Since the last entry and the hopes that spring had finally arrived, once again here in Norfolk we are being plagued by a very cold onshore wind, drizzle and the need for a hat and gloves to walk the dogs.
However the preceding two weeks have brought great activity - the new shed, dog kennel arrangement has almost come to an end and the whole thing looks perfect. Once the oak and larch cladding turn to silver it will look as if it has been here forever. We just await the very last bits such as final electrics, the flooring and the worktops and shelves before Mr Horta can move himself back in with all the bee and fishing gear at present stacked up in the garage.
The garden despite the cold looks wonderful having had a good week last week with the tulips now putting on a good show. Half of me is grateful for the cool weather as it might hold them for another 12 days until the garden opening on 7 May - that would be wonderful. Irises are showing several buds, the Viburnums are poised and dear Maigold as ever is now just beginning to show a peak of her apricot colour - she is usually one of the showstoppers for a spring garden opening. Daffs are over so must be deadheaded, Cosmos seedlings now potted on look strong, the first courgettes are through as are the French Beans and asparagus is well on giving us our first pick on Saturday.
Having got the garden in tip top form I set off for Cornwall last week for a four day break with two good friends. We stayed in one of the Caerhays Estate cottages right on the beach at East Portholland which was lovely - a tiny little cove that joins with West Portholland at low tide. We were blessed with pretty good weather over all the UK last week and although never hot we did manage one late afternoon of sitting out with books! Caerhays garden itself and the castle is a most blissful setting - the National Collection of Magnolias and several Champion Magnolia trees - sadly not out due to the cold spring, but the rhodies, camellias, Pieris and smaller Magnolias that were out were beautiful. Gosh what those plant hunters brought back was nobody's business. A long morning at Heligan followed which was a wonderful experience - a bit more commercial than Caerhays and with 350,000 visitors a year understandable, but fact that it was only discovered in 1990 is extraordinary. Our last day was spent on a little tour - first to the village of Veryan famous for its 5 little round houses with thatched roofs and a cross on top. Apparently the vicar of the time built one for each daughter and they were round in order that the devil might not find a hiding place. They hold a special place in my heart as the last postcard I received from my mother was of those very round houses. Following a walk from east to west along Pendower Beach and a welcome coffee and sausage roll, Georgie and I walked the three hour walk back from Nare Head to Portholland west to east along the coast path going through Portlooe which was enchanting. Very very windy and the path is quite close to the edge but we made it - Common Blues, Wall Brown, Peacocks and Tortoiseshell butterflies, - pretty standard flowers but nonetheless very pretty primroses, bluebells, campions, pennywort, stitchwort - etc.
Home again to slightly better weather than expected so a big day in the garden on Saturday - planted out the things that had arrived in my absence thereby gap filling before the opening. Geranium Blue Cloud and sylvaticum Mayflower, Calamagrostis Avalanche, Polystichum for shady dry areas and still to do some small leaved Agapanthus Streamline which might be tougher for the pots where the larger leaved ones have perished this winter. Much had also arrived for the greenhouse where Jane aided by Simon and Mr Horta did a great job in unpacking rooted cuttings and potting them up for both my pots and a client. Quite a few bits and pieces for the plant stall and I still keep finding little bits - Saturdays swoop through with new planting yielded a nice bit of Sedum Jose Aubergine, Geranium renardii and Astrantia Ruby wedding.
The girls have been in very good and loving hands in my absence - Simon and Jane have walked them everyday - Inca has never done so much in a long time and need to recover! She has done a lot of sleeping since but was determined not to be left out. Bertha and Mavis have loved it and so after a quick refreshing training session on Saturday we set off yesterday for the Norfolk Gundog Club Novice Working Test at Sandringham. 35 competitors - I had both Bertha and Mavis. We expected cold drizzle and showers all day but Sandringham was like a micro climate - not only did we keep dry all day but we sat on the grass with a delicious hog roast at half time.
The girls went very very well - Bertha sadly did her beastly trick of putting the dummy down at one test which cost us a placing - the rest of her marks were consistently high so had she got the mark she could have at that point, I calculated 4th or 5th place. Pity but she ended with a really wonderful retrieve the memory of which I took home. Dear Mavis was her usual happy self - popping about over log and branch, not wanting to get into the rather cold lake but doing it, and just happy to be included and IMPORTANT. Next on the programme is an Open Charity Working Test next Sunday - maybe beyond Bertha's range but a great fundraising day so important to give it a go. My mentor is one of the judges so I shall hope for kindness!
The natural world is interesting as ever. Birds have taken up positions all over the garden - sadly the song thrush that was sitting tight in the clematis outside the sitting room window has deserted - eggs still there so clearly not predation. The always do seem rather nervous. Bluetits and greattits are in most of the boxes, Long Tailed Tits definitely somewhere in the garden and the usual blackbird, robin, dunnock, and wren brigade busy and established. We do get bothered by jays and a magpie but are trying to keep calm that this is balance. We are being visited by a swallow and sometimes two or three but as yet not in the garage and definitely not a pair. We hope that now the building team are gone and the garage quiet it wont be long but really until the weather settles a bit it is hard to see the situation changing. The common is becoming covered in Ladysmock and King Cups but still no frog or toad spawn anywhere.
Next up for the garden is a big blitz of the veg patch tomorrow and sowing some more salad - one lot is through but again slow. It needs a good weed and a lot of self sown Purslane needs taking out of both paths and beds.
Apple and Pear Blossom is at its peak so I am hopeful for the 7th May!
stormborns
gummygunk
prguitarman
annaxmalina
baratheonpilled
titsay