Pots&Paws

The garden is looking very full, spring is definitely here. I am loving spending as much time outside as possible, the perfect antidote to a stressful job

1) Plan to plant out my summer bedding grown from seed over this weekend – white cosmos, white geraniums, white lobelia, blue lobelia, white petunias, blue petunias, foxgloves white tobacco plants. The garden is already full with little soil visable so finding enough space will be a challenge (But fun). My colour palette has always been limited by choice to white, blue and purple. A little hot pink has crept in and currently I am toying with geum Totally Tangerine to link to the newly painted walls of Orange Corner.Also going to sow new seeds, it would be rude not to!

2) This magnolia tree is huge now. It was a Gardeners World deal where you just pay postage from about 10 years ago. Beautiful with the sun light through the leaves but still no flowers. Will try to keep it well watered this summer and keep my fingers crossed for next year.3) Keeping the bird feeders topped up and have regular feathered visitors. A new experience because my spaniel used to religiously chase every bird away. He is older and slower now so the robins and blue tits enjoy the buffet hung on an old wrought iron gate.4) Best plant in the garden right now is viburnum plicatum tomentosum Kilimanjaro Sunrise. It is wonderful and deserves its RHS plant of the year status. Have to confess my sister and I bought plants at the same time three years ago, hers is in the ground and it is now more than twice the size of my potted plant.5) The orange corner is really becoming lush, the fig is going crazy. The bamboo is looking a little sad, I am feeding it but think it is protesting against the pot, might be time for a repot. Sitting in this part of the garden on a sunny morning is like being on holiday6) Last photo is a shallow pot of house leeks. So architectural and such easy plants as long as the drainage is good.Looking forward to two more days of gardening, finishing my irrigation system (crucial with over 200 pots) and the hanging of new garden lights.

Do visit The Propergator to read dozens of Six on Saturdays from all over the world.

1. Introduction to my garden – we have a walled garden, not far from the sea. The focus is a tapestry of green punctuated by flowers.

2. My “helpful” hounds

3. My garden has over 200 terracotta pots so hours of watering but today I am tackling an irrigation system.

4. I love ferns especially tree ferns

5. Today’s favourite plant (It changes every day) is muehlen beckia complexa, maidenhair vine – it is beautiful and I plan to order more.

6. Storm Hannah – the high walls of the garden usually protect us but Hannah managed to topple a potted tree and break a couple of pots. The tree fell on my beautiful peony which I am hoping will recover, it has 7 buds this year so I have been looking forward to a wonderful display. I am sure we have got off lightly compared to many gardens on the coast

As I garden – losing whole days at the weekend, stealing moments while the kettle boils for morning tea, working in the dark on my return from work – I compose descriptions of the challenges and successes. Time to see if the words floating through my head during the last 10 years of making my garden, work on a page.