Seedlings everywhere.

My house and garden is being taken over by seedlings. Today have spent the day pricking out seedlings and potting up plants. I've not stopped all day. There is no room on my desk in the back bedroom. The two three tiered greenhouses in the garden are nearly full!

At the allotment I had to water everything. There is no sign of any rain this week, what happened to all the April showers, it will probably rain all week the week after next when I am off work.

Took some pictures of some lovely trees in the area, one is a blossom tree that I go past on the way to the allotment which is two varieties in one, a double pink and a single white, it looks lovely.

In my local park is a lovely tree which has recently been planted. It has amazing catkins.

In my garden the rhododendron is in full bloom.

 The bees love it!

Fountains Abbey

Last week on our week off we went for the day to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal near Ripon. It is a World heritage site, it is the largest Abbey ruin in the country with some Georgian water gardens.

The abbey was founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks who were searching for a simpler life. It remained as an abbey for many years until 1539 when Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries. It was sold by the Crown to Sir Richard Gresham, a merchant. The property was passed down through several generations of Sir Richard's family.

 The woods were full of wood anemones.

Sir John Aislabie started creating the gardens at Studley Royal in 1718, after his death his son William carried on creating the gardens and extended them by purchasing the remains of the Abbey and Fountains Hall. The gardens are thought of as England's most important 18th century Water Garden.

A busy day at the allotment

So another warm sunny day for April!
Yesterday at the allotment we were all by ourselves with no help from Martin's dad! We had to replace some of the panels on the shed side. We had to remove the window and then replace 8 panels.

We need a door for the shed now! Martin did a fantastic job.

It just needs a coat of paint now and its the best shed on the allotment!

While Martin was busy with the shed I planted my fruit bed. Planted some Strawberries 'Elsanta', a gooseberry bush, a redcurrant and my favourite, some rhubarb 'Timperly Early', shame that I won't be able to harvest any of that this year. There are a few flowers on my currant bush and hopefully I'll have some gooseberries.

It was great today met a couple of other plot holders, all coming to have a look at the shed! One chap has a shed which the front is completely made from old window panes. They are all very friendly.

The shed is up!

Martin's dad came round today to help us put the shed up, we had managed to get all the pieces up to the allotment thanks to a friend from the cricket club. The fun part was today trying to figure out which bits went where!! We hadn't seen the shed up so we didn't really know what to expect, apart from the fact that it had a small door!

We didn't realise when we got it out of the skip next to the nursery that it had a little balcony!! Here comes the roof.

We are slightly concerned that it make take off in the wind! So we have weighted it down. There is no door so we are going to have to sort that out and there are a few broken bits of one side which will need a bit of work. But I can't complain it was free!
The hard workers.

We have since put some roofing felt on, and after we have fixed all the extra bits on it and put a door on, I'll also give it a paint and it will be brilliant. The cutest shed on the allotment. I'd better not paint it pink.

While I was there today I also planted my second early potatoes 'Charlotte'. One of the tubers was heart-shaped!

Also planted my red onions 'Red Baron'.

Memories of a cold winter

I've just been looking through some of my photos of my garden last year and found some of the ones in the snow at the end of November. The garden was covered but looked spectacular in its own way.

Bob wasn't quite sure what to make of it!

It was very deep in places but looked lovely covering the bare branches of the apple trees and the fennel stems.

When the sun came out it looked sparkling.

Spring in the garden

My garden is looking very colourful now, with the tulips coming out.

At the back of the garden under the apple tree, which creates a dappled shade, I have most of my spring flowering plants including Oriental Hellebores, Cyclamen, Primroses, Pulmonaria, Euphorbias and Azalea.

 The big rhododendron bush at the bottom of the garden is just starting to flower, has bright pink flowers which fade to pale pink. It always gives a short but spectacular display.

I also love the young leaves starting to unfurl on the Japanese Maples. I have two in the back garden, one in the sun which comes into leaf slightly earlier than the other which is slightly shaded.

 Have seen my first butterfly of the year today and there are lots of big bees out and about, one particularly enjoying the blossom on my new tree.

Another of my favourite flowers at this time of year is the Snake's Head Fritillary, I've a few coming out around the garden.