Garden-related bits
My Mum came for a visit last month, and I know I grumble a lot, but I do love her dearly (most of the time!). In particular, she spurred me to get my backside out into the garden again after several months of agoraphobia and feeling the futility of fighting weeds. So, we got the two raised borders of the patio mostly clear and partially replanted, two young cherry trees planted, and all the new spring bulbs she bought me into pots. For the people who've not encountered her, my mother is a firm believer in retail therapy. Thus, although a scary number of plants and bulbs were bought for my garden, they pale into insignificance against the number bought for hers (seriously, she left some behind because she couldn't work out how to fit them into the car and not have them fall over her headrest if she had to emergency-stop). Although all were heavily reduced in the pre-scroogemas clearances, it was still alarming to watch. On the plus side, I have several nice new residents - pride of place is given to a cut-leafed maple (cultivar "Garnet"), but I'm also very pleased with Libertia "Goldfinger" (an iris-relative with lovely gold-veined leaves that redden in the autumn, and white triangular flowers in the summer), a lovely double viticella Clematis, an evergreen honeysuckle and some blueberry bushes (the American high-bush types). Also, all my old lavenders and such are in permanent places, along with a few new herbaceous herbs, all interplanted with spring bulbs (I'll decide on perennials and possibly some annuals too in the growing season!). This is fun. Now I just need good weather and me being in a good mood to coincide, so I can tidy out up there!