Garden Diary – Wake up & smell the roses

I do wake up & smell the coffee first, but then watering has become a daily necessity and so smelling the roses comes a close second.

The roses are now in full swing and I feel there are more blooms than usual, which I guess is down to all this marvellous sunshine.

Isn’t the weather extraordinary, and not just for the time of year, we would be over the moon with this in mid summer! Although… I’m not keen on watering, firstly it’s quite time consuming and secondly, my primary school did a good, brain washing job on us about not wasting water.

We do have water butts, but it’s not enough for this length of dry spell. So as I stand there with the hosepipe, I feel guilty!

Unfortunately last Mondays rain storms came to nothing more than a few big spots here, but apparently it’s all going to change in time for next weekend’s bank holiday. Isn’t that just typical!

The frogs have even been sunbathing, vying for a space on a log I rearranged a couple of weeks ago. It’s definitely the ‘des res’ in the pond, to the extent that some are piggy backing on top of others to get on. They are so funny and give me immense pleasure!

After saying recently to a fellow gardener that Geums don’t do that well in my garden, I spotted some rather cheap ones in B&M and of course came home with a couple. 

Would you believe it, all the Geums already in the garden, this year, seem to have decided to not just survive, but thrive! So good for me and good for the insects.

And another surprise in the border was, yet more tulips! So, here’s my top tip on how to extend your tulip season – forget to plant them until January – as I did with ‘King’s Orange’ and hey presto, here he is in May!

The food side of the garden also seems to have gone into overdrive and the red onions I grew over winter will soon be ready to harvest.

Unfortunately a downside to the dryness is many more green fly, especially on the Lupins. Some of the plants in the borders are looking a bit droopy, but I hate watering the borders. 

I may have to give in though and give them a little drink to tide them over until the rain.

One of our elderly cats snoozed by me as I cleaned the dust off the windows from the building work. We had the Grand Prix this weekend from the racetrack she is named after, Imola. I think we were more excited than she was!

So trying to take a leaf out of my very relaxed cats book, I’ve stopped and stared at the frogs in the pond and stopped to smell the roses.

I hope you’ve had a relaxing week.

Monday 12th May 2025

Morning, I hope everyone’s had a lovely weekend. 

The sun is still shining lighting up the Cotinus ☀️🍁☀️🍁☀️

We have a couple of hours of rain forecast for this afternoon & boy do we need it!!! 💦💦💦☔️

#foliage #gardening  #shrubs 

Tuesday 13th May 2025

Last week I bought a new Iris for the pond & it’s already flowering 😊🌿💙🌿 #TuesdayBlue 

Wednesday 14th May 2025

It’s rose season! 🌿💜🌸💜🌿

The warmth has summersaulted the roses into action, with new blooms opening daily. And what a scent 🥰💕💜🌿

‘Rhapsody in blue’ & ‘Mary rose’

#RoseWednesday #roses

The frogs have been sunbathing, the insects have been drinking and I’ve gone into a zen like state watching them all.

A wildlife pond is good for humans too 🧘‍♀️🐸🐌🪰🐝

#WildlifeWednesday #pond #wildlifepond

Thursday 15th May 2025

This Geum is a new (spontaneous) bargain buy from B&M 🌺🌿

I think it has the seal of approval from my my little garden friends 🐝🌺🐝🌺🐝🌺🐝

#InsectThursday #WildlifeGarden #wildlife #GardenTherapy 

Onion ‘Red Winter’ planted as sets last autumn. 

Looked a bit sad after the winter but now romping away 🧅❤️🧅❤️🧅❤️

Better practice my platting skills 🌿

#onions #kitchengarden #growyourown 

Friday 16th May 2025

Lupins doing their bit for the wildlife, hosting greenfly 😬

Never mind, it’s all food for something 🌿💕💚🐞

#flowersonfriday #wildlifegarden #lupins #pinkfriday 

And one last tulip for 2025!

Tulip ‘King’s Orange’ Welcome your majesty 👑🌿🧡🌿

I did that thing where you find a packet of tulip bulbs in January that you’d forgotten about & think, “well, it’s worth a go”

#FlowersOnFriday #tulips 

Saturday 17th May 2025

Another amazing weather week here in North Wales ☀️

Everywhere looks better & feels better in the sunshine 🌞 

Happy weekend gardening 🌿💜🌸💛💕

#sixonsaturday #roses #flowers 

Our elderly, 18 yr old Imola, named after the race track that f1 are racing at this weekend 🏎️😺🏎️😻🏎️😽

She’s always been so chilled out & loves sitting in the garden or on our knee watching f1🌿

#Caturday #f1 #ImolaGP #imola #mygarden #cats

Sunday 18th May 2025

Mainly my foster rose with it’s blooms ranging from dark orange buds through to the palest of yellow, with a courgette flower & Sisyrinchium striatum ‘Aunt May’ (& I had an extraordinary Aunt May 🥰 🌿💛🌼💛🌿

#sevenonsunday #SundayYellow #YellowSunday 

Happy Gardening.