King cup time

 I explained in the last post that I cannot claim green fingers. However, some of the plants I put in do succeed and become established.

This is one of my favourites, Marsh marigold or King cup. I think it needs to be where its roots can reach the pond. As you can see there are two plants. There were three, but one failed to "take". I observed this year that six weeks ago there was no sign of them at all in the moss, and I feared that they too might have died. But no. Here they are, and I love them.

The packet of Snakeshead fritillary corms seems to have produced only one plant. I am pleased with what I got. 

It is growing in the very small (1m x 2m approx) patch of wildflower meadow that we have room for. Special seed (special grass as well as flowers) was sown on a cleared patch three years ago and this is where we are now. Expect to see summer flowers in due course. It is very popular with baby frogs when they emerge from the pond and are looking for cover. Occasionally we stumble on one of last year's babies (still too small to breed). There is quite a lot of cover in our garden.

Sunflower hearts are what the small birds like most. We now have some goldfinches, I'm pleased to say, visiting them. They ignore completely the special Niger Seed feeder. Our local Saintsbury's has run out of sunflower hearts, so the little birds will have to adapt. We shall see. A blackbird regularly washes in the so-called ditch, and one can often spot a dunnock among the sparrows. I hope we get a surge of fledglings soon. We shall see.

Easter Weekend

 There is now no question that winter is over. The frogspawn has turned into tadpoles and green growth is on every plant. The question of what to weed and what to leave is not one to worry about. My patches of annual cornfield flowers are weeded to keep out other annuals that I don't want. On the other hand some traditional "weeds" are welcome in the garden. Fortunately our neighbour has a wonderful display of dandelions, so I do not need to encourage them. But they are a vibrant yellow, and invaluable food for insects. Here is Wordsworth's view on the subject.

On display in Wordsworth's large garden at Rydal Mount

One thing I cannot claim is green fingers. Last year I planted lots of snakes-head fritillary corms, in the patches of rough grass. Now there has come up only one. Still, it is very welcome. One of my favourite spring flowers is wild primroses; none of the plants I have put in here have lasted. Fortunately they are still abundant in many woods, and I shall keep trying. I often think, while  out in the country - "Now there's an idea for the garden."

Not our garden, but what an inspiration.

I am always pleased to see insects. Various bumblebees have arrived. During the strict lock-down two years ago I determined to identify all bumblebees that arrived; I did not find it easy. Perhaps this will be the subject of my next blog-post.

The comparative shortage of small birds continues. Nor can I show you any birds eggs. I do not think there is a place in the garden where I could put a nest-box that would be safe from cats. If you can, please do. Our various small thickets may or may not be used for nesting one day, but prowling cats and foxes mean it is not altogether a safe place.

Cats are not welcome. Some predators are. (I doubt if there is much ethical logic in this.) A few days ago a sparrow-hawk sat on the fence for several minutes before moving on. Maybe the small birds are right to be cautious about using our feeders.

Birdsong, compost and wild flowers April 4th

 Today I was having lunch in the garden. Suddenly from the bush to my right came not a tweet but a sparrow shouting - TWEET TWEET. I wondered what this could mean; I do not remember hearing quite such a sparrow-shout before. Almost immediately the male sparrow flew down and picked a piece of the fat-sprinkle I had scattered for ground-feeding birds. I think it was the only bit left after three hours. Simultaneously a blue-tit, a blackbird and four or five other sparrows appeared. I wonder if the shout meant "Here's some food, folks!" or, perhaps more likely, "Here's some food and it's mine!", in which case it might have been wiser to keep quiet. Observing wild creatures in action, even if one is painfully short of expertise, is part of the fun of wildlife gardening.

A big task just now is mulching with compost. I doubt if anyone who reads this blog can make as much as they would like, so one buys in extra bags. This brings in a rule as inflexible as "No pesticides" and this is "Only ever buy peat-free compost." This is not a benefit for your own garden, but for the places where peat is dug out for sale. Not only is peatland a precious habitat, it is also an invaluable carbon sink. Peat should be left in the ground, just as coal should be. When you go shopping for compost ask for peat-free. If they have not got it, go elsewhere. Consumer power will soon have an effect.

In Edinburgh it is easy. Our Garden Waste Collection ends up with an outfit called Forth Resource Management that has vast bins in an old quarry. I hope that wherever you live something similar applies.

https://www.frmrecycling.co.uk/caledonian-horticulture-products/

Another jolly thing that happens at this time of year is sowing wildflower annual seeds. Our church for many years has given out little packets, but they are not expensive to buy. we get the Cornfield Annual Mix from Scotia Seeds. This comprises Corn marigold, Cornflower, Corn poppy and Mayweed. They work well in pots or window-boxes as well all in beds. They also self-seed from year to year. They make a splendid patch of summer colour and also, more important, provide food for pollinating insects. I hope I can show you some of this year's blooms in due course. To be getting on with, here are some photos from the last couple of years.