Tag: flowers

Before the rain

Photo collage of Salvia, Alyssum, Lavender and Cosmos

I have finally planted some flowers, before the rains descend this evening.  After my first attempts were completely devoured by slugs and snails, I’ve been a little slow to try again.  What with the pests and the intimidating blank canvas of bare earth maybe it’s just too difficult!

I used to think there must be some secret formula to gardening, that unless you had a full set of instructions it was a botanical impossibility.  But I’m starting to realise that the soil is pretty good at nurturing life.  And as I’m rarely a fan of straight rows and orderly boxes, I see no reason why I should try to achieve that in my garden.  So I’ve stuck some things in the soil, haphazard and hasty, and I’ll wait to see what grows.  This time I might put up a few slug defences too.

A few flowers

With the first summer on our allotment fast-approaching, I am getting equally excited about giving the back garden over to flowers for the first time.  I went to the nursery with optimistic visions of returning with trays of sweet peas and geraniums to fill the garden.  But, in my predictable way, my not-so-green-thumb timing is off and I’m about three weeks too keen.

All was not lost, as I did return with this lovely ranunculus  and a few other finds.  I am realising that a flower garden is a slow process; I can’t make it happen in one weekend!  So I will slowly add to these first few flowers and welcome bees, butterflies and all good creepy crawlies.  We already have a toad resident in our tiny spot and I’m hoping more life will soon follow.