Spring

[oldtone27]

Monday is Meteorological spring, although with the warm sun and nearly clear skies it seems like its here already.

Apart from the snowdrops and daffs out now I came across a small patch of planting on the outskirts of our town. It is tended by the local horticultural society and is a delight, Nothing flashy, but had a wealth of little blooms such as crocus, violets, cyclamen, muscari, some little blue flowers I couldn't identify plus mini daffs all mixed in with various leafy plants. Really gave me a lift.

Also uplifting was the harbour with barely a ripple and just a few paddle boarders, not enough wind for sails or kites. Plus the view towards the Purbecks with the merest haze was perfect. Bliss.

Thought you might like to learn of something a little joyous for a change. 

[ditchdwellers]

I love the first signs of Spring. It's such a hopeful season that always makes me smile. 
The elder tree that is host to my bird feeders has very swollen buds on it, and I'm sure it will break into leaf in another week or two. 
The dawn chorus is just beginning, very briefly at the moment, but they've started up.
I need to get my nesting boxes up quickly as it will be too late if we leave it much longer. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the garden and wildlife develop this Spring and Summer as it will be our first since moving here.

[SashaQ]

That patch of planting does sound lovely, Oldtone

I've been enjoying the crocuses this week

[oldtone27]

Talking of tree buds I was thinking yesterday that the birches seem late this year. I'm sure this time last year their leaves were just beginning to burst. This year the buds are still tightly closed.

Still the blossom are appearing on the ornamental cherries.

[ditchdwellers]

That's an enormous patch of crocuses, Sasha! An absolute riot of colour. 

Oldtone-Snowdrops are ore one of my favourite flowers. Their simplicity is part of their beauty. When looked at closely, the colour and pattern is just incredible. Mind you, I wouldn't pay the sorts of prices that these collectors pay for a single bulb! I much prefer the simple varieties in groups with small daffodils, just as you described. Absolutely delightful. We're the small blue flowers you saw with them grape hyacinths?

[oldtone27]

DD, No. Muscari are grape hyacinths, the blue flowers were little pale blue stars, about an inch across, with broad petals. Had a quick look through a flower book but couldn't spot them.

Its another bright spring morning today. My snowdrops are still flowering and I have a pot of vivid red cyclamen on the patio which have been glorious for weeks. They look delicate, but seem to survive whatever the weather, although I must admit the weather in these parts is not particularly challenging.

[Sunshine Meadows]

It's wonderful to catch up on such a lovely thread a descriptions of spring and the way nature is responding to the sunshine of blue skies our wondrous. 

I love snow drops too you'll be nice to go up to the woods where we take the dogs because they have all swedes of snow drops and daffodils and then the blue balls come later I think. I'm at the top of the garden right now The dogs have been making it their own domain throughout the winter so I can't get to where I think there are snow drops but maybe in a few days.

[oldtone27]

I've just spotted some concusses popping up in a shady part of the garden. The blue bells spikes are well through, but no sign of buds yet. At bit early I think, they come on all of a sudden.

[ditchdwellers]

Your garden sounds lovely Oldtone. 

I'm looking forward to getting my Covid jab on Friday and the end of lockdown as I was given some garden vouchers to spend at the garden centre for  my birthday last year. I would like to buy some large pots at the front of my bay window. It sits in sun most of the day, but and this is a big but, is it can be very windy. It's about a three minute walk to the sea and the wind can come off the sea quite frequently.  

What sort of planting would you suggest?  I've looked online for suggestions and it appears to be a bit contradictory. 
If anyone has any ideas, I'm completely open! I had thought of some evergreen shrubs however I'm not sure how wind or salt tolerant they might be. 

I need help!

[oldtone27]

My garden is nothing special and is quite small. The plot is wide but shallow and fairly well fenced in.

Its a typical suburban garden surrounded by trees. In particular a magnificent English Oak just over the rear fence. Its new owner wanted to cut it down a few years ago, because of the leaf fall would you believe. Fortunately the council refused only allowing a bit of thinning and tidying. Their tree surgeon made a good job and preserved its character, and some squirrels call it home.

I also have a few mature silver birches in a small cluster behind my shed and another near the kitchen. They provide pleasant dappled shade in the summer, but the oak does give dense shade until the late afternoon.

In the other corner an old greenhouse is covered in holly and ivy in which robins have been nesting for year. Probably a few generations. Noisy little birds. Otherwise the garden is visited by the tits sparrows, wood pigeons and a local greater spotted woodpecker. There are a good number of mature trees in the area.

Otherwise the garden is mostly given over to shrubs with just a few flowers under. I only have a couple of small flower beds as such plus a few planters. I have quite a big patch of shrubs behind my garage which is untouched apart from light trimming around the edges and this is favoured by blackbirds. Dense enough for nesting and they love to turn over the leaf litter underneath.

There is a long semi wild shrubbery along the rear with old branch piles which I think attract insects as birds are constantly  popping in and out,.

Otherwise most of it is small lawn and paving around. It pretty minimal maintenance. Mostly edging, I only mowed the back once last year to let the grass grow. Not many flowers, but a pleasing variety of grass heads which lasted for months much to my surprise. Going to do the same this year.

Biggest task is weeding the paving which has quite a big area of rough stone in the front. I have a very reasonable gardener who comes as needed to do the back breaking stuff.

Next job will be a small amount of summer planting, in a month or two.

[ditchdwellers]

You paint a beautiful picture of a haven of peace and tranquillity.  Gardens don't have to be large to have beauty and wildlife value.

You obviously like to see the wildlife in your garden, and I do too. To me, anything else is just barren. I'm very concerned about the drop in garden birds over the last 20 or so years. We don't get any starlings at all anymore, whereas they were used to be a constant feature everywhere. 

Has anyone else noticed the decline in bird numbers in their own areas?

[oldtone27]

DD, I agree with you about starlings. As a child I used to see them everywhere. Recently I have only seen a few mostly in the spring and usually as a parent with youngsters. They will turn up for a couple of days and then vanish. 

I have in my present house for 30 years plus, but have seen a significant decline in the common species. I have noticed an increase in magpies and more often see the occasional jackdaw which would be rare when I first arrived.

Other occasional visitors are long-tailed tits, always in a gang, but not as many finches.

I think I get quite a few bird visitors as there are no resident cats nearby so they are only disturbed by the occasional moggie on patrol.

[KizzyKazaer]

I love the first signs of Spring. It's such a hopeful season that always makes me smile.

Likewise, even though I don't have my own private garden - the morning birdsong becomes more melodious as we progress through March, I love to hear it.  The lenghtening daylight gives me a boost as well, plus seeing the daffodils and other spring flowers popping up in the local park

[ditchdwellers]

Lockdown seems to have made people much more appreciative of the green space around them and the value of them to the local communities. Hopefully, this will continue and people will start to care more about the environment around them and try to enhance it in any way they can.
I'm also hoping the government will increase protection to green spaces and integrate more of it into housing developments. Forever optimistic, I know 

I'm pleased your local park has provided you with a lovely place to visit and walk in Kizzy. The ability to have access to these spaces is so important for us to feel better. Kate Humble writes very well about her mental health and the benefits she has found through walking in her book. It's a good read.

[Sunshine Meadows]

Some many lovely descriptions thank you.

I agree about the birds, I mean we have cats so the birds dont come in the garden itself much but we have but feeders out of the cats reach and the food just does not get eaten.

Again back when I was a child on Sundays Mum would put leftovers, stale bread etc in a big flat dish and put it on the lawn. The starlings arrived i n a mob, squabbling for the food so much pieces got dropped on the outer edges which little birds would quietly share.