Its the end of April, and time for another “End of the Month View” which is hosted by Patient Gardener.
I actually took this picture two days ago in the evening sunlight.
Its raining now, and although we needed rain -
I just hope that it stops before the summer, unlike last year.
The main difference in my garden at this time of year is that the large weeping willow is now in full leaf.
It is always one of the earliest trees to come into leaf and it is the most amazing fresh green colour.
Onto the areas that I am (supposed) to be concentrating on ….
“The Kitchen Garden”
There has been very little change in the kitchen garden, although I have put up two teepees of sweet peas.
I have also found the bamboo “cages” – they were being thrown out by a shop who had received a delivery of ornaments in them, currently they are protecting the lettuce, which are still so small that you cannot see them.
What you can see is the huge amount of weeds that have germinated in the last two days because of the rain. My kitchen garden has been woefully neglected this year and spending time on it is my task for this weekend.
One (the only) improvement from this time last month is that the climbers I planted last year have started to take off.
I planted Akebia quinata (chocolate vine) and Actinidia kolomikta
I adore the Akebia, I had it in my last garden and it was a wonderful climber for screening the fence. I hope it is as happy in this garden.
The other two areas that I am focusing on this year also show minimal change.
The first area is the sunny border, (on the left of the image below) which for this year is being planted up with annuals.
I have sown a lot of the plants, but they are still too small to be put out
I knew I made a mistake by getting my deck chair out – when I did it, Shed-man said that rain would come … and it did!
The other area that I am concentrating on in the “End of the Month Views” is the middle pond.
What can I say … obviously I hope it will look better later in the year.
Parts of my garden are actually looking quite pretty at the moment, so to make me feel better about the garden as a whole, this is my spring border
At the moment the Tulips in the garden are a joy – and deserve a whole post to themselves, but I just had to leave you with a close up of these.
I love them.
You see the flaws and unmowed grass, I see a wonderful peaceful kingdom, inviting me in! Especially in the first photo in evening light. What a great space, with features everywhere to draw the eye.
Laurrie´s last blog ..Arbor Day
Thanks Laurrie, your lovely comments are much appreciated. When I look out over the garden I am really happy with the progress we are making, but I did pick the most needy areas for these end of the months views!
K
My immediate reaction to seeing the top photo was goodness – I was amazed at the transformation from when I visited. It looks fab.
I have an Akebia which has just germinated think it will be a long time before it reaches the size of yours
Helen´s last blog ..End of month view – April 2010
Hi Helen – yes the garden is a bit different now – perhaps you could come and visit again? we would love to have you here
K
Wow, your first shot of your garden in the evening is beautiful!! I’m amazed you tare yourself away from looking at it to do anything at all…
Dozenoaks´s last blog ..End of the month garden view: April 2010
Welcome Dozenoaks – and thanks for taking time to leave a comment – the first shot is from my bathroom window – I confess that I would like to move the bath to right under the window – to lie in the bath and look out at the garden!
but I think that may be a pipe dream
K
You took your photos at just the right time – too wet here today to take a photo of my chosen spot. Your garden looks as if it’s singing in the rain Karen. If you have not pointed out the weeds I would have thought it was a cut and come again salad crop. I do like the akebia – mind you with a name like chocolate vine what’s not to like.
Anna´s last blog ..Missing Factor
Oh Anna – so funny you are right, I should have just let everyone think I was ace at cut and come again salad!! Very wet here now I dont mind the rain it is the grey sky (horrid)
K
I love your tulips Karen and everything else is thriving, so much colour too!
elizabethm´s last blog ..End of month view : April
Thanks Elizabeth, I am quite pleased at how colourful the garden is looking this spring – and Shedman keeps pointing out the colour too – The tulips really do raise the tone of the whole thing!
K
Wow. What a beautiful garden!
Nome´s last blog ..A Spot of Bother
Nome – thanks for taking time to leave a comment – glad you like the garden
K
As was mentioned, we do not see the same things as you do when viewing these photos, Karen. We see a beautiful garden coming into its own in spring. The girly pink is gorgeous and the tulips, your capture of them is sublime. The whole is delightful. I do love the comic book aspect of the captions, you do them so well!
Frances´s last blog ..April Drive By Ootsing
Thanks Frances – given that Spring is not really my season, I have worked quite hard to get a spring look to the garden (without too much yellow) and I do think that it is now starting to pay dividends – now, just another three seasons to sort out then I will be all done! Glad you enjoy the comic book aspect for these end of the month posts.
K
OK, the grass needs cutting, but apart from that it is looking pretty good to me. The shot from the bathroom is wonderful. I know I asked for rain (so I wouldn’t have to borrow my neighbours hose again),and got excited about it 2 days ago, but it can stop now. Please!
I SO agree about the rain – it is now getting tedious and I am going rusty again.
Glad you think the garden is looking pretty good – I am quite chuffed myself.
Your garden looks beautiful and lush. And with the reminder that the grass needs cutting, I will be heading out to my tiny backyard to cut my grass. I’m so easily influenced by others. If we don’t get any rain by Sunday, I’ll have to break out the sprinkler.
Jill-O´s last blog ..Making Gypsy Furniture
Thanks Jill – here in wales with the high rainfall the gardens do look lush – I am always amazed how quickly everything bounced back – weeks of no rain, then after two days of rain everything perks up and the grass grows greener and taller by the second!
Thanks for visiting
K
A wonderful view of your garden! Weeds galore…no, I don’t think so…really, some of our weeds have sprouted taller than me this year. I’d be most happy to swap weeds with you
Curbstone Valley Farm´s last blog ..First Day Out
(lol) – No, as yet I don’t have any weeds taller than me – I would love to see a picture of you surrounded by your tall weeds. Thanks for visiting and taking time to leave a comment.
K
I’m sure the post photos are delightful, Karen but for some reason they won’t load for me!? Gremlins, I guess. I’ll try again tomorrow from another browser.
OH! NO! – Jodi I do hope that it was a temporary glitch and that you can now see the images, please let me know if you continue to have problems
K
I love pink tulips and yours look especially nice with the white tulips. Love the bamboo baskets~Nice find! Rain~~It was 85F today with thunderstorms moving in~I’m thinking Malvern is going to be a shock to the system;)
Gail´s last blog ..Some Colors Are More Perfect Then Others
Gail – you and Frances must remember to pack something warm – it has gone a tad cold here just now
After temperatures of 85F you may find it more than a touch colder!!
Yep – the bamboo baskets were a great find – they had china sheep in them, I am hoping that the shop sells a whole load of them this weekend so I can get some more
K
Oh, the bones of the garden look great to me. The weeds will eventually go away or be pulled, they can easily be ignored, can’t they?
Oh Yes Townmouse – I can ignore them – it is a case of the cobblers shoes – I spend all day pulling weeds out of customers gardens I am a bit “weeded out” by the time I get to my own. I am quite pleased with the shapes within the garden – now, I just need to plant it!
K
Your garden is looking so spring-like, here in Italy, spring gets mixed with summer so that in April I started with still quite a few daffodils and finished with the wisteria almost over and the roses making their presence felt and the whole month filled with tulips. My alliums are just begining too.
Christina, lovely of you to visit – how confusing to get spring and summer mixed up, but I know what you mean, while I was in the garden to-day I actually asked myself is this still spring – or are we in summer?
K
I do like your witty captions. Lovely garden. Great photos. Love your occasion cartoons. Well done for keeping up with regular posts. ken
Thanks Ken – and thanks for leaving a comment, always nice to see you here.
K
Excellent view of garden
Thanks Linda – seems like the last 4 years are now starting to pay off
K
Your garden is looking lovely at the moment. I am starting to like Tulips – having avoided the tall ones for years. Sorry to hear I am in the spam box – perhaps I used a risqué word in one of my post titles!
easygardener´s last blog ..In with the new fence out with the old
You STILL went into the spam box
But at least now I know to look for you there – yours is the only one in English
I like tulips more and more each year I think – glad you are starting to like them too.
K
Your garden is looking great, I’m sure we have corner that need attention
The tulips are beautiful!
Thanks Christine – I am pleased with the tulips this year and I must try and do a tulip post next week – time permitting.
K
That looks wonderful, even better without the hose pipe runing across it.
(lol) thanks P – (you don’t need to tell everyone that I usually leave the hosepipe lying around)
K
How beautiful! You can see it waking up, especially compared to the previous monthly reviews. Don’t worry, I have plenty of things not planted yet, and that is part of the fun of the new season.
I especially loved the burgundy Japanese maple in that dark teal geometric planter and how the still and restful pond is starting to reflect color. Wonderful!
Meredith´s last blog ..one reason to grow your own
Meredith – how lovely that you spotted the acer in the pot – it does look good at this time of year when the leaves are fresh and have not been spoilt by the weather. It is handy as well because I can move it around the garden to change the focal points when needed.
Yes the garden is well and truly awake now, how quickly the days are going.
K
I love your garden, and as for those tulips I think envy is setting in!
Su´s last blog ..Doll’s Minuet
Tulip envy – I suffer from it often
Thanks for leaving a comment Su
K
I love how your garden looks – grass not cut, weeds in the veggie patch and all the flaws you can only see. It’s absolutely tranquil, especially in the evening light.
heather @ what’s blooming this week´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesdays – Unfurling Hosta Leaves
Thanks Heather – as you can see – for the end of the month I do show the garden “as is” no tweaking or photo-shopping here!
Thanks for visiting
K
Your garden is beautiful. I love seeing them when I visit. That Akebia is so pretty, I’ve thought about trying one before, now I’m sure I have to. It’s been raining lots here and the weeds seem to multiply overnight.
Catherine´s last blog ..Fertilizer Friday – April 30
The Akebia is well worth trying Catherine, even in the years when the flowers are scarce the leaves always look pretty and fresh.
Thanks for your lovely comments.
K
Beautiful photo’s. I love the little quotes by the way. And we all have problems with the weeds, and things left undone, unless you have your own private gardener. I had a HUGE problem with weeds this yr, especially the wild onions.Keep up the good work.
Tammy´s last blog ..Dealing With Fibromyalgia
Thanks for visiting An Artist’s Garden Tammy and your supportive comments, much appreciated. Yep, wild onions can go a bit mad at times!
K
Karen,Great photos and the bamboo cages are a find, I covet them.Here we mostly find rusty bits of old farming gear. Your garden looks wonderful, a lovely space.Is the akebia hardy? It looks nice.
Hi Linda – I was so happy to find the bamboo cages – although I don’t suppose they will last more than a season.
The Akebia is hardy – although probably better if is grown in a warmer spot in the garden as the flowers are quite early and can be damaged by late frosts.
K
Yes Akebia is a fab plant and such a good tempered romper!
Great to be able to follow the vbiew you give through the seasons and also see a real garden!
Best Wishes
Robert
Thanks Robert – yes it is a “real” garden …. warts and all. Glad you enjoy the “end of the month views”
K
looks great from a distance and the close up…. kind of like mine ;’)
wayne´s last blog ..Jacob’s Ladder
K
Karen, Your garden looks wonderful, as usual. You are so lucky to have such a good spot to get an ariel view too. And lucky again with finding those baskets!
Helen at summerhouse´s last blog ..A Study in Contrast or How I Created Two Very Different Mosaics from the Same Shards
I think it is all looking quite lovely. Every gardener sees the flaws in the garden, but nobody else does. Repeat after me: “The garden is not perfect, but it is beautiful.”
Susan Tomlinson´s last blog ..Newsy news