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.