Springing into Spring

Fritillria Meleagris.

It's been a very busy month here at E Bird Horticulture with first lawn mowing getting underway and plenty of weeding being done all around the area. The weather has been mild and quite dry but with plenty of moisture in the soil weeds have been growing well too. With the windy weather in March there were a few casualties around the area, mainly rotten fence posts being snapped and having to be replaced, so its been flat out replacing and repairing too.

Along with all the hard work for my clients I've still managed to appreciate some of the wonderful spring views including the image above of one of my favourite spring flowering bulbs - Fritillria meleagris. The fabulous flowers have an unusual and very geometric checkerboard effect and look great naturalised in lawns. The image was taken in the orchard at a clients house and along with the Narcissus gave a great show before the apple trees come into blossom.

Its great to see a redesign I completed over winter really coming into it's own with 1000 crocus surviving their first winter and bringing an early splash of purple to a lawn and some 2500 Tulipa about to burst into flower and Allium all in full leaf and the first buds forming - see the images below

Tulipa about to burst and fill this small front garden with a sea of colour.

Crocus Ruby Giant loving the early sun.

Hasn't it been a great year for blossom ? Magnolia trees have looked a picture and have flowered and flowered. The Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) has been in flower for well over a month bringing a lovely white flower to hedgerows and fields all over North Yorkshire - good news for fans of Sloe Gin with Sloes harvested later in the year from the Blanckthorn tree. Hawthorne (Crataegus monogyna) also known as 'Mayflower' will be coming into flower in a couple of weeks and I expect another abundant show in the hedgerows.

Along with all the spring bulbs coming into flower its been a really busy time for wildlife in the garden. Birds can be seen carrying nesting materials into shrubs and bird boxes and its been encouraging to see quite a number of ladybirds and bees busy eating early pests and collecting early nectar. It's important to have flowers in the garden all year round to keep these insects in the garden. I've spotted some larger animals around the area too as you can see in the image below.

Hedra (Ivy) can be invasive but is a really important refuge for invertebrates to seek shelter in over winter.

Roe deer soaking up the morning sun.

While deer can damage trees and will eat just about anything I still love seeing them. These three were in a paddock where I also often see a barn owl and I feel so lucky to see so much nature around the area at all times of day and night.

Down at 42a (our allotment) its been quiet so far this year. I went down and strimmed the grass (can't mow it yet as there is a lot of stone and its still quite rough) but we have lots of seeds germinating on the steps at home with the pumpkins looking particularly happy. It'll be another few weeks before we plant out as there is still occasional frosty mornings which won't do the seedlings any good. I did however plant a climbing rose and a passionflower which I am hoping to get climbing up into a wild cherry tree on the edge of the plot. Fingers Crossed.

Tidy and empty.

As for the coming months, E Bird Horticulture is fully booked with regular work and only an occasional gap for one off jobs. Degree study finishes for summer in 3 weeks time and the final two assignments well underway. Its been pleasing to keep up the grades and standards I expect of myself. The end is certainly in sight with graduation in about 12 months time. I've made some great friends during my time at college with most finishing this year (full-time rather than part time) but I hope to keep in touch with them all (and get them to read through my assignments looking out for spelling mistakes). Its great to have friends from a range of both horticultural and agricultural disciplines. The two sectors are so closely linked and rely on each other for innovation.

I'll be at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show a the Great Yorkshire Show Grounds on both the Saturday and the Sunday (27th and 28th April). You'll find me working with some of the top industry professionals in the North of England on the Chartered Institute of Horticulture Gardening Advice Stand, answering questions all about gardening. If you've never been, or are a regular visitor don't miss it this year, not only do you get to meet me, but there are some great exhibits and attractions to keep you entertained all day. Find out all the information at https://www.flowershow.org.uk.

Finally, podcast recommendation for this post is a conversational podcast. Its a podcast that I used to listen to on live radio in Australia and comes out 5 days a week. To put it simply it's and hour of listening to someones else's life and experience. Some famous people, others people you'll never have heard of but with remarkable stories. the podcast is called 'Conversations' and it's by ABC Radio. There is a huge back catalog to listen to and every one is worth a listen.