How does your garden grow?

[GuiltyPleasure]

We have scillas, croci, (yellow. white and purple), forsythia (extra lovely this year), jonquils, daffs, wind flowers and the last of the snowdrops. SPRING AT LAST!

 

[thør]

We have scillas, croci, (yellow. white and purple), forsythia (extra lovely this year), jonquils, daffs, wind flowers and the last of the snowdrops. SPRING AT LAST!

Our gardens are under snow.

 

[October46]

We have scillas, croci, (yellow. white and purple), forsythia (extra lovely this year), jonquils, daffs, wind flowers and the last of the snowdrops. SPRING AT LAST!

with silver bells and cockle shell all in a row!

 

[butters]

a bit like this

right now the bluebells are all starting to open since i took these, but there's an some ornamental fruit, a stump of a wild pear still throwing out white blossom with a few tall white snowdrops scattered at its feet in amongst the ground cover, yellow holly flowers, some violets, orange cotoneaster berries, masses of different greens and golds - soon, under the trees it'll be a mass of pink flowers, closer to the pear more bluebells and periwinkle, later with the pinks there'll be rose of sharon, and a honeysuckle and mock orange tucked in there too.

 

[parodyluvr75]

Beautiful Butters, I want to come for a visit.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Lovely at the moment - pear, apple, quince, crab-apple, buddleia and magnolia trees; cherries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants coming along nicely with lots of fresh growth, and the asparagus and new potatoes will be ready soon.

Around the base of the old apple tree is a mass of Lily of the Valley, narcissi, snake's head fritillaries, grape hyacinths and bluebells. The daffodils are in full bloom, as are the violets, and Love in the Mist growing between every paving crack. Oh - and a dozen old rose plants, including two huge old arched ones loaded with reddish fresh branches.

All very charming as I look out from my old study. It's delightful to hear about other peoples' gardens in other parts of the world as spring finally hits the Northern hemisphere. Thank you for this thread.

 

[butters]

Beautiful Butters, I want to come for a visit.

come when the elderberries have flowered and fruited - great heavy hands of deepest purpled small beads of juice-bursting deliciousness

 

[butters]

Lovely at the moment - pear, apple, quince, crab-apple, buddleia and magnolia trees; cherries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants coming along nicely with lots of fresh growth, and the asparagus and new potatoes will be ready soon.

Around the base of the old apple tree is a mass of Lily of the Valley, narcissi, snake's head fritillaries, grape hyacinths and bluebells. The daffodils are in full bloom, as are the violets, and Love in the Mist growing between every paving crack. Oh - and a dozen old rose plants, including two huge old arched ones loaded with reddish fresh branches.

All very charming as I look out from my old study. It's delightful to hear about other peoples' gardens in other parts of the world as spring finally hits the Northern hemisphere. Thank you for this thread.

this sounds so tasty! i would like a magnolia and fresh fruit and veg but i'm all out of room, but i do have buddleias out front and back. Love in the mist are so pretty! Have you any pics to show us?

 

[Cumference]

The rhubarbs are about ready for the first pie of the year. And even better, the first asparagus have started poking their little heads up.
(freshly picked green asparagus is simply delicious)


.... and yesterday Lady C and I went for a run in the forest, and made this years first effort to scare some animals.

 

[parodyluvr75]

come when the elderberries have flowered and fruited - great heavy hands of deepest purpled small beads of juice-bursting deliciousness

Love berries, never had elderberries. I use to live by a lady with lots of blackberry bushes. She'd invite me over to gather some. Delicious.

 

[DesEsseintes]

this sounds so tasty! i would like a magnolia and fresh fruit and veg but i'm all out of room, but i do have buddleias out front and back. Love in the mist are so pretty! Have you any pics to show us?

Not right now unfortunately - it's dark out there! I might try to take some over the weekend if the weather stays good. And yes - Love in the mist are lovely, particularly since they grow everywhere like weeds but don't take over.

 

[butters]

Love berries, never had elderberries. I use to live by a lady with lots of blackberry bushes. She'd invite me over to gather some. Delicious.

fresh from the tree they are mouthfuls of splendour - sweet with a hint of tartness, but overall cool and refreshing. cooking with them is fine, but i don't think you can beat them freshly plucked. the birds strip the tree bare after i've taken a few for myself. the pigeons grow fat on them, or appear to, and the starlings descend enmasse and noisily plunder the crop before flying south.

 

[DesEsseintes]

fresh from the tree they are mouthfuls of splendour - sweet with a hint of tartness, but overall cool and refreshing. cooking with them is fine, but i don't think you can beat them freshly plucked. the birds strip the tree bare after i've taken a few for myself. the pigeons grow fat on them, or appear to, and the starlings descend enmasse and noisily plunder the crop before flying south.

What a shame - yes, pigeons take most of our cherries, too. Elderberries are indeed fine, but I confess to a preference for the wonderful elderflower - steeped to make cordial or fermented to make wine, they have such an aetherial scent.

 

[HarryHill]

What a shame - yes, pigeons take most of our cherries, too. Elderberries are indeed fine, but I confess to a preference for the wonderful elderflower - steeped to make cordial or fermented to make wine, they have such an aetherial scent.

Any more information on this making elderflowers into cordials?

 

[parodyluvr75]

fresh from the tree they are mouthfuls of splendour - sweet with a hint of tartness, but overall cool and refreshing. cooking with them is fine, but i don't think you can beat them freshly plucked. the birds strip the tree bare after i've taken a few for myself. the pigeons grow fat on them, or appear to, and the starlings descend enmasse and noisily plunder the crop before flying south.

Birds have a route. They say, "Hey, butters' berries are in bloom. Let's eat!"

 

[DesEsseintes]

Any more information on this making elderflowers into cordials?

This recipe is similar to mine, but I wouldn't both with citric acid - lemon juice works fine.

 

[butters]

What a shame - yes, pigeons take most of our cherries, too. Elderberries are indeed fine, but I confess to a preference for the wonderful elderflower - steeped to make cordial or fermented to make wine, they have such an aetherial scent.

well, there are so many i don't see it as a shame, really - i like to see the birds feeding and from my bedroom window i get to watch their natural behaviours up close. if i could be bothered i'd make wine, but have neither the time nor patience. elderflowers are lovely, too - have you tried them in salads or even dipped in a delicate batter and dip fried till pale gold and crispy?

 

[butters]

Birds have a route. They say, "Hey, butters' berries are in bloom. Let's eat!"

they do! and it brings so many to the garden, i love it

 

[butters]

This recipe is similar to mine, but I wouldn't both with citric acid - lemon juice works fine.

that sounds really lovely

 

[DesEsseintes]

that sounds really lovely

It is - I shall have to make another batch this year just for the lovely Literotica chaps and chapesses. And, frozen, it makes a delightfully refreshing summer sorbet.

 

[RedAllan]

What a shame - yes, pigeons take most of our cherries, too. Elderberries are indeed fine, but I confess to a preference for the wonderful elderflower - steeped to make cordial or fermented to make wine, they have such an aetherial scent.

We have the same problem with pigeons, with wild parquets added to the mix, when we get berries, have to be quick when the ripen, I go for wine. If you can be patient, 12 months plus, it can be delicious, summery taste, and potent.

 

[JakeBNice]

Easter Lilies coming up along the back fence, euonymus just sitting there like it does best. Waiting to see how the dogwood trees bud out. I planted one in fall not far from the existing one.

Waiting for it to be a bit warmer before filling the front of the house with hydrangea, heuchera, azalea and astilbe.

 

[butters]

It is - I shall have to make another batch this year just for the lovely Literotica chaps and chapesses. And, frozen, it makes a delightfully refreshing summer sorbet.

so i hear i've seen them make it before on some of the chef programmes. elderflower sorbet - sounds like summer

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Our gardens are under snow.

Under the snow there are blossoms ready. Look forward - spring is near.

a bit like this

right now the bluebells are all starting to open since i took these, but there's an some ornamental fruit, a stump of a wild pear still throwing out white blossom with a few tall white snowdrops scattered at its feet in amongst the ground cover, yellow holly flowers, some violets, orange cotoneaster berries, masses of different greens and golds - soon, under the trees it'll be a mass of pink flowers, closer to the pear more bluebells and periwinkle, later with the pinks there'll be rose of sharon, and a honeysuckle and mock orange tucked in there too.

Lovely! I loved the bluebells near our place in Stevenage Old Town but they don't seem to grow for me here.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Lovely at the moment - pear, apple, quince, crab-apple, buddleia and magnolia trees; cherries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants coming along nicely with lots of fresh growth, and the asparagus and new potatoes will be ready soon.

Around the base of the old apple tree is a mass of Lily of the Valley, narcissi, snake's head fritillaries, grape hyacinths and bluebells. The daffodils are in full bloom, as are the violets, and Love in the Mist growing between every paving crack. Oh - and a dozen old rose plants, including two huge old arched ones loaded with reddish fresh branches.

All very charming as I look out from my old study. It's delightful to hear about other peoples' gardens in other parts of the world as spring finally hits the Northern hemisphere. Thank you for this thread.

This sounds heavenly! I had a lovely Japonica in our last garden espallied (sp?) against an old wall, the wall absorbed the sun's heat and the Quince flowered while snow still lay on the ground. My new love in this garden, mostly rocks and no lawn, is a Tamarix which is just about to burst into tiny pink flowers all along its branches.

The rhubarbs are about ready for the first pie of the year. And even better, the first asparagus have started poking their little heads up.
(freshly picked green asparagus is simply delicious)


.... and yesterday Lady C and I went for a run in the forest, and made this years first effort to scare some animals.

Oh rhubarb! I wish we had room, it was tradition to grow rhubarb by the compost heap. Never grew asparagus but love, love, love it.