I’m back, and full of the joys of spring...

Greetings to all - Isn’t this spring wonderful. It is the best in years and we are at least 2 weeks ahead of the norm. Everything is happening a once here. Outside of my studio window I have a patch of Japanese knotweed (don’t worry – it is contained) that has grown from tiny shoots to seven feet tall in just two weeks! Although the weather has been mild I won’t be planting out the more tender exotics until about the third week of May as the nights are still relatively cool and I don’t want them to catch a dose of swine flu. In saying that though, I have been replacing some of the cacti and succulents that turned to mush during our rather horrid winter. It is certainly not the cold that saw their demise, but rather the moisture that killed them off. The year before a poly tunnel was loosely erected over the main bed. I say loosely as it blew off twice during the winter! This winter it will be erected again! Unfortunately I lost my whole Aonium collection, but luckily there is a wholesale nursery not far from here that has some wonderful specimens which have now been planted out in a south facing position in the xerophytic garden.





After the loss of my second cat, I treated myself to a rather large, pink, Cymbidium with 12 flower stalks, all for thirty quid from a local Dutch importer. I must admit I’m not overly fond of orchids, but this one was so big I just had to buy one.





I am so pleased that all the Musa basjoo (hardy banana) survived such a prolonged cold winter, where they took a sustained -5C (23F) for many days with permafrost setting in – something I haven’t seen in years. The picture was taken about a week ago and now many of the leaves are 6 feet long and growing. These stalwarts of the garden are now 23 years old. Unfortunately the nine year old (from seed) large group of Musa sikkimensis was cut to the ground, though they are now re-growing from the base which is a relief as I thought I had lost them.





My two poll tunnels are now bursting at the seams with plants for the garden which are all being fattened up for the grand planting out ceremony in a few weeks time.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that the great American plant hunter, Dan Hinkley, was coming to the UK. On Monday I had the privilege of meeting him again at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, where he gave a superb lecture on his amazing garden, Windcliff, in the Pacific North-West, which I had the privilege of seeing in April 2008. In September of this year, the venerable Roy Lancaster will be giving guided tours of Dan’s garden for those that are lucky enough to be there in early autumn.

The loss of yet another cat...

Spring might have sprung but I am feeling rather low after the loss of yet another cat – Lawrence – one of my two Devon Rex boys. It was only the week before when I found that Epen another of my six cats had died in the garden. I am finding it very difficult to do anything at the moment as he used to follow me wherever I went in the garden. For the first few days I tried not to think about him but yesterday the realisation set in. I have had many cats over the years, but he was rather special. I will post about the garden in a day or so when my brain has calmed down.

At last - the long evenings have returned...

A good friend of mine living in Menlo Park California is now an avid follower of my blog and made the comment - how will you ever keep up your blog when spring arrives let alone summer? On those cold days in winter when you have hours to write, with those long dark evenings it seems easy. Now that spring has arrived, all my time has now been taken up with events, friends, the garden, one of my cats dying, visiting my father in his home, selling half his garden to keep him in the home... the list goes on! My determination was to write at least once and hopefully twice a week – I see I haven’t added a new blog since March 20th, hmmmm!


I must mention my cat. I was walking around the garden yesterday enjoying the hot rays of the sun and noticed Epen, one of my six cats, lying across the path, looking as though he was enjoying the sun as well. My first stroke told me otherwise. I couldn’t find a mark on him. My suspicions are that he might have eaten something poisonous as he was about 10 years old and up until the day before was in rude health. I buried him along with about eight other deceased cats at the top of the garden. A sad event indeed...




Last week I was inaugurated as the 180th president of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society, the second oldest horticultural society after the RHS. I now have a nice shiny chain of office to wear at all events for the next year. Today - Sunday 5th was my first official engagement of my one year stint. The spring show was in the Presidents pavilion at the Royal Norfolk showground, where I was handing out certificates for an awful lot of daffodils! Some of the old boys take the whole thing very seriously indeed as they explained to me how much work goes into raising new hybrids from seed and fighting against the vagaries of a British spring. Of course one chap said that a week later would have been perfect for the best show!




I did manage to get a few hours in the garden this morning on this wonderful spring day. I seem to be permanently clearing the garden of – stuff. A few days ago some of my tallest hedges were lowered by about 8ft to a more comfortable 15ft. This was all cleared up by a friend of mine whilst I did some essential watering in the Polly tuneless. I also managed to pull out of hibernation about 30 Brugmansias for their summer sojourn in the garden.





The Podophyllum delavayi I showed on my last blog are growing fast, so I have included another picture of these marvellous plants for your delectation. Although my garden is geared up for a grand show later in the year, many things are now showing early signs of life. The Tetrapanax papyrifera, (Rice paper plant) is very handsome as its new growth starts to unfurl. In high season the leavers will be up to one meter wide – a stunning plant indeed.



Of course a spectacular show is given at this time of year by Clematis armandii, with its seductive, highly scented flowers. This rampant sprawler is growing over a 30 foot long Victorian iron pergola, and is a gorgeous sight to behold, and walking through is so intoxicating.



In the garden nursery there are many gems starting to appear and one that is just breaking the ground is the variegated knotweed Fallopia japonica Tri-color, a handsome plant that never seems to grow more than a couple of feet tall with me and is certainly not invasive like some of its bigger relatives. In saying that though, I do grow some very large leaved forms surrounded by very thick flint walls, where they have been happily not invading the garden for about 20 years, to about 12ft tall.



Finally I am going to leave you with picture of a rather attractive Heuchera hybrid. Unfortunately the writing on the label has completely faded; hence I have gone over to using a pencil instead!