Wednesday 18 May 2011

All's good in the 'hood

Many thanks to Little Blue Mouse for asking. I can report that the big news here at Heartshaped Towers is just as the lovely Monty Don said, my Bay Tree is showing new green shoots - HURRAY!!! I was so excited when I discovered them, that I sent hubby, who was working a night shift a very excitable text. He didn't reply to it. It turns out they were in the middle of a high profile bust on a drug dealer cum other nasty crime committer. He said my text made him smile. When he is immersed in some nightmare world dealing with people who are in cahoots with the devil, I remind him that there is a wonderful normal life waiting for him when he gets home.

The baby birds are now very audible from every part of the garden. Its looking a bit of a mess around the box, but we try to leave it alone. I have placed a tray of lettuce that I am growing on top of the potato growing tub though as a soft landing for when they start to explore. Mum and Dad bird are extremely busy and it's lovely to sit and watch them bringing the most enormous worms etc back to the box.
Many Strawberry plants seem to have sprung between the other plants. Free fruit !!!
I'm thrilled that my Delphiniums have not been affected by the cold winter - in fact they look stronger than ever this year - and almost ready to bloom.
Hubby bought this rose a couple of years ago and we planted it at the front of the house, where it never grew a centimetre! After giving it a couple of years, and it looking fairly dead, we thought we would try it in the back garden and low and behold it has the most gorgeous couple of blooms on it.
Mother nature has thrown in a couple of freebies so far. I think that this is an Aqualigia (spelling?).
It's coming up to my favourite time in my garden and I appreciate every minute I spend in it.

23 comments:

A garden just outside Venice said...

It's looking great and so green! (so envious!!!!)
The spelling should be Aquilegia, it's the same in Italian :)
xxxxx

Sandies' Patch said...

I'm glad you Bay is sprouting....mine is very dead!
The Aquilegia (however it's spelt) is a 'Nora Barlow' type I think,anyhow, it's lovely! I've got free plants of Aq's all over the garden, love them.

Sandie xx

WinnibriggsHouse said...

What a lovely post to start my day. Full of appreciation of the little things. I think you are right about the aquilegia (and I did have to look up the spelling)its a beauty. I am afraid we lost both our bay standards this winter, even more galling because I got them at such a bargain price. Our own fault as we meant to repot them into some lovely big tubs and left it too late and then the frost got at them. Lesson learned I think!

Catherine said...

The chorus from the baby birds is echoing around our garden too! It is such a lovely cheerful sound! Cx

menopausalmusing said...

Yay! re your Bay... (I'm a poet and didn't know it). Isn't it just lovely to watch bluetits and their care for their babies. So very, very busy hour after hour...... Lucky you re Delphiniums, I have had to give up since they blow over where we live, even if I have staked them.

Susan T said...

I had two lovely Bay trees, lovingly cared for and at their very best last summer. Then we got THAT winter.

Lovely to see a garden springing back to life - we have baby birds tweeting all over the place. I love them.

petals and vintage said...

I would appreciate a moment or two in your garden as well. It's gorgeous. Loving the bird box.

Pam x

Rosie said...

Glad your bay has survived, ours was as dead as a dodo - brown all through to the roots. When we first came to live where we are now there were two or three aquilegia in the middle bed now they are all over the garden. They do seed very easily - we have about four different colours now as well - all self seeded. We have young sparrows and collard doves at the moment finding their feet, or should I say, wings:)

Shortbread and Ginger said...

How lovely to put a "soft landing" place out for the little 'uns! Lovely post!
Liz

Jo said...

Good news about your bay tree. I've got self seeded aquilegias in my garden too, though I'm not very keen on the colour of them.

diane b said...

Spring is certainly making you feel good and making your garden look good.It will be fun watching the babies learn to fly.

Jennyff said...

An uplifting post, loved the contrast of your husband making the world a safer place for us and you making a safer place for the baby birds. I'm glad you have that balance in your lives.

Little Blue Mouse said...

Aw, how considerate of you to give the baby birds a nice soft landing. Have you thought of padding the sides in case they land there?

I had an Acanthus that never did anything in the front garden so I moved it to the back where it flourished, but I must have left a bit at the front and it did really well there after that too. It must have thought if it didn't buck itself up it would be in for the chop good and proper!

topchelseagirl said...

I love aquilegias. So sweet of you to put a crash mat out for the birds, ah.

periwinkle said...

maybe you could put some big branches or something close to the box for when they fledge .... can't wait for Springwatch to start as they always show baby blue tits .

Diane said...

Your garden is looking good ours is soooooooo dry. But my Bay-tree is flourishing it is obviously in a very good spot in the garden. Glad the birds are doing well, hope that you manage to get some photos of the babies but it is always difficult if you are not there watching all the time. Diane

HippieGirl said...

Hey WinniBriggsHouse, love your profile pic. Hey Diane, is your husband a police officer? i ask out of curiosity because you mentioned he was in the middle of a high profile bust on a drug ring. But I just adore the pics you put on here, your garden is lovely. I originally had some plants out in front of my house, a bunch of pink and yellow Asiatic lilies, but unfortunately the local wildlife, and i mean mostly stupid deer keep eating them, if they eat the ones that are coming back, i don't know what to do, i mean, they keep eating them! i lov deer cuz they're so cute, but come on!

Miss Holly said...

Oh..your garden is just lovely!!! We are in the thick of wet weather..which I love ...I am one of the rare few who love rain..even if it for days..a great time to transplant..also a great time to bake and sew! Enjoy every minute!!

Mary Ann Tate said...

The tray of lettuce is a very good idea but the little birds in my garden eat my lettuce:)

Lisa said...

Good news about the bay tree!
Glad to hear the little birdies are keeping well too.
Lisa x

Young at Heart said...

how brilliant to have your own bay leaves.....my friend in France threaded me a bay reath when I visited last.....very useful and I think of her everytime i pluck one!!

Lyn said...

I love that your hubby gets everyday life texts from you when he is deep in the criminal world! I cant grow delphiniums the slugs and snails round here LOVE them too much!
love
Lyn
xxx

Rowan said...

So glad that your bay tree has come back again - and I love the safety net for the baby birds:) What a good idea.