While we were away, the wind blew and blew, it rained and rained again, the garden became more and more bedraggled and the only thing that grew in the polytunnel were the weeds. Meteorologically, spring may have officially sprung on 1 March, or alternatively, astronomically on 20 March, but we are still enduring the equinox gales and shivering in a cold NW stiff breeze. So I am unable to beguile you with glorious images of spring flowers, but instead I offer you a tiny clump of dainty primroses and a more robust dandelion. Everyone loves primroses, but a dandelion? In March, we (and any small flying wee beastie rash enough to be about) are grateful for the acid flash of yellow from a humble dandelion, which is not a weed when it grows in the fields beyond the garden boundary.
The wild and garden plants may be resisting the procreation urge, but in the avian world the hormones are clearly raging. There are garrulous and rumbustious gangs of oystercatchers in the fields, exuberant and irrepressible lapwings indulging in synchronised, acrobatic flying displays, and even when it is too windy for aerial songflights, the skylarks will serenade us from the fence posts.
I hope that before the meteorological end of spring, 31 May, or more likely the astronomical equivalent of 21 June, that the weather may have improved and that gardening may have become less of an endurance exercise and more of a sunlit pleasure. In the meantime, it is time to put on the wellies and woolly hat, and continue the muck spreading to the accompaniment of larks ascending.
Looks like it’s going to be a late spring this year. Usually things start getting drier at the end of March….
You are right, the end of March and pril can be dry, and in some years extended into a May drought. Fortunately the wind has dropped too and today we have sunshine! Anothor micro spell of god weather, so it’s back to the muck spreading. og the romance pf the gppd life!
Yes, it’s easy to forget that bees and insects are not as fussy about the flowers in our gardens. It has been so dry here this year that I wouldn’t mind some of your rain if you could send it in this direction please!
Not a bee to be seen, so I hope that they are still slumbering!
Rain, how much would you like? We have plenty to share, but Scottish Water still managed to turn the taps off 3 times last week! Pewrhaps they were selling our water on the black market?
And we have seen bees here for what seems like weeks – a butterfly too, last week. I will get back to you about the water proposition if you can give some thought to the packaging…
I guess we have to grab the small windows of sunshine and stillness in between the gales and rain whilst we can ☺️. Still beautiful, though, and Spring is definitely coming
Gardening is a day-by-day activity. Today is beautiful, tomorrow may be not so good.
Very true