My Garden in April

Daffs the slugs and snails munched.

   Hi all, it's that time of the month again... my garden update! I wish I could say a lot has been going on, but really, it hasn't. Next year I must remember to plant more spring flowering plants and bulbs. But there has been some action, my daffodils are up and blooming, the only ones still living in Lancaster I think, but better late than never, and actually I don't mind them being late as it gives everything else a chance to catch up and I won't end up with a dull spell after they go... I hope. Some of them seem to have had some trouble with slugs and snails in the budding stage, they got munched and bloomed out a bit scrappy, but i have two or three in fine form. Gardener's World has begun for the spring and they did a piece a couple weekends back about daffodils and all the many varieties, it's inspired me and I think that I'm going to buy a different variety every year and start collecting them. I'd like to find some original wild varieties and some of the pretty little Victorian types as well, but I should probably start with the garden center basics first.

The hanging baskets.

   I've planted out my seedlings, a bit premature but my in-laws were coming to stay for the weekend and I needed to clear out my windowsills, so I thought it was safer to get them into their pots and baskets then to risk the slugs on the ground (how the buggers manage to survive in a gravel covered yard is beyond me, but I have an infestation of them). Anyway, some things haven't done particularly well, my Lobelia and Trailing Petunia never really got started and my Morning Glory's fell victim to slug abuse and a late freeze. I'll probably just go buy a couple plants from the garden center in May to make up for it. But the Nasturtiums have adapted to their outside home well and seem happy. The cornflowers have started their upward climb and the Sweet Peas are slowly growing as well.

Mystery Plant.

   I have a bit of a mystery plant challenge for anyone feeling up to the task. I have an odd plant that's sprouted in one of my large containers and I haven't got a clue what it is. It doesn't look like a weed to me, although I can't claim to be any kind of expert, but as for what it really is, I haven't got a clue. I've left it there to see what happens, it's not really bothering any of my other plants so I figured why not just let it grow and see what comes out.

Cornflowers and forgotten bulbs.

   I have some bulbs I planted two years ago growing now, although I can't remember what they were anymore, but one has a couple buds on it, so I should be able to sort it out in the next couple weeks. Something like a Gladioli or Foxglove if I remember correctly.

Wild Poppy

   Oh, and the only pre-existing plant in our garden besides weeds and ivy has come back again this year and bigger, a sweet little wild poppy. It sprouted out of the gravel last spring and gave us one tiny red flower. I left it feeling rather sentimental about the fact that it was the only plant I didn't make any effort to help and it seemed to be the best of the bunch. It's back again with about double the foliage and a handful of buds.