This is the first year that I have had flowers from this lovely pale pink camellia which I bought from Woolworths a few years ago (how I miss Woolworths!!). Th weather here is very cold again and we had a frost last night.

We had some very warm weather at the end of March and the garden was a mass of colour.

Azaleas enjoying the sunshine in a

friend's garden at the end of March

Rhubarb starting to grow in early spring. I like to make rhubarb crumbles - I add a little chopped ginger root to the fruit. Orange juice and peel is also good. Or maybe mix with some strawberries or raspberries

Spring pots and baskets on the patio table

Mahonia flowering in the front garden

Blue hyacinths

A beautiful early spring clematis I saw on a walk

Red camellia growing in front of our landing window

The Thrive Herb Garden in Battersea Park. Thrive is a charity which uses gardening to change the lives of disabled people.

http://www.thrive.org.uk/about-thrive.aspx

More views from my kitchen window sill

The warm weather we experienced at the beginning of the week has gone and it is now cool and cloudy. There has been a little rain but nowhere near as much as we need. I spent an hour in the garden this afternoon. Pruned the passion flower which grows by the small lean-to greenhouse on the patio and the two blackberries. One grows by the garden path and the other in the shaded area at the end of the garden. Tomorrow I hope to sow more seeds


Here is a picture taken one summer inside one of the greenhouses at the Chelsea Physic Garden

Spring is here, the days are longer and everything is growing in my garden. I sowed seeds at the weekend - chili peppers, tomato, aubergine, cucumber and dark red hollyhocks. We visited  the Isle of Wight from Sunday to Tuesday. Walking along the coastal path from Shanklin to Lake we passed several lovely gardens. In one there was a selection of small plants for sale with a note asking for the money to be posted into the letter box. What a lovely way to share plants from a garden. I bought a cowslip, a blue summer flowerering iris and two digitalis obscura - the willow leafed or dusky foxglove.
http://www.paghat.com/digitalisobscura.html

I  bring my garden indoors with flowers and greenery sharing the kitchen window sill and worktops.

I always enjoy visiting the Derrys Field Allotments in Woking. Here are some pictures of their Open Day.

Spring

Its a long time since I last published a post. This has been due to the birth of a new grandson and spending more time on my other hobbies - a book group, sewing and knitting, making jewellery and cards and also researching family history. We had a mild winter until the New Year but have had several very cold spells recently. Spring is definitely here now and gardens are looking colourful again and I am starting to think about sowing seeds, planting new plants and visiting other gardens.
You might like to see some pictures of flowers I grew last summer - ladybird poppies, zinnias, pot marigolds, cosmos  ...

One of the gardens I visit frequently is Ventnor Botanic Gardens on the Isle of Wight.

http://www.botanic.co.uk/

Passion flower at Ventnor Botanic Garden November 2011

Museum of Garden History

The Museum of Garden History in Lambeth is one of my favourite places.


I visited again last week with friends Hilary & David. The museum's home is in the former parish church St Mary- at-Lambeth.



John Tradescant's tomb can be found in the garden and the17th century knot garden is planted with many of the plants that the Tradescants grew.







The cafe serves delicious vegetarian food at very reasonable prices - soups, main courses and yummy cakes.