chris c wrote:I saw my first daffodil in flower today. Well of course someone might have started it in a greenhouse and planted it out but it looked like the first one of a clump, there are plenty showing their buds now, and a few where you can see the yellow. I have some more crocuses out too, including a lovely lilac patch of Thomasinianus. When I was young and learning the names of dad's flowers I wondered who Thomas was and what his arsehole had to do with flowers.
One of my earliest childhood memories was of fine February days when the sun came out and the entire garden burst into a sheet of lilac flowers, often buzzing with bees from a local beekeeper, while Viscounts and Vanguards flew overhead to Heathrow and Gatwick. They're one of the best for naturalising, I don't know if they're toxic but the mice seem to leave them alone while eating the yellow ones and other varieties. We also used to have sparrows peck the yellow flowered ones to pieces. Oh and I also remember being enthralled to watch the red ants collecting the seeds when they set later in the year and carrying them underground. They also did that with cyclamen, one of his favourite flowers which also naturalised and spread well around his garden.
Someone was out with a mower on Sunday. I usually put off doing mine as long as possible because once you start you just can't stop until November, or even Christmas.
BTDT with the frogs and cat turds both. One year I bent down to do some weeding and smelt cat shit. When I did the same in another part of the garden the same thing happened. Only when it happened for a third time did I realise I'd actually trodden on the turd and it was embedded in the treads of my boot.
You don't live near Banstead do you Chris? Could have been my mower
I love frogs in the garden, we have them living along the edge of a fence, I assume it's damp enough for them with a food supply as they've been there forever, I leave the grass along that edge wild so as not to mince the frogs
I love cutting the grass, I sometimes do it a few times a week, need to practice my putting