The only way is up

Today is the spring equinox, which means the Earth’s orbit is at a point where the planet’s tilt now aims the northern hemisphere increasingly at the sun. As a result, from today day length grows longer than night until the summer solstice. Shorter night length and warmth triggers plants into active growth transforming the countryside and our gardens.

It’s sending everything into a spring frenzy, including us gardeners. This week I almost spent more time outdoors than I did in. I want to be outside for every minute I can, planting, growing, photographing birds and listening to their song. Watching them watching me.

Dunnock’s are prepping their nests while our garden borders are starting to rise, quickly covering the cut plant material.

I enjoy the hues and tone of the pale straw coloured stems against glaucous allium and daffodil leaves, warmed by the pink of pulmonaria. Set off by emerging primrose yellow daffodils and vibrant first leaves of waking perennials. It’s all about to change dramatically.

One of the areas I’ve written about most is the patch immediately next to our patio. I stopped weeding this area a couple of years ago to let the plants do all the work. And it has worked. Here the plants I’ve added are outcompeting creeping buttercup, couch grass and even nettles. I’ve since stopped weeding almost altogether in the rest of the garden.

I’m overjoyed with the pink pulmonaria I’ve been dividing and spreading. The colour doesn’t show strongly in the photos because it’s intentionally subtle, but in real life it’s changed our garden. Washing it with a base of warm pink all through spring. And even more exciting, various bumblebee species have been all over them...

I had been worried that bees prefer blue flowered pulmonaria but those concerns have gone. This week I’ve seen queens of white tailed, buff, early and possibly garden bumblebees.

Below our main garden, around the polytunnel, is the more shaded wilder garden. Here I am only planting wildflowers and sparingly spring bulbs. It’s mainly about wildflowers. There were already lots of daffodils I didn’t have the heart of desire to remove. And I love their brightness at this time of year. Around them the primroses are beginning to flower.

Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ is always a little joy in various spots.

Noticeably, in the last two days, leaf buds have burst open in the sunshine and warmth. Above hazel and below lichen encrusted hawthorn.

Pussy willow has burst its buds too, bringing its wonder of pale yellow that entices bumblebees in their thousands.

It’s easy to overlook some flowers, such as the female flowers of hazel and larch. On the larch these are called strobili, below is a photo of the neon pink pineapple shaped female structure. These become the cones. Larch and hazel are monoecious, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs on the same plant.

Greenfinch in particular have been keeping me company, alongside common finch. The greenfinch have always been here but this year I’ve made an effort to notice them. They’ve been noticing me back...

I won’t tell you to get busy in the garden, enjoy spring equinox today and what looks like a sunny weekend ahead. Perhaps spend some time outdoors looking at nature, planting some things if you wish. Most of all, relax and have fun.

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