This is our friendly vixen. She's a regular visitor and frequently photographed by Jonathon. She's far too tame for her own good but welcome all the same. Amzaingly she doesn't like bread!

Back to the garden itself and lots of the plants are springing into life. There are bluebells galore and more blue from the forget me nots. The comfrey self seeds around the garden - sometimes where it's welcome and sometimes less so!

The bluebells are spreading well. The bed on the right and below is specifically where I plant them but then they plant themselves wherever else they want to be.

For complete contrast we have a few spiky grasses around the garden but the pampas has all been cut back now that it's had its star turn.

Another example of self seeded plants - this time a pyracantha. I'm sure the spreading is helped by the birds and squirrels.

 

As you can see it was a lovely day when I wandered around but it was very cold, especially for the middle of April

It's lovely being able to see the peas growing in their pods as they are back lit in the shed.

I've also got some peas growing outside (hiding under this fleece because frost was forecast).

The broad beans have got loads of flowers so hopefully that means we'll be getting a good crop this year.

The cauliflowers were destroyed by the weather. Not sure whether the purple sprouting broccoli will sprout or not but I don't need this bed at the moment so I'm leaving the broccoli where it is for now to see what happens.

The onions were a bit slow to start but seem to be doing OK now.

 

These are the new growing sacks for the strawberries (pink) and carrots (orange). They are a bit bright but I thought I'd experiment this year and see how I get on.

The first sign of strawberries in our new growing sacks.

These are the main crop potatoes. I'm trying out grow sacks for the first time this year for the first and second earlies - they are in the photo on the left.

Lots of lovely plants growing nicely in the shed (above) and greenhouse (left and right). Should give us plenty of colour this summer - not to mention more food with the French beans and courgettes.

The forsythia has burst into flower.

The spiraea is always lovely at this time of year. This is the original one but we've added quite a few more in both the back and the front garden.

This is a climbing hydrangea flower from last year - at least a skeleton of one. Who could believe that something that it is officially dead could be so pretty.

As one plant dies back, the acer and hazel trees are springing into leaf.

Another, very welcome, prolific self seeding plant. We have quite a few primroses around the garden now.

The kerria is putting on a really good show this year at the bottom end of the garden.

I'm really pleased with how the magnolia is coming along. It's growing well now with a lot more flowers this year.

The yellow shrub on the right is another kind of spiraea (Candlelight).

The plant above is a self seeded mahonia.

This clematis grows along the fence between us and next door. You can't see it from the back garden unless you look down the path but it shows really well at the front when it's in full bloom.

This is really the only time of year you can see the bench from the house - most of the year it's hidden by the fuchsia.

Spring has definitely arrived when the tulips are in flower. So colourful.

Moving into the front garden. Probably at its best at this time of year. It seems a shame to cut the cornus back but they are really here for winter colour so the secateurs will be out very soon.

That's it for this time - more next month.

 

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