A VIEW FROM THE WINDOW

A view from the window of the welcome sight of crocus. It is hard to imagine that this area will be so full of plants and flowers in a few months time.

For me the gardening year has now begun. I started with some jobs that were not completed last year such as the last of the rose pruning. I have made a good start on pruning the group 3 clematis, although I have more to do, hopefully within the next couple of days.

Margery Fish in one of her books probably We Made a Garden says clematis group 3 should be pruned on Valentine's day. 14th February. It is interesting to see how the flowering compares when the pruning is staggered slightly over a few weeks especially with clematis such as Vitichelli Polish Spirit, I have  3  due to the success in taking cuttings.

Another job today was planting seeds of Tomatoes - Moneymaker and Gardeners Delight, Peppers and sweet peas which I start off in trays on a bedroom window sill until they germinate and then move to the lean to which is frost free.

The green house and cold frames are watered and everything looks ok despite the very cold winter weather we have been having. Although the two Jacaranda trees in pots in the greenhouse which I grew from seed several years ago probably haven't survived and were rather too big to protect in a frost free place.

I noticed the delphiniums are beginning to grow so I need to weed the bed cover with plastic covers and spread slug pellets before the new shoots are eaten by the slugs and snails.

I stupidly hurt my back before starting to garden today so I hope it soon passes and I am able to get on with some serious gardening in the next day or two.

I am delighted that Mike is now well enough to do his usual jobs in the garden but as we both get older it is becoming quite a task to keep up with this garden even though the rewards are clearly enjoyed.