Good gardening

Folks in Tennessee might be experiencing a cold snap, but here in England we're enjoying some nice weather. That's a great change. Usually, a holiday weekend signals the arrival of dreary, drizzly, dripping grey skies. But not this Good Friday. This year the sun is shining - and though it's not exactly shorts weather, it's still more than nice enough to get out into the garden and do some much needed tidying.

The daffodils have been a bit disappointing this year. Some of them even seem to be blank - though spring's not over yet. I suspect that it didn't get cold enough, early enough or long enough in the autumn. This has happened two years in a row. But I'm planning to do a little foliar feeding just to set the daffs up for next year.

I'm also inspecting for bad critters. Sadly, the beautiful scarlet lily beetle is back. It's such a pretty bug, but its red color should be seen as a warning beacon. This little fellow will chew through your lilies faster than you can say lillium orientalis.



The only remedy is mechanical. That is picking the little buggers off and squishing them.

Making plans

Today we have some errands to run and plan to take a walk in the Deer Park. But I've suggested that tomorrow we make our way down to Wisley to stroll through the botanical gardens to see the mid-season daffodils, the magnolias and any early rhododendrons or azaleas or any late camellias.

We might also take a wee tour through the garden centre. I'm not sure what I need to get (nothing, probably) - but I must take a look for what I might want to get. I'll have Easter Sunday and Easter Monday to get in the ground.