flowers...

I don't know about you but I just LOVE flowers! I love the colours - particularly noticeable in this lovely bright weather we've been having. Every time I think I've found one that is definitely my favourite I spot another that is equally beautiful.

Yesterday was the last day of April and I had a quick wander round my garden having a look to see what I could find...

I have been nurturing this little lilac tree for years. I took a cutting off a tree we had to move to sort the damp course out 25 years ago at our first house and have been patiently waiting for it to prove its worth ever since! The house I grew up in had a beautiful spreading lilac in the garden that you could climb up into with a book and hide. This is a s-l-o-w grower! It took ages to have any blooms at all, not helped by the fact that it needed major nursing after a football injury (delivered by over excited small boys several years ago), which almost split the two main stems apart altogether. I had to bind the damaged bits together and (to my amazement) it healed itself up and kept growing - although I'm not sure its shape was improved! This year is the first year it has really had lots of blooms. And now I have a confession to make... after all this time, I am just a little bit disappointed with it... The problem is when we moved into our first house it was January and so I had no idea what colour this lilac would be. I'm trying not to let it know - but I had really hoped it would be that gorgeous deep purple that I keep seeing in other people's gardens! Oh well... I cannot bring myself to lose it after all this time and it is pretty, with a delicate scent...

It did look lovely against the blue sky yesterday, so I think I'll forgive it for being the 'wrong' colour!

I think I said before I have a bit of a thing about aquilegias...

My idea of a great garden plant is one that you can basically ignore that gives you long lasting interest... I think I started these from a pack of seeds about 10 years ago and they are everywhere now (they do seed themselves everywhere!). But they are easy enough to pull out if they are really being troublesome and I don't have the kind of garden where the plants are in ordered clumps. I quite like the fact that these are sprinkled amongst the other plants. They catch the breeze and flutter their delicate flower heads and are soo pretty. They have changed a bit over the years - I'm sure originally there were lots of different colours and several with double layers of petals but now they have reverted to what I presume is the original type. There are still a few shades - this deep lilac, a dark purple, pinks and nearly white. I love them!

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the blustery weather we've had for the last couple of days doesn't flatten them as I'm a bit rubbish at doing the whole plant-staking thing!

Similarly these...

This is another 'rescue' plant! A peony that my neighbour was throwing out a few years ago which has the most fabulous red flowers and has loads of fat buds on it just about to burst open. They are always a bit heavy for the stems and I really should give the poor thing some support, I suppose...

The buds are enormous, bigger than a golf ball - I didn't notice this tiny spider until I put the photos on the computer.

Can't remember what this is - I think its some kind of geranium? Pretty, whatever its called!

Lots of loveliness to enjoy outside, and then indoors...

Easter present from son 2's lovely girlfriend! Definitely a better idea than chocolate (much as I love it, can't ignore the fact that half of my wardrobe seems to have 'shrunk'!). Not exactly sure what to do with it - have never had an orchid before! Any tips??!!

And finally, last week's tulips...

Every now and then I treat myself to a small bunch of something. These tulips are really past their best but I have really enjoyed their striking colours as they opened up.

If I had unlimited money I think I would have fresh flowers every week - they make me so happy!

One other thing I wanted to show you - not flowers, but look what I found in the pond...!!!

There were loads of them just basking in the sunshine! No frogs as far as I can see this year but masses of newts!

Hope you have lovely things making you happy!

Til next time 

Sx