Out of Hibernation

Couscous having a Spring Clean

Finally, almost 10 days of sunshine and blue skies - enough for a bit of lazing in the garden, as well as lots of cleaning up and preparation for a new season of holidaymakers.  Pressure-washing the front terrace isn't something we do every year, thank goodness, but it certainly repays a few hours of robotic swiping dressed in wellies and old jeans... the result is positively blinding!

All these tasks are made easier by some fine weather and the chance of a tan while you work.  Our cat has taken to going out a lot more often and has reached an age where he's quite content to loll in the sun, taking just a passing interest in life around the birdtable.

Unfortunately he's still no better when it comes to not scratching up areas of bare earth for his toilet...  whereas some people suffer from slugs and snails, we have Couscous to contend with!

The spaces between our new lavender plants were undeniably tempting so we've used two barrier methods which were to hand: firstly, some driftwood twigs (vaguely artistic) and then the rusty remains of shelves from the greenhouse staging.  Neither of these is too unsightly and they'll soon have served their purpose.

Chionodoxa sardensis

When it comes to early bulbs to light up dark corners, I find snowdrops are hard to establish in our garden; perhaps our soil lacks sufficient humus, or maybe the climate is too hot...?

In any event, I planted these little bulbs called Chionodoxa a few years ago and have grown quite fond of their mauve, slightly crystalline, flowers which show up well against the dark earth.  And they're tough enough to withstand some of the hailstorms we've had recently.

Primula veris

Talking of weather (just for a change) all that winter rain has helped to nurture some beautiful banks of cowslips.  We took a bike ride recently and had to keep stopping to admire the profusion of flowers.

Until I took this close-up photo I hadn't appreciated how their trumpets are so like miniature daffodils, with a hint of orange inside.

After a few days of sun, the lawns are full of daisies and our neighbour Robert called me over to admire his spectacular specimen and photograph it for posterity!

Mutant daisy - not Photoshopped! 

I'd just finished resizing the pictures for this blog when we were both struck down by a nasty dose of Asian flu... it came from Thailand and was impervious to the flu vaccine we'd had in the autumn, laying us out for the best part of three weeks.  So I'm now resuming this March blog in the second week of April, having just about caught up with life in the garden.

"Things come and go so quickly here..."

I can't remember where this quote originated but we often repeat it to ourselves in wonder at those times when our landscape seems to change on a daily basis.  (Yes, it's Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz"!)

Viburnum burkwoodii

The Viburnum I photographed last month has completely gone over and our hillsides are now studded with the creamy flowers of its cousin, the Guelder rose.

Pretty though it is, I decided to nominate another plant as Shrub of the Month..

Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape)

This Mahonia was something we

 planted as part of a 'green-gold' hedgerow under our tall ash tree.  Like the yellow leaved Euonymous japonicus

planted beside it, Mahonia is evergreen and its glossy leaves help to enliven a shady corner, especially with the occasional red tints which appear in late winter.

Its yellow flowers are quite long-lasting and provide a honey-scented attraction to early bees.  It grows well on chalk and a light prune will keep it in shape - I also like to snip off the bunches of blue "grapes" which appear after flowering.

Before being attacked by the dreaded flu virus, we helped our friend Ruth prepare her raised beds for sowing potatoes and peas.

She gardens on a steep slope and also likes to grow tomatoes but found it difficult to water them properly... hence the terrace of raised-beds and an irrigation system set up by Christina.

Our water is metered in France and, now that coastal properties are all on mains drainage, we find our bills have soared.  Many people with access to wells have fitted pumps so that they can draw free water for their gardens.  Hot summers mean that fruit and veg all need regular watering and the easiest way to do that is by using a hose system with small sprays, turned on in early morning or evening.

Horses enjoying the March sunshine