wildlife photographer of the year..........not..........

finding the frogs has of course been terribly exciting, and we are as determined to take their pictures as they are not to have them taken. i have put in a nice bit of dead wood for them as a posing platform, but they prefer to lurk in the undergrowth or under the water with just their noses showing. Kitski also likes to lurk in the undergrowth, but possibly for a different reason.............today is very hot, and Katisha is out cold in the sun and not doing any type of lurking at all. the lawn is growing very fast, and the first paeony is out. so is the organic rose, and Norma's rose is flowering for the first time, beating the orange patio rose by some distance. the Greek cress has started to come up already..............no idea what Greek cress is but i gather it's something to eat so will be joining the salad party...............
the Oriental poppies are way behind this year, usually they've flowered and finished by this time, however they have loads of flower buds so the slower start doesn't seem to have done them any harm. i've put the Cerinthe seedlings in the perennial bed, after moving the potentilla, which has already started to produce its very pretty blood-red flowers. the sweet rocket took extreme umbrage at my attempts to tie it up and quite a lot of it died, but the lower clump is still thriving, so i've trimmed the dead bits off the upper clump, it clearly wants to do its own thing and lie along the ground so i've let it, and it looks very pretty, pure white against mum's yellow spirea and the purple dragon-wing plant............. i also moved a little clump of something growing at the front, may be weeds but did look a bit intentional, although i have no idea what it might be. anyway it's now at the back beside the lilies...............a few self-seeded sunflowers have appeared too, and their greenhouse friends will soon be coming to join them.........

right in front of the coconut shell is a little pair of bulgy eyes...........

Yes there really is a frog in this video, if you look carefully you can see a wee slimy nose............they were not co-operating with having their pictures taken, but there are at least four and possibly more. We are thrilled, after Kitksi ate their mum and dad last year we thought there would be no froglets this spring and certainly couldn't see any spawn, but there they are all splooshing about............hope to get some better photos later............

Veggie blitz.............

Beautiful warm sunny day. Much pottering. Have mowed the lawn twice because it didn't look any different the first time..............maybe need to set the blades lower..........Carrie planting out the small veg, sweet beetroot seedlings, sugar snap peas, rainbow chard, plus sweet peas and sunflowers. i've put the potatoes in their barrel and put in some more salads. first organic rose just out............have rescued the diascia from the pot by the pond and put it in beside the delphinium. mulched the container plants and fed the fruit. planted out the marjoram. cumin looking a bit unhappy but i don't know what it's supposed to look like at this stage.............

PS

thanks you and goodbye to the purple sprouting broccoli. it was fantastic. so tender and tasty............welcome to the rhubarb, still a bit skinny but also tasty..............and thanks for your efforts to the volunteer nasturtiums in the veg bed, nice try but that isn't where you live, you'll be much happier in the window box trust me..............

red lettuces in the veg bed. note also giant chard which has been there all through the winter............

tamed catmint..............annual seedlings and volunteer Shirley poppies.........

the lilac tree. i must admit the description "dwarf lilac" seems a little misleading..........but as long as it's happy.........

Angi's bay tree and friend. note carrot seedlings in the tub just developing tiny leaves...........

Lilac time

Flowering madly, and great wafts of perfume in the garden which is lovely.............showery weather but not cold and some sun so everything really bursting out and growing fast. the organic rose and the paeony are just about to flower but the oriental poppies are lagging a bit this year and we even have one or two daffs still going. lots of borage coming up everywhere it's not supposed to be so i've moved some out of the annual bed........the new potentilla has a flower, deep red, very pretty. in the greenhouse the salads have now moved outside, some red lettuce into the veg bed and some in a pot, and i've planted some cucumber seedlings. new bay tree from Angi in a nice square terracotta tub looking very elegant. have tried to tame the catmint to leave room for the sweet peas which are all ready to go out..................the basils are very slow, but it has been quite cool, ditto the marjoram and busy lizzies.
front garden has gone completely mad, to think i once thought nothing would grow there...........once the bluebells have finished there will be some tidying to do, but not yet, it's all too pretty at the moment................

corner by the pond looking pretty, Mum's spirea, Welsh poppies, persicaria and lemon balm

sugar snap pea "Sugar Bon".............mmmmm, those were lovely last year, hope they do OK.......plus volunteer bit of wild garlic

the veg bed. radishes in front; spinach and chard in the middle; sugar snap pea at the back, yum, and the artichoke trying to get in the picture........note cat-proof cage!

perennial bed. new potentilla beside the tree peony and new rudbeckia "Irish Eyes" at the back, also fennel, sweet rocket and euphorbia. oriental poppies not out yet.

annual seedlings just starting to come up. also many weeds.................

delphinium again

runner beans and parsley in their barrel. delphimium in its slug-proof (we hope) pot. beans were slow to get going last year but when they did zoomed right up to the roof and produced loads of beans, so here's hoping.........

the herb area - note lovely chives (with flowers) and rescue rose (v grateful)

look at all this beautiful salad..............rocket, lettuce x 2 and Chinese cabbage......

seedlings in the greenhouse