Getting ready

It was a sunny day yesterday. Unusual so far this month.

Rumour (the weather forecast) has it that “spring” will arrive on Thursday – both sunshine and temperatures in the mid-teens. About bloody time. Facebook has been taunting me with memories of first towels and then sheets drying on the line much earlier in years past.

Decide, in anticipation of working outdoors soon, to head down to the nursery.

The harsh winter did for the ceanothus out back.

So that will need replacing. Send a text to my cousin Peter in England to remind me of the name of the plant in his garden which the bees loved so much. Pretty sure it was salvia. Turns out I was correct. Deffo want at least one of these for the deck. Harsh winter also seems to have done for the fuchsias in the garden, so they will need replacing, too.

Replacement ceanothus purchased.

Still no sign of any leaves on the butterfly bush other than a few at the very base.

This is worrying, sad and a bit of a mystery. After all, as a friend in the UK has pointed out, they grow like weeds there. Surely one harsh winter hasn’t killed it off. Perhaps (she writes optimistically) it is simply waiting for it to finally warm up?

Ask at the garden shop about salvia. I want a red one and a purple one.

None to be had of either colour, although I am informed they do have Veronica, which is similar, in both colours. Also very popular with bees and, in theory at least (ha, ha) deer resistant. Get one of each.

And, because it’s all about bees around here, grab a bee balm plant as well.

Into the greenhouse to find replacement fuchsias and while I’m there decide to grab one each of three varieties of cherry tomatoes.

The latter, of course, will need to remain by the window indoors for some time yet.

If it’s getting to be time to think about tomatoes, it must also be time to think about the raised vegetable bed. Let’s have a look for seeds.

Peas, of course, both regular and mangetout. If the temperature really is going to go up on Thursday, these could be planted soon.

But why not some Sweet Peas, too? They’re pretty and I love the smell. And, if I’m thinking flowers, let’s give sunflowers another go, but remember this year not to plant them close to the fence where the deer can make a meal of them as they did last year. 

Roll on Thursday.