Five Happy Things In April

1. Spring cleaning the shepherds hut and rejigging the front garden plants
2. Easter decorations for the long weekend
3. Sumptuous spring blossom blowing in the breeze
4. Buying new houseplants and finally getting the hall organised
5. Collecting allium seeds from last years flowers

Spring Has Sprung!

It's been so lovely to be back out pottering in the garden this week, even if I've still needed to wrap up warm, we're getting there! I am always so happy to see the spring flowers popping up in the garden, happily the bulbs I put in years ago have spread and made a much more impressive display, with zero effort! But the garden around the Shepherds hut needs some work - the varieties of willow have thrived in the soggy soil over the winter but the flowers have proved tricker to maintain. I need to go back to the drawing board on the design and planting, any recommendations for soggy clay soil are very welcome! Meanwhile there's a plethora of jobs to get cracking on in the garden, painting sheds and fences, waxing the shepherds hut inside, so roll on Easter weekend and more good weather! What are your projects this spring?

Thanks for reading, hope it's another sunny week for us all!

Katie 

Five Happy Things In March

 

1. YELLOW appearing everywhere
2. Beautiful happy babies artwork just for me
3. Personalised MIA BROOCH David got me for my birthday! From gorgeous Vannucchi designs
4. First iced coffee of 2017 enjoyed on the first alfresco lunch break
5. Finally seeing my childhood favourite hit the big screen again, utterly gorgeous!

Five Happy Things In February

1. Finding proper signs of spring whilst out dog walking, such as these beautiful wild crocus
2. Lots of snuggle time with the little werewolf 
3. Valentines hotdog night with Katy and Oscar, who made me this fab card too!
4. Brunch and a great catch up with one of my oldest friends
5. Rediscovering the super power of yummy matcha tea! 

Late Spring In The Garden

For those who are regular visitors to this blog it is no surprise to read how much I enjoy spending time outdoors and in my own garden. May is the special time I always look forward too, with the Bank Holidays promising so much potential for topping up the tan whilst getting jobs done in the garden (too much pressure, never quite works out!). There is so much growing all at once I thank the longer days allow me to get around to all the watering and weeding, let alone all those seeds I still have to sow! This year seems to be zooming past at an alarming rate, as I write this it is actually June which does make me panic slightly - but then I remember that brings even more chances to pad about outside barefoot, and I'm happy again. Simple pleasures. Mia very much appreciates the sunshine too and would spend all day snoozing in the daisies.

Walking in the woods has also brought much pleasure in May as the beautiful Rhododendrons are out in force, despite not being a native plant for our woods I still think they bring a beautiful tropical splash of colour. I felt like I was in the jungle book walking through the alley of purple flowers.

Hope you have been seeing plenty of the great outdoors too! What are the garden projects on the list for June?

Thanks for reading,

Katie

Five Happy Things In May

1. Spending a very sunshiny Sunday in the beautiful village of Tilford
2. Raising money for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice with my good friend by walking 10 miles
3. Going to watch the new Jungle Book film and being utterly spellbound
4. Finally cracking on in the garden and getting it looking presentable
5. Reading and finishing crosswords in the shepherds hut with Grandad and Mia 

Bank Holiday Bluebells

I was thrilled to have the whole May Bank Holiday free - working in retail this isn't a given! And as the weather was no where near as dismal as they had predicted, I was happy to be able to head outside to wander and garden. The woodland where I walk Mollie every day was full of bluebells and wild flowers, is there a more beautiful sight during the UK Springtime? The bluebell woods are such a magical, fairytale sight to look forward too every year, I know the actual English species of bluebell is becoming scarse but never the less, the sudden splash of that deep blue is a real treat. There were also flowers like this delicate Greater Stitchwort (Why can the nicest flowers have the ugliest names?!) and the prongs of ferns are beginning to unfurl - May, you are beautiful!

This is just a quick check in, I've just finished packing for my trip to Cornwall, I dare say I will be back with just a few snaps to share ;) Hope you've had a great weekend! Katie x

Blossom, Bluebells and Beans!

"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March."

-  Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 1926 

April arrived in a blaze of sunshine and colour, but seems to be leaving rather grey and chilly - let's hope it's back on track very soon! The warmer spring has brought out so much beautiful blossom this year, it's been lovely spotting it whilst on walks, but also in my own garden as my little apple and pear trees have come into bloom. Last year I only got one pear off my tree, so I am hoping it'll be a more successful harvest this year!

Elsewhere, the bluebells have suddenly sprung, sadly we have the spanish variety around my area, but I am still very pleased to spot the first few flowers, nothing heralds late spring more to me than a carpet of bluebells in woods.

My greenhouse seedlings are finally beginning to show up, mange tout, yellow and purple dwarf beans, squash and courgettes - as I inherited my seed box and the contents are all at least 3 years out of date, I never assume I'll get anything! ;) My raised beds are full of salad seedlings which I'm trying to protect from the snails and mice, it really doesn't come easy this 'grow your own' lark!

All fingers and toes crossed for this coming May Bank Holiday weekend then! I actually have a long weekend off work which is very good news, hopefully i'll be outside for some of it, otherwise being tucked up with Sky Movies will do me fine - wishing you a good one too!

Katie x