28 Feb 2013

Smiling despite the wind chill ...

February bee
My first bee of 2013!
Two weeks ago, as I retraced my steps around the walled garden at Capel Manor, I spotted this little bee getting busy on a potted Scorpion Vetch next to the greenhouse.  As it's early in the visiting season, I was alone in the garden and able to sit quietly watching. It's moments like this that let me know that spring is surely just around the corner. Each bright day now I want to be doing things in the garden.  For me, it's a physical pull to be outside and really hard to resist when there are things that need to be done elsewhere.

Back in the York Rise veg patch, I was very pleased to see that a French Tarragon plant had survived the winter thus far due to being igloo-ed under a clear plastic storage box back in December. It's unbelievably exciting to see the garden coming back to life and quite a relief to see new shoots appearing on plants that were largely abandoned to fend for themselves. My perennials - wild garlic, herbs, aquilegias, monarda, geums, poppies, polemonium and lilies - are all putting up new growth and buds are showing on the fruit trees. Old raspberry canes have been chopped out as the new canes push through at the base and raised beds have been topped up with fresh compost in readiness for the new season.

I'm catching up with college work today (sadly, indoors) but plan to spend as much time as possible in the garden over the weekend, testing out my new pruning saw on the next overgrown border and collecting organic material from the City Farm to mulch the raspberry canes. It doesn't sound like much but, my goodness, I'm looking forward to it!  Let's hope the weather stays dry for us all.

8 comments:

  1. I haven't seen any bees in my garden yet, but I share your sentiments.

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  2. There'll be more bees seen once crocuses start flowering. It's always good to see a garden coming back to life. There's not much sun forecast for the weekend but it's staying dry. Flighty xx

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  3. Trying to keep optimistic is hard at this time of year - it's a sort of inbetween time isn't it - itching to get on with things but trying to be patient.

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  4. Yes, let's hope it stays dry. I'm hoping for a trip to the allotment, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's dried out a bit so that I can get some work done at long last. I haven't seen any bees out and about yet, obviously still too cold Up North.

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  5. I haven't noticed any bees here yet, it is too cold! Hopefully they will arrive soon, I have lots of lovely flowers waiting for them!!

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  6. Lovely photo, hope the sun shines on your weekend plans Caro! I had to work indoors today, despite the sun beating on the windows. Forecast isn't so good for tomorrow but I will get outside anyway, that pull is irresistible.

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  7. Love that photo of the bee. We, unfortunately haven't seen much sun. Yesterday was lovely though and I know what you mean about the pull to be outside. I'm trying to do my work on an evening and at weekends so I can get some time outdoors during the week. My tarragon has survived too and is shooting away in the greenhouse and there are pea shoots. Exciting times ahead and only 4 weeks to the clocks changing. :))

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  8. I can feel Spring too :) It's been gorgeous on the island up until yesterday so I've spent a couple of full afternoons at the lottie. It's looking good and I'm preparing to sow more seeds in the coming days. Let's hope we have a decent (and dry!) summer this year!

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