get back home quickly. The tulips here are just beginning--little red ones mixed in with the double daffodils are just as pretty as can be even though it has been chilly and rainy. But today the sun came out in the afternoon so now we have muggy instead of chlly. Typical April weather, I guess.
Greetings from stormy, windy, rainy north Florida. Our weather sounds much like your's. In the U.S. South, we've had Tornado warnings and sighting for several weeks. Typical for Spring here when the warm Gulf of Mexico air mixes with northern cool air. Sorry you took a spill and had a little set-back. Rest and take care. I enjoy your blog.
Good to see you back!
Tornado weather here, but they passed us by (so far). Just a little hail. Must check in the morning whether it knocked down my daffodils.
I love to read about your flowers!
Don't you love it when flowers are just beginning to bloom like your tulips and the trees start showing that tiny bit of green? We have no flowers yet but my redbud tree is just starting to show tiny pink buds. I hope you are feeling better!
I used to have a wonderful perennial 'Sweet Pea' that was always covered in flowers, and could be trimmed like a Yew. Oh how I wish I'd kept some seeds!
I am playing catch up again. I also fell the other day ! We are twins !
I only spent half a day in the ER but what a mess. I fell at 2am and smashed my head, arm, side and bottom. Oh yay me.
I am happy to know you are better, resting at home and feeling better.
I so enjoy when you write about your flowers.
The Gud Dugs send woofs.
Same here where April (or spring in general) weather is concerned; one has to prepare for nearly everything when leaving the house.
Good idea to cancel appointments for this week. Weren't you in Ripon for your ears and hearing aids just the other day? Is this a regular thing, or is something wrong with them?
Thunder, lightening and rain as well as very windy here all night. April showers are more like April storms at the moment. Glad you feel a bit more like yourself!
High winds and heavy rain kept me awake for much of the night - more like November than April. I hope you're feeling a little better each day. If you're going to spend time at home watching telly then this seems the perfect week to do it. Take care.
It seems always to be wet outside, Teddy the dog takes one look and backs into me refusing to go out. But there are signs of nests being built and noisy jackdaws. Spring is often a daunting affair no matter how quiet or noisy March goes out.
Tom - Perennial wall flower? You?? You have to be joking.
Plenty of erysium growers out thre - thank you for putting me right.
Thanks all for cheering me up on this sunny, windy, chilly morning.
Sorry you've not been well, hope you feel better soon
Your typical English Spring sounds very much like our typical Scottish Spring, all four seasons in one day as we say!
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