A seasonal tale of green leaves, rebirth and scrabbling in the dirt, from yesterday's gardening session: back at the beginning of the year, planning the year to come's planting, I looked upon my herb bed with despair. Oregano, thyme, chives, all were flourishing, but I had somehow achieved the impossible: my mint plant had died. I dug it out and consigned it to the compost. Yesterday, making the drill for a row of radishes, I found what I thought were well-established weeds. They were thick white roots, topped with zigzag leaf rosettes. I pulled them and caught a whiff of... wait, was that mint?! Yep, my mint has been growing underground all winter, waiting to make a reappearance. I should have believed everyone when they told me mint is unkillable!
Hello, I'm so pleased to have found you here. For several years I photographed an oak tree almost every day and it was just amazing to watch the gradual changes over time, but it also tuned me into the weather and other things in the hedgerow. I'm looking forward to seeing more. Best wishes Ax
What an amazing project, and what patience! I know they do very little until at least May as I’m eagerly watching one in my park. Lovely to have you here.
What I’ve noticed most this week is the “violence” of mating season: ducks chasing one another around a lake and tomcats yowling in the night! But there are sweeter, quieter scenes: ants preparing the peony buds for blossom, irises opening, and bluebirds building a nest.
Love the table cloth, Lia, but my eyes went straight to the gorgeous little rosebud plate on the right. Very pretty! Here in Sheffield, it’s been cold, rainy and windy. I’ve had to work quite hard to see the joy in it, but watching it all from indoors brings back a bit of winter cosiness. The plants in the greenhouse and on the windowsill are growing like mad and possibly wondering why everything outside looks like it’s on pause. But... I noticed this morning that the first crab apple flowers are opening.
There’s a story to those plates. We are only the third family to live in our house, built in 1929. The woman before had been here 50 years, brought up her family here, and died here, leaving all her bits and bobs. The family asked if we’d like anything before they cleared the house out. These are her plates.
Lush verges of snowdrop leaves, primrose, daffodil and cuckoo flowers - like there must be a wedding or some great celebration!
Out of the window this morning - a thrush on the lawn and a squirrel scampering down the path - maybe come to retrieve some of those walnuts they hid in the autumn?
Foraging for wild garlic in quiet woodlands with the deer for company -staying covered up against the ticks . Noticing wild cloudy skies and by the lakes where we walk tree creepers catching insects on the wing -must be April as the daffodils trumpet and the oxslips peep out 🍃🕊
Haha Lia your seasonal things were almost exactly the same as the ones I was planning to put on here... I guess it helps that we are in the same city, and phenology does seem to go like clockwork. Maybe we are all looking for the same surest signs of spring?
I too have noticed Dandelions invading every garden this past week and also the same thing of nettles on every wayside, straggly and fast growing they look like a silently encroaching army. I saw my first bluebell in the woods yesterday and straight after my very first cuckoo flower appearing all by itself on a grassy bank (which I notice someone else has mentioned here). These were savoured sightings of a rainy Ashton court walk yesterday picking swatches of wild garlic for pesto, and sweet violets for candying. Right at the end we were in for a real treat - we managed to hear and spot the skylarks that are currently nesting on the ground there. So magical and definitely a seasonal thing 🪶
Oh wonderful, and also how funny that were matching. We are always walking Ashton court with the dogs do I don’t dare go to that bit at this time of year as they’re ground nesting, but maybe I should stick them on leads and do it. A magical sound.
Ooooh your Easter table makes me want to go back in time and do Easter again!
My favourite springy sightings this week have been verges full of cuckoo flower, pretty purple flowers blooming on the ground ivy and chiffchaffs chiffchaffing all over the gaff! Could have done without the icy hail... But I'm sure sunnier days are on their way!
The Leeds to Liverpool canal is at the top of my street, and it’s alive with Canada geese dotted along the banks sitting on eggs. Don’t think I’ve seen as many as this before, it’s lovely to see (although they are prone to a hiss or two!)
The blues of the knitted shawl I finished, gifted to my daughter on request.the taste of warm cherry scones with homemade cherry jam. All my tulips with faces to the sun on the one truly sunny day this week
Anything with a cinnamon content, particularly hot cross buns and cinnamon rolls. Primrose’s and cowslips beginning to appear. Lush green increasing day by day.
Love your Easter table Lia- and your tablecloth and china are beautiful. We have made our spring/ summer migration to north Northumberland now, ( literally right on the Scottish border) so my “ patch” is different to before in West Sussex. We are at least 3 weeks behind up her, so what I’m noticing has more than a touch of déjà vu about it! A second chance to enjoy all the spring flowers , the lambing up here has just started, and it’s very cold- there is snow on the tops of the Cheviot hills, which surround us here. But also the hedge all around our garden is full of nests being built, the pear and apple blossom is out and there are rabbits, pheasants and birds of all kinds hopping around the garden.
A seasonal tale of green leaves, rebirth and scrabbling in the dirt, from yesterday's gardening session: back at the beginning of the year, planning the year to come's planting, I looked upon my herb bed with despair. Oregano, thyme, chives, all were flourishing, but I had somehow achieved the impossible: my mint plant had died. I dug it out and consigned it to the compost. Yesterday, making the drill for a row of radishes, I found what I thought were well-established weeds. They were thick white roots, topped with zigzag leaf rosettes. I pulled them and caught a whiff of... wait, was that mint?! Yep, my mint has been growing underground all winter, waiting to make a reappearance. I should have believed everyone when they told me mint is unkillable!
It should have been mint roots that Persephone took down to the underworld! Fantastic.
Hello, I'm so pleased to have found you here. For several years I photographed an oak tree almost every day and it was just amazing to watch the gradual changes over time, but it also tuned me into the weather and other things in the hedgerow. I'm looking forward to seeing more. Best wishes Ax
What an amazing project, and what patience! I know they do very little until at least May as I’m eagerly watching one in my park. Lovely to have you here.
What I’ve noticed most this week is the “violence” of mating season: ducks chasing one another around a lake and tomcats yowling in the night! But there are sweeter, quieter scenes: ants preparing the peony buds for blossom, irises opening, and bluebirds building a nest.
Yes it’s not all sweet crooning! Bluebirds building a nest is very lovely though.
Love this ☺️
Love the table cloth, Lia, but my eyes went straight to the gorgeous little rosebud plate on the right. Very pretty! Here in Sheffield, it’s been cold, rainy and windy. I’ve had to work quite hard to see the joy in it, but watching it all from indoors brings back a bit of winter cosiness. The plants in the greenhouse and on the windowsill are growing like mad and possibly wondering why everything outside looks like it’s on pause. But... I noticed this morning that the first crab apple flowers are opening.
There’s a story to those plates. We are only the third family to live in our house, built in 1929. The woman before had been here 50 years, brought up her family here, and died here, leaving all her bits and bobs. The family asked if we’d like anything before they cleared the house out. These are her plates.
and I have some just like it, come down through the family.
Ah magic!
How wonderful that they’re still treasured and still in the same place. I love these connections.
That hail hammering down!
Lush verges of snowdrop leaves, primrose, daffodil and cuckoo flowers - like there must be a wedding or some great celebration!
Out of the window this morning - a thrush on the lawn and a squirrel scampering down the path - maybe come to retrieve some of those walnuts they hid in the autumn?
Foraging for wild garlic in quiet woodlands with the deer for company -staying covered up against the ticks . Noticing wild cloudy skies and by the lakes where we walk tree creepers catching insects on the wing -must be April as the daffodils trumpet and the oxslips peep out 🍃🕊
That sounds beautiful Su
Easter does bring us the time to reflect and walk in wild places -enjoying reading others adventures in both garden and landscapes 🙏
Haha Lia your seasonal things were almost exactly the same as the ones I was planning to put on here... I guess it helps that we are in the same city, and phenology does seem to go like clockwork. Maybe we are all looking for the same surest signs of spring?
I too have noticed Dandelions invading every garden this past week and also the same thing of nettles on every wayside, straggly and fast growing they look like a silently encroaching army. I saw my first bluebell in the woods yesterday and straight after my very first cuckoo flower appearing all by itself on a grassy bank (which I notice someone else has mentioned here). These were savoured sightings of a rainy Ashton court walk yesterday picking swatches of wild garlic for pesto, and sweet violets for candying. Right at the end we were in for a real treat - we managed to hear and spot the skylarks that are currently nesting on the ground there. So magical and definitely a seasonal thing 🪶
Oh wonderful, and also how funny that were matching. We are always walking Ashton court with the dogs do I don’t dare go to that bit at this time of year as they’re ground nesting, but maybe I should stick them on leads and do it. A magical sound.
Really is I would definitely recommend
Ooooh your Easter table makes me want to go back in time and do Easter again!
My favourite springy sightings this week have been verges full of cuckoo flower, pretty purple flowers blooming on the ground ivy and chiffchaffs chiffchaffing all over the gaff! Could have done without the icy hail... But I'm sure sunnier days are on their way!
They are, they are! Next year with the Easter table...
The Leeds to Liverpool canal is at the top of my street, and it’s alive with Canada geese dotted along the banks sitting on eggs. Don’t think I’ve seen as many as this before, it’s lovely to see (although they are prone to a hiss or two!)
Wow what a thing, but yes slightly terrifying!
Autumnal Easter here, and yesterday my younger daughter remarked the leaves don't turn brown but rather shades of orange, foxy, and ginger.
Beautiful. A poetic mind...xx
I saw my first couple of swallows of 2023 five days ago x
Wonderful!
The blues of the knitted shawl I finished, gifted to my daughter on request.the taste of warm cherry scones with homemade cherry jam. All my tulips with faces to the sun on the one truly sunny day this week
Anything with a cinnamon content, particularly hot cross buns and cinnamon rolls. Primrose’s and cowslips beginning to appear. Lush green increasing day by day.
Yum to the cinnamon content...
Oh and my own patch of wild garlic in the little wooded area behind one of the sheds is bursting, so I’m making the most of that!
Love your Easter table Lia- and your tablecloth and china are beautiful. We have made our spring/ summer migration to north Northumberland now, ( literally right on the Scottish border) so my “ patch” is different to before in West Sussex. We are at least 3 weeks behind up her, so what I’m noticing has more than a touch of déjà vu about it! A second chance to enjoy all the spring flowers , the lambing up here has just started, and it’s very cold- there is snow on the tops of the Cheviot hills, which surround us here. But also the hedge all around our garden is full of nests being built, the pear and apple blossom is out and there are rabbits, pheasants and birds of all kinds hopping around the garden.
Must be very strange experiencing it all again! But also part of your annual cycle by the sound of it.
Are you one of those who gets all anxious about your tablecloth getting tea stained while being used?
Very much the opposite I like a few stains to show that my tablecloth has had a little fun
is the correct answer